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Last One Away by Ivan Berryman. A Lancaster of No.15 Squadron takes to the air at the start of a night sortie from Mildenhall in June 1944. |
Into History - Spitfire Prototype by Ivan Berryman. Supermarine Spitfire prototype K5054 is seen taking to the air for a test flight in June 1936 from Eastleigh Airport in Southampton. Few, at the time, could have known what an iconic aircraft R J Mitchell had designed, yet the beautiful, classic lines were there to see in the very first example. |
Ops On Hold by Richard Taylor. March 1944 and heavy snow has settled firmly over the frozen Lincolnshire countryside around RAF Fiskerton. For once the Lancasters of 49 Squadron stand quietly idle at their dispersal points around the perimeter of the airfield. It is a scene recreated at many other heavy bomber airfields across the east of England and the young airmen who crew these mighty machines now wait patiently for the inevitable thaw that will soon see them in combat again. For some, however, the future is uncertain. Just a few weeks later, on 30 March 1944, during a raid on Nuremberg, more than 100 bombers would be shot down. In the space of a single night Bomber Command would suffer more men lost than Fighter Command during the entire Battle of Britain. Bomber Command flew more than 389,000 sorties from 101 operational bases across the east of England during WWII and the aircrew that undertook these missions came from Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Rhodesia and many countries under Nazi occupation. Every airman was a volunteer and with an average age of just 22 they were forced to grow up quickly, enduring frightening odds and suffering terrible losses - only the Nazi U-Boat force experienced a higher casualty rate. Of the 125,000 men who served, 55,573 were killed. For every 100 airmen who joined Bomber Command, 45 would lose their lives, 6 would be seriously wounded and 8 made prisoners of war. Yet they resolutely overcame the overwhelming forces stacked against them, including some of the worst flying conditions imaginable and, never flinching from their task, flew until victory was finally achieved. |
Kiwis at Dallachy - Tribute to No.489 Squadron by Ivan Berryman. The formation of six New Zealand squadrons within the RAF in the early part of WW2 acknowledged the contribution and commitment of the Commonwealth to the campaign against the Nazi invasion of Europe. Among these was 489 Sqn, based at Dallachy in Scotland, whose Beaufighter Mk Xs flew missions against Axis shipping in the North Sea as well as other missions along the Scandinavian coast. Here, two 489 Sqn Beaufighters run up their engines prior to a sortie in the Winter of 1943/44. |
Shuttleworth Salute by Ivan Berryman. To commemorate Shuttleworths Golden Jubilee in 1994. A Spitfire leads a Hawker Hind and a Gloster Gladiator in formation over Old Warden. The Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden aerodrome is recognised as one of the finest private collections of vintage aircraft in the world. Many of the exhibits have direct connections with the all too short but lively career of Richard Ormonde Shuttleworth himself, and all the aircraft are flown regularly - from the frail and endearing Bristol Boxkite to what is regarded as the most genuine Spitfire flying today. Here, this Spitfire leads a Vic-3 formation of the Collections Hawker Hind and Gloster Gladiator over Old Warden during a typical flying display to Commemorate Shuttleworths Golden Jubilee in 1994. |
Between Wars Classics by Stan Stokes. During the between Wars years two aircraft manufacturers, Boeing and Curtiss, were the dominant suppliers of fighter aircraft for the United States armed forces. A series of Curtiss-manufactured hawk fighters was in service from the mid-1920s until just before WW II. The P-6E was delivered beginning in 1932 and was powered by a 675-HP Curtiss V-1570-23 Conqueror engine. This bi-plane fighter was highly maneuverable and capable of almost 200-MPH. It was armed with twin forward-firing 0.3 inch Browning machine-guns. In many respects it represented the pinnacle of American biplane fighter designs. In contrast the Boeing P-26 Peashooter was a very important transitional aircraft in the evolution of the fighter. It embodied the transition from the WW I vintage highly maneuverable biplanes