Atlantic Patrol - Keith Woodcock pencil signed by the artist & Ian de Hamel

Description: Atlantic Patrol - Keith Woodcock pencil signed by the artist & Ian de Hamel limited edition 29/350 Ian de Hamel - flew Sunderlands with Coastal Command, 1944-1945. His introduction to flying was with the University Air Squadron whilst at Oxford, and he volunteered as a pilot in the RAF in 1942. His request to be allowed to serve on flying boats was granted due to his experience and skill in sailing, and he trained with the US Navy at Pensacola. However, due to the RAFs insistence that all flying boat pilots must also be fully trained navigators, he flew on Oxfords for a while before starting operations on Sunderlands with 228 Sqn at Pembroke Dock. These consisted of long and exhausting patrols hunting U-Boats in the Bay of Biscay and the North Atlantic before his transfer, as Captain, to 201 Sqn, also at Pembroke Dock. His flying career ended with this unit at Calshot in 1945 when he left the RAF. He died in 2003. Never framed, mint condition. CoA not included. Photos have been not been edited. Multiple purchases will happily be sent in the same tube/flatpack at actual cost to ensure most economical purchase price. The price will rise a bit as the weight goes up too much. i.e. I have a number of prints for sale that should go for relatively high values and that will require packaging and posting by MBE Newcastle to be able to offer insurance cover. If this is the case then the postage cost will likely be over £50, creeping up to £75 for several hundred £ value but as some of these prints are so rare I would imagine you would rather pay to be sure rather than you take the risk of damage of loss in the post. Postage shown for UK. I have added postage to Canada @ £30 so take this as an indication for your country BUT ask for an actual cost before bidding please as the final invoice will be based on the actual cost. Note the above commentary on insurance. I have spent the last 30 years collecting WW2 memorabilia and particularly art prints by Robert Taylor, Nicolas Trudgian and others, with an eye to the print but also the signatures. It has been such a privilege to have travelled the length of the country to meet so many veterans of WW2 who have kindly signed my prints and books and these memories remain but now that I have retired I must make adjustments to my collection and - whilst still seeking out 'missing' signatures - I am gradually selling off parts of my collection. Johnnie Johnson CB CBE DSO** DFC* - James Edgar Johnson was born in Barrow on Soar. He joined the RAFVR before enlisting for full-time service in the RAF at the beginning of WWII. He joined 92 Spitfire squadron in August 1940, but it was with 616 squadron that he scored his first victory on June 26th 1941 while flying with Douglas Baders Tangmere Wing. He was squadron leader of 610 squadron in July 1942, but it was as Wing Commander of the Kenley Wing in 1943 that his scores really started to mount. He was W/C of 144 wing during D-Day and led 127 and 125 wings until the end of the war when we has the top-scoring allied fighter pilot with 38 air victories. After completing his initial flight training Johnson was posted to 616 Squadron at Kenley. However, this Squadron had been hit hard with the loss of six pilots and five wounded, and the unit was withdrawn to Coltishall prior to Johnson encountering combat. With only 12 hours of flight time in a Spitfire this was no doubt advantageous. In February 1941 Billy Burton moved the Squadron to Tangmere. Douglas Bader then arrived to take over the Tangmere Wing, and fly with the 616 Squadron. Johnnie, Alan Smith and Cocky Dundas were chosen to fly with Bader. During the summer of 1940 the Battle of Britain was at its peak. Bader took the time to instruct Johnson carefully in both the art of flying and the skills necessary to attain success in aerial combat. Bader's idea of an afternoon off duty, according to Johnson, was to take his section over the Channel in hopes of running into Adolph Galland and his Abbeville Boys. On August 19, 1941 Bader failed to return from a mission when 616 Squadron was hit hard by a group of Messerschmitt 109s. Johnson flew on in Bader's absence, and in the summer of 1942 he was promoted to command 610 Squadron. In 1943 he was promoted again to Wing Commander of the Canadian Spitfire Wing in Kenley. By that time Johnson had attained eight confirmed victories. During the spring and summer of 1943 Johnnie led the Canadian unit on more than 140 missions over Northwest Europe. Johnson's squadron attained more than 100 victories during this period, and Johnnie's own personal score rose to 25. After a short leave, Johnson was posted to lead the 144 Canadian Spitfire Wing. On D-Day Johnson led his Wing on four missions in support of the Allied invasion. On June 8, Johnson's Wing was the first Spitfire group to land in newly liberated France. Johnson continued fighting in France through September 1944 when he achieved his 38th and final victory. Patrolling the Rhine Johnson's unit jumped nine 109s which were flying beneath them in the opposite direction. Five of the 109s were downed. Early in 1945 Johnson was promoted to Group Captain and put in command of the 125 Wing, which was equipped with the Spitfire XIV. Flying from former Luftwaffe airfields the 125 Wing assisted in the final Allied push to Berlin. Johnson attributed much of his aerial combat success to his ability to make tight turning maneuvers. Johnson's tightest call came on August 19, 1942 when he was unable to dislodge an Me-109 from his tail during the raid on Diepppe. Johnson raced his Spitfire flat out at a group of Royal Navy ships. The usual barrage of flak and tracer fire came right at him, and fortunately for the ace, missed his Spitfire but effectively eliminated the brave pilot on his tail. During the Korean War Johnson flew fighter-bombers with the USAF. Following his retirement from the R.A.F. in 1966 Johnson founded the Johnnie Johnson Housing Trust that has provided homes for more than 4,000 disabled and elderly persons.Hugh 'Cocky' Dundas (Sir) CBE DSO* DFC - Joined 616 Sqn. Aux AF in May 1939, being called up for full time service on the 24th August 1939. He flew Spitfires in the defence of Dunkirk. During the Battle of Britain he saw action in July and August where he had several victories before being shot down and wounded on the 22nd August 1940. He stayed with the Squadron and had more successes before being posted in September 1941 to 610 Sqn.His total victories were 7 confirmed.Denis Crowley-Milling (Sir) KCB CBE DSO DFC AE - Joined the RAFVR in November 1937, called up on September 1st. After training he converted to Gladiators where he was posted to 615 Sqn. in France on the 14th May 1940. When the Squadron was withdrawn he was posted to 242 Sqn. where he saw action again over France. During the Battle of Britain he had several victories and was also damaged in combat on the 7th September where he made a false landing. His final victory score was 5 destroyed.

Price: 25 GBP

Location: Newcastle

End Time: 2024-11-11T18:03:01.000Z

Shipping Cost: 50.32 GBP