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Height and Sun by Robert Taylor.
If you had the height, you controlled the battle. If you came out of the sun, the enemy could not see you. If you held your fire until you were very close, you seldom missed. These three basic rules contributed to the prowess in aerial combat of some of the most successful fighter pilots in history and seldom were they more valuable than when outnumbered. Between July and October 1940 the brave young pilots of RAF Fighter Command were under intense pressure from the constant attacks of the Luftwaffe and the Hawker Hurricane was the machine of the Battle of Britain, accounting for 80 percent of Allied victories. In this painting, Hurricanes of 32 Sqn climb high into the morning sky, gaining Height and Sun in an attempt to take the advantage over the onslaught of enemy fighters - August, 1940. This image captures the surreal calmness above the clouds, belying the fury of action and ultimate sacrifices made in those crisp blue skies. |
| | Item Code : DHM1781 | Height and Sun by Robert Taylor. - Editions Available | |
| | DESCRIPTION | SIZE | SIGNATURES | OFFERS | PRICE | PURCHASING | PACKS | Signed limited edition of 300 prints.
Great value : Value of signatures exceeds price of item! | Paper size 27.5 inches x 17 inches (70cm x 43cm) Image size 21 inches x 9 inches (53cm x 23cm) |
Drake, Billy | | Group Captain Billy Drake DSO DFC* (deceased) |
| Joined the R.A.F. in 1936. His first posting was to 1 squadron flying Furies then Hurricanes and first saw action over France in the Spring of 1940 and was awarded his first DFC by the end of the year. As a Squadron Leader he was sent to West Africa to command 128 Squadron. 1942 saw his commanding 112 squadron in North Africa, in July saw an immediate BAR to his DFC and in December an immediate DSO. Posted to Malta as Wing Commander he won a US DFC in 1943. Back in the UK he now was flying Typho |
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Jones, Richard L | | Flight Lieutenant Richard L Jones (deceased) |
| Richard Jones was born in 1918 and in July 1940 Richard Jones was posted to 64 Squadron at Kenley, flying Spitfires. He was involved in heavy fighting over the Channel during the Battle of Britain, with the squadron suffering many losses during July and August. Towards the end of the Battle of Britain, in October, he moved to 19 Squadron flying Spitfires from Fowlmere, and was heavily involved in the fighter sweeps taking place at that time. Near the end of the Battle of Britain, Pilot Office |
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Wellum, Geoffrey | | Squadron Leader Geoffrey Wellum DFC (deceased) |
| Joined the RAF with a Short Service Commission in August 1939. He joined 92 Squadron flying Spitfires in June 1940 at the time of Dunkirk. He flew throughout the Battle of Britain, later completing over 50 fighter sweeps and escorts over northern France and Belgium until August 1941. He then joined 65 Squadron as Flight Commander in March 1942 operating over northern France and flew off aircraft carrier HMS Furious on Operation Pedestal, to Malta. Geoff was a Flight Lieutenant during Operati |
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+ Artist : Robert Taylor | £90 Off! | Now : £125.00 | | In 3 Pairs
and 2 Packs
View | | Artist Proof Edition : signed limited edition of 50 artist proofs. | Matted size 31.5 inches x 19.5 inches (79cm x 50cm) Image size 21 inches x 9 inches (53cm x 23cm) |
Drake, Billy | | Group Captain Billy Drake DSO DFC* (deceased) |
| Joined the R.A.F. in 1936. His first posting was to 1 squadron flying Furies then Hurricanes and first saw action over France in the Spring of 1940 and was awarded his first DFC by the end of the year. As a Squadron Leader he was sent to West Africa to command 128 Squadron. 1942 saw his commanding 112 squadron in North Africa, in July saw an immediate BAR to his DFC and in December an immediate DSO. Posted to Malta as Wing Commander he won a US DFC in 1943. Back in the UK he now was flying Typho |
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Jones, Richard L | | Flight Lieutenant Richard L Jones (deceased) |
| Richard Jones was born in 1918 and in July 1940 Richard Jones was posted to 64 Squadron at Kenley, flying Spitfires. He was involved in heavy fighting over the Channel during the Battle of Britain, with the squadron suffering many losses during July and August. Towards the end of the Battle of Britain, in October, he moved to 19 Squadron flying Spitfires from Fowlmere, and was heavily involved in the fighter sweeps taking place at that time. Near the end of the Battle of Britain, Pilot Office |
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Wellum, Geoffrey | | Squadron Leader Geoffrey Wellum DFC (deceased) |
| Joined the RAF with a Short Service Commission in August 1939. He joined 92 Squadron flying Spitfires in June 1940 at the time of Dunkirk. He flew throughout the Battle of Britain, later completing over 50 fighter sweeps and escorts over northern France and Belgium until August 1941. He then joined 65 Squadron as Flight Commander in March 1942 operating over northern France and flew off aircraft carrier HMS Furious on Operation Pedestal, to Malta. Geoff was a Flight Lieutenant during Operati |
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Appleford, Alexander N R L | | Flight Lieutenant Alexander N R L Appleford (deceased) |
| Born in September 1921, Robin Appleford was one of the youngest pilots to take part in the Battle of Britain. He joined 66 Squadron at Duxford on 13th May 1940, flying Spitfires. He was shot down over the Thames Estuary during a dogfight on 4th September 1940, but baled out slightly wounded. After a spell as an instructor, in 1943 he flew another combat tour, this time with 274 Squadron, flying Hurricanes on coastal defence in North Africa. After a spell with the Aircraft Delivery Unit, he w |
