Kite crests (7 year old vintage thread)

Philclarck that was interesting to read, i also know of one Lancaster with oor wullie as a crest. Its Lancaster LL757 of 101 sqn, its not the exact same picture but they are (where) very similar!

Thanks Phil, most interesting

This attachment is taken from the programme of the “2nd. ANNUAL BOMBER COMMAND NIGHT, MAY 19th., 1950” held at the Royal Albert Hall. I though it interesting and wondered can anyone identify all of the aircraft?

The boy sitting on the bomb was my fathers kite crest. He was a pilot of Halifax KN W with 77 squadron. His name was David Clark and he was based initially at Elvington then Full Sutton. The crest is a cartoon character called Oor Wullie, well know to us Scots. Wullie normally sits on a bucket.

They’re still ‘out there’.

Not one of the original set at the start of this thread, but I saw this one today, which has just gone on show at the RAAF Museum, Point Cook.

The other originals would have also looked great in colour (and better on a Halifax or Wimpy… 🙁 )

Many thanks, most informative.

David I can now confirm my origianl suspicion as I have just this minute finally found the photo of the Thomas Frederick Duck nose art. That Wellington artwork is indeed Thomas Frederick Duck from No. 75 Squadron, though it seems later the artwork was adapted (obviously after it was removed from the Wellington and stuck onto the Lancaster). As it is now in the RNZAF Museum the eggshell has a large RNZAF pilot’s brevet overpainted and the name Thomas Frederick Duck. As it was in the photo you have, he was only Thomas Duck, worn of 75 Sqn Wellington T for Tommy. I don’t have the serial number to hand but it may be in Alan W. Mitchell’s book “New Zealanders in the Air War” (1944) as he did a chapter on the crew of the two TFD aircraft that carried this noseart.

Thanks Chris, I am most impressed.

Another one for you. Top left (under the title).

“Wings for Victory” is Halifax B.II Series I (Special) BB324/ZA-X, 10 Sqn., RAF Melbourne, Yorkshire, 1942(?)-43. The aircraft was lost on the 23rd June, 1943 on a raid to Mulheim with the loss opf all the crew. It had previously served with 76 Sqn (coded ‘MP’) at Middleton St George, Co. Durham.

Chris

Thanks for the info. Can you help with any of the other aircraft?

Bottom right image is Wellington Mk.II W5376/PH-V, 12 Sqn., Binbrook sometime between 1941-42. Just under the ‘V’ symbol the aircraft’s letter is repeated in morse (…- or ‘dot dot dot dash’) The aircraft went through a succession of units after serving with 12 Sqn: Overseas Aircraft Preparation Unit; 311 Ferry Training Unit; 3 Overseas Aircraft Delivery Unit and finally 104 Sqn (whose codes were EP. I can’t find the aircraft letter at the moment) who were at the time based at Kairouan Cheria, Tunisia. The aircraft was lost on a raid to Panellaria on the 11th June, 1943.

Chris

Thanks for the info. Can you help with any of the other aircraft?

Hang on a mo David…………

Chris

Thanks for the info. Can you help with any of the other aircraft?

Ruhr Valley Express

The “Ruhr Vally Express” is familiar to me. Is anyone able to determine the types of aircraft the art work is attached to?

“Ruhr Valley Expres” is Halifax B.II W7710/LQ-R of 405 (Vancouver) Sqn. RCAF, RAF Topcliffe, Yorkshire, 1942. In front of the train is a guy running along and the word ballon reads “Hey, Georing, R-Robert is here again!”. The aircraft was lost on 2nd October, 1942 on a raid to Flensburg with the loss of all on board (Lost Bombers )

Chris

The ‘RVE’ is on a Halifax.

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The “Ruhr Vally Express” is familiar to me. Is anyone able to determine the types of aircraft the art work is attached to?

Mostly Wellingtons and Halifaxs from the looks of things.

The “Ruhr Vally Express” is familiar to me. Is anyone able to determine the types of aircraft the art work is attached to?

The duck in the eggshell nose art in the centre looks familiar, and I think it could possibly be ‘Thomas Frederick Duck’, an artwork worn first on a No. 75 (NZ) Squadron Wellington T for Tommy, and at the en of the tour one of the crew members cut the fabric off and kept the artwork. The crew reassembled later for a second tour, with only two additions to the crew, and they applied the fabric directly onto their Lancaster F for Freddy, and it was worn for the second tour like that.

The artwork now resides still perfectly intact in the RNZAF Museum at Wigram. I am trying to find a reference photo I have somewhere of the artwork to confirm if it’s the same one.