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Original paintings by bruce released for sale |
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| Aero paintings Airshow | |
| "The Duck" P-51 Mustang VF-B. Capt. Donald R. Emerson ( 7 e/a destroyed) 336 Squadron 4th FG
Oil on canvas. 36 x 24 inches. Unframed. Signed by the artist. Artists collection. The original Oil Painting is for sale as well as Giclee canvas and Giclee paper prints. PILOT'S COMBAT REPORT - I told the squadron that the aerodrome (Stendal) was at ten o'clock and we went in for the attack from north-east to south-west. On the first pass I covered a Ju 52 with strikes and then moved my sights on to an Fw 190. I would not have claimed the "190, but Lt Carlson - my No 3 — says that I set it on fire. I pulled up and watched the others sweep across. I saw that about ten enemy aircraft were burning, and that there was no flak, so I ordered another pass and lined up on three Ju 88s parked wing tip to wing tip on the south-west corner. As I passed over, two were blazing but at least one was shared with Lt Emerson. Under the skilled leadership of 26-year-old Col. Donald J.M. Blakeslee 336 squadron under the commanding officer Jim Goodson was dubbed "King of the Strafers" by the press. Depicted here is 'The Duck' piloted by Lt. Donald R. Emerson strafing Stendal aerodrome and claiming a share in a Ju88. During his eight months of active duty with the 4th FG, Emerson completed at least 89 combat missions, including D-Day operations and the Russia Shuttle missions. He most often flew into battle in his P-51 Mustang VF-B #413317, emblazoned with the fearless image of Donald Duck -dukes up and fighting mad. "This new P-51 is really a flying engine with all that horse power. The P-47 may have more H.P. but it's also twice as heavy. The P-51 is a very small plane. I'd fit into it nicely (Ha). It has a little sign in the cockpit which says - Do not exceed air speed of 500 M.P.H. ' Hot Dog!" -- Donald Emerson in Basic Flight Training, July 26, 1943. In 1942 Donald Emerson was a 19-year-old North Dakota boy who chose military service over farming. One year after graduating from high school in Karlstad, Minnesota, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps. Just as he was finishing up training as an armorer, the age and education requirements for aviation cadets were lowered; he immediately filed his application and was soon classified cadet/pilot. By the end of 1943 he was ready for combat flying as a fighter pilot in a P-51 Mustang. In January, 1944, he sailed on the Ile de France to England where he was assigned to the Eighth Air Force's elite Fourth Fighter Group on March 9. This premier fighting unit had been formed around the earlier "Eagle Squadrons" of American pilots who voluntarily fought with the RAF before the U.S. entered the war. When Donald joined the group it was under the skilled leadership of 26-year-old Col. Donald J.M. Blakeslee--one of the finest air commanders in WWII. These men were about to make history as the highest scoring group in the war. Two of its top aces--John Godfrey and Don Gentile--were fast becoming stars in the media, with PR tours looming; another--Jim Goodson--the commanding officer of Donald's 336 squadron was being dubbed "King of the Strafers" by the press. During his eight months of active duty with the 4th FG, Donald completed at least 89 combat missions, including D-Day operations and the Russia Shuttle missions. He most often flew into battle in his P-51 Mustang VF-B #413317, emblazoned with the whimsical but fearless image of Donald Duck Donald said he was fighting so dreams could come true, and he said he had a few dreams of his own. He looked forward to postwar life when he hoped to make a career of flying, and he dreamed of going back home, of marriage and family, and of owning a house with a fireplace. On Christmas Day, 1944, while flying another P-51 during the Battle of the Bulge, he was heading back to his base after a mission when he encountered six enemy planes. He managed to shoot down two of them, but as he crossed enemy lines flying close to the ground, he was struck by flak from anti- aircraft guns. His plane crashed in British-occupied territory in Belgium; it is believed that he died before his plane crashed. He was buried the next day in a temporary military cemetery near Margraten, Holland, where his body is now permanently interred in the American Military Cemetery. Capt. Donald R. Emerson earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal, with additional clusters awarded to both, and posthumously, the Purple Heart. He was 21. -- Sandra D. Merrill, 1992. Sandra D. Merrill, Donald Emerson's niece and biographer, wrote the dedication above for the christening of "The Duck", Bob Tullius' beautiful "restoration" of a Mustang in the markings of Capt. Emerson and on display at RAF Hendon Museum, London. Donald's Story by Sandra D. Merrill. Published by Tebidine Publishing,Berlin, Maryland The Debden Warbirds. The 4th Fighter Group in World War 11. By Frank E. Speer. A Schiffer Military History Book. |
"Detroit Miss" P-51 Mustang E2-D. WWII ace Lt. Urban "Ben" Drew ( 6 e/a destroyed) 8th AF 361st FG