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Iveson, Tony | | Squadron Leader Tony Iveson DFC (deceased) |
| Tony Iveson fought in the Battle of Britain with RAF Fighter Command, as a Sergeant pilot, joining 616 Squadron at Kenley flying Spitfires on 2 September 1940. On the 16th of September, he was forced to ditch into the sea after running out of fuel following a pursuit of a Ju88 bomber. His Spitfire L1036 ditched 20 miles off Cromer in Norfolk, and he was picked up by an MTB. He joined No.92 Sqn the following month. Commissioned in 1942, Tony undertook his second tour transferring to RAF Bomber |
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Bent, Benjamin | | Flight Lieutenant Benjamin Bent (deceased) |
| Having joined the RAF in 1937, he flew with No.25 Sqn as a Radar and Wireless Operator on Blenheims on night fighter duties throughout the Battle of Britain, assisting in five successful interceptions on his first tour, all with S/Ldr. HP Pleasance. On the night of 4th-5th May 1941 they intercepted and damaged an unidentified enemy aircraft, on the 7-8th and 8-9th two Do17s were destroyed, on the 11th-12th an He111 was damaged and during the night of 13th-14th June a Ju88 was destroyed. Bent re |
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Brown, Maurice Peter | | Squadron Leader Maurice Peter Brown (deceased) |
| Maurice Peter Brown (known as Peter) was born in London on 17th June 1919. On leaving school he qualified for entry in the civil service with an appointment in the Air Ministry. But in April 1938 he left to join the Royal Air Force with a short service commission. In September 1939 he was posted to 611 West Lancashire Squadron with Spitfires in 12 Group, initially at Duxford and then Digby. His initiation into battle was over Dunkirk. He was at readiness throughout the Battle of Britain, in |
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Burns, Owen V | | Flight Lieutenant Owen V Burns (deceased) |
| Flight Lieutenant Owen V Burns was born in Birkenhead on 20th November 1915. He flew throughout the Battle of Britain. His Squadron, 235, based at Bircham Newton in Norfolk, was equipped with Mark IV Bristol Blenheims, which had four guns under the nose and two in the mid-upper turret, which he operated. The squadron was attached to Fighter Command to replace its losses in the Battle for France, but because Blenheims lacked the speed of single-engined fighters, squadron duties were mainly aerodr |
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Chamberlin, Joseph | | Flight Lieutenant Joseph P R Chamberlin |
| Joining the RAFVR in June 1939 he was then called up at the Outbreak of war. He flew Blenheim's with No.235 Sqn during the Battle of Britain On the 14th February 1941 when returning from a dusk patrol over the North Sea. Having to divert to Langham airfield prepared to land The airfield's lights went out and the Blenheim hit a tree. The navigator, P/O ER Phillips, was killed and the air gunner Sgt. Burns slightly injured. Chamberlain himself was seriously injured and spent eight months |
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Lusty, Kenneth R | | Squadron Leader Kenneth R Lusty (deceased) |
| Kenneth Lusty joined the RAF as an Airman u/t Air Gunner on 4th September 1939. After call-up, he did his basic training at Padgate and then went to RAF Aldergrove on 30th December for a gunnery course. On 24th February 1940 Lusty joined 235 Squadron. As a Coastal Command Squadron, the need for WOp/AGs in the crews meant that Lusty was posted away on 14th May to 25 Squadron at North Weald. He served with the squadron throughout the Battle of Britain first flying Blenheims and then Beaufighters. |
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Duckenfield, Byron | | Group Captain Byron Duckenfield AFC (deceased) |
| Byron Duckenfield started at Flying Training School on 25th November 1935 in a Blackburn B2 at Brough. As a Sergeant, he joined No.32 Sqn at Biggin Hill on 8th August 1936 and flew Gauntlets and Hurricanes. He joined 74 Squadron at Hornchurch on 11th April 1940, flying Spitfires, and on 5th May was posted to 501 Squadron flying Hurricanes at Tangmere. On the 11th of May at Betheniville, he survived a crash in a passenger transport Bombay aircraft in an aircraft in which he was a passenger, Whil |
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Elkington, John | | Wing Commander John Elkington (deceased) |
| John (Tim) Elkington was born in 1920 and joined the RAF in September 1939. Commissioned as a Pilot Officer in July 1940 he was immediately posted to join 1 Squadron flying Hurricanes atTangmere. On 15 August he shot down an Me109 over the Channel, but the following day he was himself shot down over Thorney Island. He baled out injured and was admitted to hospital, his Hurricane crashing at Chidham. He died on 1st February 2019. |
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Foster, Bob | | Wing Commander Bob Foster DFC (deceased) |
| Wing Commander Bob Foster, who has died aged 94, flew Hurricane fighters during the Battle of Britain, when he was credited with destroying and damaging a number of enemy aircraft; later in the war he destroyed at least five Japanese aircraft while flying from airfields in northern Australia. For much of the Battle of Britain, Foster was serving with No 605 Squadron in Scotland; but in September, 605 moved to Croydon to join the main action over the south-east of England. It was soon heavily en |
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Gray, Trevor | | Flight Lieutenant Trevor Gray (deceased) |
