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Oxford No Photo Available Manufacturer : Airspeed Number Built : 6695 Production Began : 0 Retired : 0 Type : The Oxford was built by Airspeed (4,960), De Havilland (1,515), Percival Aircraft (1,525) and the Standard Motor Group (750) during WW2. It was capable of training pilots, navigators, air gunners, radio operators and flight engineers. As well as equipping service flying schools in Great Britain, they spread out all over the globe, training aircrew in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, and Southern Rhodesia. Nearly 50% of all aircrew who served in the RAF, RCAF, RAAF and RNZAF went through the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, The Oxford was the preferred trainer for the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS) and British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), which sent thousands of potential aircrew to Canada for training. 27 Oxfords were on the strength of No 4 Flying Training School RAF Habbaniya, Iraq in early 1941 and some were converted locally, for use as light bombers to help in the defence of the School against Iraqi forces. Airspeed Ltd was founded by Neville Shute Norway in 1931. N.S. Norway had trained as an aeronautical engineer, and worked under Barnes Wallis (of ‘Bouncing Bomb’ fame) at Vickers Ltd. on the successful R.100 airship. His first design for the new company was the Airspeed A.S.6 Envoy, he was responsible for devising a retractable undercarriage for the Envoy, and it enjoyed both civil and military success – an Envoy served in ‘The King’s Flight’, and was used to convey members of the Royal Family, and the South African Air Force ordered a batch of seven ‘Convertible Envoys’ which could be fitted with an Armstrong Whitworth gun turret and carriers for small bombs, as needed. In 1941, the aviatrix Amy Johnson went missing in an Airspeed Oxford, presumably crashing into the Thames Estuary. After the war, 152 surplus Oxfords were converted into small 6-seat commercial airliners called the AS.65 Consul. A few Oxfords were acquired by the Hellenic Air Force and used during the Greek Civil War by No. 355 Squadron RHAF. Although the Oxford was equipped with fixed-pitch wooden or Fairey-Reed metal propellers, the cockpit contained a propeller pitch lever, which had to be moved from "Coarse" to "Fine" for landing. This was to reinforce this important step for trainee pilots. Oxfords continued to serve the Royal Air Force as trainers and light transports until the last was withdrawn from service in 1956. Some were sold for use by overseas air arms, including the Royal Belgian Air Force.

Oxford

Latest Oxford Artwork Releases !
Operation Charge of the Knights, Basra, Iraq, April 2008 by David Rowlands. (AP)	Sunrise over Bristol Docks by Rodney Charman. (Y)	Tragedy by Moonlight by Ivan Berryman. (PC)	Tugging the Tiger's Tail by Ivan Berryman. (PC)

Top Aces for : Oxford
A list of all Aces from our database who are known to have flown this aircraft. A profile page is available by clicking the pilots name.
Name	Victories	Info
James Douglas Lindsay	7.00	The signature of James Douglas Lindsay features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available.

Squadrons for : Oxford
A list of all squadrons from known to have used this aircraft. A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name.
Squadron	Info
No.1 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 13th May 1912 In Omnibus Princeps - First in all things Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.1 Sqn RAF	No.1 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.
