Wg. Cdr. F H P Austin OBE RAF - Signed Aviation Prints

Wg. Cdr. F H P Austin OBE RAF

Joined the RAF in September 1932 as an aircraft apprentice. After three years at Cranwell he was posted to No16 (AC) Squadron and trained as an Air Gunner. In 1937, he joined No. 36 (TB) Squadron in Singapore and in January 1939 he returned to the UK for training as an Air Observer. He was promoted to Sergeant and joined 149 (B) Squadron at Mildenhall. He flew his first operational sortie on 4th September 1939 (Kiel Canal) and continued operating with the squadron until his captain (Wg. Cdr. P. I. Harris DFC) was selected to command No7 Squadron. After aircraft familiarisation on Stirling aircraft he arrived at Oakington in October 1940. Now commissioned he was a crew member on the very first Stirling Operation on 10th February 1941, targeting oil tanks at Rotterdam. In September 1941, he was selected for Specialist Armament training, followed by spells as Chief Armament Instructor at Moreton-in-Marsh and Wellesbourne Mountford. Posted to Air Headquarters in India, in September 1945 and subsequently moved to the RAF Staff College in Haifa in 1946. After a flying refresher course he served with the Bomber Command Development Unit at Marham until 1948. After an exchange posting with RAAF HQ Melbourne he returned to the UK in January 1954 on promotion to Wg. Cdr. (Admin) at RAF Kinloss. His final posting was to the Supreme HQ Allied Powers Europe in 1959, retiring in 1965.

Wg. Cdr. F H P Austin OBE RAF - Signed Aviation Art

Teamwork by Philip West.
2 editions.
Both editions feature up to 3 additional signatures.
£150.00 - £195.00

Final Preparations by Philip West.
2 editions.
Both editions feature up to 4 additional signatures.
£150.00 - £195.00

Text for the above items :

Teamwork by Philip West.

As night falls, Short Stirlings of XV Squadron based at Mildenhall, Cambridgeshire, await their crews for yet another nocturnal mission. One of the almost forgotten Bomber Command aircraft that made a very significant contribution to the war effort.

Final Preparations by Philip West.

Soon to be cloaked in darkness, Wellington aircraft of 150 Squadron, RAF Newton, Nottinghamshire, prepare for another dangerous mission, never knowing if they would return.

Stirling
Manufacturer : Short
Built : 2381

Stirling
The Royal Air Force's first four engined monoplane Bomber, the Short Stirling first flew in May 1939 and entered front line service in August 1940 with no. 7 squadron. Due to its poor operational ceiling the aircraft sustained heavy losses and by mid 1942 the Stirling was beginning to be replaced by the Lancaster. Improved versions of the Short Stirling were built for Glider towing, paratroopers and heavy transport. also from 1943 many of the Stirling's were used for mine laying. A total of 2381 Stirling's were built for the Royal air Force and from this total 641 Stirling bombers were lost to enemy action. Crew 7 or 8: Speed: 260 mph (MK1) 275mph (MKIII) and 280mph (MKV)Service ceiling 17,000 feet Range: 2330 miles. (MK1) 2010 miles (MKIII) and 3,000 miles (MKV) Armament: two .303 Vickers machine guns. in nose turret, two .303 in browning machine guns in dorsal turret , Four .303 Browning machine guns in tail turret. Bomb Load 14,000 Lbs Engines: four 1150 Hp Bristol Hercules II (MK1) four 1650 hp Bristol Hercules XVI (MK111 and MKV)

Wg. Cdr. F H P Austin OBE RAF
Squadron details

No.149 Sqn RAF
Country : UK
Disbanded 31st August 1956
Known Codes : , TK, LY, OJ,

No.149 Sqn RAF

East India

Fortis nocte - Strong by night

No.16 Sqn RAF
Country : UK
Known Codes : , EE, EG, KJ, UG,

No.16 Sqn RAF

Operta aperta - Hidden things are revealed

No. 16 Squadron was formed from elements of Nos. 2, 5 and 6 Squadrons at St Omer, France, on 10 February 1915. The unit flew more than its fair share of types including Voisins, BE2As, Bs, and Shorthorns, using them to pioneer the use of wireless to report enemy troop movements during the Battle of Abuers Ridge in May 1915. During 1916, the Squadron standardised on the BE2C. During the Battle of Vimy Ridge, the Squadron formed an association with the Canadian Corps that lasted until the Armistice. Along with so many other RAF Squadrons, No. 16 was disbanded in 1919. On 1 April 1924, No. 16 Squadron reformed at Old Sarum, spending the next ten years attached to the School of Army Co-operation flying Bristol Fighters, Atlas' and Audaxes. In May 1938, the Squadron became the first to receive Lysanders, taking them to France at the outbreak of World War II. After returning to the UK in May 1940, the Squadron was tasked with anti-invasion coastal patrols until Mustangs arrived in April 1942. These were used in 'Rhubarb' patrols over France and also intercepting enemy fighter-bombers mounting 'hit and run' raids along the South Coast. During the preparations for D-Day, reconnaissance Spitfires replaced the Mustangs, flying both high- and low-level reconnaissance sorties as 2TAF advanced towards Germany. In March 1946, after a period of confusion as to whether the Squadron had been disbanded or not, the Squadron inherited No. 56 Squadron's Tempests and moved to Gutersloh. No. 16 Squadron re-equipped with ground-attack Vampires in late 1948 and Venoms in 1954 before disbanding in June 1957. A year later, the Squadron was reformed at Laarbruch and began a 14-year association with Canberras before finally receiving Buccaneers in June 1972. The Buccaneers were replaced by Tornado GR1s in 1984, and, like its sister Squadron, No. XV, found itself disbanded in Germany in October 1991 under 'Options for Change' and its numberplate being assigned to an operational conversion unit, in this case No. 226 OCU at Lossiemouth. With the decision taken to run the Jaguar fleet down in ant

No.36 Sqn RAF
Country : UK
Disbanded 3rd November 1975
Known Codes : , OE, RW, VU,

No.36 Sqn RAF

Rajawali raja langit - Eagle King of the sky

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