| Trevor Gray joined the RAFVR in 1939 and was called for service on the outbreak of war. As he was only partially trained, he completed his flying training and after being awarded his wings was posted to 7 OTU at Hawarden After training Trevor Gray was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in August 1940. Converted onto Spitfires, and with the Battle of Britain at its Climax, he was urgently posted to join 64 Squadron at Leconfield, arriving on 16th September 1940. The Squadron had re-equipped from B |
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Gregory, Albert E | | Flight Lieutenant Albert E Gregory DFC (deceased) |
| Albert Gregory was born in Derby on 9th May 1917. Gregory joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in April 1939 as an Airman u/t Wop/Air Gunner. Called up on 1st September and posted to Aldegrove in October to commence Air Gunnery training in December 1939, Albert joined 141 Squadron at Grangemouth as an Air Gunner flying in Blenheims before the squadron converted to Defiants. He could not fly in the Defiant because he was too tall for the turret, so transferred to 219 squadron based at |
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Heimes, Leopold | | Sergeant Leopold Heimes (deceased) |
| Already in the Belgian Air Force, he moved to 235 Sqn Coastal Command as an Air Gunner on Blenheims during the Battle of Britain before becoming a pilot, flying Spitfires and Catalinas with 350 Sqn before converting to 76 Sqn on Dakotas in India. Heimes stayed in the RAF until September 1951 having been gazetted as a Master Pilot. Sadly, Leopold Heimes died in 2009. |
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Kane, Terence | | Wing Commander Terence Kane (deceased) |
| Terence Michael Kane was born in London on September 9th 1920 and educated at Varndean School in Brighton. He joined the RAF on a short service commission on July 25th 1938, During his flying training he was injured in an Audax crash and admitted to hospital, however he was able to complete his training and was posted to CFS, Upavon, for an instructor's course, after which he joined the staff at 14 FTS, Kinloss and later Cranfield. He went to 7 OTU, Hawarden in July 1940, converted to Spit |
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Kings, Robert | | Squadron Leader Robert Kings (deceased) |
| Robert Austin Kings was born on 22nd October 1914 and joined the RAFVR about July 1938 as an Airman u/t Pilot and began training at 29 E&RFTS at Luton. Called up on 1st September 1939, he was posted to 3 ITW Hastings on 13th December and moved on to 14 FTS Kinloss on 12th March 1940 and finished the course on 2nd August. Kings went to 6 OTU Sutton Bridge on 7th August and after converting to Hurricanes was posted to 238 Squadron at St. Eval on the 31st. He damaged a He111 on 25th September and |
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Lawrence, Keith | | Squadron Leader Keith Lawrence DFC (deceased) |
| Keith Lawrence was born in New Zealand at Waitara on November 25th 1919. After attending Southland Boys High School at Invercargill, Lawrence went to work in a local bank in December 1936. In November 1938 he applied to join the RAF and was accepted for pilot training in Britain and sailed in February 1939. In November 1939 Keith Lawrence completed his flying training and joined the newly-formed 234 Squadron, which flew Spitfires throughout the Battle of Britain. Whilst based at St Eval in Corn |
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Lucas, Robin M M D | | Flight Lieutenant Robin M M D Lucas |
| Flight Lt Robin Lucas flew with 141 Squadron flying Boulton-Paul Defiants on night missions and flew Defiants during the Battle of Britain. He died in September 2011. |
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Millard, Jocelyn G P | | Squadron Leader Jocelyn G P Millard (deceased) |
| Volunteering for the RAFVR in August 1939, J G Millard was called up for full time service the following month. Converting to Hurricanes, he was posted to 1 Squadron at Wittering in October 1940, and shortly after transferred to Dougla Baders 242 Squadron at Coltishall. In November he moved to 615 Squadron at Northolt. After the Battle of Britain he spent time as an instructor, going to Canada. He later became Squadron Commander of 35 SFTS. Sadly, Jocelyn Millard passed away on the 10th of |
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Neil, Tom | | Wing Commander Tom Neil DFC* AFC (deceased) |
| Tom Neil was born on 14th July 1920 in Bootle, Lancashire. Tom Neil (also to become known in the RAF as 'Ginger') joined the RAFVR in October 1938 and began his flying training at 17 E and RFTS, Barton, Manchester. Tom Neil was called up on the 2nd os September 1939 being sent to 4 ITW, Bexhill in early November. On 1st December 1939, he was posted to 8 FTS and on completion of the course he was commissioned and posted to 249 Squadron in May 1940 flying Hurricanes just before the star |
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Pinfold, Herbert M | | Group Captain Herbert M Pinfold (deceased) |
| Group Captain Herbert Moreton Pinfold, Battle of Britian pilot with 56 Squadron flying Hurricanes, he also flew with 6, 64, 502 and 603 Squadrons. Sadly, Herbert Pinfold passed away on 19th October 2009. Group Captain Herbert Moreton Pinfold was born 5th February 1913 and joined the Royal Air Force in August 1934 at the age of 21. In September Herbert Pinfold was posted to 5 FTS, Sealand and with training completed, on the 5th of September he was sent to join 6 Squadron at Ismailia, Egypt. |
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Wilkinson, Ken | | Flying Officer Ken Wilkinson (deceased) |
Battle of Britain pilot flying Hurricanes, he flew Spitfires with 611 Sqn and then 616 Sqn at Kirton-in-Lindsey and 19 Sqn at Fowlmere during 1940 and after a spell instructing returned to operations on Spitfires, with 234 and 165 Squadrons. After spending time with 53, 24 and 10 Operational Training Units, he left the RAF in November 1945 and served in the RAFVR.
