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British WW2 Aviation
Aviation Art Prints  Aviation Artists Graeme Lothian World War Two  Royal Air Force |
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Tribute to the men of the Handley Page Hampdens by Graeme Lothian. Three Hampdens fly low over the English countryside during the early months of the war. The Hampden, nicknamed The Flying Suitcase served with Bomber Command from December 1939 till September 1942, when it was withdrawn from operational service due to heavy losses sustained during day time bombing missions. Although some continued in service with Coastal Command as torpedo bombers, and with the Canadian and New Zealand Air Forces. A total of 1342 were built. |
234 Squadron Scramble by Graeme Lothian. (P) Battle of Britain Ace Wing Commander Bob Doe in Spitfire AZ-D and his wingman hurry to intercept incoming enemy aircraft during the Battle of Britain. |
Kittyhawks of No.112 Squadron by Graeme Lothian. P-40 Kittyhawks of No.112 Squadron, Medenine, April 1943. Aircraft GA-V (ground, nearest on right) is Kittyhawk Mk.III, FR440, which was later lost when damaged beyond repair after a belly landing. |
Hurricanes at the Ready by Graeme Lothian. (P) Hurricane pilots await their next scramble while ground crews ready their Hawker Hurricanes for their next engagement during the Battle of Britain. Hurricanes FT-S and FT-D of No.43 Sqn. |
Battle of Britain - 85 Squadron Hurricanes by Graeme Lothian. (P) Hurricanes of 85 Squadron scramble during the Battle of Britain. |
Hurricanes Over the Needles by Graeme Lothian. Hurricanes of 607 County of Durham Squadron diving down and attacking Heinkels over the Needles on the Isle of Wight, after a raid on the southern coast. 607 squadron were stationed at nearby Tangmere from the start of September 1940 and saw continuous action throughout the Battle of Britain until the 16th October, when it withdrew to Scotland having raised its total victory to 102. Also aiding in the pursuit are Spitfires of 602 City of Glasgow Squadron based at Westhampnett. |
Spitfires by Graeme Lothian. (P) Three Spitfires return to their airfield after a sortie during the Battle of Britain. |
Dogfight - Battle of Britain by Graeme Lothian. (P) No text for this item |
Hurricane Patrol by Graeme Lothian. After taking part in the Battle of France early in 1940, 85 Squadron moved to Croydon on the 19th August, where, led by renowned squadron leader Peter Townsend DSO DFC, the squadron played a notable part in the Battle of Britain. Thirty Hurricane squadrons participated in the Battle of Britain compared to only eighteen Spitfire squadrons, claiming 80 percent of the RAF victories. Sir Sidney Camms innovative design ensured the Hurricane became a classic fighter. Hurricane Patrol portrays Squadron Leader Peter Townsend leading 85 Squadron on a high altitude sortie during the long hot summer of 1940. |
Tribute to the Spitfire Pilots by Graeme Lothian. (P) Along with the Hurricane, the Supermarine Spitfire was the backbone of Fighter Command. here three Spitfires are shown on patrol above the fields of southern England during the Battle of Britain. |
Crewing Up by Graeme Lothian. Crew of Lancasters 101 Squadron RAF, stand chatting and drinking cups of tea supplied by the WMCA vans. Delays in Ops for an hour or so allow the crews a chance to light up and have a cup of tea. 101 Squadron based at Ludford Magna were a squadron with a difference, from 1943 the Lancasters were fitted with special radio jamming equipment known as ABC or AirBorne Cigar and carried an eighth crew member known as the special duties operator. Squadron letters were SR and targeted by the Luftwaffe fighters giving 101 Squadron the highest casualty rating in Bomber Command. |
Spitfires Over Kent by Graeme Lothian. (GL) Spitfires of No.92 Sqn in action over Kent during the Battle of Britain. |
Lancaster VC by Graeme Lothian. Lancasters of 61 Squadron head out for the enemy coast during the night of 3rd November 1943. Seen in the lead Lancaster is Flt Lt Bill Reid flying QR-O. After sustaining two heavy attacks by enemy night fighters, killing two crew members and injuring Reid in the head, shoulders and hands. He carried on to the target, dropping accurately his bomb load. Navigating back by Pole Star and Moon, he lost consciousness on occasions due to blood loss. He managed to find his way Shipdharn. Upon landing the undercarriage collapsed but luckily did not catch fire. For his exploits that night he was awarded the Victoria Cross. |
Hawker Hurricane - War Horse by Graeme Lothian. (P) Hawker Hurricane, the backbone of Fighter Command (along with the Spitfire) is shown during the Battle of Britain, downing an Me109. |
Battle of Britain Hurricanes by Graeme Lothian. (P) Hurricanes of the Royal Air Force scramble to take on the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain in the summer of 1940. |
Spitfire Mk.IX - No.441 Sqn RCAF by Graeme Lothian. (P) The Mk.IX Spitfire 9G-K of Flt Lt Frederick Wilson waits on the airfield with two other Spitfires from No.441 Squadron RCAF in May 1944. |
Polish Spitfire by Graeme Lothian. (P) Spitfire Z-FA of No.308 Sqn (Polish) thunders over a picturesque village in April 1941. |
