Simon Smith's range of aviation art
prints of Royal Air Force aircraft of world war two including the
Dambuster squadron's actions over the Eder and Mohna dams. Original oil
paintings of these aviation prints are also available from Cranston Fine
Arts.
On the night of 16/17th May 1943,under a full moon, 19 specially modified Lancaster bombers from 617 Squadron carried out one of the most daring and effective air raids of the Second World War. Led by wing commander Guy Gibson the 19 aircraft took off and headed for Germany at extreme low level.. Their mission, code named Operation Chastise, was to destroy the Ruhr dams which supplied water and electricity to the industrial heart of Reich. Each aircraft carried the ingenious Upkeep mine, developed by the engineer Barnes Wallis. Shaped like a large oil drum, the bomb was spun prior to release at exactly 60ft above the water and 150 yards from the dam wall. This caused the weapon to bounce across water and on impact would also make it stay close to the wall of the dam as it sank. The bomb, technically a mine, was fitted with a hydrostatic fuse similar to a depth charge causing detonation at the required depth.The correct height above the water was achieved by aligning the beams of two s.........
Our Gal Sal, a veteran of over a hundred ops, returning to base in the summer of 1944. The peace of the English country side is broken by the thunder of the mighty four engined bombers and keen observers will spot the rabbit scampering along the country lane as the Forts of the Bloody 100th circle the Airbase. With one engine feathered and showing signs of the gauntlet of Flak and fighters she has had to come through, the crew know they are only moments away from the safety of home.
A pair of Royal Air Force Spitfires fly over the hay fields of southern England as the farmers toil. A tranquil scene which will soon be spoilt with the German Luftwaffe aircraft as the Battle of Britain begins.
Item Code : DHM0403
Freedom Fighters by Simon Smith. - Editions Available
The aircraft in the foreground bears the name Alabama Rammer Jammer, the personal mount of 2/Lt Arthur Cundy ,352nd FS, 353rd FG. The 353rds yellow and black chequered nose bands were one of the most distinctive recognition features of all the Eighths fighter groups.
Item Code : DHM1464
Little Friends by Simon Smith. - Editions Available
On the night of 16th / 17th May 1943, Lancasters of 617 Squadron under the command of Wing Commander Guy Gibson attacked the hydroelectric dams of the Ruhr. Five of the aircraft that successfully attacked and breached the Mohne flew onto the Eder, only three with the Upkeep bombs still on board. Whilst there was no flak, the approach, over difficult terrain, was hazardous and a tremendous test of skills of the crews involved. Pilot Officer Les Knights aircraft, AFN, can be seen having just dropped the last of the groups bombs, which actually breached the dam, and is climbing steeply to avoid the hill behind the dam.
Item Code : DHM2407
Breaching the Eder by Simon Smith. - Editions Available
Depicting the morning after a gruelling operation during the autumn of 1944. As day breaks a returning crew awaits the crew bus at their aircraft dispersal, grouped before their mighty bomber which shows fresh scars of battle from an arduous mission over occupied Europe. The exhausted men are clearly relieved and thankful to be safely home at their in Lincolnshire base.
Item Code : DHM2210
Mission Completed by Simon Smith. - Editions Available
The leading ace of the mighty Eighth Air Force, Gabby Gabreski. He finished the war with a total of 28 air victories and 2 1/2 enemy aircraft destroyed on the ground by strafing airfields. Gabreski also scored 6 1/2 air victories in the Korean war.
Item Code : DHM1463
Return From Bremen by Simon Smith. - Editions Available
The Dambusters by Simon Smith Gibson and Martins attack run 16th May 1943.
Signed by five crew, Edward C Johnson - bomb aimer, Ray Grayston - Flight
Engineer, Frederick Sutherland - RCAF Rear Gunner, George Chalmers and George Johnson
The Veteran by Simon Smith B17, Flying Fortress - Our Gal Sal - of
the 100 Bomb group 1944 Signed by Captain Bob
Morgan of the Memphis Belle and Simon Smith.
Return From Combat by Simon Smith Hurricanes of 85 Squadron, 1940
Royal Air Force Fighter, the Hawker
Hurricane had a top speed of 320mph, at 18,200 feet and 340mph at 17,500,
ceiling of 34,200 and a range of 935 miles. The Hurricane was armed with
eight fixed wing mounted .303 browning machine guns in the Mark I and
twelve .303 browning's in the MKIIB in the Hurricane MKIIC it had four
20mm cannon. All time classic fighter the Hurricane was designed in
1933-1934, the first prototype flew in June 1936 and a contract for 600
for the Royal Air Force was placed. The first production model flew ion
the 12th October 1937 and 111 squadron of the Royal Air Force received the
first Hurricanes in January 1938. By the outbreak of World war two the
Royal Air Force had 18 operational squadrons of Hurricanes. During the
Battle of Britain a total of 1715 Hurricanes took part, (which was more
than the rest of the aircraft of the Royal air force put together) and
almost 75% of the Victories during the Battle of Britain
went to hurricane pilots. The Hawker Hurricane was used in all
theatres during World war two, and in many roles. in total 14,533
Hurricanes were built.
