Supermarine Seafire in naval aviation art prints by aviation artists M Kinnear and Stan Stokes.  These great low cost aviation prints are available direct from Cranstn Fine arts. the sea Fire  Built by Westland Aircraft Ltd. Yeovil and delivered to 39 MU on 12th December 1943, it went to 880 squadron May 1944 then onto 887 squadron September 1944. Whilst being flown by S/L V Lowden on 15th August 1945 LR866 was credited with 2½ destroyed and 2 'probable' A6M5 "Zeke" fighters. This was the last air combat of the 1939-45 conflict.

887 Squadron Fleet Air Arm:  887 Squadron was formed as a Fleet Fighter squadron at Lee-on-Solent 1st May 1942. Initially equipped with Fulmars Mk II,  the squadron re-equipped with Spitfires MKV in December, finally equipping with Seafires Mk III in March 1943 - which 887 used until its disbandment - in both L and F variants. In April 1943 the squadron embarked on HMS Unicorn sailing in May on convoy escort to Malta and in September, they provided fighter cover for the Salerno landings. 887 became part of the 24th Naval Fighter Wing in October joining HMS Indefatigable in July 1944. 887 was in action off the coast of Norway during operations against the Tirpitz. On rejoining HMS Indefatigable, 887 sailed for Ceylon to join the British Pacific Fleet. The squadron took part in attacks on Sumatra (January 1945), the Sakishima Group of islands (March/ April) and prior to V J Day saw action over the Japanese mainland. In November 1945 they sailed to New Zealand and then onto Australia before sailing home. 887 squadron was disbanded on arrival at Gosport on 15th March 1946. Battle Honours: Atlantic 1943, Salerno 1943, Norway 1944, Palembang 1945, Okinawa 1945 and Japan 1945.

  Aircraft side view by M A Kinnear  Supermarine Seafire MkIII LR866 (S121).   

Aircraft History:   Built by Westland Aircraft Ltd. Yeovil and delivered to 39 MU on 12th December 1943, it went to 880 squadron May 1944 then onto 887 squadron September 1944. Whilst being flown by S/L V Lowden on 15th August 1945 LR866 was credited with 2½ destroyed and 2 'probable' A6M5 "Zeke" fighters. This was the last air combat of the 1939-45 conflict.

887 Squadron Fleet Air Arm:  887 Squadron was formed as a Fleet Fighter squadron at Lee-on-Solent 1st May 1942. Initially equipped with Fulmars Mk II,  the squadron re-equipped with Spitfires MKV in December, finally equipping with Seafires Mk III in March 1943 - which 887 used until its disbandment - in both L and F variants. In April 1943 the squadron embarked on HMS Unicorn sailing in May on convoy escort to Malta and in September, they provided fighter cover for the Salerno landings. 887 became part of the 24th Naval Fighter Wing in October joining HMS Indefatigable in July 1944. 887 was in action off the coast of Norway during operations against the Tirpitz. On rejoining HMS Indefatigable, 887 sailed for Ceylon to join the British Pacific Fleet. The squadron took part in attacks on Sumatra (January 1945), the Sakishima Group of islands (March/ April) and prior to V J Day saw action over the Japanese mainland. In November 1945 they sailed to New Zealand and then onto Australia before sailing home. 887 squadron was disbanded on arrival at Gosport on 15th March 1946.

Battle Honours: Atlantic 1943, Salerno 1943, Norway 1944, Palembang 1945, Okinawa 1945 and Japan 1945.

  Sub Lieutenant (Air) Victor S Lowden DSC, RNVR:  Born in Bangkok, Siam September 1923, Victor Lowden joined the Fleet Air Arm in July 1942 and commenced his basic flying training at Sealand UK and then Kingston, Canada. After converting to Seafire's in August 1943, he joined 899 squadron in Northern Ireland and with the unit embarked on the escort carrier HMS Khedive. His first operational sortie in a Seafire took place in June 1944 in Air Defence Great Britain at Peterhead in Scotland. Further sorties on the type soon followed, notably over France during Operation Dragoon and then on to the Aegean in September 1944 with operational Aplomb and Outing. After arriving in Australia in April 1945 aboard HMS Chaser, 899 squadron was dismantled to provide pilot and aircraft for the Fleet Carrier HMS Indefatigable to which Victor found himself attached. He officially joined 887 squadron as part of the British Pacific Fleet in Task Force 37 off Sakashima, Japan in May 1945. Moving on to Task Force 38 in July of that year, he was engaged in dive bombing, strafing and providing Combat Air Patrols off Shikoko and Honshu. During the next few weeks, more 'Ramrod' operations followed, attacking shipping and shore installations off Sendai, Japan. On 15th August 1945 whilst leading a flight of Seafires Mk III in LR866 escorting Firefly's and Avengers attacking targets south of Tokyo, he ran into a force of approximately 15 A6M5 (Zeke) fighters and an intense dogfight ensued. The enemy accounted for one Seafire (out of 7) and one Avenger but in doing so paid a high price 8 Zekes were shot down and a further four counted as probable's. Victor Lowden was credited with 2½ destroyed and 2 probable's/damaged. This engagement subsequently proved to be the last aerial combat of the 1939-45 war, for shortly after landing back on the Indefatigable the official ceasefire flag was run up and flown on the ship. After the Tokyo Bay surrender, the carrier returned to Sydney and Victor was awarded the DSC. In mid September 1945 he sailed back to the United Kingdom for early demobilisation. Today he lives happily with his wife Helen in Scotland.

