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(Francis) Ronald Downs b: 31 Aug 1903 r: 14 Jul 1954 d: 28 Sep 1989
CB - 1 Jan 1954, CBE - 1 Jan 1946 (OBE - 17 Mar 1941), AFC - 1 Feb 1937, MiD - 1 Jan 1941.
Plt Off (P): 21 Aug 1922, Plt Off: 21 Feb 1923, Fg Off: 21 Feb 1924, Flt Lt: 1 Jul 1928, Sqn Ldr: 1 Jun 1936, Wg Cdr: 1 Apr 1939, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Sep 1941, Act A/Cdre: 17 May 1944, Gp Capt (WS): 17 Nov 1944, Act A/Cdre: 1 Mar 1946?, Gp Capt: 1 Oct 1946, A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1949.
21 Aug 1922: Initial Officer Training, RAF Depot?
2 Sep 1922: U/T Pilot, No 5 FTS.
20 Aug 1923: Supernumerary, RAF Depot.
22 Oct 1923: Pilot, No 2 Sqn.
9 Jun 1924: Pilot, No 11 Sqn.
1 Mar 1926: QFI, No 2 FTS.
1 Mar 1929: Flight Commander, No 23 Sqn.
13 Nov 1929: Flight Commander, No 6 Sqn.
12 Sep 1933: Flight Commander, No 208 Sqn (Atlass - Heliopolis)
15 Feb 1935: Pilot, Experimental Section, RAE.
8 Apr 1937: Officer Commanding, No 1 Sqn. (Fury I/Hurricane I)
24 Jan 1938: Attended RAF Staff College.
31 Dec 1938: Air Staff, HQ No 6 (Auxiliary) Group.
xx xxx xxxx: SASO, HQ No 6 (Bomber) Group
11 Oct 1943: SOA, HQ No 8 (PFF) Group.
1 Mar 1946: AOA, No 219 Group.
21 Feb 1949: AOC, No 28 Group.
16 Aug 1950: SASO/Deputy Head of Air Force Staff, British Joint Services Mission, Washington.
During 1933 he commanded the Cairo-Rhodesia Flight and in 1936 he was involved in high altitude experiments conducted at RAE and on 28 September 1936 he set a new World Altitude Record of 49,967ft in Bristol 138A, K4879.
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