Oil on canvas. 36 x 24 inches. Unframed. Signed by the artist. Artists collection. The original Oil Painting is for sale as well as Giclee canvas and Giclee paper prints. The sole completed BV 238 was strafed and sunk while docked on Schaal Lake, Germany in September 1944 by three P-51 Mustangs of the 361st Fighter Group. The lead Mustang "Detroit Miss" was piloted by WWII ace Lt. Urban "Ben" Drew, and another was piloted by William D. Rogers. The Blohm & Voss BV 238 flying boat and physically was the largest and heaviest aircraft produced in WWII. RO + EZ, was powered by six 1750 hp (1.287 MW) Daimler Benz DB 603 V12 piston engines. This superb painting represents the largest single aircraft to be destroyed during the war. Urban Drew finished his European tour flying 76 missions with six aerial victories, and one aircraft destroyed on the ground. Second Lieutenant Urban Drew began World War Two as a flight instructor, in seven months flying 700 hours in P-51 "Mustangs", while his cadets out had all of 60 hours in the P-51. After making an 'accidental' low pass over a parade of Army troops headed for the Far East, Drew got his chance for combat with a transfer just after D-Day to the 361st Fighter Group, which was flying ground support to Patton's Third Army. Drew flew 76 missions with the 361st, and says his hours of training gave him confidence he might not have had otherwise. Drew says when he got to Europe, five kids in his group were pilots he'd trained and were already aces. Some were Captains and Majors yet they still called 2nd Lt.Drew, "Sir". -John Crump
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'Balls Out' Oil on canvas 36 x 24 inches Unframed. Signed by the artist Artists collection. For sale the Original Oil Painting and Giclee canvas and Giclee paper prints. 28th August 1944. 405th FG attacked an important railway junction, in the region of Chaumont, destroying a train carrying JU88 fuselages.
In August the 405th FG flew a total of 28 missions and lost 11 pilots. By early September the front had shifted to the east of France near the Cotentin. The 405th FG evacuated the forward airfield A-37 and between the 11th, 12th and 13th September established base close to Saint-Dizier, midway between Reims and Nancy at an abandoned Luftwaffe airfield (coded A-64) The men quickly established base. Near the town of Saint-Dizier they had some good luck - the local hotel - which was very quickly transformed into Officers' Club. During the early weeks of September mission followed mission. Only the weather allowed the pilots to relax. 19th September 1944. The 405th FG participate in Operation Market. 24th September 1944. The 'routine' is broken. XIX TAC (Commanded by Major General Otto P Weyland) called for volunteers to bring relief to 5 tanks of the 4th Armored Division under attack by some fifty German tanks. Despite a hard days combat, the 509th and 510th Fighter Squadrons once again take to the sky and stop only after an intensive bombardment that halts the enemy attack. For this heroic action the 405th Fighter Group received the Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) |
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Vesuvius rendezvous
Oil on canvas. 24 x 20 inches unframed. Signed by the artist B-25s from the 447th bombardment squadron/ 321st bombardment group used the volcano as an assembly point and passed the erupting Vesuvius, with snow and dust covered lower slopes, on their way to bomb Monte Cassino. The eruption of Mount Vesuvius on March 22nd, 1944 caused more physical damage to the 340th bombardment group than the German air raid was to inflict two months later at Alesan Air Field on the island of Corsica. Indeed, 88 B-25 Mitchell medium bombers were covered in hot ash which burned off the fabric control surfaces and grazed the Plexiglas. Planes were tipped onto their tails from the weight of the ash. All 88 B-25s from all four squadrons were completely totaled. Thousands of Naples residents were displaced as well as the entire 340th bombardment group due to the tephra fallout. Dana Craig of the 486th Bombardment Squadron, 340th Bombardment Group experienced the eruption of Mount Vesuvius first-hand: "On the day prior, Vesuvius was belching smoke. It was an overcast sky with the threat of rain. About midnight, I went out of my billet to answer the call of nature. While outside, in a mild drizzle, I was hit on the head by what I thought was a small rock. Suspecting some sort of joke, I went inside for a flashlight. When I returned, the light revealed a layer of damp cinders on the ground. We knew at that time that Vesuvius was erupting. We began to feel the earth shake as though a bomb had gone off. After each quake, a few minutes would pass before the debris blown out of the crater would start to hit the ground. About daylight, the rear of our building started to cave in. We then began to see the larger rocks coming down. By this time everyone was wearing his steel helmet and heavy sheepskin jacket for protection from the falling material. I can't recall ever having breakfast that morning. It wasn't very long before we were loaded into trucks and evacuated to Naples."
