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  Aces All - Tribute to the Pilots and Crews of 23 Sqn, Malta, 1943 by Ivan Berryman. |   Clipped Signature - Sir John Gingell. |   A De Havilland Beauty by Ivan Berryman. |   Those Nagging Mosquitoes by Stan Stokes. | |
| 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. | |
| Name | Info |
| Wing Commander Moose Fumerton DFC* AFC (deceased) Died : 2006 *Signature Value : £10 Editions signed : RCAF edition of 20 artist proofs. | Fumerton, Moose (Wing Commander Moose Fumerton DFC* AFC (deceased)) One of the finest Canadian Beaufighter and Mosquito Aces, 14 victories. Moose Fumerton flew in the Battle of Britain with 32 Sqn before joining 1 RCAF Sqn. Converting to night fighting, he flew successfully in Egypt with 89 Sqn. In June 1942 he and his radar operator Sgt L.P.S. Bing flew with the squadron detachment to Malta. Here they were rapidly to become the islands top scoring night fighter team with 9 victories, Fumerton receiving the DFC and bar, and Bing the DFC and bar and a commission. On his second tour Fumerton commanded 406 Sqn on Mosquitoes, where he claimed the last of his 14 victories. He died 10th July 2006. |
  Air Marshal Sir Ivor Broom KCB CBE DSO DFC AFC (deceased) Died : 2003 *Signature Value : £50 Editions signed : RCAF edition of 20 artist proofs. | Broom, Ivor (Air Marshal Sir Ivor Broom KCB CBE DSO DFC AFC (deceased)) Entering the RAF in 1940 he joined No 114 Squadron as a sergeant pilot flying Blenheims. After 12 operations he and his crew were allocated to No 105 Squadron and then No 107 Squadron, the last remaining Blenheim Squadron in Malta. The Squadron remained there without relief for five months carrying out low level attacks on the shipping. Very few of the original crews survived the detachment, in fact he was commissioned during this period, when 107 Squadron had lost all their officers and for a short time was the only officer, other than the CO, in the Squadron. At the end of this tour he was awarded the DFC. In early 1943 he became one of the first Mosquito instructors in the Pathfinder Force and later moved to No 571 Squadron with the Light Night Strike Force. He then formed No 163 Squadron as acting Wing Commander. He was awarded a bar to his DFC for a low level moonlight mining attack on the Dormund - Ems Canal from 50ft and then a second bar for getting a 4000lb bomb into the mouth of a railway tunnel during the final German Ardennes offensive. During his time on Mosquitoes his navigator was Tommy Broom, together they formed an inseparable combination. Remaining with the RAF after WWII and in accordance with peacetime rules for a much smaller Air Force he was reduced in rank first to Squadron Leader and then to Flight Lieutenant in 1948. Promoted to Air Marshal in 1974 he became the Head of the UK National Air Traffic Services and was the first serving officer to be appointed to the Board of the Civil Aviation Authority. Retiring from the RAF in 1979 he has been actively engaged in civil aviation since then. He died 24th January 2003. |
 Squadron Leader Terry Kearns (deceased) Died : 1996 *Signature Value : £60 Editions signed : RCAF edition of 20 artist proofs. | Kearns, Terry (Squadron Leader Terry Kearns (deceased)) New Zealander Derek Terry Kearns joined the RNZAF in December 1940, transferring to England in 1941 to join 75 (NZ) Squadron, flying Wellingtons. In 1942 he took part in the first 1000 bomber raids before joining 156 Squadron Pathfinders. After a period as an instructor, he joined 617 Squadron at Warboys on operations. He flew the Mosquito FBVI on precision low-level target marking throughout 1944. He took part in most of 617s major operations, including raids on the Samur rail tunnel, and the V1 rocket sites. He died in 1996 aged 75. |
| Wing Commander Russ Bannock *Signature Value : £20 Editions signed : RCAF edition of 20 artist proofs. | Bannock, Russ (Wing Commander Russ Bannock) Russ Bannock joined the RCAF in 1939 and was posted to 112 Squadron. He transferred to 418 (City of Edmonton) Squadron RCAF in May 1944, equipped with the excellent Mosquito MkVI fighter-bomber and carried out many Intruder missions, mostly against enemy airfields, especially in the period prior to D-Day. With the squadron he helped to defend London against the V1 blitz, all night. With 19 flying bombs to his credit, he was given command of 406 (City of Saskatoon) Squadron based at Manston with the Mk30 Mosquito. From late 1944 until the war's end he carried out operations mainly against enemy airfields. |