Ken said :
From 1st September 1939 I wrote myself off. I thought, 'you've got no chance' lasting through whatev |
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Swanwick, George | | Wing Commander George W Swanwick (deceased) |
| George Swanwick was born on 10th November 1915 and was an air-gunner on Wallaces and Hinds with 504 squadron at RAF Hucknall during the 1930s. In May 1936, 504 became part of the Auxiliary Air Force, and in October 1938 converted to a fighter unit, equipped with Gauntlets. In 1938 George re-trained as a pilot, and was promoted to Sergeant Pilot in August 1939. In May 1940 George Swanwick joined 7 BGS, and on 7th September was posted to 54 Squadron at Catterick flying Spitfires. He then went |
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Bader, Douglas (matted) | | Group Captain Sir Douglas Bader CBE, DSO*, DFC* (deceased) |
| One of the most famous fighter aces of World War Two, Douglas Bader joined the RAF in 1928. A fearless aerobatic flyer, his luck ran out when his aircraft crashed attempting a slow roll. He lost both legs, and his career in the RAF was, for the time being, over. At the outbreak of World War Two however, his persistence persuaded the RAF to let him fly again, this time with artificial legs. Joining 19 Squadron in February 1940, he soon scored his first victory. A brilliant fighter leader, he |
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David, Dennis (matted) | | Group Captain Dennis David CBE DFC AFC (deceased) |
| Dennis David served with distinction in both the Battle of France and Battle of Britain. He regards the RAFs success in the former - during which he was credited with 11.5 victories - as crucial to victory in the Battle of Britain. He was a member of 87 Squadron at the outbreak of war and was posted to France in 1939 as part of the Air Component. When the Blitzkrieg began on 10th May 1940, he was a Flying Officer. He destroyed a Do17 and shared a He111 on the first day, and by the time the s |
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Casson, Buck (matted) | | Squadron Leader Buck Casson DFC AFC (deceased) |
| Born 6th January 1915, Buck Casson completed his pilot training with the Royal Auxiliary Air Force at the outbreak of WW2. He spent the Battle of Britain with 616 Sqn, claiming a Do17, Me 109, and two He 111s, one damaged and one probable. Becoming part of the Tangmere Wing in 1941, the squadron was under the command of Douglas Bader. On 5th May 1941, he shared in a Ju88, but was forced to bale out during the action. He claimed two more Me109s, a further two probables and one damaged before |
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Gibson, John (matted) | | Squadron Leader John Gibson (deceased) |
| In May 1940 John Gibson joined 501 Squadron. The squadron flew to France and saw action during the German advances. On 27th May Gibson destroyed an He III and shared in the destruction of another before he was himself shot down, crash-landing in a field. The much-depleted Squadrons final base was at St Helier in Jersey on 19 June 1940, from where it covered the evacuation of the British Army from Cherbourg. During the Battle of Britain, Gibson destroyed seven aircraft. In an action on August |
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Crew, Edward (matted) | | Air Vice Marshal Edward Crew CB DSO DFC (deceased) |
| Joining No 604 (County of Middlesex), an Auxiliary Air Force Squadron, in July 1940, Crew began to learn his trade as a night fighter pilot; among those with whom he flew at this time was John Cats' Eyes Cunningham, who himself became one of the most famous night fighter pilots of the war. It was a hard apprenticeship because Crew's Bristol Blenheim was equipped with early, and rudimentary, airborne radar, and much depended on the ability of his air gunner, Sgt Gus Guthrie, to ada |
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Hay, Ronnie (matted) | | Lt Colonel Ronnie Hay (deceased) |
| Ronnie Hay joined the Royal Marines in 1935 and volunteered to fly with the Fleet Air Arm. In 1940 he joined 801 Squadron flying Skuas on HMS Ark Royal for the Norwegian Campaign, claiming his first victory on his first operational sortie. He took part in the operations covering the Dunkirk beaches and flew Fulmars with 808 Squadron during the Battle of Britain. By the time Ark Royal was unk in 1941, he had a further 7 victories. In 1944 he became Wing Leader of 47 Naval Wing flying Corsairs |
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Currant, Christopher (matted) | | Wing Commander Christopher Bunny Currant DSO DFC (deceased) |
| Born 14th December 1911. One of the most succesful fighter pilots in the RAF, credited with 13 kills during the Battle of Britain. On 15th August 1940, with No. 605 Sqn, he downed two He111s and claimed a third probable. On 8th September he downed another bomber and damaged three more, sharing in two more the next day, downing two more and damaging a further three on the 15th of that month, before being shot down himself. The same afternoon, he got airborne again, shooting down a fighter. A |
