Aviation Art The Royal Air Force Club
- Ex-Ascot
- Test Pilot
- Posts: 14526
- Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2015 7:16 am
- Location: Botswana but sometimes Greece
- Gender:
- Age: 69
Re: Aviation Art The Royal Air Force Club
The Berlin Airlift. RAF Gatow 1948 - 1949
Had some good night stops there.
Had some good night stops there.
'Yes, Madam, I am drunk, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly.' Sir Winston Churchill.
- Ex-Ascot
- Test Pilot
- Posts: 14526
- Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2015 7:16 am
- Location: Botswana but sometimes Greece
- Gender:
- Age: 69
Re: Aviation Art The Royal Air Force Club
Thought I had already posted this. I hadn't.
'Yes, Madam, I am drunk, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly.' Sir Winston Churchill.
- Ex-Ascot
- Test Pilot
- Posts: 14526
- Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2015 7:16 am
- Location: Botswana but sometimes Greece
- Gender:
- Age: 69
Re: Aviation Art The Royal Air Force Club
Don't know.
'Yes, Madam, I am drunk, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly.' Sir Winston Churchill.
- izod tester
- Capt
- Posts: 558
- Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2015 5:27 pm
- Location: Forest of Dean
- Gender:
- Age: 77
Re: Aviation Art The Royal Air Force Club
Other than a formation of Mosquito BMk4 there is virtually nothing to provide a useful search. The squadron code on the nearest ac seems to start with a X which may point to the ac belonging to 139 Sqn (XD).
- Ex-Ascot
- Test Pilot
- Posts: 14526
- Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2015 7:16 am
- Location: Botswana but sometimes Greece
- Gender:
- Age: 69
Re: Aviation Art The Royal Air Force Club
It wasn't even supposed to test your skills izod. I was going to leave this one until tomorrow but how about a few in action now.
'Yes, Madam, I am drunk, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly.' Sir Winston Churchill.
- Fox3WheresMyBanana
- Chief Pilot
- Posts: 14962
- Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2015 9:51 pm
- Location: Great White North
- Gender:
- Age: 62
Re: Aviation Art The Royal Air Force Club
This is probably the 305 (Polish) Sqn raid on a German fuel dump during the Normandy Landings.
About 13 million litres of gas went up near Nancy. Mossie FB Mk VI's
About 13 million litres of gas went up near Nancy. Mossie FB Mk VI's
Re: Aviation Art The Royal Air Force Club
The best I've found is https://www.chiswickauctions.co.uk/auct ... 54666&sd=1
That gives the why, but no information about it representing any specific event. I would assume the maiden flight would be a single aircraft.Mosquito, number 571 of 850 copies, signed in pencil by the artist and RAF crew: John Cunningham, Sir Christopher Foxley-Norris, Pat Tuthill, Pat Fillingham, Eric Brown, Sir Ivor Broom; published to mark the 50th anniversary of the maiden flight of the de Havilland Mosquito on November 25th, 1940, with accompanying COA and booklet, overall 650 x 810mm, framed & glazed; with another framed aviation print
- Ex-Ascot
- Test Pilot
- Posts: 14526
- Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2015 7:16 am
- Location: Botswana but sometimes Greece
- Gender:
- Age: 69
Re: Aviation Art The Royal Air Force Club
Another action one.
'Yes, Madam, I am drunk, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly.' Sir Winston Churchill.
- Fox3WheresMyBanana
- Chief Pilot
- Posts: 14962
- Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2015 9:51 pm
- Location: Great White North
- Gender:
- Age: 62
Re: Aviation Art The Royal Air Force Club
I've been there!
Typhoons over the Falaise Gap, Normandy.
The road where the most destruction took place was the D63/D13 along the Dives river valley.
There is a German Tiger tank (as in the painting) by the roadside, just east of Vimoutiers.
https://www.google.com/maps/@48.923458, ... FQAw%3D%3D
The Polish museum at Montormel is well worth a visit, and being on a key hilltop gives an excellent view over the battlefield.
Typhoons over the Falaise Gap, Normandy.
The road where the most destruction took place was the D63/D13 along the Dives river valley.
There is a German Tiger tank (as in the painting) by the roadside, just east of Vimoutiers.
https://www.google.com/maps/@48.923458, ... FQAw%3D%3D
The Polish museum at Montormel is well worth a visit, and being on a key hilltop gives an excellent view over the battlefield.
- Ex-Ascot
- Test Pilot
- Posts: 14526
- Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2015 7:16 am
- Location: Botswana but sometimes Greece
- Gender:
- Age: 69
Re: Aviation Art The Royal Air Force Club
Haven't posted any gliders yet. Did the pilots actually volunteer?
'Yes, Madam, I am drunk, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly.' Sir Winston Churchill.
Re: Aviation Art The Royal Air Force Club
It appears that the pilots were volunteers. Wikipedia says they were recruited from the army, got the basic RAF powered flying course on Tiger Moths, then moved on to gliders,total duration of training 6 months or so. Given that they were landing in enemy territory, they also needed the army infantry training.