No.101 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 12th July 1917 Mens agitat molem - Mind over matter Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.101 Sqn RAF	No.101 Sqn RAF No 101 Squadron was formed on 12th July 1917 and based at South Farnborough. The squadron was commanded by Major The Hon L J E Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, and by the end of July the squadron was sent to France where 101 Squadron was to become the second specialist night-bomber unit in the Royal Flying Corps. 101 Squadron was equipped with the FE2b two-seat pusher bi-plane and on the 20th September 1917 began flying night bombing missions during the Battle of Menin Ridge. 101 1quadron continued night bombing missions during the 3rd Battle of Ypres and the Battle of Cambrai. 101 squadron attacked several German long-range night bomber airfields during February 1918 and these missions were among the first offensive counter air operations and up until the end of the war continued bombing missions. After the First World War 101 squadron were based in Belgium until March 1919 when returning to Britian and disbanded on the 31st December. No.101 squadron reformed on the 21st March 1928 at RAF Bircham Newton and in March 1929 the squadron was issued with the new bomber the Boulton and Paul Sidestrand. The squadron moved to RAF Andover iIn October 1929 where it remained until December 1934 when 101 squadron moved to RAF Bicester and issued with the the improved Boulton Paul Overstrand, which featured the first powered gun turret in RAF aircraft as well as othe rmodifications including more powerful engines. The Boulton Paul Overstrand is displayed on 101 Squadron's official badge. In June 1938 No 101 Squadron re-equipped with Bristol Blenheim and was stationed now at RAF West Raynham in May 1939, as part of No 2 Group, Bomber Command. When World War Two broke out 101 Squadron were stationed at RAF Brize Norton, but returned to West Raynham. It was not until the fall of France when the squadron became operational but suffered a set back when its officer commanding, Wg Cdr J H Hargroves, and his crew were lost on its first bombing mission on 5th July 1940. During the Battle of Britain 101 Squadron Blenhiems carried out bombing missions against the German barges in French ports as well as German airfields in France. Another OC 101 Squadron, Wg Cdr D Addenbrooke, was lost on the 3rd April while taking part in a raid on French ports just 3 days after taking command. 101 Squadron were re-equipped with the Vickers Wellington in April 1940 and were based at RAF Oakington and became part of No 3 Group bomber command. On the 24th July 101 Squadron lost its first Wellington on a raid against Brest. Ten Wellingtons of 101 Squadron took part in the first 1,000 bomber raid on Cologne, but losses began to mount and between July and September the Squadron lost 20 Wellingtons with 86 aircrew killed. In September 101 Squadron moved to RAF Holme-on-Spalding-Moor in Septmber 1942 and became the first operational Avro Lancaster squadron in No 1 Group.Bomber Command. 101 squadron moved to its final wartime base, RAF Ludford Magna on 15th June 1943. 101 Squadrons Lancasters took part in the raids on Hamburg and the raid on the secret German rocket site at Peenemunde. Over the winter of 1943-1944 No.101 squadron took part in the raid on Berlin but suffered high casualties. On the 31st March 1944, during the Nuremberg Raid, 101 Squadron lost 7 Lancasters and crews out of 26 dispatched. In the spring and summer of 1944 101 squadron attacked targets in France in preparation for and support of the allied invasion of Normandy. On D-Day, the squadron used ABC to jam nightfighter controllers to protect the British airborne landings. After D-Day 101 squadron continued raids on German cities with their last bombing mission on Berchtesgarden on 25th April 1945. 101 bomber squadron suffered the highest casualties of any Royal Air Force Squadron during the Second World War, losing 1176 aircrew killed in action. In October 1945, the Squadron moved to RAF Binbrook and later equipped with Avro Lincolns. In May 1952 101 squadorn became the first bomber squadron to receive the first Jet Bomber the English Electric Canberra B2 and in 1954 were stationed in Malaya carrying out bombing misisons against terrorist targets. In October 1956 during the Suez crisis to Malta for Operation MUSKETEER bombing raids against Egypt befroe being disbanded in February 1957 but in 1959 101 squadron was reformed and re equipped with the new Avro Vulcan B1 and the first squadorn to be armed with the British H Bomb, In 1961 101 squadron moved to RAF Waddington. In 1968 the squadron was equipped with the new Vulcan B2 . In 1982,101 Squadron Vulcans took part in Operation CORPORATE, during the Falklands War. A 101 Squadron crew carried out the first and last Operation BLACKBUCK Vulcan conventional bombing raids on Argentinean forces occupying Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands. These 8,000 mile round trip missions required extensive use of Air to Air refuelling. After the Falklands war 101 squadron was equipped with VC10s and supplied fighter aircraft with air to air refuelling during all major conflicts form Bosnia, to Operation Desert Storm and continues today in this role.
