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Meteor F8 first jet
fighter of the Royal Air Force in aviation art prints of 72 Squadron,
Meteors over Castle Howard by aviation artist Michael Rondot, available
from Air Force Art, a subsidiary of Cranston Fine Arts.
Meteors Over Castle Howard by Michael Rondot The 'Meatbox', as it affectionately became known, formed the backbone
of RAF Fighter Command during the heyday of the 1950s, equipping regular
and auxiliary RAF squadrons in the day-fighter, reconnaissance and
night-fighter roles. The Meteor F8 day-fighter and NF14 night-fighters
featured in Michael Rondot's painting represent the ultimate versions of
this classic jet fighter which served on front-line squadrons until the
late 1950s. Meteors of number 72 Squadron are seen in formation over the
magnificent Yorkshire panorama of Castle Howard country house, the setting
for Brideshead Revisited. In the background overlooking the vale of
Pickering to the North Yorkshire Moors, dark storm clouds form a striking
backdrop to this wonderful aviation painting.Prints also signed by Wing Commander Ian Hawkins and Air Marshal Sir
John Nicholls KCB CBE DFC AFC. |
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Meteors Over Castle Howard by Michael Rondot.
No 72 Squadron Meteor F8 and NF14 fighters over Castle Howard, North Yorkshire. Initially based at RAF North Weald with Meteor F8s, No72 moved to Church Fenton in 1953 where, in 1956, it became an all weather squadron with meteor NF12s and 14s Castle Howard, set in more than 1,000 acres of Yorkshires finest parkland, was the magnificent location for the televison filming of Brideshead Revisited.
Signed limited edition of 300 prints. Paper size 28 inches x 20 inches (71cm x 51cm). Price £75.00
Limited edition of 50 artist proofs. Paper size 28 inches x 20 inches (71cm x 51cm). Price £90.00
ITEM CODE MR0033
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Gloster Meteor Mk F.1 EE227 YQ-Y. by M A Kinnear.
Open edition print. Image size 16.5 inches x 11.5 inches (42cm x 30cm). Price £13.00
ITEM CODE AP0014
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| Aircraft side view by M A Kinnear
Gloster Meteor Mk F.1 EE227 YQ-Y. Aircraft
History: EE227 was 13th out of a batch
of 15 F.1 aircraft delivered to 616 Squadron during 1944. Following
service with 616, the aircraft was transferred to the Royal Aircraft
Establishment and then to Rolls Royce, where it became the first aircraft
to be fitted with turboprops (Rolls Royce Trents). It then went to the
Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment before returning to
Rolls Royce and finally going back to the Royal Aircraft Establishment.
After a distinguished career EE227 was struck off charge 27th June 1949.
Squadron
Leader Dennis Barry, Croix de Guerre Avec Palme: Born
on 26th August 1921 in London Dennis Barry joined the Royal Air Force in
October 1940. In 1941, following pilot training, he was posted to 504
County of Nottingham Squadron and flew both Hurricanes and Spitfires. In
August 1943 he was sent on a flight leaders course at Charmy Down and
posted to Ibsley as a Flight Commander in 616 South Yorkshire Squadron. In
June 1944 with other 616 pilots he was sent to Farnborough for a
conversion course to fly the new Gloster Meteor. During this period, USAAF
daylight bombers were under attack by German Me262 jet fighters so,
together with three other pilots, Dennis was attached to Debden, where
they staed mock attacks against 180 bombers and fighters to help the
Americans gauge the speed of jet aircraft. In July 1944 616 moved to RAF
Manston and was involved with the interception of German V-1 flying bombs
and on 29th August he flew EE227 on an operational sortie. In February
1945, Dennis took four meteors Mk III to Brussels/ Melsbroeck. To enable
Allied ground forces to distinguish the Meteors from the German jet
fighters, the aircraft were painted all white. Prior to the end of
hostilities, as the Allies moved through Europe, 616 were involved with
numerous attacks on airfields, road and rail traffic. They moved to Lubeck
at the end of the war, from where Dennis Barry led the Squadron on a
victory fly past at the Copenhagen air show. In May 1946 he was
demobilised from the RAF and re-joined 616 Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air
Force at RAF Finningley in March 1948, remaining with the squadron until
July 1951. During this period on 8th January 1950 he probably became the
only pilot to successfully bale out of a Meteor without the aid of an
ejector seat. |
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616 (South Yorkshire) Squadron Royal
Auxiliary Air Force:
616 squadron was formed at Doncaster on
1st November 1938 as the last of the Auxiliary Squadrons. Formed initially
as a bomber squadron equipped with Hawker Hinds, it was re-equipped with
Gloster Gauntlets in June 1939 and transferred to Fighter Command. The
squadron's first Spitfires arrived in late October. 616 first saw action
and claimed its first victories whilst covering the evacuation from
Dunkirk in May 1940. Returning to Yorkshire, the squadron claimed further
enemy victims with 15th August standing out as a memorable day. 616
intercepted a large force of unescorted German bombers off the Yorkshire
coast and claimed eight enemy aircraft destroyed. They moved to Kenley to
join 11 Group at the height of the Battle of Britain, and destroyed 15
aircraft and claimed a further 15 as probables or damaged. During February
1941, 616 joined the Tangmere Wing led by Wg Cdr Douglas Bader. Flying
Spitfire II fighters, they flew 'circus' and 'ramrod' sweeps over Northern
France, and re-equipped with Spitfires Vb during July 1941. For the next
two years 616 continued as a front line fighter squadron and was heavily
engaged during the Dieppe expedition and later flying beach-head patrols
on D-Day. In July 1944, 616 re-equipped with Gloster Meteor jet fighter
thus becoming the first and only Allied squadron to operate jet aircraft
in World War II. The squadron destroyed a number of V1 flying bombs whilst
operating from Manston before joining the 2nd Tactical Air Force. In
January 1945, 616 moved to the continent and operated in the ground attack
role before being disbanded at Lubeck on 29th August. The squadron was
re-formed at Finningley on 31st July 1946 equipped with Mosquito NF XXX
night fighters which were replaced with Meteor F 3 day fighters a few
months later. 616 Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force was finally disbanded
at RAF Worksop on 10th March 1957 whilst equipped with Meteor F8 aircraft.
616 Squadron Motto: Nulla Rosa Sine
Spina (No rose without a thorn).
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