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Royal New Zealand Air Force in
aviation art prints including de Havilland Mosquito
of 487 Squadron by aviation artist M A Kinnear. Available from the
aviation art print company, subsidiary of Cranston Fine Arts.
487 squadron was formed at Feltwell,
Norfolk, 15th August 1942, equipped with Lockheed Ventura aircraft,
commencing operations on 6th December. 487 contributed 16 aircraft to the
famous low-level raid on the Phillips radio and valve factory at Eindhoven,
and continued in the daylight role with Venturas until June 1943. On one
operation during this period, the squadron suffered heavy losses. On May
3rd during a raid on Amsterdam, ten out of 11 aircraft were shot down.
After the war when the full account of the raid became known, the B Flight
Commander Sqd Ldr L.H. Trent, a New Zealander in the RAF, who had been a
prisoner of war since being shot down on the raid was awarded the Victoria
Cross for his outstanding leadership during the Amsterdam raid. On 1st
June 1943, 487 was transferred from Bomber Command to the newly formed 2nd
Tactical Air Force (TAF). During September 1943, 487 re-equipped with the
De Havilland Mosquito F.B VI and was mainly used on night bombing,
although the squadron took part in several daylight precision operations.
These included the Amiens prison raid 18th February 1944, Gestapo
Headquarters, Aarhus in Denmark on 31st October 1944 and Gestapo Headquarters
in Copenhagen on 21st March 1945. The squadron operated from the continent
from February until September 1945 where at Cambrai/Epinoy, France it was
renumbered 16 Squadron RAF (later amended to 268 Squadron). In addition to
Sqd Ldr Trent's Victoria Cross, the New Zealand personnel of 487 squadron
were awarded 1 DSO, 7 DFC's, one bar to DFC and 1 DFM.
Kiwi Strike by Nicholas Trudgian a
dramatic low-level attack on a Japanese base near Rabaul is in
progress by F-4U Corsairs of 16 Squadron, RNZAF. Taking the lead is
Bryan Cox, as the Corsairs leave a trail of smoke and debris in their
wake. Water vapor is squeezed out of the humid atmosphere as Cox's
wingman banks sharply to avoid groundfire. The Kiwi Corsairs
buccaneered their way through the intensly fought campaigns in the
Solomons and Guadalcanal.Signed by Bryan Cox. |
| Grid Caldwell by Graeme Lothian. Grid Caldwell, the top New Zealand Ace with 25 victories in his SE5A of 74 Squadron, is shown taking off from his home airfield during the Great War. Keith Logan (Grid Caldwell) was born 16th October 1895. At the outbreak of World War One, Caldwell joined the territorial army. He attempted to enlist with the New Zealand expeditionary force destined for Gallipoli but was refused. In October 1915 he paid the sum of £100 to join the first class of the New Zealand Flying School. In January 1916 Grid Caldwell arrived in England and was commissioned into the Royal Flying Corps in April that year. In July 1916 he was posted to No.8 Squadron, flying BE2Cs and Ds on observation duty. It was on 18th September 1916 his first aerial victory was scored, shooting down a Roland CII. He transferred to 60 Squadron in November and flew Nieuport 17 fighters and was promoted to Captain in February 1917. During this period he scored further victories, shooting down Albatros Scouts, and on 17th September was awarded the Military Cross. In October 1917 he was posted back to England as an instructor. In March 1918, promoted to Major, he was given command of 74 Squadron RAF flying SE5As. The squadron under his command was credited with 140 aircraft destroyed and 85 out of control. This tally was scored in the last eight months of the war with the loss of only 15 pilots killed or taken prisoner. During his wartime flying, he had fought dogfights with German aces Werner Voss and Herman Becker, and he once survived a mid-air collision, bringing his badly damaged aircraft to ground level, jumping out before it crashed. He was credited with 11 aircraft destroyed, 3 shared destroyed or captured and 10 out of control, and 1 further shared out of control. During World War Two he was station commander at Woodbourne and later Wigram and posted to India in 1944. After the war he was made commander of the British Empire. He retired from the RNZAF in 1956, and sadly died of cancer in Auckland on 28th November 1980. Signed Limited Edition of 200 Giclee paper prints. Image size 25 inches x15 inches (64cm x 38cm). Price £135.00
Limited edition of 50 artists proofs. Image size 25 inches x15 inches (64cm x 38cm). Price £140.00
Limited edition of 50 giclee canvas prints. Size 36 inches x 24 inches (91cm x 61cm). Price £590.00
Limited edition of 50 giclee canvas prints. Size 30 inches x 20 inches (76cm x 51cm). Price £460.00
Original painting by Graeme Lothian. Size 36 inches x 24 inches (91cm x 61cm). Price £2600.00 ITEM CODE DHM1426 |
| Kiwi Strike by Nicolas Trudgian. A dramatic low-level attack on a Japanese base near Rabaul is in progress by F-4U Corsairs of 16 Squadron, RNZAF. Taking the lead is Bryan Cox, as the Corsairs leave a trail of smoke and debris in their wake. Water vapor is squeezed out of the humid atmosphere as Coxs wingman banks sharply to avoid groundfire. The Kiwi Corsairs buccaneered their way through the intensly fought campaigns in the Solomons and Guadalcanal. Signed limited edition of 800 prints. Paper size 16 inches x 14 inches (41cm x 36cm). Price £55.00 Signed by Warrant Officer Bryan Cox, in addition to the artist.
Limited edition of 80 artist proofs. Paper size 16 inches x 14 inches (41cm x 36cm). Price £95.00 Signed by Warrant Officer Bryan Cox, in addition to the artist. ITEM CODE DHM2443 |
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