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Post by kiwijohn on May 23, 2013 21:09:29 GMT 12
In looking at my information above, two things to correct. Mac MacDonald was a New Zealander (not English!)and the flags are the Union Jack and... I'll have to check the other. The other flag relates to Armstrong 'Doc' Lyon who was from Pennsylvania originally, trained in Canada, did two tours of operations, was credited by the end of the war with 3 enemy a/c destroyed, 1 shared and two damaged. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, London Gazette 16 February 1945, when he was serving on 214 Squadron (Lancasters). His first tour of operations was on 75 Squadron Stirlings. Post war he was retained in the Royal Canadian Air Force as a gunnery officer. I know that Doc Lyon came out to New Zealand to visit surviving crew members of 75 Squadron's AA-U in 1990(?) I think. All except NZ rear gunner Mac MacDonald survived the war. MacDonald was killed on a 7 squadron raid on 20 May 1944. Sadly NZer Maurice 'Des' Anderson, the original Navigator in "Alexander's Ragtime Crew", committed suicide after the war, most likely due to the effects of war. Regarding a better photo of the crest, Dave, I will see what I can do.
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 23, 2013 21:42:43 GMT 12
Thanks John.
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Post by pjw4118 on May 27, 2013 17:20:36 GMT 12
It was very sad about Des Anderson. The crew had survived 22 ops , the last four being "very torrid" in late September 1943. Alan Alexander recalled that on the 3rd October they had to do an early morning ASR search over the North Sea and early that same evening turned out for a raid on Kassel. Approaching Hanover , the F/E found Des out cold so they returned via Texel , dropping their bomb load on the searchlight/flak batteries. "The MO found that Des had cracked with a nervous breakdown. He never flew again."
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Post by suthg on May 27, 2013 17:43:37 GMT 12
I wonder if they are halo's, not hats ?? I still reckon it's the Stars and Stripes for 'Doc' Lyon S I really am in agreement over the Stars & Stripes in the background rhs - I could not find any flag from the southern states (it was just a guess originally) that looked similar and it would need to represent Doc Lyon from the US as a whole.
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Post by longforgan on May 28, 2013 15:53:07 GMT 12
finished painting.
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 28, 2013 17:08:45 GMT 12
Great stuff Don, well done.
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Post by pjw4118 on May 28, 2013 18:47:26 GMT 12
Great picture, thank you so much for posting it. Sthug : its certainly stars and stripes for the ex US crewman who enlisted in Canada
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Post by steveh on May 29, 2013 11:26:03 GMT 12
Super painting, very evocative & having read thru the rest of the thread, quite moving. Unbelievable what these guys went thru. Steve.
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Post by flyjoe180 on May 29, 2013 15:00:18 GMT 12
A magnificent painting.
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Post by longforgan on May 17, 2015 19:02:40 GMT 12
My version of the "Alexander Rag Time Crew" Stirling 1200x650mm oil on canvas
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Post by pjw4118 on May 17, 2015 19:11:53 GMT 12
Now that is something special Don , thanks for posting it. Maybe Thomas Frederick Duck next ?
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 17, 2015 19:45:36 GMT 12
Superb Don!!
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s29
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 1
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Post by s29 on Jan 10, 2017 2:24:13 GMT 12
pjw4118 posted a photo of Stirling BK777 AA:U with the nose art of 'Alexander's ragtime crew'. I am writing another book on the Stirling and will include many samples of such nose art. I would like a decent resolution copy of this if you can help please?
Regards
Pino Lombardi
Author of Short Stirling: First of the RAF heavy bombers
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Post by pjw4118 on Jan 10, 2017 13:30:16 GMT 12
Hello Pino , I have sent you a PM and happy to supply photos of Stirlings with NZ nose art.
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Post by pjw4118 on Jan 27, 2017 15:22:06 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 27, 2017 16:44:40 GMT 12
Wow, some amazing photos there.
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