to the sleek, very fast, all-metal, monoplane fighters of WW II. Surprising is the fact that the P-26 was the last fighter to be mass-produced by Boeing, the company founded in 1916 by William Edward Boeing. The Companys first large contract was secured in 1919 for the MB-3A fighter for the USAAC. Boeing utilized a unique welded tube fuselage in place of the original wood structure in the original design. Success with this program lead to additional contracts, and Boeing became a strong competitor to the much larger Curtiss Company for fighter aircraft for both the Air Corps and the Navy. The culmination of Boeings biplane fighters was attained with its Model 83 which became the Navys F4B, and the Air Corps P-12. In 1928 the company began exploring the possibility of a monoplane fighter. The Model 200 Monomail was designed as a high-speed mail plane for Boeing Air Transport (the precursor of todays United Airlines.) The initial military version that evolved from this aircraft was the P-26. The P-26 was 20% faster than Boeings P-12 biplane, but it had a slower rate of climb and a lower service ceiling. Also, the high landing speeds of the prototype resulted in production models of the P-26 being equipped with landing flaps. Boeing engineers retained some very conservative design elements in the Peashooters design such as a fixed landing gear and an open cockpit. Many of these compromises would doom the aircraft to a very short useful life, as the P-26 was quickly made obsolete by the much faster Seversky P-35 and the Curtiss P-36 fighters which appeared in 1936. The USAAC accepted a total of 139 Peashooters in 1933-34. The Navy could not be convinced to order the aircraft. Many P-26s sported the wild USAAC paint schemes which typified the between Wars period. The P-26 would see some combat with the Chinese and Philippine Air Forces. In Stan Stokes painting a P-26 of the 94th Pursuit Squadron Snow Owls lifts off from Selfridge Field while a Curtiss Hawk it would soon be replacing taxis to its parking area. |
Chicago Homecoming by Stan Stokes. The Douglas DC-6 and its successors would become the most popular and successful family of long-range civilian transport propeller driven aircraft in history. Although Lockheeds Constellation was technically superior to the Douglas DC-4, the former companys agreement with TWA prevented Lockheed from marketing the Connie to major airlines that competed with TWA. This created a window of opportunity for Douglas, and many airlines were anxious to purchase an improved version of the Douglas DC-4. During WW II Douglas built a lot of C-54 Skymaster aircraft, which was the military version of the DC-4. During the War, Douglas engineers interested the military in the concept of an improved version of the C-54 that would include a longer, and for the first time, pressurized fuselage, de-icing, and other enhancements. This improved Skymaster design evolved into the DC-6. Test flights on the first DC-6 prototype (c/n 36326) began in early 1946. This aircraft was bought by the USAAF, and later sold to a non-scheduled U.S. airline. This particular aircraft flew many millions of miles before being lost in an accident in 1978. DC-6s entered commercial service with the airlines in 1947. American and United Air Lines both introduced the DC-6 at the same time. American had orders or options on fifty planes, while United had the same on another forty. Pan Am was also an early customer as was Sabena. Early DC-6 operations had some problems. A United DC-6 caught fire and crashed in Utah with the loss of all on board while another American DC-6 caught fire and had to crash land in New Mexico. The problem resulted in a temporary grounding of the plane, and the cause of these fires was discovered and rectified. The DC-6 was widely purchased by non-U.S. airlines, and the 29th aircraft produced was named Independence, and was purchased by the USAF for use by President Truman. The first variant of the DC-6 to appear was the DC-6A, a freight version of the aircraft, which had a lengthened fuselage and greater load capacity and range. The DC-6B, which is depicted in Stan Stokes painting, was the passenger version of the DC-6A. It was one of the most successful airliners of all time. It could be configured to carry as many as 105 passengers, but was more typically operated with between 60-70 seats. A total of 288 