This was a sad passing. I met Jack several years ago. He contributed photos for an article I co-wrote for Air Power International.
Jack was the first USAAF fighter ace against Germany. Remember those stories about P-51 pilots landing in France and Germany to pick up downed squadron mates. Well, Jack did exactly that.
You can read about Jack on Syd Edwards tribute page
here. Jack's Book and my published review:
"Having grown up on a steady diet of 1940s and 50s war movies, I thought that most of the characters and their wild exploits were the work of overly imaginative writers. By and large, my belief was accurate. Recently though, I was introduced to a man and his true story that has caused me to reconsider the deeds of derring-do seen on film.
Jack Ilfrey (ILFREY) is a real life cross between Hans Solo and Indiana Jones. Of course, Jack predates those fictional characters by more that 35 years. Flying P-38 Lightnings and the P-51 Mustang, Jack was involved in events that would leave Steve Canyon trembling like a mouse.
Forced to make an emergency landing in a very German friendly Portugal, Jack escaped internment by tricking the local military authorities into refueling his P-38F. Once that was accomplished, he offered to show them how to start the engines. With Portuguese officers still kneeling on the wings, Jack firewalled the throttles and pulled the canopy closed as his hapless captors were blown off like leaves. Without the time to taxi to a runway, Ilfrey takes off straight ahead. He then navigates to Gibraltar by compass alone. The diplomatic flap caused by Jack's bold escape results in the State Department demanding that he be sent back! General Jimmy Doolittle would have none of that. He needed men with Ilfrey's genius and unflappable nerve. Jack Ilfrey would go on to be America's first fighter pilot to gain ace status against the Luftwaffe.
The title, Happy Jack's Go Buggy, comes directly from the name of his P-38 and P-51 fighters. The unusual name bestowed on his fighters reveals a unique type of pilot. Indeed, Jack could be considered the archtypical model of the crazy-ass, wild-eyed American fighter jockey to appear in later American war films.
Of the many combat pilot memiors that I have read, Jack's stands out as the most entertaining and one of the most inspiring of the lot. There can be no doubt that Ilfrey was a tried and true American hero. He was also one of America's greatest characters to emerge from the war. If you enjoy reading about fighter pilots, run, do not walk, to you nearest bookstore and get this wonderful book."
Happy hunting Jack!
My regards,
Widewing