No.116 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 1st December 1917 Fate : Disbanded 21st August 1958 Precision in defence Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.116 Sqn RAF	No.116 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.
No.138 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 20th September 1918 Fate : Disbanded 1st April 1962. For Freedom Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.138 Sqn RAF	No.138 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.
No.162 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 1st June 1918 Fate : Disbanded 14th July 1946 One time, one purpose Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.162 Sqn RAF	No.162 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.
No.17 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 1st February 1915 Excellere contende - Strive to excel Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.17 Sqn RAF	No.17 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.
No.239 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : August 1918 Fate : Disbanded 1st July 1945 Exploramus - We seek out Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.239 Sqn RAF	No.239 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.
No.264 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 27th September 1918 Fate : Disbanded 30th November 1962 Madras Presidency We defy Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.264 Sqn RAF	No.264 Sqn RAF 264 Squadron was formed from two former Royal Naval Air Service flights, No.439 and No.440, on 27th September 1918 at Souda bay in Crete with the role of anti-submarine patrols, and equipped with the Short 184 floatplanes. The Squadron was disbanded on 1 March 1919. On 8th December 1939 at Martlesham Heath, 264 Squadron was reformed and equipped with the new Boulton Paul Defiant fighter. In March 1940 the squadron started operations doing convoy patrols. After initial successes the Luftwaffe soon realised that the Defiant was vulnerable to frontal attack, and 264 Squadron along with the other Boulton Paul Defiant squadrons started to suffer heavy losses of aircraft and crew. At the end of May 1940, 264 Squadron was withdrawn from operations as a day-fighter squadron and began to train in the night-fighter role. During the Battle of Britain 264 Squadron was used again for day fighting but again suffered losses and returned to the night-fighter role. In May 1942 the squadron was re-equipped with Mosquito II and moved to RAF Colerne, and later receieved the new Mark VI. The squadron operated as night-fighters in the west of England and also in the role of day patrols in the Bay of Biscay and western approaches. 264 Squadron later became part of the 2nd Tactical Air Force providing night patrols over Europe and near the end of the war it was based at Twente in Holland patrolling over Berlin. 264 squadron was disbanded at Twente on 25th August 1945.
No.285 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 1st December 1941 Fate : Disbanded 26th June 1945 Respice finem - Consider the end Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.285 Sqn RAF	No.285 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.
No.286 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 17th November 1941 Fate : Disbanded 16th May 1945 Praesidia nostra exercemus - We exercise our defences Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.286 Sqn RAF	No.286 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.
No.287 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 19th November 1941 Fate : Disbanded 15th June 1946 C'est en forgeant - Practice makes perfect Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.287 Sqn RAF	No.287 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.
No.288 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 18th November 1941 Fate : Disbanded 30th September 1957 Honour through deeds Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.288 Sqn RAF	No.288 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.
No.289 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 17th November 1941 Fate : Disbanded 26th June 1945 Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.289 Sqn RAF	No.289 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.
No.307 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 5th September 1940 Fate : Disbanded 2nd January 1947 Polish Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.307 Sqn RAF	No.307 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.
No.34 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 12th January 1916 Fate : Disbanded 31st December 1967 Lupus vult, lupus volat - Wolf wishes, wolf flies Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.34 Sqn RAF	No.34 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.
No.5 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 26th July 1913 Frangas non flectas - Thou mayst break but shall not bend me Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.5 Sqn RAF	No.5 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.
No.526 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 15th June 1943 Fate : Disbanded 1st May 1945 Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.526 Sqn RAF	No.526 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.
No.527 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 15th June 1943 Fate : Disbanded 21st August 1958 Silently we serve Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.527 Sqn RAF	No.527 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.
No.567 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 1st December 1943 Fate : Disbanded 15th June 1946 Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.567 Sqn RAF	No.567 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.
No.57 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 8th June 1916 Corpus non animum muto - I change my body not my spirit Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.57 Sqn RAF	No.57 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.
No.577 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 1st December 1943 Fate : Disbanded 15th June 1946 Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.577 Sqn RAF	No.577 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.