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Higginson, Taffy (matted) | | Wing Commander Taffy Higginson (deceased) |
| Frederick William Higginson was born into a Welsh-speaking family at Gorseinon, near Swansea, where his father was a policeman. He attended Gorseinon Grammar School until beginning his apprenticeship with the RAF. Enlisting in 1929 at the age of 16, Taffy Higginson served as a fitter and air gunner with No.7 Sqn until 1935, when he was accepted for flight training. After qualifying as a pilot, he initially flew with No.19 Sqn before transferring to No.56 Sqn on Hurricanes. By June 1941 he ha |
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Winskill, Archie (matted) | | Air Commodore Sir Archie Winskill KCVO CBE DFC AE (deceased) |
| An RAFVR pilot, Winskill flew with both 72 Squadron and 603 Squadrons during the Battle of Britain. Commissioned in August 1940 he was posted in February 1941 to 41 Squadron where he soon became a Flight Commander. Baders determination to engage the enemy at every possible opportunity is what he remembers most clearly of the period, On August 14th he was shot down over France, just five days after Bader. He managed to evade capture and, with the help of the French Resistance, made his way to Spa |
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Urwin-Mann, John (matted) | | Squadron Leader John Urwin-Mann (deceased) |
| A Canadian, John Urwin-Mann elisted in the RAF before the war. Flying Hurricanes with No.238 Sqn, he was awarded the DSO and DFC with Bar in his career with the RAF. DFC citation in the London Gazette, 26th November 1940 : This officer has displayed initiative and dash in his many engagements against the enemy. He has led his section in an excellent manner and has destroyed at least eight enemy aircraft. The bar to his DFC was gazetted on 7th April 1942. DSO citation in the London Gazette, 11 |
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Parrott, Peter (matted) | | Wing Commander Peter Parrott DFC AFC (deceased) |
| Born 28th of June 1920, Peter Parrott joined the RAF in 1938, completing his fighter pilot training before joining No.607 Sqn in early 1940. On the 10th of May 1940, he destroyed two He111s and damaged a further two, sharing in another the next day. He was then posted to No.145 Sqn, damaging a Bf110 on May the 22nd and an He111 four days later, an action which saw his aircraft sufficiently damaged to force him to crash land in Kent. During the Battle of Britain, Peter Parrott destroyed a Me10 |
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Bisdee, John (matted) | | Group Captain John Bisdee OBE DFC (deceased) |
| John Derek Bisdee was born on November 20th 1915 at Weston-Super-Mare, and educated at Marlborough. He joined the RAF Voluntary Reserve, and began the war as a sergeant pilot. His combat career started while with 609 (West Riding) squadron RAAF, flying Spitfires when the squadron was moved from Edinburgh to Drem in December 1939. They participated in the air cover of the evacuation of the BEF form Dunkirk. John Bisdee destroyed six aircraft between July 1940 and July 1941, including an Me11 |
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Bird-Wilson, H (matted)NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE
 |
| | Air Vice-Marshall H. Bird-Wilson. CBE.DSO.DFC.AFC. (BAR) (deceased) |
| Birdy-Wilson joined the R.A.F. in 1937 and fought with 17 squadron during the Battle of France. Active throughout the Battle of Britain, awarded the DFC in the September of 1940, the same date he was shot down by Major Adolph Galland of JG26, bailing out with severe burns. He took command of 152 squadron in April 1942 and promoted Wing Commander 1943 he led 121 wing then 122 wing. Rested in January 1944 he went to the US command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth. Throughout the rest |
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Stephen, Harbourne (matted) | | Wing Commander Harbourne Stephen CBE, DSO, DFC (deceased) |
| Flying Spitfires with 605 squadron he took part in the air battles over France and Dunkirk and throughout the thick of the Battle of Britain. He was one of the top scoring R.A.F. pilots at the end of 1940 with 22 and a half air victories. In 1942 he was posted to the far east where he took command of 166 wing, remaining in fighters until the end of the war. After the war he had a successful career in newspapers where he became managing Director of the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph. He die |
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Unwin, George (matted) | | Wing Commander George Grumpy Unwin, DSO, DFM* (deceased) |
| George Unwin joined the RAF in 1929, and in 1936 was posted to Duxford with 19 Squadron as a Sergeant Pilot. He was one of the first pilots in the RAF to fly the Spitfire. With the outbreak of war 19 Squadron moved to Hornchurch and George, now one of the Squadrons most experienced pilots, took part in the great air battles over France and Dunkirk, scoring 3 and a half victories. He flew with 19 Squadron continuously during the whole of the Battle of Britain. He was commissioned in 1941. Af |
