Sub-Lieutenant Ronald David Scott (born 17 October 1917) is an Argentine Naval aviator who flew for the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm in the Second World War.[1][2]
Ronald Scott | |
|---|---|
| Born | 17 October 1917 Villa Devoto, Buenos Aires |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service | Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1942–1945 |
| Rank | Sub-Lieutenant |
| Service number | 582095 |
| Unit | 794 Naval Air Squadron |
| Battles / wars | Second World War |
He was featured in the short film Buena Onda: The Tale of Ronny Scott in 2021.[3]
Career
editI was born in Villa Devoto, certainly, but what else could I do but go to war? When someone like Hitler kills the number of people he ended up massacring, I think something has to be done. That's what I felt. Beyond coming from a family of British origin, I felt it was my obligation as a human being.[4]
Son of a veteran soldier from Scotland and a nurse from England, in 1942 at the age of 25, Scott signed up to the Royal Navy at the British Embassy in Buenos Aires, where he fought as a volunteer until the end of the Second World War, where he was awarded the 1939-1945 Star.
Later life
editScott later returned to Argentina where he flew as a commercial pilot for Aeroposta Argentina, flying Douglas DC-3 aircraft to Patagonia. When Aeroposta merged with Aerolíneas Argentinas, he continued to fly, captaining a Douglas DC4, a Comet 4 before culminating his career flying the Boeing 747. He retired with over 23000 flight hours under his belt.[5]
He now lives in the Buenos Aires suburb of San Isidro, as the last surviving Spitfire pilot in Latin America. In 2021 he was made a life member of the Fleet Air Arm Officer's Association by Vice-Admiral Sir Adrian Johns, the former Second Sea Lord.[6]
References
edit- ^ "Buenos Aires Times | Fighting fit at 103, the veteran who left Argentina behind to fly Spitfires for Britain in WWII". www.batimes.com.ar. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
- ^ de 2021, 9 de Marzo (9 March 2021). "Ronny Scott: el argentino de 103 años que voló los míticos Spitfires para Inglaterra durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial". infobae (in European Spanish). Retrieved 5 November 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Premiere: Ronny Scott". www.grammar-productions.com. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
- ^ Diario El Dia de La Plata. "La historia del piloto argentino que peleó contra Hitler y acaba de cumplir 101 años". www.eldia.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 June 2021.
- ^ "Ronald Scott, el último sobreviviente de la Segunda Guerra Mundial". Perfil (in Spanish). 8 September 2020. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
- ^ "Argentinian WW2 FAA pilot Ronny Scott". www.fleetairarmoa.org. Retrieved 5 November 2021.