No.587 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 1st December 1943 Fate : Disbanded 15th June 1946 Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.587 Sqn RAF	No.587 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.
No.601 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 14th October 1925 Fate : Disbanded 10th March 1957 County of London (Auxiliary) Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.601 Sqn RAF	No.601 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.
No.608 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 17th March 1930 Fate : Disbanded 10th March 1957 North Riding (Auxiliary) Omnibus ungulis - With all talons Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.608 Sqn RAF	No.608 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.
No.616 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 1st November 1938 Fate : Disbanded 10th March 1957 South Yorkshire (Auxiliary) Nulla rosa sine spina - No rose without thorns Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.616 Sqn RAF	No.616 Sqn RAF 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 squadrons 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.
No.691 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 1st December 1943 Fate : Disbanded 11th February 1949 Volamus ut serviamus - We fly to serve Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.691 Sqn RAF	No.691 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.
No.695 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 1st December 1943 Fate : Disbanded 11th February 1949 We exercise the arms Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.695 Sqn RAF	No.695 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.
No.74 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 1st July 1917 Trinidad I fear no man Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.74 Sqn RAF	No.74 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.

Signatures for : Oxford
A list of all signatures from our database who are associated with this aircraft. A profile page is available by clicking their name.
Name	Info
Flying Officer (Acting Flt/Lt) Bill Anderson Click the name above to see prints signed by Flying Officer (Acting Flt/Lt) Bill Anderson	Flying Officer (Acting Flt/Lt) Bill Anderson Flying Officer (Acting Flt/Lt) Bill Anderson flew with 16 Sqn from 1943 until the war was over. He trained in Georgia, USA, before becoming attached to 16 Sqn at Benson, flying missions over France and Germany. Bill flew many different types of aircraft beginning with a PT17 Stearman in the USA; others include Tiger Moths, Typhoons, Tempest, Harvards, Lysanders, Hurricanes and Oxfords.
Miss Lettice Curtis Click the name above to see prints signed by Miss Lettice Curtis	Miss Lettice Curtis Joined the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) in July 1940 having been taken on to ferry Tiger Moths. Although we were later allowed to ferry other training types such as Oxfords and Masters, it was not until the autumn of 1941 that women were allowed to fly operational aircraft types. I flew my first Hurricane in August 1941 and my first Spitfire a couple of weeks later. After a brief course on a Blenheim I was cleared to fly without any further training, twin-engine bombers up to the Wellington. In November 1943 I was sent on a Halifax course, which due to unserviceability and bad weather closed, restarting in February 1943 at Pocklington where I was cleared for ferrying Halifaxes. After that without further training, I ferried Lancasters and over 100 Stirlings. In November 1945 I ferried 14 Liberators.
Flight Lieutenant Herbert Bert Graham Click the name above to see prints signed by Flight Lieutenant Herbert Bert Graham	Flight Lieutenant Herbert Bert Graham Bert Graham joined the RAF in 1941 and was immediately posted to a pilot training station in Torquay, Devon. After passing his final exams he then went on to fly Tiger Moths, before being posted to RAF Brize Norton flying Oxfords. In 1942 Bert transferred to start flying with 143 Squadron on Blenheims, but quickly moved on to Beaufighters with the North Coates Strike Wing. For his second tour Bert was posted to Scotland flying Mosquitos, where, before the end of hostilities, he completed many port and shipping strikes over Norway and occupied Europe.
Flt Lt Ian de Hamel Click the name above to see prints signed by Flt Lt Ian de Hamel Died : 2003	Flt Lt Ian de Hamel Flt Lt Ian de Hamel flew Sunderlands with Coastal Command, 1944-1945. His introduction to flying was with the University Air Squadron whilst at Oxford, and he volunteered as a pilot in the RAF in 1942. His request to be allowed to serve on flying boats was granted due to his experience and skill in sailing, and he trained with the US Navy at Pensacola. However, due to the RAFs insistence that all flying boat pilots must also be fully trained navigators, he flew on Oxfords for a while before starting operations on Sunderlands with 228 Sqn at Pembroke Dock. These consisted of long and exhausting patrols hunting U-Boats in the Bay of Biscay and the North Atlantic before his transfer, as Captain, to 201 Sqn, also at Pembroke Dock. His flying career ended with this unit at Calshot in 1945 when he left the RAF. He died in 2003.