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+ Artist : Robert Taylor | | SOLD
OUT | NOT
AVAILABLE | | | Tribute Edition : signed limited edition of 175 prints. | Paper size 27.5 inches x 17 inches (70cm x 43cm) Image size 21 inches x 9 inches (53cm x 23cm) |
Drake, Billy | | Group Captain Billy Drake DSO DFC* (deceased) |
| Joined the R.A.F. in 1936. His first posting was to 1 squadron flying Furies then Hurricanes and first saw action over France in the Spring of 1940 and was awarded his first DFC by the end of the year. As a Squadron Leader he was sent to West Africa to command 128 Squadron. 1942 saw his commanding 112 squadron in North Africa, in July saw an immediate BAR to his DFC and in December an immediate DSO. Posted to Malta as Wing Commander he won a US DFC in 1943. Back in the UK he now was flying Typho |
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Jones, Richard L | | Flight Lieutenant Richard L Jones (deceased) |
| Richard Jones was born in 1918 and in July 1940 Richard Jones was posted to 64 Squadron at Kenley, flying Spitfires. He was involved in heavy fighting over the Channel during the Battle of Britain, with the squadron suffering many losses during July and August. Towards the end of the Battle of Britain, in October, he moved to 19 Squadron flying Spitfires from Fowlmere, and was heavily involved in the fighter sweeps taking place at that time. Near the end of the Battle of Britain, Pilot Office |
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Wellum, Geoffrey | | Squadron Leader Geoffrey Wellum DFC (deceased) |
| Joined the RAF with a Short Service Commission in August 1939. He joined 92 Squadron flying Spitfires in June 1940 at the time of Dunkirk. He flew throughout the Battle of Britain, later completing over 50 fighter sweeps and escorts over northern France and Belgium until August 1941. He then joined 65 Squadron as Flight Commander in March 1942 operating over northern France and flew off aircraft carrier HMS Furious on Operation Pedestal, to Malta. Geoff was a Flight Lieutenant during Operati |
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Appleford, Alexander N R L | | Flight Lieutenant Alexander N R L Appleford (deceased) |
| Born in September 1921, Robin Appleford was one of the youngest pilots to take part in the Battle of Britain. He joined 66 Squadron at Duxford on 13th May 1940, flying Spitfires. He was shot down over the Thames Estuary during a dogfight on 4th September 1940, but baled out slightly wounded. After a spell as an instructor, in 1943 he flew another combat tour, this time with 274 Squadron, flying Hurricanes on coastal defence in North Africa. After a spell with the Aircraft Delivery Unit, he w |
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Iveson, Tony | | Squadron Leader Tony Iveson DFC (deceased) |
| Tony Iveson fought in the Battle of Britain with RAF Fighter Command, as a Sergeant pilot, joining 616 Squadron at Kenley flying Spitfires on 2 September 1940. On the 16th of September, he was forced to ditch into the sea after running out of fuel following a pursuit of a Ju88 bomber. His Spitfire L1036 ditched 20 miles off Cromer in Norfolk, and he was picked up by an MTB. He joined No.92 Sqn the following month. Commissioned in 1942, Tony undertook his second tour transferring to RAF Bomber |
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Bent, Benjamin | | Flight Lieutenant Benjamin Bent (deceased) |
| Having joined the RAF in 1937, he flew with No.25 Sqn as a Radar and Wireless Operator on Blenheims on night fighter duties throughout the Battle of Britain, assisting in five successful interceptions on his first tour, all with S/Ldr. HP Pleasance. On the night of 4th-5th May 1941 they intercepted and damaged an unidentified enemy aircraft, on the 7-8th and 8-9th two Do17s were destroyed, on the 11th-12th an He111 was damaged and during the night of 13th-14th June a Ju88 was destroyed. Bent re |
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Brown, Maurice Peter | | Squadron Leader Maurice Peter Brown (deceased) |
| Maurice Peter Brown (known as Peter) was born in London on 17th June 1919. On leaving school he qualified for entry in the civil service with an appointment in the Air Ministry. But in April 1938 he left to join the Royal Air Force with a short service commission. In September 1939 he was posted to 611 West Lancashire Squadron with Spitfires in 12 Group, initially at Duxford and then Digby. His initiation into battle was over Dunkirk. He was at readiness throughout the Battle of Britain, in |
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Burns, Owen V | | Flight Lieutenant Owen V Burns (deceased) |
| Flight Lieutenant Owen V Burns was born in Birkenhead on 20th November 1915. He flew throughout the Battle of Britain. His Squadron, 235, based at Bircham Newton in Norfolk, was equipped with Mark IV Bristol Blenheims, which had four guns under the nose and two in the mid-upper turret, which he operated. The squadron was attached to Fighter Command to replace its losses in the Battle for France, but because Blenheims lacked the speed of single-engined fighters, squadron duties were mainly aerodr |
