Paddy Mendis was the fourth Commander of the Royal Ceylon Air Force from 1971 to 1976.
11 Facts About Paddy Mendis
1.
2.
The son of a doctor, Mendis was educated at S Thomas' College.
3.
Paddy Mendis joined the newly formed Royal Ceylon Air Force as its fifth recruit as a Cadet Officer on 8 August 1951.
4.
The government decided to deploy more transports instead of the Vampires, Paddy Mendis trained for Airspeed Oxfords in the flying wing.
5.
In 1959, Fight Lieutenant Paddy Mendis and Fight Lieutenant Situnayake were sent to the RAF Central Flying School for training as flying instructors and on his return he became a flying instructor at the Royal Ceylon Air Force Flying School Katunayake.
6.
In 1961, when the single flying wing was split forming two flying squadrons, Squadron Leader Paddy Mendis took command of the newly formed No 2 Squadron, RCyAF.
7.
Paddy Mendis then attended the staff course at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington between 1961 and 1962.
8.
Paddy Mendis established the Air Force Academy at SLAF China Bay for officer training and the Electronic Maintenance and Training school at SLAF Ekala, trade training School at SLAF Katunayake for ground crew training.
9.
Paddy Mendis retired from service in 1976 as an Air Marshal.
10.
Paddy Mendis married Charmaine in 1957, and they had 3 children.
11.
Paddy Mendis died on 18 January 2022, at the age of 88.