- Ex-Ascot
- Test Pilot
- Posts: 14526
- Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2015 7:16 am
- Location: Botswana but sometimes Greece
- Gender:
- Age: 69
Re: Aviation Art The Royal Air Force Club
OK, so no one in the Royal Air Force was stupid enough to volunteer.
Coincidentally just been reading a report from one of the old boys in our village in the UK. Great gentleman. Born and died there. Chaired many village committees. He did two glider landings as infantry. He said on landing you were briefed to bash your way out with your rifle butt. Having known George pretty well, this may be a bit exaggerated.
Coincidentally just been reading a report from one of the old boys in our village in the UK. Great gentleman. Born and died there. Chaired many village committees. He did two glider landings as infantry. He said on landing you were briefed to bash your way out with your rifle butt. Having known George pretty well, this may be a bit exaggerated.
'Yes, Madam, I am drunk, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly.' Sir Winston Churchill.
- Woody
- Chief Pilot
- Posts: 10997
- Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2015 6:33 pm
- Location: Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand
- Age: 60
Re: Aviation Art The Royal Air Force Club
The RAF would only volunteer if there was a five star hotel in the landing zone 

When all else fails, read the instructions.
Re: Aviation Art The Royal Air Force Club
Objection! By 'The RAF' you presumably mean what used to be known as 'Transport Command'?
- Ex-Ascot
- Test Pilot
- Posts: 14526
- Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2015 7:16 am
- Location: Botswana but sometimes Greece
- Gender:
- Age: 69
Re: Aviation Art The Royal Air Force Club
Not that sure. The Jaguar pilots sleeping in tents by their jets in Bahrain during the Gulf War seemed a bit peed off with us disappearing off down to our 5 star hotels with swimming pools upon arrival. And. allowances of course.
'Yes, Madam, I am drunk, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly.' Sir Winston Churchill.
Re: Aviation Art The Royal Air Force Club
A most unexpected reaction. Did they ask for your autographs? 

- Ex-Ascot
- Test Pilot
- Posts: 14526
- Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2015 7:16 am
- Location: Botswana but sometimes Greece
- Gender:
- Age: 69
Re: Aviation Art The Royal Air Force Club
No our room keys.
An interesting combination here.
'Yes, Madam, I am drunk, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly.' Sir Winston Churchill.
- Ex-Ascot
- Test Pilot
- Posts: 14526
- Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2015 7:16 am
- Location: Botswana but sometimes Greece
- Gender:
- Age: 69
Re: Aviation Art The Royal Air Force Club
C130
'Yes, Madam, I am drunk, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly.' Sir Winston Churchill.
- izod tester
- Capt
- Posts: 558
- Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2015 5:27 pm
- Location: Forest of Dean
- Gender:
- Age: 77
Re: Aviation Art The Royal Air Force Club
#217 is a Comet C2 of 216 Sqn. I don't know the significance of the Vampire T11s, although it may have something to do with all jet training from ab initio to service. I spent 3 months at Lyneham waiting for my Eng Officer course. LSS at that time looked after Britannia's and Comets. After training, I was posted back to 216 Sqn at Lyneham where we did all serving from flight line to Majors. Basil d'Oliviera was OC 216 at the time and amongst other snippets of the early Comet days with 216, he told me of the time they had all 4 engines stop at 53000 ft whilst en route and cruise climbing. The engines relit successfully some time later after they had descended to around 30k. The problem had been the fuel going waxy at extreme height and they didn't have fuel heaters at that time.
- Ex-Ascot
- Test Pilot
- Posts: 14526
- Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2015 7:16 am
- Location: Botswana but sometimes Greece
- Gender:
- Age: 69
Re: Aviation Art The Royal Air Force Club
Typo? I was impressed with the VC10 ceiling of 43,000 ft (only ventured there once) but don't think the Comet beat it.izod tester wrote: ↑Fri Feb 07, 2025 7:13 pm#217 is a Comet C2 of 216 Sqn. I don't know the significance of the Vampire T11s, although it may have something to do with all jet training from ab initio to service. I spent 3 months at Lyneham waiting for my Eng Officer course. LSS at that time looked after Britannia's and Comets. After training, I was posted back to 216 Sqn at Lyneham where we did all serving from flight line to Majors. Basil d'Oliviera was OC 216 at the time and amongst other snippets of the early Comet days with 216, he told me of the time they had all 4 engines stop at 53000 ft whilst en route and cruise climbing. The engines relit successfully some time later after they had descended to around 30k. The problem had been the fuel going waxy at extreme height and they didn't have fuel heaters at that time.
The only reason I can think of these two aircraft types to be together because they are both de Havilland?
Sorry no paintings today too busy to go.
'Yes, Madam, I am drunk, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly.' Sir Winston Churchill.