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Chamberlin, Joseph | | Flight Lieutenant Joseph P R Chamberlin |
| Joining the RAFVR in June 1939 he was then called up at the Outbreak of war. He flew Blenheim's with No.235 Sqn during the Battle of Britain On the 14th February 1941 when returning from a dusk patrol over the North Sea. Having to divert to Langham airfield prepared to land The airfield's lights went out and the Blenheim hit a tree. The navigator, P/O ER Phillips, was killed and the air gunner Sgt. Burns slightly injured. Chamberlain himself was seriously injured and spent eight months |
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Lusty, Kenneth R | | Squadron Leader Kenneth R Lusty (deceased) |
| Kenneth Lusty joined the RAF as an Airman u/t Air Gunner on 4th September 1939. After call-up, he did his basic training at Padgate and then went to RAF Aldergrove on 30th December for a gunnery course. On 24th February 1940 Lusty joined 235 Squadron. As a Coastal Command Squadron, the need for WOp/AGs in the crews meant that Lusty was posted away on 14th May to 25 Squadron at North Weald. He served with the squadron throughout the Battle of Britain first flying Blenheims and then Beaufighters. |
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Duckenfield, Byron | | Group Captain Byron Duckenfield AFC (deceased) |
| Byron Duckenfield started at Flying Training School on 25th November 1935 in a Blackburn B2 at Brough. As a Sergeant, he joined No.32 Sqn at Biggin Hill on 8th August 1936 and flew Gauntlets and Hurricanes. He joined 74 Squadron at Hornchurch on 11th April 1940, flying Spitfires, and on 5th May was posted to 501 Squadron flying Hurricanes at Tangmere. On the 11th of May at Betheniville, he survived a crash in a passenger transport Bombay aircraft in an aircraft in which he was a passenger, Whil |
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Elkington, John | | Wing Commander John Elkington (deceased) |
| John (Tim) Elkington was born in 1920 and joined the RAF in September 1939. Commissioned as a Pilot Officer in July 1940 he was immediately posted to join 1 Squadron flying Hurricanes atTangmere. On 15 August he shot down an Me109 over the Channel, but the following day he was himself shot down over Thorney Island. He baled out injured and was admitted to hospital, his Hurricane crashing at Chidham. He died on 1st February 2019. |
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Foster, Bob | | Wing Commander Bob Foster DFC (deceased) |
| Wing Commander Bob Foster, who has died aged 94, flew Hurricane fighters during the Battle of Britain, when he was credited with destroying and damaging a number of enemy aircraft; later in the war he destroyed at least five Japanese aircraft while flying from airfields in northern Australia. For much of the Battle of Britain, Foster was serving with No 605 Squadron in Scotland; but in September, 605 moved to Croydon to join the main action over the south-east of England. It was soon heavily en |
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Gray, Trevor | | Flight Lieutenant Trevor Gray (deceased) |
| Trevor Gray joined the RAFVR in 1939 and was called for service on the outbreak of war. As he was only partially trained, he completed his flying training and after being awarded his wings was posted to 7 OTU at Hawarden After training Trevor Gray was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in August 1940. Converted onto Spitfires, and with the Battle of Britain at its Climax, he was urgently posted to join 64 Squadron at Leconfield, arriving on 16th September 1940. The Squadron had re-equipped from B |
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Gregory, Albert E | | Flight Lieutenant Albert E Gregory DFC (deceased) |
| Albert Gregory was born in Derby on 9th May 1917. Gregory joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in April 1939 as an Airman u/t Wop/Air Gunner. Called up on 1st September and posted to Aldegrove in October to commence Air Gunnery training in December 1939, Albert joined 141 Squadron at Grangemouth as an Air Gunner flying in Blenheims before the squadron converted to Defiants. He could not fly in the Defiant because he was too tall for the turret, so transferred to 219 squadron based at |
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Heimes, Leopold | | Sergeant Leopold Heimes (deceased) |
| Already in the Belgian Air Force, he moved to 235 Sqn Coastal Command as an Air Gunner on Blenheims during the Battle of Britain before becoming a pilot, flying Spitfires and Catalinas with 350 Sqn before converting to 76 Sqn on Dakotas in India. Heimes stayed in the RAF until September 1951 having been gazetted as a Master Pilot. Sadly, Leopold Heimes died in 2009. |
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Kane, Terence | | Wing Commander Terence Kane (deceased) |