Combat Over Domremy by Graeme Lothian. During WW II ofjuly 1944, the RAF Bomber Command were planning yet another bombing raid, this time over Stuttgart in Germany. The no.514 Sq., based in Cambridgeshire, England, were one of the Lancaster Bomber Squadrons chosen for the mission. Flight Lieutenant THOMAS HARVELL was a member of the 7 man crew for Lancaster Bomber no.LM206 selected, (the crew being Flt Lt. Robert Jones, Flt Lt Thomas Harvell, Co-pilot, Flt Lt Kenneth Hedley, Loader, Bomb Aimer, Sgt George Robinson, Navigator (survived) Sgt Robert Lane, Air Gunner, Flt Sgt Frank Stanley Johns, Wireless operator, and Sgt Alfred Braine, Air Gunner.) He was flight engineer and co-pilot with II missions already behind him. The RAF carried out nearly all their raids at night. This was the night of July 28/29 1944 and they were on course in the vicinity of Neuf Chateau (S.WNancy) France. Suddenly they were attacked by a prowling Luftwaffe Nightfighter aircraft, which later proved to be a JUNKERS 88 flown by HEINZ ROKKER. The Lancaster shuddered on the first hit but continued flying. THOMAS HARVELL was moving to the back of the aircraft and had dropped window, (strips of foil) to confuse ground radar, when they were hit again. This time they lost an engine after an explosion and LM206 started to plunge earthwards. (The Merlin Engine can been seen today at the French Airforce museum, St.Dizier, Lorraine) FI.Lt. HOMAS HARVELL was literally blown out of the doomed Lancaster, hitting his head and becoming unconcious. As luck was on his side, he regained his senses whilst falling through the air and pulled his chute at the last minute. He landed heavily and injured his leg. The pilot and four other members of the crew perished but navigator George Robinson also managed to use his chute and was captured after landing, by the german occupation forces. George Robinson now lives in South Africa. The other five crew members are all buried at Neuf Chateau and their graves can be seen to this day. THOMAS HARVELL was able to evade capture and was found by a member of the FFI (French Resistance), who hid him in various hideouts. After being treated for his wounds by Dr.CORNU, a prominent surgeon of Neuf Chateau, several attempts were made to smuggle THOMAS HARVELL back to England without much success. It was decided, by the FFI, to make one last attempt and this time THOMAS HARVELL was given a bicycle and new identity papers. He was told to cycle in the direction of the Swiss border west of Besacon and make contact with the Daubs area FFI commander, JEAN LAPPRAND.It was decided it was too dangerous to cross the border at this time and as THOMAS HARVELL had already become a member of the French Resistance, he continued fighting the war side by side with his French Resistance colleagues. It was in this part of France, that he witnessed a trial of a double agent/traitor of the FFI, who was quickly executed by firing squad. At this point in time, OREST BILAK came into the picture. He was born in Ukraine and had joined the Ukranian Army in 1942. He had become a senior NCO officer when his whole battalion were ordered to join forces with a german SS unit. They had much fighting experience and took part in some very bloody battles. Some elements of the Ukranian people had, at first, welcomed the germans but this soon changed and sometime in 1944 many were deserting. This was the case with OREST BILAKs battalion who had just been ordered to march into the mountain stronghold of JEAN LAPPRAND and wipe them out. Instead they had killed their german SS commanders and after talks with JEAN LAPPRAND had fought on with the FFI including THOMAS HARVELL. Together they liberated the region including the town of PIERREFONTAINE, ahead of the advancing allied forces Sept. 1944. It could be said that THOMAS HARVELL was the only British serviceman who fought with the german SS without being called a traitor. Another RAF pilot, Paul Bell a canadian and THOMAS HARVELL were now able to make contact with the 711 US Army. After six weeks, including a ride in the Dakota of General Patch, they finally made it back to England. On his arrival, THOMAS HARVELL became an instructor/advisor until the end of the war. He later made a career in the British Police Force. He regularily travels to France to meet all his wartime colleagues and now lives in Southampton, England. OREST BILAK was demobilised in 1946. Around this time he met his future wife (in France) who was also Ukrainian and had been working during the war in underground factories for the germans. By pure chance they had both attended the same school in Ukrainia. After the war OREST BILAK made a career in the clothing industry They live in retirement at a small mountain village near Lyon, France. They have 10 grandchildren. He has also devoted much of his time and money for a childrens home, in France, for the underprivileged from Ukraine. Out of his battalion of 450 men, of those who survived, 230 stayed with the French Foreign Legion, some emigrated to Canada, USA and Australia. 116 returned to the Ukraine, only to be arrested and sent to a Siberian prison for 10 years and a further 10 years hard labour. OREST BILAK and his wife visited the Ukraine for the first time in 1994 and met some of their old colleagues. JEAN LAPPRAND remains, to this day, secretive about his time in the FFI. Without a doubt he was very lucky to survive the war, considering his responsibility and fame. After the war he had his own carpentry business and lives in retirement with his wife at Pierrefontaine in good health. After much research we were able to trace and find HEINZ ROKKER, the Luftwaffe pilot who shot down Lancaster LM 206. We had a remarkable reunion at Neuf Chateau on September 14th 1999, where Thomas Harvell and Heinz Rokker met for the first time. It was a civic event with official invitation from the town mayor. A visit was made to the cemetery where the five Lancaster crew members are buried and HEINZ ROKKER laid a wreath on behalf of the german Nightfighters Pilots Association. This was followed by a speech at the town hall. A magnificent feast finished the event at the restaurant next to DOMREMY. |
Mosquito Attack by Graeme Lothian. On 31st August 1944, 6 Mosquitoes of 305 Polish Squadron, Lasham, 2nd TAF were led by Wing Commander Orlinski to attack oil refineries at Nomexy, south of Nancy, France. Diving down and releasing their bombs before escaping at tree top height they destroyed 4 large containers and several smaller ones. All aircraft safely returned after their four and a half hour sortie. Fl Lt Eric Atkins DFC(bar) KW(bar) and his navigator Fl Lt Majer can be seen exiting the area to reform on the other 3 Mosquitoes who have already finished their bombing run. This was Atkins 61st operation, finishing the war with 78 ops over 3 tours. |
Lancaster Arrival by Graeme Lothian. (P) A Lancaster returns to its home airfield. |
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. |
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