San Diego Tribune, Tuesday March 27th, 2001 Associated Press Francis Yohannan. Model for 'Catch-22' protagonist;79 SPOKANE, Wash.- Francis Yohannan, a World War II aviator who was an inspiration for the protagonist of Joseph Heller's darkly comic novel ''Catch-22,'' has died aged 79. Mr. Yohannan, who became friends with Heller when both were bombardiers stationed on Corsica in 1944, died March 17 of complications from a stroke. The title of Heller's 1961 novel referred to the near-impossibility of being excused from dangerous bombing runs. A flier could be grounded by being declared insane, but being afraid of such danger was considered virtual proof of sanity. In an interview for USA Today in 1998, Heller said it was from Mr. Yohannan that he ''derived the unconventional name for the heretical Yossarian'' Many others who served with Heller were upset about the novel, but to Mr. Yohannan 'it was all tongue-in-cheek,'' said his son, Lance Yohannan of Paradise, Mont. He turned aside questions who asked he if was the real Yossarian. ''He was a very humble man,'' his son said. He would never bring up ''Catch-22'' by himself or talk much about the war. Mr. Yohannan retired from the Air Force in 1974 as a Lieutenant Colonel after more than 9,000 hours in B-25's, B-36 bombers during the 1950's, B-52's during the 1950's and '60's, and Phantom fighters during the Vietnam War.
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'The first turbojet fighter shot down' Oil on canvas 36 x 24 inches Unframed. Signed by the artist Artists collection. For sale the Original Oil Painting and Giclee canvas and Giclee paper prints. Major Joseph Myers and Lt. Croy. 82nd Fighter Squadron. 78th Fighter Group. 8th Air Force. Oil on canvas. 36 x 24 inches unframed. Signed by the artist 28th August 1944. Claimed by Major Joseph Myers P47D coded MX-S s/n 42-27339 and Lt. Croy's P-47D coded MX-M, s/n 42-75551 of the 82nd Fighter Squadron. 78th Fighter Group. 8th Air Force. Haaltert, about 10 miles northwest of Brussels, the capital of Belgium. ''I was leading Surtax Blue flight and, in conjunction with Yellow flight, was providing top covet for the rest of the Group, who were engaged in dive bombing and strafing. While stooging around west of Brussels at 11,000 feet, I caught sight of what appeared to be a B-26, flying at about 500 feet and heading in a southerly direction and going very fast. I immediately started down to investigate and although diving at 45 degrees at 450 IAS, I was no more than holding my own in regard to the unknown aircraft. When approximately, 5,000 feet above and very nearly directly over the aircraft, I could see that it was not a B-26, although it had the general overall plan of the B-26. It was painted slate blue in color, with a long rounded nose, but I did not see any guns at this time, because at this point he started evasive action, which consisted of small changes in direction not exceeding 90 degrees of turn. The radius of turn was very great and, although I was diving at around 450 IAS, I had very little difficulty cutting him off and causing him to change directions. He made no effort to climb or turn more than 90 degrees at any time. I closed to within 2,000 feet above him and directly astern and had full power on in a 45-degree dive in an effort to close. At this distance I could readily see the similarity between the aircraft and the recognition plates of the Me262. With full power on and the advantage of altitude I gradually started closing on the enemy aircraft and drew up to within 500 yards astern and was about to open fire when the enemy aircraft cut his throttle and crash-landed in a plowed field. He hit the ground just as I fired, so I continued to fire until within 100 yards of him, observing many strikes around the cockpit and jet units. It skidded over several fields and came to rest and caught fire. The pilot hopped out and started to run. The rest of my flight came over and strafed the plane and No. 4 man hit the pilot running away from the plane. The enemy aircraft was burning brightly, giving off great clouds of black smoke. There were no propellers on the plane or on