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Cranston Fine Arts  Aviation Art World War Two Veteran Signatures UK and Commonwealth Surname A  Appleford, Alexander |
[UP] - Adam, Ken - Ainley, Phil - Aitken, John - Aldridge, Arthur - Allen, Mike - Anderson, Bill - Anderson, Donald - Appleford, Alexander - Arkell, Peter - Armitage, Dennis - Arndell, Idris - Arrighi, Ted - Atkins, Eric - Atkinson, Sir John - Austin, F H P - Austin, Tom - Auton, Jim - Avey, Charles - Ayerst, Peter |
Flight Lieutenant Alexander N R L Appleford
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 went to South Africa as a flying instructor. Sadly, we have learned that Alexander Appleford passed away on 17th April 2012.
| Flight Lieutenant Alexander N R L Appleford - Signed Aviation Art |
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| Text for the above items : |
The Fledgling by Ivan Berryman. Under the watchful eye of his more experienced tutor a trainee pilot gets his first taste of the Spitfire Mk.IIa, airborne from Tangmere early in 1941. The nearest aircraft is P7856 (YT-C) which enjoyed a long career, surviving until 1945. |
High Pursuit by Ivan Berryman. Squadron Leader H C Sawyer is depicted here flying his 65 Sqn Spitfire Mk.1a R6799 (YT-D) in the skies above Kent on 31st July 1940 at the height of the Battle of Britain. Chasing him is Major Hans Trubenbach of 1 Gruppe, Lehrgeschwader 2 in his Messerschmitt Vf109E-3 (Red 12) . The encounter lasted eight minutes with both pilots surviving. |
Spitfire Mk.IXE by Ivan Berryman. A pair of Spitfire Mk.IXEs of 611 Squadron make their way home from a patrol during the summer of 1942. At this time 611 Squadron were based at Kenley and were the first squadron to receive the new Mk.IX putting it on equal terms, for the first time, with the formidable Focke-Wulf 190. |
Scramble by Gerald Coulson. A telephone rings at a typical flight dispersal: a call from Operations sends pilots and ground crew running for aircraft ready fuelled and armed. A mechanic starts the engine of the spitfire in the foreground and it explodes into life, blasting out blue exhaust gases, the slipstream flattening the grass and kicking up dust. A young sergeant pilot with feelings a mixture of fear and excitement, runs for his machine. The painting captures the tense atmosphere of a much repeated action from these crucial events of the Battle of Britain, as Spitfires of No.66 Squadron scramble. |
High Summer by Anthony Saunders. On the 9th September 1940, No.92 Squadron was thrown into the Battle of Britain. They had fought bravely during the evacuation of Dunkirk, and after a spell on convoy patrol, they were thrust into the desperate climax of the greatest air battle in history. Flying Spitfires from Biggin Hill, they immediately went into action attacking massive Luftwaffe bomber formations and their escorting Me109s. Southern England was under severe threat, but the impact of 92 Squadron was immediate. During the next four months, its young pilots brought down no fewer than 127 enemy aircraft. This painting by Anthony Saunders portrays Spitfires from No.92 Sqn as they successfully engage an Me109 over the harvested fields of southern England, in August 1940. The desperate action of aerial combat is beautifully captured in this compelling and accurate reconstruction of a famous fighter squadron at war. |
Those Valiant Few by Robert Taylor. The Battle of Britain commenced at the beginning of June 1940, and for the next two and a half gruelling months the young men of Royal Air Force Fighter Command, duelled with the cream of Goerings Luftwaffe over the skies of southern England. It was to become the greatest aerial conflict in aviation history. Always outnumberd, the valiant young pilots fought with a determined fierceness and intensity, and never once did their spirit waiver. By the end of September the battle was won, but many had made the ultimate sacrifice. |
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. |
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This website is owned by Cranston Fine Arts. Torwood House, Torwoodhill Road, Rhu, Helensburgh, Scotland, G848LE Contact: Tel: (+44) (0) 1436 820269. Email: cranstonorders -at- outlook.com
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