James Leathart, CB, DSO (5 January 1915 – 18 November 1998) was a British flying ace who served with the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War.

54 Squadron during its participation in the Battle of Britain and achieved further aerial victories to add to those claimed during the fighting in France.

His later war service included periods in the Middle East and he participated in the D-Day landings at Normandy on 6 June 1944.

Appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1960, he retired from the RAF two years later and spend the remainder of his life in Gloucestershire.

It achieved its first success on 13 February 1940, when pilots of Leathart's flight destroyed a Heinkel He 111 medium bomber over the English Channel near Kent.

He flew a Miles Master – a two-seater trainer aircraft – back to Calais with protection provided by a pair of Spitfires, flown by future flying aces Alan Deere and John Allen.

He took off but several Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters of the Luftwaffe appeared, so Leathart landed his aircraft and ran for cover while the Spitfires flew interference.

Once the area quietened down, both men boarded the Master and Leathart took off and returned safely back at Hornchurch.

54 Squadron was briefly based at Catterick for a rest and training up of replacement pilots before returning to Hornchurch for the forthcoming Battle of Britain.

[7] The published citation, which specifically referred to Leathart's rescue of White from Calais, read: During May 1940, this officer led his squadron on a large number of offensive patrols over Northern France.

In company with his Squadron he has shot down fifteen Messerschmitts, and possibly one Heinkel 111 and one Junkers 88, during the period mentioned.

He also flew a trainer aircraft to Calais Marck aerodrome to rescue a squadron commander who had been shot down but was uninjured.

Whilst taking off, after the rescue, an attack was made by twelve Messerschmitt 109's but with great coolness and skilful evasive tactics Flight Lieutenant Leathart succeeded in shaking off the enemy and landing again without damage.

This officer has displayed great courage, determination and splendid leadership.On 17 June, Leathart and his squadron intercepted Luftwaffe bombers over Boulogne.

On 18 August, he claimed what he reported as a Heinkel He 113 fighter as probably destroyed over Kent, although military aviation historians note that this was actually a Bf 109.

54 Squadron ended in October 1940 when he was posted to a staff role relating to aerial tactics with the Air Ministry.

[13] In November 1941, Leathart, promoted to acting wing commander, went to the Middle East on a staff posting to the RAF headquarters there.

Flying to the north of Tripoli with his radar operator, Flight Lieutenant G. Glass, on the night of 22 February 1943, he destroyed a CANT Z.1007 medium bomber.

In the hours immediately following the commencement of the invasion of Normandy, he was landed on one of the beaches with a radar set for coordinating night fighter operations.

66 Group, and two years later served as the air representative at the Joint Intelligence Bureau and then wing commander, flying in the RAF's Northern Sector.

In July 1955, Leathart was promoted to group captain and took command of the Air Defence Operations Centre.