the ground near it. I claim one Me-262 destroyed, shared with Lt. M.D. Croy, Jr., my No. 4 man'' 78th Fighter Group Association member Fred Bolgert writes with regards to the downing of the first German Me262 jet aircraft by the 8th Air Force (78th Fighter Group) near Brussels on August 28, 1944: " The German pilot of the Me262 downed on 28 August, 1944, and the pilot of the Me262 downed on 2 October, 1944 (credited to P-47 pilots of the 365th Fighter Group, 9th Air Force) near Munster was the same pilot, Ofw Rony Lauer. I have been corresponding with him since 1996. He had just completed his sixth bombing mission in a Me262 on 28 August, 1944; returned to his base at Juvincourt, France, when he was ordered to fly to another base at Chieves, Belgium ( Patton's Third Army was advancing in the area. ) After becoming airborne, his main landing gear failed to retract fully (he used the compressed air supply for the previous landing). This drastically affected his cruising speed and potential top speed. P-47s from the 78th intercepted him at 500 feet and since he was unable to outrun or outmaneuver them, he chose to crash land near the village of Haaltert, about 10 miles northwest of Brussels. Major Joe Myers hit the Me262 as it touched down and it began burning immediately. Lauer jumped out of the cockpit as it slid to a stop and ran away from the burning aircraft. Lt. M. Croy fired at him as he ran across the field and Lauer dropped to the ground. A German salvage platoon picked him up with his aircraft that night, then drove him to his new base at Volkel, Holland the next day. He survived without injury. On October 2, 1944, he intercepted two P-47s of the 365th Fighter Group (9th Air Force) at 9,000 feet and played a "game of tag" with superior speed down to 500 feet, when one engine began trailing white smoke. Then both engines quit. Once again, he had to make a crash landing, this time without power. He was severely injured in the crash and spent two months in the hospital and rehabilitation. The P-47s of the 365th never fired a shot, but were credited with the victory" Lauer later returned to his unit, KG51, and flew until the end of the war. His letters express little affection for the Me262, which was questionable for it's combat role. As a multi-engine pilot, he greatly admired the Ju88., which he had flown in the Mediterranean theater 1942-1943. It was fast, maneuverable, reliable and could be used in a variety of roles. He also regretted to have to give up his Ju88 crew (3 men) when he was transferred to flying Me262s on July 21, 1944. The Me262 was noted for a variety of problem: high fuel consumption, inability to accelerate suddenly on takeoff or landing, engine flame outs, turbine blade failures and landing gear failures on grass fields. Lauer's military history was typical of other German pilots. He was called to service in 1938, after basic training, received training as an engine mechanic and assigned. In the summer of 1939 he was approved for pilot training and completed flight school in 1940. He then trained in instrument and night flying plus operational training in the He111, Ju52 and Do17. As a pilot he flew radio operator trainees for almost one year. In 1941, he was assigned to Konigsberg on the Baltic to fly Ju86 transports to and from the Russian front. In the winter of 1942, he transferred to Ju88 bombers, flying out of Italy against Mediterranean shipping, the Allied invasion and occasionally to England in 1943. He was transferred to the Me262 program in the Spring of 1944 and flew out of various bases in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. Upon returning to civilian life, he had difficulty in finding work. Discrimination against former military personnel was common after the war in Germany. He finally found employment with the National Railway and became an engine operator throughout central and northern Germany for many years. He is now retired and lives in Kirchain, approximately 40 miles north of Frankfurt." -78th Fighter Group Association member Fred Bolgert
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Feeding time for Miss Lace and friends.