| Terence Michael Kane was born in London on September 9th 1920 and educated at Varndean School in Brighton. He joined the RAF on a short service commission on July 25th 1938, During his flying training he was injured in an Audax crash and admitted to hospital, however he was able to complete his training and was posted to CFS, Upavon, for an instructor's course, after which he joined the staff at 14 FTS, Kinloss and later Cranfield. He went to 7 OTU, Hawarden in July 1940, converted to Spit |
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Kings, Robert | | Squadron Leader Robert Kings (deceased) |
| Robert Austin Kings was born on 22nd October 1914 and joined the RAFVR about July 1938 as an Airman u/t Pilot and began training at 29 E&RFTS at Luton. Called up on 1st September 1939, he was posted to 3 ITW Hastings on 13th December and moved on to 14 FTS Kinloss on 12th March 1940 and finished the course on 2nd August. Kings went to 6 OTU Sutton Bridge on 7th August and after converting to Hurricanes was posted to 238 Squadron at St. Eval on the 31st. He damaged a He111 on 25th September and |
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Lawrence, Keith | | Squadron Leader Keith Lawrence DFC (deceased) |
| Keith Lawrence was born in New Zealand at Waitara on November 25th 1919. After attending Southland Boys High School at Invercargill, Lawrence went to work in a local bank in December 1936. In November 1938 he applied to join the RAF and was accepted for pilot training in Britain and sailed in February 1939. In November 1939 Keith Lawrence completed his flying training and joined the newly-formed 234 Squadron, which flew Spitfires throughout the Battle of Britain. Whilst based at St Eval in Corn |
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Lucas, Robin M M D | | Flight Lieutenant Robin M M D Lucas |
| Flight Lt Robin Lucas flew with 141 Squadron flying Boulton-Paul Defiants on night missions and flew Defiants during the Battle of Britain. He died in September 2011. |
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Millard, Jocelyn G P | | Squadron Leader Jocelyn G P Millard (deceased) |
| Volunteering for the RAFVR in August 1939, J G Millard was called up for full time service the following month. Converting to Hurricanes, he was posted to 1 Squadron at Wittering in October 1940, and shortly after transferred to Dougla Baders 242 Squadron at Coltishall. In November he moved to 615 Squadron at Northolt. After the Battle of Britain he spent time as an instructor, going to Canada. He later became Squadron Commander of 35 SFTS. Sadly, Jocelyn Millard passed away on the 10th of |
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Neil, Tom | | Wing Commander Tom Neil DFC* AFC (deceased) |
| Tom Neil was born on 14th July 1920 in Bootle, Lancashire. Tom Neil (also to become known in the RAF as 'Ginger') joined the RAFVR in October 1938 and began his flying training at 17 E and RFTS, Barton, Manchester. Tom Neil was called up on the 2nd os September 1939 being sent to 4 ITW, Bexhill in early November. On 1st December 1939, he was posted to 8 FTS and on completion of the course he was commissioned and posted to 249 Squadron in May 1940 flying Hurricanes just before the star |
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Pinfold, Herbert M | | Group Captain Herbert M Pinfold (deceased) |
| Group Captain Herbert Moreton Pinfold, Battle of Britian pilot with 56 Squadron flying Hurricanes, he also flew with 6, 64, 502 and 603 Squadrons. Sadly, Herbert Pinfold passed away on 19th October 2009. Group Captain Herbert Moreton Pinfold was born 5th February 1913 and joined the Royal Air Force in August 1934 at the age of 21. In September Herbert Pinfold was posted to 5 FTS, Sealand and with training completed, on the 5th of September he was sent to join 6 Squadron at Ismailia, Egypt. |
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Wilkinson, Ken | | Flying Officer Ken Wilkinson (deceased) |
Battle of Britain pilot flying Hurricanes, he flew Spitfires with 611 Sqn and then 616 Sqn at Kirton-in-Lindsey and 19 Sqn at Fowlmere during 1940 and after a spell instructing returned to operations on Spitfires, with 234 and 165 Squadrons. After spending time with 53, 24 and 10 Operational Training Units, he left the RAF in November 1945 and served in the RAFVR.
Ken said :
From 1st September 1939 I wrote myself off. I thought, 'you've got no chance' lasting through whatev |
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Swanwick, George | | Wing Commander George W Swanwick (deceased) |
| George Swanwick was born on 10th November 1915 and was an air-gunner on Wallaces and Hinds with 504 squadron at RAF Hucknall during the 1930s. In May 1936, 504 became part of the Auxiliary Air Force, and in October 1938 converted to a fighter unit, equipped with Gauntlets. In 1938 George re-trained as a pilot, and was promoted to Sergeant Pilot in August 1939. In May 1940 George Swanwick joined 7 BGS, and on 7th September was posted to 54 Squadron at Catterick flying Spitfires. He then went |
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+ Artist : Robert Taylor | | SOLD
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