Arthur Umbers

Promoted to squadron leader, Umbers was given command of his former unit, No. 486 Squadron, on 11 December. At the time, it was part of the Second Tactical Air Force, flying from the Volkel airfield in Holland. On 1 January 1945, the Luftwaffe launched Operation Bodenplatte, a coordinated strike against the Allied airfields in the Low Countries. Umbers, in the air at the time and leading a reconnaissance flight, intercepted and destroyed a Fw 190 and a Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter near Helmond. He was subject to friendly fire on 13 January when, while supporting the United States 1st Army in the St. Vith area, his Tempest was damaged by American anti-aircraft fire. He crashed behind Allied lines and had a heated argument with American troops over the incident. Ten days later, near Rheine airfield in Germany, he shot down a Bf 109.

On 24 September Umbers damaged a Fw 190 southeast of Trouville and shortly afterwards was taken off operations. He was briefly assigned to the headquarters of Fighter Command in a staff role but in late October he was sent to Hawker Siddeley, the aircraft manufacturer, as a test pilot. Harvey Sweetman, his former flight commander, was already there flying in the same capacity. Umbers fulfilled a similar role for the Gloster Aircraft Company from November through to April 1944, at which time he was posted to No. 3 Squadron, at the time operating the Hawker Tempest fighter.

Umbers was promoted to flight lieutenant in January 1943, which coincided with him taking over as one of No. 486 Squadron's flight commanders. The squadron was switched to offensive operations in April 1943 and started flying to occupied Europe, escorting bombers. On 9 April, Umbers was credited with a quarter share in two Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighters that were destroyed over Étretat. He shot down a Fw 190 on 24 June and was credited with another as probably destroyed on 15 July. The squadron later started flying in a fighter-bomber role, attacking German shipping. Umbers was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), which was officially announced on 7 September in The London Gazette. The published citation read:

In mid-March 1942, Umbers was transferred to the RAF's No. 486 (New Zealand) Squadron. This had been formed earlier in the month as the second New Zealand squadron in Fighter Command. It initially operated Hawker Hurricanes from Kirton-in-Lindsey in a night-fighting capacity. After a period of training, the first operational flight was undertaken by Flight Lieutenant Harvey Sweetman and Umbers on 27 April. The squadron was also involved with the experimental Turbinlite program, cooperating with No. 1451 Flight. This used a Douglas A-20 Havoc equipped with a searchlight in its nose. When operating interception missions at night, it would use its radar equipment to locate enemy aircraft, then illuminate them with the searchlight once spotted so that an accompanying Hurricane could endeavour to shoot it down. Umbers was in charge of one of the Hurricane detachments involved in the program, which was ultimately unsuccessful.

Born in Dunedin, Umbers joined the RNZAF in 1940. After completing his flight training, the latter part of which was received in Canada, he was posted to the Royal Air Force's No. 74 Squadron in August 1941 and then onto No. 486 Squadron, with which he flew extensively on both night operations and offensive sorties for nearly 18 months. After a rest period, during which he was a test pilot for Hawker Siddeley and then the Gloster Aircraft Company, he returned to operational flying in April 1944 with No. 3 Squadron. The squadron was equipped with the Hawker Tempest and when the Germans began launching V-1 flying bombs at England, it was tasked with intercepting them. Umbers was the first New Zealander to destroy a V-1. In December he returned to No. 486 Squadron as its commander. He was killed in action when his aircraft was hit by flak while attacking barges on the Dortmund-Ems Canal.

Umbers formally joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force on 24 November 1940, enlisting as an airman pilot with the service number 404003. After initial training at Levin, he proceeded to No. 1 Elementary Flying Training School at Taieri. In February the following year, he embarked for Canada for further flight training. This was undertaken at No. 6 Service Flying Training School near Dunnville. He earned his flying badge in June and was promoted to sergeant. He was subsequently commissioned as a pilot officer.

Arthur Ernest Umbers DFC & Bar (30 June 1919 – 14 February 1945) was a New Zealand flying ace of the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) during the Second World War. He was credited with the destruction of five German aircraft as well at least fifteen V-1 flying bombs.

Arthur Ernest Umbers, nicknamed 'Spike', was born on 30 June 1919 in Dunedin, New Zealand, the oldest son of Mr. R. A Umbers and his wife. He went to Green Island School and then Otago Boys' High School. After completing his schooling, he worked in Wellington for the New Zealand Government and later moved to Dunedin, where he was a clerk for the Tourist Bureau.