Acrylic on canvas. 36 x 24 inches Unframed. All frames for illustration only. Signed by the artist. P-47's were among the most numerous Allied aircraft in the Normandy area after D-Day. One of the first groups to fly into France was the 48th FG (from Ibsley, England), which occupied Deaux Jumeaux (A4), inland from Omaha Beach, on 28th June 1944. Bombed bridges and gun positions on D-Day, 6 Jun 1944, and attacked rail lines and trains, motor transports, bridges, fuel dumps, and gun positions the rest of the Normandy campaign. Pilots faced many hazards in fighting a war in these previously quiet rural backwaters, not least of which was livestock, which had a penchant for wandering around dispersals when the pace was less hectic. Fuel bowsers and constant human activity generally prevented this kind of accident. Miss Lace, of the 48th FG's, has had her fill of fuel and ammunition and is ready for her next mission. 48th Fighter Group 492nd Fighter Squadron Stations in the U.S.A. , England, France and Germany. Savannah, GA 15 Jan 1941. Will Rogers Field,OK 22 May 1941. Savannah, GA 7 Feb 1942. Key Field, MS 28 Jun 1942. William Northern Field, TN 20 Aug 1943. Walterboro AAF, SC 27 Jan-13 Mar. 1944 Ibsley, England 29 Mar 1944. Deux Jumeau (Loungeville), France 18 Jun 1944. Villacoublay, France 29 Aug 1944. Cambrai/Niergnies, France 15 Sept 1944. Sint-Truiden(St Trond), Belgium 30 Sept 1944. Kelz, Germany 26 Mar 1945. Kassel, Germany 17 Apr 1945. Illesheim, Germany 29 Apr 1945. Laon, France 5 Jul- Aug 1945. Seymour-Johnson AAF, NC 9 Sept 1945-7 Nov 1945. Artists collection. |
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'Safe Return'
Oil on canvas.36 x 24 inches Unframed. All frames for illustration only. Signed by the artist. The Harrier's lineage began with the Hawker Siddeley P.1127 . Design began in 1957 by Sir Sydney Camm (designer of the WW11 Hurricane), Ralph Hooper of Hawker Aviation and Stanley Hooker (later Sir Stanley) of the Bristol Engine Company . Rather than using rotors or a direct jet thrust the P.1127 had an innovative vectored thrust turbofan engine and the first vertical takeoff was on 21 October 1960 . Six prototypes were built in total, one of which was lost at an air display. The immediate development of the P.1127 was the Hawker Siddeley Kestrel FGA.1, which appeared after Hawker Siddeley Aviation was created. The Kestrel's first flight was on 7 March 1964 . It was strictly an evaluation aircraft, and only nine were built. These equipped the Tripartite Evaluation Squadron formed at RAF West Raynham in Norfolk , numbering 10 pilots from the RAF, USAF and the West Germany air force. One aircraft was lost but the remainder transferred to the U.S. for evaluation by the Army, Air Force and Navy, designated XV-6A Kestrel. At the time of the development of the P.1127, Hawker had started on a design for a supersonic version, the Hawker P.1154 . After this was cancelled in 1965, the RAF began looking at a simple upgrade of the Kestrel as the P.1127 (RAF). An order for 60 production aircraft was received from the RAF in mid-1966, and the first pre-production Harriers, then known as the P.1127 (RAF) were flying by mid-1967, becoming known as Harrier GR.1. The Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR.1 was the first production model derived from the Kestrel, it first flew on 28 December 1967 , and entered service with the RAF on 1 April 1969 . Construction took place at factories in Kingston upon Thames in southwest London and at Dunsfold, Surrey. The latter adjoined an airfield used for flight testing; both factories have since closed. The ski-jump technique for STOVL use by Harriers launched from Royal Navy aircraft carriers was tested at the Royal Navy's airfield at RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron) , Somerset in the UK. Their flight decks were designed with an upward curve to the bow following the successful conclusion of those tests. The Harrier GR.3 featured improved sensors (such as a laser tracker in the lengthened nose), countermeasures and a further upgraded Pegasus Mk 103 and was to be the ultimate development of the 1st generation Harrier. The AV-8As of the United States Marine Corps were very similar to the early GR.1 version, but with the more-powerful engine of the GR.3. The aircraft was powered by a 21,500 lbf (95.6 kN) thrust Roll-Royce Pegasus Mk 103 (F402-RR-402) turbofan engine. The AV-8A was armed with two 30 mm ADEN cannons (podded under the fuselage) and two AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles . A total of 113 were ordered for the US Marines and the Spanish Navy.
