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Cranston Fine Arts Aviation Art and Artists World War Two Veteran Signatures UK and Commonwealth G Gould, A |
[UP] - Gadd, James - Gampe, Norman - Gard, Ron - Gardner, John - Gatward, A - Gaze, Tony - Gear, Alan - Gibbes, Bobby - Gibson, John - Giddings, Sir Michael - Gillam, Denys - Gillis, N - Glaser, Ernest - Glassop, Ross - Gleave, Tom - Glendinning, Harry - Godefroy, Hugh - Godfrey, Laurie - Goldfinch, Bill - Goldie, James - Golley, John - Goodenough, Les - Goodman, L - Goodson, Jim - Goodwin, R - Gorton, John - Gough, Harry - Gould, A - Gould, Ron - Graham, Herbert - Graham, Peter - Grandy, John - Grant, John - Grant, Ron - Gray, Alec - Gray, Don - Gray, James - Gray, Trevor - Grayston, Raymond - Green, Bill - Green, Charles - Green, David J - Green, Herbert - Green, T - Green, William - Gregory, Albert - Gregory, William - Grimes, S |
Flight Lieutenant A J Nat Gould
Joined the RAAF in April 1940 and trained in Australia. Nat sailed to the UK in December 1940 and attended 56 OTU at Sutton Bridge. In April 1941 he joined 17 Sqn RAF and in September joined 134 Sqn equipped with Hurricanes and sailed aboard HMS Argus for Murmansk, USSR. After some ops, Nat returned to the UK in December and converted to Spitfires. He then sailed for Australia in March 1942 and joined 75 Sqn RAAF equipped with Kittyhawks. He flew to New Guinea in July and participated in the Battle of Milne Bay and on 28th August twice flew S A29-133 on ops and remained with 75 Sqn until December. After instructing at 2 OTU, Nat was posted in October 1943 to 457 Sqn equipped with Spitfires at Darwin. After 12 months of operations he returned to 2 OTU. In June 1945, Gould transferred to RANVR for service with the RN. Nat Gould commanded 816 Firefly and 806 Sea Fury Sqns during Korea.
| Flight Lieutenant A J Nat Gould - Signed Aviation Art |
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| Text for the above items : |
Milne Bay - The Turning Point by Robert Taylor. The Battle for Milne Bay in New Guinea was a story of true grit, determination, and valour; it was the moment when the Imperial Japanese Army tasted defeat on land for the first time in nearly three centuries. In the space of two weeks, the Japanese attempt to capture Milne Bay was halted, and any ambitions they might have held to invade Australia thwarted. And that victory was due in no small part to the Kittyhawks of 75 and 76 Squadrons RAAF. After the Japanese had invaded the north of New Guinea, their main objective was to take Port Moresby in the south. But defeat at the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942 put an end to any invasion of Port Moresby by sea: instead they must strike across the Owen Stanley Ranges via the Kokoda Trail. Protecting Port Moresbys eastern flank was the key strategic natural harbour at Milne Bay, and in June 1942 American engineers, protected by Australian troops, began construction of the first of three proposed airstrips to be hacked out of the steaming jungle. Within a few weeks they had laid the first runway, formed by laying steel matting in almost impossible conditions. With heavy rain falling almost continuously, it was an extraordinary feat. Four days later the Kittyhawks of 75 and 76 Squadrons, RAAF, took up residence, together with a few Hudsons of 6 and 32 Squadrons to provide long-range reconnaissance. On the night of 25th August 1942, in torrential rain, a Japanese invasion force began their landin in the bay. With the Australian troops bitterly contesting every yard, the fighting was savage and bloody; conditions in the jungle battleground were wet, nuddy, and atrocious. At first light the next morning the Kittyhawks and Hudsons immediately joined the battle, flying continuous raids against the Japanese forces. Sortie after sortie, strafing and bombing the enemy troops, their landing barges and stores. For the next eleven days the bitter battle raged, the Australian troops fighting in savage hand to hand combat as the Japanese were halted at No.3 airstrips permieter. But eventually the Japanese were spent as a fighting force. With no hope of reinforcement, they were forced to withdraw. A quarter of their invasion force had been lost. Robert Taylors powerful painting depicts Kittyhawks from 75 and & 76 Squadrons RAAF, returning to No 1 Strip after attacking Japanese positions during the Battle for Milne Bay. Under the starboard wing of the lead aircraft, Polly, the smoke of action is clearly visible as the Japanese press from their landing site, along the coast towards the airstrip. Polly, now beautifully restored, resides in the Australian War Memorial Museum in Canberra, a tribute to the men and machines who stopped the Japanese in New Guinea. |
