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Clipped Signature - Billy Drake. - Cranston Military Prints

Clipped Signature - Billy Drake.


Clipped Signature - Billy Drake.

Joining the RAF in 1936, he flew Hurricanes in the Battle of France. Awarded the DFC, he commanded No.128 Sqn and No.112 Sqn in Africa, gaining a Bar to the DFC and a DSO. He later flew in Malta and flew Typhoons in the summer of 1944. Credited with more than 24 aircraft destroyed in the war, he retired from the RAF in 1963. He died in 2011.
Item Code : CLP0033Clipped Signature - Billy Drake. - Editions Available
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Clipped Signature.
Great value : Value of signatures exceeds price of item!
Drake, Billy

Died : 2011
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
Signature Value : £55
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The success of Operation Bodenplatte, on January 1, 1945, was to be achieved by mass surprise attacks on British and American bases in France, Belgium and Holland. It was a battle fought at great cost to the Luftwaffe. During the battles some 300 Luftwaffe aircraft were lost. Though 200 Allied aircraft were destroyed, most on the ground, pilot losses were light. Nicolas Trudgians brilliant painting takes us right into the action above the Allied air base at Eindhoven. Me262 jets join a concentration of Me109s and Fw190s of JG-3 fighter wing, as they hurtle across the airfield in an assault that lasted 23 minutes, while Spitfires from 414 Sqn RCAF do their best to repel the attack. On the ground Typhoon fighters of 439 Sqn take a hammering.

Operation Bodenplatte by Nicolas Trudgian. 		Battle of Britain, July 1940. Spitfires of 609 Squadron returning to their satellite station airfield at Warmwell to re-arm and re-fuel, following an intercept mission against enemy aircraft trying to disrupt shipping along the South Coast of England. Like many other RAF Squadrons, No 609 the (West Riding) Auxiliary Squadron distinguished itself in many great air battles with honour and courage.

Spitfires Over the Needles by Philip West. 		The early months of 1942 saw Sqn Ldr Derek Ward flying several sorties a day, many of them at night with 73 Sqn in the skies above Egypt. He claimed a Heinkel 111 destroyed on 9th February and a Bf.109 just a few days later. Then, on the night of 1st May, Ward spotted a Focke-Wulf Fw.200 Condor heading out to sea. Alone, he pursued the German four-engined bomber in his Hurricane and shot it down, flames streaming from its wing. For this action, Sqn Ldr Ward was awarded the DFC.

Tribute to Squadron Leader Derek Ward by Ivan Berryman. 		Kenneth Kneen flew Typhoons with No.175 Squadron attacking ground targets in the Dutch - German border region. He joined the RAFVR after the war. <br><br><i>Clipped alongside the signature of Harry Pears - Harry Pears joined No.175 Sqn flying Typhoons, completing over 80 sorties and claiming a victory over an enemy aircraft. He stayed with the RAF after the war, flying the Tempest, Canberra and Sabre among others, before retiring in 1965. He died in 2016. </i>

Clipped Signature - Kenneth Kneen.
Signatures on these products
*The value given for each signature has been calculated by us based on the historical significance and rarity of the signature and is for the unmatted version where available. Values of many pilot signatures have risen in recent years and will likely continue to rise as they become more and more rare.
NameInfo




Group Captain Billy Drake DSO DFC* (deceased)
Died : 2011
*Signature Value : £55

Editions signed :

Clipped Signature.


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 Typhoons in the lead up to D-Day. With Pete Brothers he was sent to the States to attend the US Staff School at Fort Leavenworth. After the war he continued in the R.A.F. serving in Japan, Malaya, Singapore, Switzerland and his final posting as Group Captain RAF Chivenor, Devon. Retired in July 1963. Going to Portugal where he ran a Bar and Restaurant and dealing in Real Estate. In his flying career he accounted for more than 24 enemy aircraft. Sadly, Billy Drake passed away on 28th August 2011.
Squadrons Related to This Print
No.112 Sqn
Aircraft Related to This Print
Hurricane

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