W/O J W Hill Click the name above to see prints signed by W/O J W Hill	W/O J W Hill Joined 196 Squadron on his 18th birthday, 25th November 1939, having cycled ten miles to the nearest recruiting office, hoping to enlist as an air gunner. However there were no vacancies and they eventually contacted him to suggest becoming a ground gunner. After square bashing on Blackpool promenade, he found himself guarding West Raynham aerodrome in Norfolk, where they were regularly strafed by German aeroplanes, flying extremely low. He then decided he would like to get his own back and volunteered for aircrew, this time as a pilot. After ACRC, Lords cricket ground, then ITW Scarborough, he found himself crossing the Atlantic in a convoy. There were numerous ships, containing budding aircrews, evacuated children and Italian prisoners of war. The fact that he had to sling his hammock at the very front of the ship, below the waterline, did nothing to boost his confidence, but they did have a number of destroyers for protection. Eventually, they docked at New York and then trans-shipped by rail to Moncton, New Brunswick, the holding terminal. His first experience of flying was at 32 EFTS Bowden, Alberta, where he flew Stearmans. He then moved on to Weyburn, Saskatchewan, where he obtained his wings, flying Harvards. Then it was back to England, this time travelling solo on a fast liner. He flew Tiger Moths at Banff, Scotland, then moved to twin-engine Oxfords, followed by Wellingtons. This was where he crewed up â€" he did one bombing raid on Wellingtons. Next he moved to 1665 Heavy Conversion Unit at Woolfox Lodge, flying Stirlings, then joined 196 Squadron on 5th November 1943. At the time of joining the Squadron, Stirlings were taken off bombing, and joined 38 group, assisting glider pilots with circuits and bumps, interspersed with operations to France, dropping supplies to the maquis. These trips were done at low level on moonlit nights, the theory being that they would be too low for both fighters and ground gunners to get at them. The biggest problem seemed to be avoiding high ground. On the night of 5th June, D-Day minus one, he dropped paratroopers near Caen, close to the now famous Pegasus Bridge. Then on D-Day itself, he towed a heavy Horsa glider to the Caen beachhead. During June he dropped more containers in the area. In September he made various trips to Arnhem. On one trip, due to fog over the North Sea, his glider became detached, finishing up in the sea. Luckily he later learnt the occupants were picked up by Air-Sea Rescue. These trips were done at a very low level, making them sitting ducks for the ground gunners. Aircraft losses were very severe: on one day, less than half the squadron got back to base, although some put down at other aerodromes. On one day, in addition to the gunners, there were German fighters overhead. He would have to take the decision to dive to the deck, lifting over the high-tension cables; the aeroplane escaped relatively lightly, with not much damage. He left the Squadron on completion of his tour in 38 group, on 6th June 1945. He then went back to 1665 HCU, this time as an instructor. Apart from a course on Oxfords at 7 FIS, he finished flying on 25th September 1945 and was demobbed on 27th March 1946, having completed a total of 1,021 hours flying.