| Flight Lieutenant A J Nat Gould Aircraft details |
![]() Firefly Manufacturer : Fairey | Firefly The Fairey Firefly was a carrier borne fighter aircraft and also used in an anti submarine role for the Fleet Air Arm. The Fairey Firefly saw service at the end of world war two. The Firefly was superior in performance and firepower to its predecessor, the Fulmar, but did not enter operational service until towards the end of the war. Designed as a two-seat fleet reconnaissance/fighter for the Fleet Air Arm, it was designed so that the pilot and navigator/weapons officer were housed in separate stations. The design proved to be sturdy, long-ranging and docile in carrier operations. The Fairey Firefly continued in service after the war, although it was superseded by more modern jet aircraft, the Firefly was used in other roles, including in anti submarine warfare and strike operations, remaining a mainstay of the Fleet Air Arm until the mid-1950s. Both the UK and Australia Fireflies flew anti-ship missions off various aircraft carriers in the Korean War. The Firefly also served in the naval air forces of Australia, Canada, India, and the Netherlands whose Fireflies carried out a few attack missions as late as 1962 in Dutch New Guinea. |
![]() Hurricane Manufacturer : Hawker Built : 14533 | Hurricane 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. |
![]() Kittyhawk Manufacturer : Curtiss | Kittyhawk Curtiss Kittyhawk, single engine fighter with a top speed of 362mph, ceiling of 30,000 feet and a range of 1190 miles with extra fuel tanks but 900 miles under normal operation. Kitty Hawk armaments was four or six .50in machine guns in the wings and a bomb load of up to 1,000 lb's. A development of the earlier Tomahawk, the Kitty Hawk saw service in may air force's around the world, American, Australian, New Zealand, and the Royal Air Force. which used them in the Mediterranean, north Africa, and Malta. from January 1942/ apart from the large numbers used by the Us Air Force, over 3,000 were used by Commonwealth air force's including the Royal air Force. |
![]() Sea Fury Manufacturer : Hawker Built : 860 | Sea Fury Single engine Fighter of the Fleet Air Arm. maximum speed 460mph at 18,000 feet. maximum ceiling 35,800 feet and a range of 1040 miles. The Sea Fury was armed with four 20mm Hispano cannon in the wings and a bomb load of 2000ilb or 12 3 inch rockets under the wings. The Sea Fury was developed from the Hawker Tempest. With the Fleet Air Arm receiving their first aircraft to 807 squadron in August 1947. It continued in service until 1953, The Hawker Sea Fury was a carrier borne aircraft and most of its operational career was during the Korean War, where it was used as a ground attack aircraft. It also saw alot of aerial combat against the Mig-15 Jets. The total number of Sea Furies built was 860 aircraft. |
![]() Spitfire Manufacturer : Supermarine Built : 20351 | Spitfire 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 MKs 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. |
| Flight Lieutenant A J Nat Gould Squadron details |
No.134 Sqn RAF Country : UK Disbanded 26th June 1945 Known Codes : , GQ, GV, | No.134 Sqn RAF Per ardua volabimus - We shall fly through hardships |
No.17 Sqn RAF Country : UK Known Codes : , YB, UT, UV, | No.17 Sqn RAF Excellere contende - Strive to excel |
No.457 Sqn RAAF Country : Australia Disbanded 21st June 1942 Known Codes : , ZP, RG, BP, XB, | No.457 Sqn RAAF |
No.806 Sqn FAA Country : UK | No.806 Sqn FAA Fleet Air Arm |
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