George Frederick "Buzz" Beurling, DSO, DFC, DFM & Bar (6 December 1921 – 20 May 1948) was the most successful Canadian fighter pilot and flying ace of the Second World War.

Having found a way to potentially continue combat flying in the postwar era, Beurling was killed in a crash while attempting to deliver an aircraft to Israel.

[5][page needed] George Beurling began to develop an interest in flying at the age of 6 when his father built him a model aircraft.

Wanting to increase his flying experience, he set out for China, hoping to join the Chinese Nationalist Air Force by crossing the US border.

With the outbreak of war, Beurling tried to join the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), but his lack of academic qualifications led to his rejection.

After landing, his machine was so severely damaged by enemy fire that it was delivered to Flying Training School Hucknall, but after inspection recategorized as E and Struck off Charge.

My last burst of fire appeared to hit his petrol tank as his wings broke off heading up, also the fuselage breaking between the cockpit and the tail unit.

Beurling then regrouped with friendly aircraft, but as he did not witness its final fate claimed the Fw 190 probably destroyed 2–3 miles (3.2–4.8 km) off Cap Gris Nez at approximately 12:00.

He picked his targets off cleanly and decisively, swinging his sight smoothly through them as a first-class shot strokes driven partridges out of the sky.

Then, suddenly he was on the tail of a Macchi whose pilot (probably Sergente Maggiore Francesco Pecchiari from 51° Stormo), spotting the Spitfire, plunged into a dive.

Head, a member of the crew of HSL 128 remembered that when they picked him out of the water he was most concerned that he was unable to locate a small bible that he had been given by his mother.

The Macchi 202 pilot reported to have parachuted down after an AA shell had damaged his aircraft and realizing that he was followed by six Spitfires that, at the moment, had still not fired.

[30] That day, he shot down Sergente Faliero Gelli,[31] and immediately afterwards, Captain Furio Niclot Doglio, Regia Aeronautica's best fighter ace,[N 1] both flying Macchi MC.

On the same day, Beurling also claimed two Bf 109s, one of which was piloted by the ace Leutnant Karl-Heinz Preu of JG 53 although other sources attribute this to flak.

His courage and determination are a source of inspiration to all.The enervation of daily combat combined with the effects of the poor rations and dysentery were telling.

He claimed to have "disintegrated" a first Bf 109, to have damaged a second and set a third on fire, that "enveloped in flames, dived vertically striking the sea", the pilot bailing out.

Two of these victims were two German fighters that came back to base, even if badly damaged and the third could be the one piloted by Kurt Gorbing, who made a forced-landing and died shortly afterwards.

[40] On 10 October, Beurling was testing his newly serviced Spitfire when he was vectored to intercept two Bf 109s, flying line abreast at 1,000 feet (300 m) over Filfla.

[41] On the morning of 13 October, 3 miles (4.8 km) north of St Paul’s Bay, Beurling, attacked a formation of Junkers Ju 88s, escorted by 30 Bf 109s.

As a relentless fighter, whose determination and will to win has won the admiration of his colleagues, this officer has set an example in keeping with the highest traditions of the Royal Air Force.Beurling was a committed Christian and non-smoker.

His relentless concentration on aerial fighting led Beurling to develop a marked skill at deflection shooting and together with his situational awareness, he was soon recognised as a deadly fighter pilot.

If jumped from behind, he would pull back on the stick of his Mk Vc Spitfire so hard that the aircraft would enter a violent stall, flick over and spin.

On 14 October 1942 (his last flight over Malta), Beurling scrambled with six other pilots from his squadron to intercept a raid of Ju 88s escorted by 60 Bf 109s, Macchi 202s and Reggiane 2001s just south of Zonqor Point.

After landing back in Britain, Beurling was then sent to Canada to join a Victory Loan Drive, selling war bonds, being the guest of honour at a parade in Verdun and meeting Prime Minister Mackenzie King.

[49] The leg wound Beurling had received over Malta, combined with his poor general health, returned him to hospital for several weeks.

Shooting down an Fw 190 of JG 2 in September, but unhappy with flying sweeps, Beurling requested command of a flight of North American P-51 Mustangs in order to carry out deep penetration, free-roaming raids into Germany.

However, his stunting of a de Havilland Tiger Moth at zero feet over his airfield eventually led to his Wing Commander, Hugh Godefroy, threatening him with a court martial.

After a test flight, Beurling fatally crashed his Noorduyn Norseman transport aircraft while landing at Aeroporto dell'Urbe in Rome on 20 May 1948, just six days after the Israeli Declaration of Independence.

Then his widow, Diana Whittall Gardner, had him buried in the Cimitero Acattolico behind the Cestia Pyramid, between the graves of Percy Bysshe Shelley and John Keats.

His coffin, draped with the blue and white Israeli flag, was laid in a nearby air force base, where an honour guard of young airmen mounted a silent watch.