Wing Commander B.E. Dick Hogan Click the name above to see prints signed by Wing Commander B.E. Dick Hogan	Wing Commander B.E. Dick Hogan Pilot, transferred from the Army to the Royal Air Force in May 1941 and was trained as a pilot on Tiger Moths at Brough on Humberside and on Air Speed Oxfords at Grantham, Lincs. After qualifying in December 1941, he served at several flying stations in the UK, before being posted to Army Cooperation at Old Sarum, Salisbury, as a Flying Instructor. It was here in the Officers’ Mess one night after dinner, that he first met the legendary Group Captain Charles Pickard DSO, DFC. who had recently assumed command of 140 Mosquito Wing in 2 Group. Group Captain Pickard was on the lookout for suitable pilots to join his wing, and was personally recruiting likely chaps in his travels around the flying stations and at the RAF Club in Piccadilly, London, as casualties had been high and replacements too slow coming from the Mosquito Operational Training Unit. After a late night drink Group Captain Pickard asked Dick Hogan two questions, Have you flown 1000 hours and also twin-engined aircraft? After receiving an affirmative reply, he wrote Hogan’s name on the back of an envelope and left the Mess. At the time it was every pilot’s ambition to fly the Mosquito, particularly the Mark V1 Fighter Bomber on low-level operations. The competition was fierce and Hogan’s expectations were none too high after this informal late-night encounter with Pickard. However a few days later he was posted direct to 140 Wing at Sculthorpe, Norfolk where, on arrival, he found great activity on the Wing as they were preparing for the first low-level- raid on the V1 Flying Bomb sites in France. The first attack was to be led by Air Vice Marshal Basil Embry, DSO, DFC, AFC. the Air Officer Commanding 2 Group. His navigator was to be Francis Chichester the famous navigator and yachtsman. Soon after this raid the Wing moved to a new airfield at Hunsdon just north of London. Here Hogan was able to complete a couple of conversion flights and was teamed up with navigator Alan Crowfoot, a splendid, imperturbable Australian. After 10 training flights they were launched into Operation No Ball the code name for the systematic low-level bombing of all the known flying bomb sites, located mainly in the Pas De Calais area. It was tree and wave top flying to keep under the German radar. On approach to the target the boxes of 4 Mosquitoes would climb to about 400 feet, then a shallow dive followed at approximately 50 feet with the bomb release by the pilot of 4 x 500 lb. 11 second delay bombs. (The pilot’s stick head had four separate controls for the operation of; (1) 4 x 20MM Canon (2) 4 x .303 Machine Guns (3) V.H.F. Transmit Button 4) Bomb Release Button.) In the heat of the moment errors could occur! Following 140 Wing’s raid on the prison at Amiens on 18th February 1944, low-level raids were phased out and the Wing tried high-level bombing with a lead aircraft from the Pathfinder Force, followed thereafter by night interdiction. The Germans had re-calibrated their gunsights and the low-level daylight strategy was now too expensive. In the spring of 1944 Hogan spent some months in RAF Hospital, Ely before being returned to duty with a limited medical category. Then followed ground appointments at the Central Fighter Establishment, Tangmere and Air Ministry, London, before being posted overseas to the British Military Mission in Budapest in 1946. This was the beginning of a series of Special Duty assignments, which were followed by attaché posts at the British Embassies in Baghdad, Bonn, Berne and Rome. Hogan also flew Wellingtons, Lancasters and the earlier post-war jets and qualified from the Central Flying School in November 1955 as a jet instructor. From there he took over the University of Birmingham Air Squadron and then as C.O. RAF Staging Post at Hickham A.F.B. Hawaii, the support unit for the atomic test base on Christmas Island. In August 1973 he was recruited by the International Red Cross to coordinate the medical and relief aid in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Wing Commander Hogan retired from the RAF after 33 years of service.
Wing Commander James Lindsay DFC Click the name or photo above to see prints signed by Wing Commander James Lindsay DFC Ace : 7.00 Victories	Wing Commander James Lindsay DFC Born in September 1922, James Doug Lindsay joined the RCAF in February 1941, training on Harvards. He was posted to the UK, arriving in March 1943 and joining 403 Sqn in October that year. In his first tour, he claimed 5 Me109s as well as 2 Fw190s, plus another damaged. Of the Me109s he shot down, three of these were in a single minute, earning him a DFC. For his second tour, he rejoined 403 Sqn in April 1945, claiming a probable Fw190 during his short time with this squadron before he moved to 416 squadron until the end of the war in Europe. After the war he stayed with the air force, and in 1952 served during the Korean war with the USAF. He flew F-86 Sabres with the 39th Fighter Squadron of the 51st Fighter Wing, claiming victories over two MiG-15s and damaging 3 others. In 1953, he returned to the UK with No.1 Fighter Wing leading Sabres in formation at the Queen's Coronation. He retired in 1972, having flown more than 30 different types of aircraft (excluding different Mks). These included, Harvard, Anson, Master, Spitfire, Typhoon, Tempest, Hurricane, Mustang, Beaufort, Beaufighter, Oxford, Dakota, Tiger Moth, Vampire and Sabre.
