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Cranston Fine Arts  Aviation Art World War Two Veteran Signatures UK and Commonwealth B  Blair, Ian |
Squadron Leader Ian Blair DFM
Ian Blair joined 113 Squadron in 1938 as a AC1/Armourer AG. on Hawker Hind and later Blenheim Mk 1s. He took part in the heavy fighting of the first Lybian campaign. He was forced to take control and fly the Blenheim airceaft after his pilot was killed following an attack by an Italian Fiat CR 42. Remarkably he managed not only to evade the enemy aircraft, but fly to fly the Blenheim 350 miles back to his base where he made a succesful textbook landing. This extraordinary action earned him the award of an immediate DFM. Ian Blair said about the event :
The day before, we had been sent out to bomb an enemy airfield at Derna, about 400 miles west of Alexandria. We were in a Blenheim bomber, and I was the observer. That's the guy in the front who does the navigation and drops the bombs. But as soon as I had released the bombs, a fighter-plane attacked us.
Glasgow-born Sqn Ldr Blair still has the blood-stained flight log he made that day. The pencil entries end suddenly. He said : There was an almighty bang. When I looked round, the pilot - a chap called Reynolds - was slumped forward on the controls. I think it was the very last round that killed him. It was really unfortunate. His luck had run out. Then the aircraft went into a steep dive.
Despite having never flown an aircraft in his life before that moment, the young airman - paid one shilling and sixpence per day extra to fill in as part-time air crew - took charge. He said : From that moment the only thing going through my mind was survival. Everything happened so quickly, and we had to get the heck out of there. I managed to pull the pilot's body off his seat and get the aircraft under control. But we still had to get home and land the thing. My gunner, Hank, sent a message back to base saying: 'We're in dire trouble here, the observer is flying the aircraft.' Lo and behold, when we got back to base there was whole gallery of people, cars, ambulances and fire tenders all lined up waiting for the ultimate - but it didn't happen. I had spent a long time watching pilots, and made a textbook landing. We came down in a shower of dust. Perhaps I was a bit over-confident. The air officer commanding the base apparently said: 'If that guy can fly an aircraft without a pilot's course, let's send him on a pilot's course.'
He was presented with his DFM by George VI. The experience led him to train as a pilot at No 4 SFTS RAF Habbaniya, where the No 6 War Course were heavily engaged in operations to raize the siege of the base from the Iraqi Army. He was finally awarded his wings in May 1941. On return to the UK he served with 501 Squadron on combat duties on Spitfire Mk V's until injured as a result of enemy action. On return to flying duties he was posted to 602 Squadron flying MkV's and MkIX's until June 1944. In February 1944, he claimed a high altitude victory by destroying a Me.109 F at an altitude of 35,000 feet, flying a Spitfire Mk.VII H.F.
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| Distinguished Flying Medal |
| Squadron Leader Ian Blair DFM - Signed Aviation Art |
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| Text for the above items : |
Returning from Caen by Graeme Lothian. Spitfires from 144 Wing RCAF 2nd TAF led by W/c Johnnie Johnson. Supplying air cover to a mixed force of 942 bombers over Normandy on Operation Goodwood, 18th July 1944. SR-Z of 101 (Special) squadron. Lancasters piloted by Flt Lt George Harris DFC. |
The Battle for the Skies Over Dieppe, 19th August 1942 by Graeme Lothian. A large umbrella of Spitfire Wings covered most of the sky over Dieppe during the Allied attack Operation Jubilee on 19th August 1942. Squadron leader Johnnie Johnson leads 610 (County of Chester) Squadron down from top cover support to lend a hand to Spitfires of 485 Squadron (New Zealand) and 411 Squadron (Canadian) which made up the 12 Group Wing, led by W/C Pat Jameson. The enemy being made up of a huge mixed force of Fw190 and Me109 fighters from JG2 and JG26. 12 Group Wing flew four times that disastrous day and in the end the Royal Air Force lost 106 aircraft compared to the Luftwaffe losses of 48. |
Fighter Pilot of the Royal Air Force by Graeme Lothian. No text for this item |
Spitfires Over St Michaels Mount by Robert Taylor. Robert has chosen to show a Spitfire in the Battle of Britain colours of No 41 Squadron for his romantic portrayal of a Spitfire over St Michaels Mount, just off the coast of Cornwall - where the southwest corner of the British Isles meets the mighty Atlantic. This famous and historic landmark dating back to the Iron Age is steeped in folklore and legend. The castle of St Michaels Mount, perched atop a great granite rock that rises majestically out of the sea in Mounts Bay, for centuries made a tempting site for fighting forces. Here Robert cleverly uses this historic fort to provide a symbolic backdrop to a wonderful study of one of the most beautiful aircraft ever built. |
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Ian Blair signing prints of - Returning From Caen - by Graeme Lothian. |
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