  Group Captain John Cunningham CBE DSO DFC AE DL FRAeS (deceased) Died : 2002 *Signature Value : £70 Editions signed : RCAF edition of 20 artist proofs. | Cunningham, John (Group Captain John Cunningham CBE DSO DFC AE DL FRAeS (deceased)) John Cunningham joined the RAF in 1935 with 604 Squadron. At the outbreak of World War Two he was based at North Weald flying Blenheims on day escort and night fighter operations. In September 1940 he converted onto Beaufighters equipped with radar, the first aircraft that made night fighting really possible. In November he had the Squadrons first successful night combat. He took command of 604 Squadron in August 1941. After a period at HQ81 Group, he was posted on his second tour to command 85 Squadron equipped with Mosquitoes. In March 1944 with 19 night and 1 day victory he was posted to HQ11 Group to look after night operations. The most famous Allied night fighter Ace of WWII - 20 victories. He died 21st July 2002. Born in 1917, Group Captain John Cunningham was the top-scoring night fighter ace of the Royal Air Force. Cunningham joined the RAF in 1935 as a Pilot Officer. He learned to fly in the Avro 504N and was awarded his wings in 1936. While assigned to the Middlesex Squadron Auxiliary based at Hendon, Cunningham received instruction in the Hawker Hart prior to moving on the Hawker Demon. The Demon was a two-seat day and night fighter. Cunningharns squadron was mobilized in 1938 following the Czechoslovak crisis. His No. 604 unit was moved to North Weald. Later in 1938 his unit returned to Hendon and was reequipped with the more modern Blenheim 1 fighter. In August of 1939 the unit was again mobilized and returned to North Weald. The Squadron was primarily utilized to provide daylight air cover for convoys. Lacking radar the Blenheim was relatively useless as a night fighter. In September of 1940 the unit was moved to Middle Wallop and the first Bristol Beaufighters arrived. The Beatifighter had a modestly effective, although often unreliable radar. It was an excellent aircraft with reliable air-cooled engines and four 20mm cannons. Cunningham attained the units first night victory in the Beaufighter, and his tally rose steadily. He was promoted to Wing Commander of 604 Squadron in August of 1941. Cunningham completed his first combat tour of duty in mid-1942 with a total of 15 victories. He was then posted to H.Q. 81 Group, which was an operational training group under the Fighter Command. In January of 1943 Cunningham was transferred to command of No. 85 Squadron which was equipped with the Mosquito. With the higher speed of the Mosquito, Cunningham was successful at downing Fw-190s, something impossible in the slower Beaufighter. Cunningham completed his second tour in 1944 with a total of nineteen victories at night and one by day. He was promoted to Group Captain at that time, and was assigned to H.Q. 11 Group. Cunninghams radar operator Sqd. Ldr. Jimmy Rawnsley participated in most of Cunninghams victories. The 604 Squadron was disbanded in 1945, but in 1946 Cunningham was given the honor of reforming the Squadron at Hendon - flying the Spitfire. Cunningham left the RAF in 1946 and joined the De Havilland Aircraft Co. at Hatfield as its Chief Test Pilot. Cunningham had a long and distinguished career in the British aviation industry, retiring from British Aerospace in 1980. Cunningham was appointed OBE in 1951 and CBE in 1963. He was awarded the DSO in 1941 and Bars in 1942 and 1944; the DFC and Bar in 1941, also the Air Efficiency Award (AE). He also held the Soviet Order of Patriotic War 1st Class and the US Silver Star. Group Capt John Cunningham died at the age of 84 on the 21st July 2002. |
  Air Commodore E. B. Ted Sismore DSO DFC AFC (deceased) Died : 2012 *Signature Value : £55 Editions signed : RCAF edition of 20 artist proofs. | Sismore, E B Ted (Air Commodore E. B. Ted Sismore DSO DFC AFC (deceased)) Air Commodore Edward Barnes Sismore DSO, DFC, and two bars, AFC was born on the 23rd June 1921 at Kettering, Northamptonshire. Sismore joined the RAF in 1939 as aircrew but became a Flight Sergeant on the 29th of August 1942. He was posted to No 110 Squadron, operating Blenheims, and flew anti-shipping patrols and attacked ports in the Low Countries and France at night. Returning from one night-time operation, his Blenheim hit the sea – but his pilot managed to drag the aircraft clear and they made a safe landing. After 30 operations he was rested before converting to the Mosquito and joining No 105 Squadron under Wing Commander Hughie Edwards, VC. He was also later given an emergency commission as a general Duties Branch Pilot Officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, being given a permanent commission on the 1st of February 