Dawn Dog Fight, Mick Mount VC by Graeme Lothian.  High above the trenches in April 1918, 74 Squadron engage the famed JG 1 led by the renowned ace baron von Richthofen in his distinctive bright red DR 1. Edward Mick mannock flying a SE5.a diving down top engage another Fokker Dr1 as the red baron flies past momentarily catching each others eyes. The new CO of 74 squadron, major Grid Caldwell MC (bar) New Zealands top ace can be seen above entering the dog fight. But it would be Mannock who would go on to great fame. with 61 confirmed victories and to win the VC, DSO (bar) and MC (bar). After 74 squadron he replaced Billy Bishop of CO 85 Squadron on the 3rd July 1918, scoring 46 victories in the Se5.a He was killed by ground fire near Lestram, France on the 26th July 1918. his Victoria Cross being gazetted on the 18th July 1919. The red baron CO of the Richthofens Flying circus didnt survive the month, also killed by ground fire on the 24th April, he was buried by the Allies with full military honours.  Tribute to the Crews of the Stirling by Graeme Lothian.  Outward bound, Stirling III of 199 Squadron based at Lakenheath, Suffolk, heads out on another night of operations in August 1943.  EE953, Sqd letters EX - E of 100 group is piloted by F/L Tom Austin DFC who finished his tour by the end of October 1944, winning the DFC with his bomb aimer F/O Jack Lawrence.  Nicknamed the "Queen of the Skies", the Stirling was the 1st four engined bomber to enter service with the RAF in 1941.  The cockpit stood a massive 22.5 feet from the ground and had an operational ceiling of only 12,000 feet, well within the range of the enemy AA guns.  By September 1944 other bombers were taking the brunt of the attack to the Germans and the Stirlings were used mainly for glider towing especially for D-day and Arnhem. Mustang  Escort by Graeme Lothian.  Mustang P51 "Nooky Booky IV" flown by Captain Leonard " Kit" Carson of the 362nd Fighter Squadron 357th Fighter Group, giving fighter escort top cover protection to the B17's of 381st Bomb Group, returning after a raid in Germany, January 1944. Kit Carson ended the war as top scorer of the 357th with 18.5 aerial victories in the last 6 months of the war. Eagle Over the Steppes by Graeme Lothian.  Depicting ME109s flying over the Russian Front, the background is the enormous panorama of the Russian Steppe. Signed by 4 leading German aces who fought on the Russian Front.    The enormity of the battlefield on the Eastern Front was staggering in its vastness. Stretching, as it did, nearly two thousand miles from frozen wastelands of the Arctic in the north, to the Black Sea in the south.      Over this hostile, formidable territory fighter pilots of the Luftwaffe flew more combat missions and shot down more enemy aircraft during World War Two than any other group of fighter pilots in the entire history of aerial combat. Many of the top aces were in battle from the Spanish Civil War in 1938 until the fall of Germany in 1945. They flew continuously day after day, sometimes in the most appalling weather conditions, until they were shot down or wounded. Graeme Lothian's emotive print pays tribute to the Fighter Aces of the Eastern Front. In the Background is the enormous panorama of the Russian Steppe. Günther Rall is seen leading his pilots over enemy territory.  Fighter General by Graeme Lothian.  Fighter general shows 'Dolfo' Galland leading a schwarm of BF109's out low at tree top height over the Kent countryside after doing battle with spitfires, during the last week of August 1940. This remarkable pilot was awarded the Knights Cross as a Major on the 15th August. His daring and leadership won the hearts of his men and respect from RAF Pilots. the Oak leaves was awarded on the 23rd September 1940 and crossed Swords in June 1941 after 69 victories.  At the end of 1941 at age only 29 he was promoted Inspector General of the Fighter Arm. Leaving his post as Kommodore JG26 to Gerhard Schoepfel he was awarded the Diamonds to the Knights Cross in January 1942 at Oberst. As the youngest General in the German High Command he held this post until 1944, after open disagreements with Goring let to his dismissal. Reverting to combat flying he formed, with Steinhoff, the legendary JV-44, flying the ME262 jet fighter. His score by wars end stood at 104 all on the western Front. he was the only General to lead a squadron into battle.  Lysander Pick Up by Graeme Lothian.  A Lysander of 161 Squadron from RAF Tempsford banks to port as it circles a field somewhere in France 1943. These missions only took place on or around the full moon period to pick up or drop off SOE agents with the help of the Resistance. 161 Squadron, the most secret of all RAF squadrons, had in its flight, Lysanders, Hudson's, and Halifax's which carried out parachute operations. Two of 161's top pilots Hugh Verity and Lewis Hodges both received the DSO & bar and DFC & bar, and from France the Legion d'Honneur and the Croix de Guerre. JG7, War Wolfs over the Reich, February 1945 by Graeme Lothian.  ME262 of JG7 attack American formation of Flying Fortresses on their way to bomb targets in Germany. Returning from Caen by Graeme Lothian.  Spitfires from 144 Wing RCAF 2nd TAF led by W/c Johnnie Johnson. Supplying air cover to a mixed force of 942 bombers over Normandy on Operation Goodwood, 18th July 1944. SR-Z of 101 (Special) squadron. Lancasters piloted by Flt Lt George Harris DFC. Gibson VC by Graeme Lothian.  The night of the 16th May 1943 saw 19 modified Lancasters of the specially formed 617 squadron set out to breach the Ennepe, Eder, Mohne and Sorpe dams in Westphalia, Germany. The mission was led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson DSO, DFC. Gibson's Lancaster can be seen in the foreground with lights full on to draw enemy fire, as is Mick Martin's Lancaster on the far side protecting 'Dinghy' Young, who has dropped his bouncing bomb and is flying through a hail of defensive gunfire. He scored a direct hit, and his was the decisive bomb that breached the Mohne Dam. Of the 19 Lancasters who set out, 5 received damage from enemy defences, 6 returned unscathed and 8 failed to return. "Operation Chastise" was a huge success especially for the countries' morale. 58 decorations were awarded for the raid including a Victoria Cross for Gibson. The squadron were known thereafter as the Dambusters. Mosquito Attack by Graeme Lothian.    On 31st August 1944, 6 Mosquitoes of 305 Polish Squadron, Lasham, 2nd TAF were led by Wing Commander Orlinski to attack oil refineries at Nomexy, south of Nancy, France. Diving down and releasing their bombs before escaping at tree top height they destroyed 4 large containers and several smaller ones. All aircraft safely returned after their four and a half hour sortie. Fl Lt Eric Atkins DFC(bar) KW(bar) and his navigator Fl Lt Majer can be seen exiting the area to reform on the other 3 Mosquitoes who have already finished their bombing run. This was Atkin's 61st operation, finishing the war with 78 ops over 3 tours. Combat Over Domremy by Graeme Lothian.  JU88G nightfighter shoots down Royal Air Force Lancaster over Domremy. Caucasus Dawn by Graeme Lothian.  Günther Rall leading 111 JG52 squadron April 1943.

See more Stan Stokes Aviation Art at StanStokesPrints.com
See more Naval Art Prints at NavalPrints.com

This website is owned by Cranston Fine Arts.  Torwood House, Torwoodhill Road, Rhu, Helensburgh, Scotland, G848LE

Contact: Tel: (+44) (0) 1436 820269.  Fax: (+44) (0) 1436 820473. Email: