Wing Commander Lance Cleo "Wildcat" Wade DSO, DFC and two Bars (1915 -12 January 1944), was an American pilot who joined the British Royal Air Force during the Second World War and became a flying ace. He was described in "Fighter Aces of the USA" by Toliver and Constable, as a "distinguished American fighter ace who epitomized perhaps more than any other American airman the wartime accords between Britain and the United States".
Biography
Lance Wade was born in Broaddus, Texas in 1915. He joined the Royal Air Force in Canada in December 1940 (the USA did not enter the war until a year later). He arrived in Egypt as a Hawker Hurricane Mk I pilot in September 1941, and was posted to 33 Squadron. His first kills were two Fiat CR-42s on the 18th November. He made ace on 24th November, 1941. He began flying Hurricane Mk IIs in April 1942, when he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. He had 13 victories as of September 1942. He spent the next several months back in the US on various RAF projects including evaluating some American fighters at Wright Field. He returned to combat as a Flight commander in 145 Squadron with a bar to his DFC, flying Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vs. Promoted to Squadron Leader, he had a busy 60+ days, as by the end of April his score was 21, by then flying Spitfire Mk IXs. His Squadron moved to Italy, and Wade got two Focke-Wulf Fw 190s as a Spitfire VIII pilot 2 Oct. His last claims were three FW190s damaged on the 3 November, 1943. Wade became a Wing Commander and joined the staff of the Desert Air Force but was there only briefly, as he was killed in a flying accident on 12 January 1944 at Foggia, Italy. In 30 flights for which he made claims he was credited with 23 victories (including 2 shared), 1 probable, and 13 damaged. He is also credited with 1 destroyed and 5 damaged on the ground, all of which he achieved before his death at the age of 28. Wing Commander Wade is usually listed with 25 victories but official RAF records show that he had 22 solo victories and half each of two more for a total of 23, not counting one probable. Regardless of whether his score is 25, or 23 victories, he is still the leading American fighter ace to serve exclusively in any foreign air force. Since he never transferred to the USAAF, or any other American Air service, W/Cmdr. Wade never got the publicity that other American Aces received and thus is more obscure than his peers.