Flight Lieutenant Derek Lovell Click the name above to see prints signed by Flight Lieutenant Derek Lovell	Flight Lieutenant Derek Lovell Volunteered for the RAFVR in January 1941. He trained in Canada on Tiger Moths and Oxfords. He received his wings in April 1942 and was posted to Central Flying School. Following graduation, he taught Fleet Air Arm trainees on Harvards. He returned to the UK in March 1943 and flew Masters at AFU and Hurricanes at OTU. He taught Lancaster crews fighter evasion prior to posting to 84 GSU to fly Typhoons. He joined 197 Squadron at Needs Oar Point in the New Forest in June 1944 and was involved in close support operations and tactical dive bombing and low level bombing throughout the Normandy campaign and on through to VE-Day. He completed 135 operations and in August 1945 was posted to an OTU to instruct on Typhoons and Tempest Vs. He was demobbed in June 1946 and flew weekends in the VR on Tiger Moths and later Chipmunks. He was called up on the G Reserve in July 1951 and flew Harvards, Spitfire XXIIs and then Vampire Vs. He stood down in September as the Korea situation eased.
Flt. Lt. John Tattersall Click the name above to see prints signed by Flt. Lt. John Tattersall	Flt. Lt. John Tattersall Made his first attempt at becoming a pilot by joining the waiting list for Pilots of Manchester Auxiliary Squadron. He joined the RAF as a clerk in 1940 and remustered Aircrew in May 1941 and by June was on his way to the US Naval Air Service Station, Pensacola, Florida as a member of the first group of students under the TOWER scheme. On his first day solo in October 1941 he crashed and woke up in hospital with a headache and scratched eyebrows. Eleven days later he was flying again and finally gained his wings in May 1942 on Catalinas. Returning to the UK he spent some time flying 'Oxfords' before being posted to 131 OTU, Loch erne, N. Ireland. In January 1943 he passed out as an aircraft Commander and joined 210 Sqdn at Pembroke Dock in February. He spent the next ten months (some 700 flying hours) flying over the Bay of Biscay on Anti-Sub operations including Leigh Leight operations, some convoy and naval co-operation. In January 1944, 210 Sqd. disbanded and he returned for a short spell to 131 OTU before being seconded to BOAC in April 1944. With BOAC he flew on the civil version of the Sunderland and 'c' class flying boats thence landplanes - Arginaut, Comet, Britannias (102 and 312) and VC10s retiring in 1973 to a ground job as Flight Crew Executive until May 1976.
Flt Lt B S Turner DFC Click the name above to see prints signed by Flt Lt B S Turner DFC	Flt Lt B S Turner DFC Volunteered for the RAF in 1940 and trained as a Heavy Bomber pilot flying Tiger Moths, Airspeed Oxfords and Wellingtons at Hatfield, South Cerney and Pershore respectively. His first operational posting was to a grass field aerodrome at Feltwell where he flew Wellingtons with 75 NZ Sqn. After a tour of 37 trips mainly over Germany he then spent two and a half years as taxi driver with various navigation training flights and some two years later was posted to 61 Sqn at Skellingforth for a second tour of ops flying Lancasters - flying N for Nan on her 100th trip. After 21 ops he went to T.R.E. Defford as an experimental pilot. At that time the Air Force was preparing Tiger Force for the invasion of Japan, but because of the atomic bomb being dropped the invasion did not take place. Flying at Defford was with radar boffins testing their various offensive and defensive radar equipment in about ten different types of aircraft. In 1946 Fly Lt Turner left the Air Force.
