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ARNHEM OP MARKET GARDEN BY GEOFF LEA Douglas C47 Dakotas fly into the landing and drop zone at Renkum Heath,
September 17th 1944.
Pink Tornados by Geoff Lea A pair of RAF Tornado GRIs at low level during the Gulf War
operation Desert Storm, in their distinctive desert pink camouflage
colour scheme.
McRoberts Reply by Geoff Lea
A Short Stirling takes off for a night time bombing raid.
Dakota Over Burma by Geoff Lea
SINK THE BISMARCK BY GEOFF LEA
Shows the action on 26th May 1941 by Swordfish from HMS Ark Royal on the
German battleship Bismarck. Fresh from her triumphant encounter with HMS Hood,
Bismarck was struck by Swordfishs torpedo which jammed her rudder and was
finished off by the home fleet on 27th May 1941.
The Longest Day Begins - Pegasus Bridge by Geoff Lea
Features the successful Horsa glider borne assault on the Caen Canal
bridge at Benouville in Normandy at approx. 00.15hrs on D-Day, the 6th
June 1944. Troops from the second battalion of the Oxfordshire and
Buckinghamshire Light Infantry led by Major John Howard took the bridge
which later became known as "Pegasus Bridge". Painting was signed by Major John Howard.
Teamwork by Geoff Lea Open edition print showing spitfire flying past the early warning radio masts
on the South coast after shooting down a German Heinkel.
BEWARE OF THE LION BY GEOFF LEA
602 City of Glasgow Squadron patrol the Normandy beaches.
NORMANDY BEACH HEAD PATROL BY GEOFF LEA
Spitfire Mk9. of 56 squadron patrol the D-Day landings.
Action Over San Carlos by Geoff Lea
A Royal Navy
Fleet Air Arm Sea Harrier turns to release its Sidewinder missiles at an
Argentinean Airforce Dagger as it beats a hasty retreat after a near
miss on Sir Bedivere and HMS Fearless in San Carlos Sound during the
1982 Falklands Islands conflict.
Depart in Peace by Geoff Lea
On 15th September 1965, the late Jeffrey Quill flew the
old Spitfire VB AB910 into RAF Station Coltishall to be handed over to the
Royal Air Force Memorial Flight and preserved in perpetuity.
Significantly, this was to be virtually the final moment of a thirty-year
association and devotion by Jeffrey Quill to his beloved Spitfire.
After Mutt Summers' initial flight, it was largely left to Jeffrey to help
turn Reginald Mitchell's inspired design into the most famous fighter
aircraft of all time. Jeffrey Quill writes in his book, 'Spitfire, A Test
Pilot's Story', "It had been my business to criticise it and identify
its faults; I had no illusions about it and knew its problems only too
well. Indeed, they had caused me sleepless nights all too often... As I
climbed out of the cockpit of AB910 I had that feeling of sadness, of
bidding farewell to an old an trusted friend." The title of the print comes most appropriately from the
words of Nunc Dimittis, - "Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart
in peace," as AB910 goes into the loving care of the Memorial Flight.
AB910 had a long, historic career since being built in
1942 at Castle Bromwich. It was delivered to 92 Squadron whose
letters QJ-J it bore at the time of presentation. Ninety-two Squadron flew
Spitfires throughout the entire war and was also one of the Royal Air
Force's top-scoring squadrons. AB910 was also the aircraft on which
a ground crew WAAF, now Miss Horton, made an unscheduled flight crouched
across the tail. After the war, it was bought by the late Air Cmdre
A. H. Wheeler, CBE, and later by Vickers-Armstrong Aircraft limited, who
completely restored it. This work was carried out almost as a solo
job by Arthur Luscombe at Chilbolton and later the aircraft was based at
South Marston. As shown in this painting, AB910 was fitted with a
Merlin 55M engine from a Seafire III to improve low-level performance, and
a four-bladed propeller, untypical of a Spitfire V, both of which have now
been changed by the Memorial Flight. After a life of more than forty years, AB910 continues
to give pleasure to thousands as it participates in displays during the
summer months. AB910 serves as a permanent reminder of those days of
the 1940s when the flashing, eliptical wings skimmed high and proudly to
bring freedom to the skies. Now, as then, to be a Spitfire pilot is the
dream of small boys of all ages. Indeed, even as one sees and hears
this remarkable machine, inevitably its magic draws us all into its heart
to become part of a legend.
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