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'Screamin Demon'
Oil on canvas. 36 x 24 inches Unframed. All frames for illustration only. Signed by the artist. Artists collection. 15 th March 1945 was an memorable day for the 359th Fighter Group, and for Ace Ray Wetmore (Screamin Demon was not his regular mount) scored the only kill made by the entire VIII Fighter Command that day - a Luftwaffe Messerschmitt Me163 near Wittenberg, South West of Berlin, Germany - which also happens to be the third Me163 destroyed by the 359th FG, on mission No 318. ''South West of Berlin, I saw two Me 163's circling at about 20,000 ft some 20 miles away,in the vicinity of Wittenberg. I flew over towards them,and while at 25,000 ft started after one below me. When I got to within 3000 yards he saw me, turned on his jet and went up in a 70-degree climb. At about 26,000 ft his jet quit and he split-essed. I dove with him and leveled off at 2000 ft at his ''six o'clock'. During the dive my IAS (Indicated Air Speed) was between 550 and 600mph. I opened fire at 200 yards. Pieces flew off all over. He made a sharp turn to the right and I gave him another short burst. Roughly half his his left wing flew off and he aught fire. The pilot bailed out and I saw the craft crash into the ground.'' Wetmore had fired off 222 rounds of API for his last kill, and it was the only enemy aircraft shot down by the entire V111 Fighter Command that day. Wetmore ended the war as the 359th's top ace with 21.5 aerial kills and.333 strafing victories. He was also the top -scoring active duty ace in the Eighth Air force come VE-Day - Aviation Elite Units. 359th Fighter Group by Jack H. Smith published by Osprey Publishing By VE-Day he was a 21-year-old major. As a major, Wetmore commanded the 59th Fighter Squadron at Otis Air Force Base , Massachusetts. There he was killed in the crash of an F-86 Sabre on Valentine's Day 1951. He was 27 years old, leaving a widow and four children. Wetmore's decorations included two Distinguished Service Crosses , two Silver Stars , six Distinguished Flying Crosses and a dozen Air Medals .
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'Eagles high'
Oil on canvas. 36 x 24 inches Unframed. All frames for illustration only. Signed by the artist. Artists collection. Spitfire Mk 9b of No 71 Eagle Squadron. One of the fighter squadrons formed in September 1940. The squadron included many American volunteers already serving with the Royal Air Force. The Eagle Squadrons were a Royal Air Force unit composed mostly of foreign volunteers. They had 240 pilots whom were Americans, and other personnel of various nationalities, who defended Britain against Nazi Germany from 1940-1942. Their fame and heroic actions during battle has been overlooked by many, yet none forgotten by the British themselves. The Eagle Squadrons were composed of three Squadrons, 71, 121, and 133. The majority of the Eagles were recruited by the Clayton Knight Committee, an organization whose sole purpose was to recruit Canadian and American volunteers to fly and fight for Britain. The ''Eagles'' deactivated as a fighting unit, on September 29th 1942. Many of its members were commissioned as Army Air Force Officers and served in the newly formed U.S. Army Air Force Fourth Fighter Group.