DC-6B aircraft were produced, more than any other DC-6 or DC-7 variant. Many of these aircraft were still in service as late as 1978-79, more than twenty years after their development. The DC-6B had excellent economics. The operating cost per seat mile to fly this aircraft coupled with very good maintenance experience with both the airframe and the P&W engines, made this aircraft a money maker for most of the airlines which flew it. United and American were both big buyers of the DC-6B, and no less than ten long haul European airlines flew this great Douglas aircraft. The DC-6B had a maximum speed of 360-MPH, a typical cruising speed of 315-MPH, and a maximum payload of nearly 25,000 pounds. The maximum range of this aircraft was about 4,300 miles. |
White-out at Breighton - Tribute to No.78 Squadron by Ivan Berryman. With the departure of No 1 Group in May 1943, No 4 Group's 78 Sqn Halifaxes arrived at Breighton in Yorkshire from where they would continue to operate until the end of the war. Halifax III LW291 (EY-M) is depicted snowbound in the Winter of 1944, not long before it was lost over Grossmutz whilst taking part on a raid on Berlin on 20th January 1944. Crew of EY-M : Pilot : Flight Sergeant F Moffat RCAF (killed), Navigator : Flying Officer W McGreggor RCAF (killed), Bomb Aimer : Flying Officer R Selman RCAF (killed), Wireless Operator : Flight Sergeant H H Bennett (taken prisoner), Flight Engineer : Sergeant N Legg (killed), Rear Gunner : Sergeant W Ruelhoff (killed, Mid-Upper Gunner : Sergeant J Stewart (killed). |
Perpetual Motion by Robert Tomlin. Dakota KN442 lands again at Gatow during the autumn of 1948 at the height of the Berlin Airlift as Yorks and Hastings wait to take off for the return. Each print is autographed by the pilot, navigator and signaller who flew KN442 on the airlift. KN442 is rare among airlift aircraft in that it still flies today as G-AMPZ for Air Atlantique more than 50 years on. |
Pan Am Boeing 707 at Tempelhof by Ivan Berryman. Pan American World Airways were the first to usher in the 'Big Jet' era with their trans-Atlantic service from New York to Paris in October 1958. From that day on, the ubiquitous Boeing 707 would set the standard for global air services, a legacy that continues to this day. Here a Pan Am 707 is depicted at Berlin's Tempelhof airport. |
The Dambusters by Ivan Berryman. Lancasters of 617 Sqn Dambusters get airborne from their Scampton base at the start of their journey to the Ruhr Valley on the night of 16th May 1943 under the codename Operation Chastise. These are aircraft of the First Wave, led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson, the Second Wave having already departed some ten minutes earlier to negotiate a more northerly route to their targets. On this momentous night, both the Möhne and Eder dams were successfully breached, whilst the Sorpe was also hit, but without serious damage. Of the nineteen aircraft that took part in the mission, eleven returned safely. |
Ruby Reds by Robert Tomlin. The nine aircraft perform the classic Diamond Nine formation that has become their trademark. Since their formation in 1965, this classic shape has been an integral part of their spellbinding, exciting, and dynamic programmes. To celebrate their 40th season, the official 2004 team-autographed limited edition print depicts this unmistakable formation flying over their home base of RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire, paying homage to a line up of 7 Gnats in front of the hangar. This picture contains some remarkable detail, with each of the teams own cars lined up in the parking area in front of the building and even Jezs two black labradors frolicking on the grass! The concept for the picture was originally the idea of David Thomas (Synchro Leader 2004) and was then subject to individual approval by all concerned. |
Display 25 by Robert Tomlin. Flt Lt Pete Willy Hackett and his navigator Flt Lt John Shields blast off from the runway at Duxford in the UK. Rolling and turning immediately after leaving the ground, Willy hauls the 25(F) Squadron Tornado F3 into a tight turn at the start of another thrilling, dynamic, display sequence, the thunder of the full re-heat sending vibrations through to the very heart of the viewing public. |