Return From Bremen by Simon Smith Francis ' Gabby'
Gabreski, 26th November 1943.
Little Friends by Simon Smith Mustangs of the 353rd Fighter Group, 1944
Combat over the Pas de
Calais by Simon Smith Signed by Johnnie Johnson and Simon
Smith. Royal
Air Force fighter aircraft, maximum speed for mark I Supermarine Spitfire, 362mph
up to
The Seafire 47 with a top speed of 452mph. maximum ceiling for Mk I
34,000feet up to 44,500 for the mark XIV. Maximum range for MK I 575
miles . up to 1475 miles for the Seafire 47. Armament for the various
Marks of Spitfire. for MK I, and II . eight fixed .303 browning Machine
guns, for MK's V-IX and XVI two 20mm Hispano cannons and four .303 browning
machine guns. and on later Marks, six to eight Rockets under the wings or
a maximum bomb load of 1,000 lbs. Designed
by R J Mitchell, The proto type Spitfire first flew on the 5th March 1936.
and entered service with the Royal Air Force in August 1938, with 19
squadron based and RAF Duxford. by the outbreak of World war two, there
were twelve squadrons with a total of 187 spitfires, with another 83 in
store. Between 1939 and 1945, a large variety of modifications and
developments produced a variety of MK,s from I to XVI. The mark II
came into service in late 1940, and in March 1941, the Mk,V came into
service. To counter the Improvements in fighters of the Luftwaffe
especially the FW190, the MK,XII was introduced with its Griffin
engine. The Fleet Air Arm used the Mk,I and II and were named
Seafires. By the end of
production in 1948 a total of 20,351 spitfires had been made and 2408
Seafires. The most produced variant was the Spitfire Mark V, with a
total of 6479 spitfires produced. The Royal Air Force kept Spitfires
in front line use until April 1954.
The Shining Sword by Simon Smith Lancaster Over Holland. Signed by Victoria
Cross Winner Bill Reid
Mission Completed by Simon Smith Depicting the morning after a gruelling operation during the autumn
of 1944. As day breaks a returning crew awaits the crew bus at their
aircraft dispersal, grouped before their mighty bomber which shows fresh
scars of battle from an arduous mission over occupied Europe. The
exhausted men are clearly relieved and thankful to be safely home at
their in Lincolnshire base.
Breaching the Eder by Simon Smith Depicts Lancaster
AJ-N of pilot officer Les Knight having just
dropped the final bomb which actually breached the dam, climbing steeply
to avoid the mountain behind the dam. So moved by Simon Smith's
reproduction of the event, Flight Lieutenant Edward C Johnson DFC took
the unprecedented step of endorsing the painting itself with his
signature, as well as the first 400 copies of the print. Signature: Edward C Johnson - bomb aimer, Ray Grayston - Flight
Engineer, Frederick Sutherland - RCAF Rear Gunner.
This epic story of the Dam Busters needs
little introduction. An elite squadron of hand-picked airmen were put
together under the command of Wing commander Guy Gibson. Their mission
was to destroy the hydroelectric dams of the Ruhr, causing millions of
tons of water to crash into the German munitions factories. The best
known of the dams is of course, the heavily defended Mohna which was the
first to be breached. Having destroyed this dam, five of the remaining
aircraft, only three still carrying Barnes Wallis' famous 'Upkeep' bomb
flew onto their second, but no less important target, the Eder Dam.
Although defended by flak, the Eder was surrounded on all sides by steep
mountains making the approach extremely hazardous.
Dambusters Outward Bound by Simon Smith Depicts the aircraft setting out over Norfolk prior to their epic
mission, available signed by artist only or also countersigned by
two members of the squadron. and artist proofs with two further members of this
elite squad.
Art and aviation have been like a brother and sister to me. We have grown up together, learned together and made our adult lives together. But you do not have to have an appreciation of aircraft to admire the graceful lines of a Spitfire or the functional simplicity of a Focke-Wulf 190. They are themselves a work of art and they cry out to be painted - not as machines of war and destruction, but as objects of beauty, born of necessity and function, yet given a life and iconic classicism beyond their original calling. My interest and love of art and aircraft was gifted to me by my father, a designer and aeronautical engineer of considerable repute. Denis Berryman C.Eng. FRAeS. He gave me his eyes, his passion, his dedication and his unwavering professionalism. I owe him everything. And I miss him terribly. A love of art and of beautiful and interesting things takes you on a journey. You discover new interests, new fascinations, and you want to paint them. You want to paint them in their environment, in their element. Whether it is an aeroplane, a warship, a racing car or a beautiful woman, their gift to an artist is the same: Their lines, their texture and the way that light and shadows give them form. These are the food and oxygen of an artist. Not the paint and the canvas. These are mere tools. The secret is in the passion and the perception...
New Dambusters Paintings, Prints and Drawings!
A brand new series of releases featuring the aircraft and airmen of the Dambusters Raid.
This superb new collection of aviation art shows may of the famous events of the raids, but also shows some of the lesser known aircraft and details - the bomber that was so low that the tallboy bomb was ripped from the aircraft by a high wave (above), or the below treetop route to the target taken by one of the bombers, or the trains that were shot up by the gunners of the Lancasters on their way to the dams.