71 Eagle Squadron RAF 71 Eagle Squadron was established September 19th 1940, at Church Fenton, York, England. First commanded by Walter Churchill, a British national, the squadron became operational October 8th 1940. Their Aircraft Squadron code was ''XR'' in the RAF. First aircraft delivered to the unit were U.S. Brewster Buffalos, October 24 1940. These aircraft quickly became the first casualties of the squadron, being that they were intentionally ground looped, and rendered unserviceable. Hawker Hurricanes Is soon replaced the Buffalos in early November 1940. 71 Squadron's next base of operations would be Kirton in Lindsay, England. This is where the training of England's first Eagles resumed and where the squadron was declared operational in January 1941.
133 Eagle Squadron RAF 133 Eagle Squadron was formed August 1st 1941. The Squadron was originally based at Coltishall, England. An Englisman transferee from 71 Squadron, George Brown, assumed command of the newly activated 133. Their first movement after activation was to be Duxford on August 16th, where its ranks grew, and made several other moves during their operational training. 133 Squadron moved to Eglinton, Ireland to patrol over the vast waters of the North Atlantic. After spending all its time in Hawker Hurricane IIs, the Squadron received Supermarine Spitfires IIs in Late October 1941, and a new commander, Eric Thomas. Squadron code for 133 aircraft was ''MD'', and the Squadron was given Spitfire VA's after transferring to Kirton in Lindsey. They received another upgrade, Spitfire VBs in late Jan/Feb. 1942, and were moved to Biggin Hill in May 1942. Between July and August 1942 the Squadron moved to Gravesend, and then Lympne where Don Blakeslee assumed command of 133 Squadron.
121 Eagle Squadron RAF 121 Eagle Squadron was established in May 1941 at Kirton in Lindsey, England. 121 Squadron was first commanded by Squadron Leader Peter Powell, an Englishman. In May 1941 the Squadron received its first Hawker Hurricanes Is, these aircraft were soon to be replaced by Hurricane IIs in July 1941, and the squadron was also activated on this date. Aircraft squadron code for all 121 Eagle Squadron airplanes was ''AV''. |
'Strike one Bandit'
Oil and acrylic on canvas. 36 x 24 inches Unframed. All frames for illustration only. Signed by the artist. The battle for Britain 's skies. A brace of triumphant Royal Air Force No. 64 Squadron Spitfire Mk9's and a Luftwaffe Messersmitte 109G in it's last throes! The most famous military aircraft of all time and one of the most beautiful ever built, the Spitfire is perhaps chiefly remembered as the symbol of the Battle of Britain. The Spitfire was developed by Supermarine's brilliant chief designer, R.J. Mitchell, and was the only British type in continuous construction throughout World War II. The RAF's first Spitfires were delivered to No 19 Squadron at Duxford in 1938 and by July 1940, on the eve of the Battle of Britain, nineteen RAF squadrons were equipped with the new fighter. During WWII, thanks to constant improvements and modifications, the Spitfire was never outclassed as a short-ranged piston-engined interceptor apart from a brief period in 1941-1942, when it first encountered the Focke-Wulf FW-190. The first Spitfire 9s went to 64 Squadron (Hornchurch) in July 1942. It was put through its paces against the captured FW190 and was found to compare favorably. When production finally ceased in 1949, more than 22,000 Spitfires and Seafires (the naval version of the Spitfire) had been built in some forty different variants. No. 64 squadron was formed at Sedgeford on 1 August 1916 as a training unit with FE.2bs and Farmans but in June 1917 received fighter types in preparation for operations in France. In October 1917, the squadron moved to the Western Front for fighter patrol and ground attack duties for the rest of the war. In February 1919, it returned to the UK and disbanded on 31 December 1919 and reformed on the 31st March 1936. On the outbreak of WW11, the squadron was engaged in patrols off the East Coast and in December 1939 provided fighter defense for the Home Fleet from Evanton for a month. In April 1940, conversion to Spitfires took place in time for the squadron to help cover the evacuation from Dunkirk and later to take part in the Battle of Britain. In May 1941, No. 64 Squadron moved up to Scotland for air defense duties but moved back south in November to take part in sweeps over northern France, until March 1943 when it moved back up to Scotland again. Then in August 1943 it moved back south again to resume offensive operations and in June 1944, moved to Cornwall for 2 months before beginning long-range escort missions from East Anglia. In November 1944 the Squadron received Mustangs and flew these for the rest of the war in support of Bomber Command's daylight raids on Germany. In March 1946 No. 64 received Hornet twin-engined fighters and moved to Linton - On - Ouse in August. In March 1951 it converted to Meteors but in August 1956 On the outbreak of war, the squadron was engaged in patrols off the East Coast and in December 1939 provided fighter defense for the Home Fleet from Evanton for a month. In April 1940, conversion to Spitfires took place in time for the squadron to help cover the evacuation from Dunkirk and later to take part in the Battle of Britain. In May 1941, No. 64 Squadron moved up to Scotland for air defense duties but moved back south in November to take part in sweeps over northern France, until March 1943 when it moved back up to Scotland again. Then in August 1943 it moved back south again to resume offensive operations and in June 1944, moved to Cornwall for 2 months before beginning long-range escort missions from East Anglia. In November 1944 the Squadron received Mustangs and flew these for the rest of the war in support of Bomber Command's daylight raids on Germany. |
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North Sea Patrol
Oil on canvas.36 x 24 inches Unframed. All frames for illustration only. Signed by the artist. The Panavia Tornado ADV is the air interceptor variant of the successful Tornado series. The Panavia Tornado series of strike aircraft was developed through a consortium featuring the nations of Britain, Germany (West) and Italy. Each country would be responsible for the design and construction of a specialized part of the aircraft, though they would solely be responsible for their own air force's production of the Tornado at development's end. The Tornado would prove to be a robust and versatile airframe, capable of above average speed, manageable handling and variable roles, allowing it to become a frontline fighter-bomber for the nations involved in the program. |
Morning patrol
Acrylic on canvasboard 18 x 22 inches Unframed. All frames for illustration only. Signed by the artist. The single-seated fighter Nieuport 11 was one of the well-known French planes of WWI. It was designed by Gustave Delage and built by the French company Société Anonyme Des Établissements founded in 1909 by Édouard de Nié Port (Nieuport). The Nieuport was probably one of the more successful fighters of the war and had a longer career than most others. The plane first entered service on Western front in August 1915. In spite of it's small dimensions the fighter had good technical characteristics: a high speed, excellent maneuverability and high climbing speed. Just for its mobility it was named Bébé (baby) at the same time it confirmed its popularity among the aviators. The names of WWI famous aces like Baracca, Bishop, Ball, Navarre, Nungesser flew the Bébé. The Nieuport 11 was a single-seater biplane powered by 60kW rotary engine and equipped with one machine gun the most common being a single Hotchkiss or Lewis gun above the pilots head on the upper plane. Some were equipped with Le Prieur incendiary rockets that were launched form tubes mounted on the wing struts. With its maneuverability and high climbing speed, it surpassed the enemy's aircraft flying envelope. The French and British were not the only operators or builders of the design; Belgians, Italians and Russians also flew it. The Nieuport 11 was also built on license in Italy, Holland and Japan and even he Germans copied it! It was named the WWI Allies best fighter in the first years of the conflict . The company literature even claimed, ''They have been known to come back from air battle in good flying order with bullet holes in the crankcase and cylinders. Rifle and machine-gun bullets are ordinarily deflected by the revolving engine, which makes a good shield for the pilot when flying head-on at the enemy'' At 1100 rpm, the cruise speed was about 85 mph. while the climb rate was less than spectacular, the Nieuport was fairly agile; a lot of control input being necessary, though, and coordination was a must. As with many WW1 types, the Nieuport was tail heavy and required a fair amount of forward sick to maintain level flight and 'blipping' the ignition button to lower engine speed when landing. Artists collection.
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BMI Airbus 330 - 200
Commission. Acrylic on canvasboard 14 x 18 inches Signed by the artist.Private collection BMI fly numerous international routes including Chicago and Washington from the UK . Private collection.
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Kev's Microlight
Commission. Acrylic on canvasboard 14 x 18 inches Signed by the artist. Private collection. |
Kev's Microlight 2
Commission. Acrylic on canvasboard 14 x 18 inches Signed by the artist. Private collection.
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