The Power to Deliver by Robert Tomlin. Resplendent in the striking new red and yellow corporate livery, Boeing 757 SF freighter OO-DPJ, the first to bear the new colours, lifts off from Brussels National Airport, DHL's European hub. |
Teamwork by Philip West. As night falls, Short Stirlings of XV Squadron based at Mildenhall, Cambridgeshire, await their crews for yet another nocturnal mission. One of the almost forgotten Bomber Command aircraft that made a very significant contribution to the war effort. |
Staggerwing and Gooney Bird by Stan Stokes. Although it has been more than sixty years since they first flew, the DC-3 and C-47 Gooney Birds are legendary, with more than 1,000 still utilized throughout the world. In the early 1930s Boeing was working on its all metal Model 247, and the first 60 aircraft were promised to United Air Lines. Douglas Aircraft made a bold proposal to TWA, and in combination they attempted to develop an all metal passenger airliner which would out perform Boeings 247. This new prototype airliner was the DC-1, and the first aircraft was delivered in less than nine months. TWA liked what it saw and ordered twenty DC-2s, the first production variant, and the first production model flew in May 1934. The DC-2 was a money maker for the airlines and nearly two hundred were produced. In 1934 American Airlines approached Douglas Aircraft about developing an aircraft with the performance and reliability of the DC-2, but with the passenger comforts of the Curtis Condor bi-plane. Douglas Aircraft moved slowly and reluctantly, fearing that American Airlines might fail during the depression. However, finally an agreement was reached for Douglas to produce ten new DC-3s for American at a price of $79,500 each. The DC-3, although similar in general appearance to the DC-2, was in fact largely an entirely new aircraft. Utilizing new 1,000 HP Wright radial engines, the DC-3 had a cabin more similar to Pullman railway cars. Passenger lavatories were installed and increased insulation was utilized to reduce cabin noise. American Airlines formally accepted delivery of its first DC-3 in April 1936, and by 1937 production of the DC-2 had ceased. Seating was 28 on the DC-3, twice that of the DC-2. Despite a recession induced reduction in the number of passenger aircraft in service in the United States during the second half of the decade, by 1940 more than half of the passenger aircraft in service in America were Douglas DC-3s. With the outbreak of WW II Douglas was flooded with orders for a military transport version of the DC-3, the C-47. Initially called the Skytrain, the C-47 was capable of carrying 28 troops or 6,000 pounds of cargo. With more than 10,000 aircraft produced between 1935 and 1947, the DC-3 and C-47 greatly exceeded any expectations Douglas ever had for the aircraft. With the end of the war many C-47s were converted back to DC-3s, and this aircraft became the backbone of the civilian airliner fleet in almost every nation in the world. During the 1950s the Gooney Birds were slowly shifted to secondary routes as newer high performance aircraft were introduced. In Stan Stokes marvelous painting entitled Staggerwing and Gooney Bird, a United Airlines DC-3 is depicted at Santa Barbara Airport in the early 1950s. Another classic aircraft, the Beech Staggerwing is parked near the Gooney Bird. |
Now and Then by Peter Westacott. A tribute to Sir Thomas Sopwith and British Aerospace. BAe Harrier GR.5 ZD346 and Sopwith Pup N5195 at the Biggin Hill air fair June 1988. |
The Mollis Tunnel by Robert Tomlin. In the narrow valley dominated by the 3000 metre high Mt Glarnish the Patrouille Suisse Tigers line up over the runway of the satellite airfield of Mollis as solo Paul Thoma streaks underneath in the dramatic Tunnel manoeuvre. |
Aldergrove Dispersal by John Wynne Hopkins. The crew of Lynx (pilot, Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineer and Door Gunner) prepare for a mission. |
Baghdad Departure by Robert Tomlin. A300-B4 OO-DLR climbs out of Baghdad after completing the first of the day's rotations. |
1938 Kings Cup by Michael Turner Alex Henshaw in his winning Mew Gull, swoops low over Hatfield airfield, followed by Giles Guthries Mew Gull and Les Cliffs Hawk Major. Seen on the ground are Geoffrey de Havillands Tk-2 and D.H. Comet G-ACSS. The winners race average of 252.25 mph is the fastest ever recorded by a British winning aircraft. |
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