Stung by the Wasp by Stan Stokes.  The Axis attack on the British controlled island of Malta commenced in 1940 only one day after Mussolini committed Italy’s forces on the side of the Germans during WW II. This strategically located island was a thorn in the side of Axis plans to dominate the Mediterranean and win control of North Africa. Malta would be attacked thousands of times by waves of both Italian and German bombers during the course of the War. On a per acre basis it may be one of the most bombed targets of WW II. In the early phases of the defense of the island a handful of Gloster Gladiators which were supplemented eventually by RAF Hurricanes carried on the brunt of the islands defense. Spitfires were sorely needed. The first Fifteen Spitfires arrived in Malta on March 7, 1942, and a second group of Spits arrived on March 29. In both cases they were launched from the HMS Eagle, and had to fly more than 600 miles over the Mediterranean to reach the island.  In April of 1942, Churchill asked Roosevelt for assistance in supplying Spitfires to Malta. The besieged island was now in range of approximately 400 German fighters and bombers and about 200 Italian aircraft, and intelligence information pointed to the possibility of an invasion by airborne paratrooper forces out of Sicily.  Due to combat losses, and the difficulty in getting spare parts, the islands defenders could generally muster only 20-30 defensive fighters on any particular day. This was woefully inadequate. With the Eagle was now laid up for repairs, and the Argus and Victorious not capable of handling the Spitfires. Churchill specifically requested American intervention, and asked FDR if the USS Wasp could shuttle fifty Spitfires to Malta. FDR agreed to the mission, and plans were immediately implemented. It was determined that two entire Spitfire squadrons No. 601 and 603 would make the journey. These units had a number of American pilots. On April 12 the Wasp docked on the Clyde of Glasgow and began taking on the Spitfires for her journey. With most of its regular aircraft removed, only nineteen F4F Wildcats were retained for fighter cover. On the 14^th the Wasp set sale with a number of escorts. All the aircraft were Mk. Vc models equipped with four canon and four machine guns. Each had a Vokes air filter fitted beneath its nose and was equipped with a 90-gallon auxiliary fuel tank. The Spits were over-sprayed with a dark blue paint in hopes of making them less noticeable to the enemy during the 660 mile over water flight to Malta. Following breakfast on Monday April 20, 1942, the RAF pilots manned the 47 aircraft deemed suitable for the flight and the launch commenced. One immediate casualty was an RAF mechanic who walked into a turning prop and was immediately killed.  One American pilot flew his Spitfire to Algeria, but the remaining 46 aircraft successfully landed in Malta. Within hours of their arrival the airfields were once again under attack by Axis bombers, and the newly arrived pilots were immediately pressed into service defending the island. The ability of the British to retain control of Malta as a base for torpedo planes and bombers which could harrass Rommels supply lines to North Africa, was critical in attaining eventual Allied victory in North Africa, the successful invasion of Italy, and ultimately, complete Allied victory in Europe.

Stung by the Wasp by Stan Stokes.   The Axis attack on the British controlled island of Malta commenced in 1940 only one day after Mussolini committed Italy’s forces on the side of the Germans during WW II. This strategically located island was a thorn in the side of Axis plans to dominate the Mediterranean and win control of North Africa. Malta would be attacked thousands of times by waves of both Italian and German bombers during the course of the War. On a per acre basis it may be one of the most bombed targets of WW II. In the early phases of the defense of the island a handful of Gloster Gladiators which were supplemented eventually by RAF Hurricanes carried on the brunt of the islands defense. Spitfires were sorely needed. The first Fifteen Spitfires arrived in Malta on March 7, 1942, and a second group of Spits arrived on March 29. In both cases they were launched from the HMS Eagle, and had to fly more than 600 miles over the Mediterranean to reach the island.  In April of 1942, Churchill asked Roosevelt for assistance in supplying Spitfires to Malta. The besieged island was now in range of approximately 400 German fighters and bombers and about 200 Italian aircraft, and intelligence information pointed to the possibility of an invasion by airborne paratrooper forces out of Sicily.  Due to combat losses, and the difficulty in getting spare parts, the islands defenders could generally muster only 20-30 defensive fighters on any particular day. This was woefully inadequate. With the Eagle was now laid up for repairs, and the Argus and Victorious not capable of handling the Spitfires. Churchill specifically requested American intervention, and asked FDR if the USS Wasp could shuttle fifty Spitfires to Malta. FDR agreed to the mission, and plans were immediately implemented. It was determined that two entire Spitfire squadrons No. 601 and 603 would make the journey. These units had a number of American pilots. On April 12 the Wasp docked on the Clyde of Glasgow and began taking on the Spitfires for her journey. With most of its regular aircraft removed, only nineteen F4F Wildcats were retained for fighter cover. On the 14^th the Wasp set sale with a number of escorts. All the aircraft were Mk. Vc models equipped with four canon and four machine guns. Each had a Vokes air filter fitted beneath its nose and was equipped with a 90-gallon auxiliary fuel tank. The Spits were over-sprayed with a dark blue paint in hopes of making them less noticeable to the enemy during the 660 mile over water flight to Malta. Following breakfast on Monday April 20, 1942, the RAF pilots manned the 47 aircraft deemed suitable for the flight and the launch commenced. One immediate casualty was an RAF mechanic who walked into a turning prop and was immediately killed.  One American pilot flew his Spitfire to Algeria, but the remaining 46 aircraft successfully landed in Malta. Within hours of their arrival the airfields were once again under attack by Axis bombers, and the newly arrived pilots were immediately pressed into service defending the island. The ability of the British to retain control of Malta as a base for torpedo planes and bombers which could harrass Rommels supply lines to North Africa, was critical in attaining eventual Allied victory in North Africa, the successful invasion of Italy, and ultimately, complete Allied victory in Europe.