Warrant Officer Peter Wall Click the name above to see prints signed by Warrant Officer Peter Wall	Warrant Officer Peter Wall Joined the RAF at the Air Crew Reception Centre at Lords Cricket Ground, London in 1941 and after Initial Training Wing at Clare College, Cambridge, found himself en route to the USA to take part in the Arnold Scherne, being trained to be a pilot by the South East Army Air Corps in Florida, Georgia and Alabama. After 200 hours of training Peter graduated at a ceremony where he was given the silver wings normally awarded to the American cadets - the RAF wings came later out of a cardboard box! On return to the UK and after six weeks at the Advanced Flying Unit at Bodney, Norfolk, he was posted to the target towing at 61 OTU, Rednal and West Felton, flying Westland Lysanders and Miles Martinets, towing drogues for the Spitfire pilots to shoot at. After six months he joined a Spitfire course and after completion Peter was sent to Hawkinge, Kent to join No 41 Sqdn who were flying a new Spitfire, the Mark 12 with the Griffon engine developing nearly 2000 horsepower. The task there was to protect the bombers returning from raids in Northern France. From there the Sqdn was sent to Beachy Head to deal with the hit and run raiders attacking Eastbourne and other South Coast towns. Up until then it had been forbidden to take the aircraft over to the continent but the policy changed and the Sqdn joined up with 91 Sqdn to form a Wing acting as escort cover to the bombers trying to destroy the V1 and V2 sites. Returning from one of these operations he had an accident on landing and was sent to Training Command as an Instructor! After converting to the twin engine Oxford he taught trainees at Southrop Advanced Flying Unit for a further six months when he was selected to be an instructor at Luisgate Bottom teaching ex-operational Bomber pilots to be OTU instructors. Whilst there, he gained an A2 instructing category. As not so many instructors were then required the Unit was closed down and he then went to Church Lawford where he taught Naval Officers to fly on Harvards without any preliminary training on simpler aircraft quite successfully!
F/Lt Geoffrey Ware, DFC AE FCA Click the name above to see prints signed by F/Lt Geoffrey Ware, DFC AE FCA	F/Lt Geoffrey Ware, DFC AE FCA Started his RAF career in December 1940 at No 1 Receiving Wing Babbacombe, then No 4 Initial Training Wing at Paignton. A long wait in the Liverpool area during which it was sunbathing or fatigues, led to a five-week trip in convoy to South Africa. There followed an enthralling year in what was then Southern Rhodesia for Elementary Flying Training on Tiger Moths and Service Flying Training on Harvards leading to the award of Wings. Instead of being sent to the Middle East, as was normal, a fast, unescorted trip took a boatload of fledgling pilots and navigators back to the UK. It appeared that the strategy of the war had changed and the emphasis was then on the build up of Bomber Command and therefore he was converted to multi-engined aircraft on Oxfords at South Cerney and on Wellingtons at further conversion to Stirlings at Waterbeach, plus two further crew members (making a crew of seven) and on to an operational tour with XV Squadron at Bourn and the award of the WC. It may be appropriate here to mention that the navigator was Brian E.B. Harris, DFC who has provided pictures and information to the authors of Oxford's Own (a history of XV Squadron) and The Stirling. He has also produced a video tape called Remember The Stirling. Brian is now the Chairman of 7he Stirling Project' which is a charity devoted to trying to build a Stirling aircraft for display purposes. (for further details tel: 01483 892626) Following the appropriate training F/Lt Ware became an Instructor at an Operational Training Unit and was Mentioned in Dispatches. After the War was over he transferred to Transport Command and spent the rest of his time in the RAF flying Liberators, mostly empty, to Karachi, and returning with 26 passengers, mostly troops. It was not easy to give up flying completely and he remained with the RAFVR and the RAux AF until they closed down, as a relief from and transition to, training to be a Chartered Accountant.

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