Bennett, Donald (1910-1986), was an Australian pilot who became an air vice marshal in the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1943. At that time, he was the youngest RAF officer to hold this rank.
Donald Clifford Tyndall Bennett was born in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, on Sept. 14, 1910. He was educated at Brisbane Grammar School. He joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in 1930. The next year, he transferred to the RAF in England. Bennett developed strong aviation skills and a keen interest in accurate navigation of aircraft over long distances. In 1936, he wrote an influential book on navigation, The Complete Air Navigator . In 1938, he made a record crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. He also made the first nonstop flights from the United Kingdom to South Africa and from the United Kingdom to Canada.
During World War II (1939-1945), Bennett led the Atlantic Ferry Organization, which brought aircraft from the United States to the United Kingdom. He then flew on bombing raids and was awarded the Distinguished Service medal. He later became an area officer, commanding the Pathfinder Force of the RAF Bomber Command. The unit was formed to improve the navigational accuracy of bomber forces. Bennett was most effective in this role. He was promoted, at the age of 33, to air vice marshal. In 1943, he was named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CME).
After the war, Bennett was appointed chief executive of British South American Airways Corporation, which operated between London and Buenos Aires, Argentina. He formed his own air transport company and assisted with the Berlin Airlift during 1948 and 1949, when the Soviet Union blockaded West Berlin and supplies had to be flown in. Bennett died on Sept. 15, 1986.
