"Ginger" Eagleson from Auckland, New Zealand, joined No. 486 Squadron in November 1943. As a Warrant Officer gained much success against V-1s during summer 1944. He was then commisioned and was active over North-West Europe until practically the end of the war. He was awarded a DFC, gazetted on 8 December 1944.
On 2 May 1945 his Tempest SA-Q (NV722) was hit by FLAK and shot down. He survived and was captured, but at once managed to escape. Aprehended again next day, he escaped for a second time on 4 May, but a few days later the war ended.
In an interview shortly before his death Eagleson talked with a reporter from Napier's Daily Telegraph. He talked about his events of early May 1945. Possible to read in the book "Victory" by Max Lambert or here!
Owen "Ginger" Eagleson died on 30 October 1990.
Owen Eagleson descend from the cockpit of Tempest SA-G (JN854). Eagleson did shot down one of his 23 V-1s (incl 3 shares) in this Tempest on 28 June 1944.
Eagleson's victories in Tempest
| Date of Claim | Type Claimed | Aircraft Serial No. | Location of Claim | Unit | Note |
| 18 June1944 | V-1 | SA-Z (JN811) | Tonbridge | 486 Sqn | |
| 18 June 1944 | V-1 | SA-R (JN804) | 5-10 m N Newchurch | 486 Sqn | |
| 18 June 1944 | V-1 | SA-R (JN804) | S Rye | 486 Sqn | |
| 23 June 1944 | V-1 | SA-T (JN794) | Uxbridge - E Hoathley | 486 Sqn | |
| 23 June 1944 | 1/2 x V-1 | SA-T (JN794) | 20m N Beachy Head | 486 Sqn | |
| 27 June 1944 | 1/2 x V-1 | SA-T (JN794) | 6m N Hastings | 486 Sqn | |
| 28 June 1944 | V-1 | SA-S (JN859) | N Hastings | 486 Sqn | |
| 28 June 1944 | V-1 | SA-G (JN854) | S Sevenoaks | 486 Sqn | |
| 3 July 1944 | V-1 | SA-W (JN873) | 6m N Rye | 486 Sqn | |
| 4 July 1944 | V-1 | SA-S (EJ537) | W Dungeness | 486 Sqn | |
| 6 July 1944 | V-1 | SA-W (JN873) | N Hastings | 486 Sqn | |
| 7 July 1944 | V-1 | SA-Q (EJ627) | Newchurch | 486 Sqn | |
| 7 July 1944 | V-1 | SA-W (JN873) | 3m W Dungeness | 486 Sqn | |
| 12 July 1944 | 1/2 x V-1 | SA-Q (EJ527) | Dover | 486 Sqn | |
| 14 July 1944 | V-1 | SA-X (EJ523) | N Eastbourne | 486 Sqn | |
| 27 July 1944 | V-1 | SA-Z (EJ586) | 20 m N Ashford | 486 Sqn | |
| 3 August 1944 | V-1 | SA-N (JN808) | N Bexhill | 486 Sqn | |
| 3 August 1944 | V-1 | SA-N (JN808) | 20 m S Newchurch | 486 Sqn | |
| 4 August 1944 | V-1 | SA-P (EJ528) | 10m N Hastings | 486 Sqn | |
| 15 August 1944 | V-1 | SA-T (EJ635) | 15n MW Newchurch | 486 Sqn | |
| 16 August 1944 | V-1 | SA-T (EJ635) | NNE Rye | 486 Sqn | |
| 16 August 1944 | V-1 | SA-T (EJ635) | 5-6m S Maidstone | 486 Sqn | |
| 16 August 1944 | V-1 | SA-T (EJ635) | Ashford | 486 Sqn | |
| 19 November 1944 | 1/2 Me262 | SA-Z (EJ828) | Rheine | 486 Sqn | Probable on ground |
| 28 April 1945 | 1/2 Ju352 | SA-V (SN136) | W Plon | 486 Sqn | |
| 29 April 1945 | Fw190F | SA-N (SN176) | Lauenburg area | 486 Sqn | |
| 29 April 1945 | Fw190F | SA-N (SN176) | Lauenburg area | 486 Sqn | Damaged |
| 2 May 1945 | Fw44 | SA-Q (NV722) | SE Schwerin | 486 Sqn | |
| 2 May 1945 | Fi156 | SA-Q (NV722) | SE Schwerin | 486 Sqn | On ground |
Sources:
Aces High Vol. 2 by Christopher Shores
Typhoon and Tempest Aces of World War 2 by Chris Thomas