1945. On the morning of January 31 1943, Reynolds and Sismore led a small force of Mosquitos on the RAF's first daylight bombing attack on Berlin, a round trip of 1,100 miles. The bombers were ordered to arrive at exactly 11am, when Goering and Goebbels were due to address a rally commemorating the 10th anniversary celebrations of Hitler's regime. The Mosquitos flew at low level over Germany and, as they crossed the Elbe, climbed to 25,000ft for their attack, which was carried out exactly on time and photographed by Sismore as it happened. On their return the crews were able to hear a tape recording from German radio. As the announcer introduced Goering to the crowds, bombs could be heard exploding. Goering never delivered his speech, and his constant boasts about the security of the Fatherland were proved to be empty promises. Among those decorated after the attack was Sismore, who was awarded a DFC. Throughout the spring of 1943, Reynolds and Sismore - who was described by a colleague as the most brilliant navigator - led many daylight attacks, their targets including railway workshops, steelworks and power stations, some deep inside Germany. When Reynolds was appointed CO of No 139 Squadron, Sismore remained as his navigator. On May 27 1943 they led a force of six Mosquitos on the RAF's deepest ever daylight low-level penetration of Germany from Britain. The mission was to attack the Schott glass works and Zeiss optical works at Jena, near Leipzig. Visibility was very poor as they flew at treetop height over Germany, and was reduced to 1,500 yards as they approached the target. But Sismore's navigation was perfect, and as they dodged balloons and intense anti-aircraft fire, delayed action bombs were dropped - despite Reynolds being wounded. The aircraft was badly damaged but was nursed back to base. Reynolds was awarded a Bar to his earlier DSO and Sismore also received a DSO. Sismore continued on operations and transferred to No 21 Squadron as the navigation leader. In February 1944, by now recognised as the RAF's finest low-level navigator, he was instructed to plan an attack to release French Resistance leaders imprisoned in Amiens Jail in northern France. He was to lead the raid with Air Vice-Marshal Basil Embry (the commander of No 2 Group), but Embry's chiefs forbade him to fly because he was too valuable an asset. When Sismore indicated that he could fly with someone else, Embry retorted: No, you won't - if I don't go, you don't go. The operation went ahead without them, and was a complete success, except that Embry's replacement as leader, Group Captain Charles Pickard (who had won three DSOs and a DFC) was shot down and killed along with his navigator. Once again flying with Reynolds, Sismore on October 31st 1944 led a force of 24 Mosquitos in a raid on the Gestapo headquarters lodged in the buildings of Aarhus University in Denmark. The surprise attack, in misty weather, was delivered from low level and was a complete success. The head of the SS was killed, one of his officers writing: A terrible disaster happened when our HQ was shot up by English airmen. For their outstanding leadership, both Reynolds and Sismore received a Bar to their DFCs. Sismore continued to lead low-level daylight precision raids. On March 20th 1945 he led a force to attack the Gestapo HQ in the Shell House, Copenhagen. Once again his precise navigation resulted in a successful attack by the leading formation, and the building was destroyed. Tragically, a following Mosquito was shot down and crashed on a school, killing many children. However, 30 Danish patriots escaped and 150 Gestapo men were killed. The Danish Resistance asked for one more attack to release prisoners, this time from the Gestapo HQ in Odense. Sismore navigated the formation of six aircraft on the last of the 'Mosquito daylight spectaculars', and the small force destroyed the heavily camouflaged building. For his part in these two operations, Sismore was awarded a second Bar to his DFC. After the war Sismore remained in the Royal Air Force and with Squadron leader Mick martin (former Dambuster) broke the flying record for the London to Cape Town, 6,727 mile journey, completing it in 21 hours and 31 minutes. He was later awarded the Royal Aero Clubs Britannia Trophy for 1947. In 1962 Sismore was promoted to Group Captain and later became Station Commander of RAF Bruggen in Germany and in the late 1960s became commanding Officer of the Royal Air Force Central Reconnaissance Establishment at RAF Brampton. Air Commodore Edward Barnes Sismore died March 22nd 2012. |
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Signature(s) value alone : £265