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Merv Shipard

Name : Merv Shipard Died : 1st March 2003 Awards : Distinguished Flying Cross

In August 1941 Australian Merv Shipard was posted to 68 Sqn, along with his radar operator Douggie Oxby (later to become the RAFs top scoring radar operator, assisting in 22 kills), here they scored their first victory. On the 1st of November 1941 Mervyn Shipard DFC intercepted and destroyed a bomb laden Heinkel III headed for Liverpool. The stricken aircraft crashed into farmland near Llangefni on Anglesey – which is an island off Wales. Shipard and Oxby deliberately sought out more opportunities together to become involved in the thick of the action. In early 1942 they were posted to Egypt to join 89 Sqn, before being sent to Malta on 22nd June, where they quickly scored six confirmed kills, and probably one more. They the claimed 6 kills in North Africa. Merv Shipard was posted back to Australia, having achieved 13 confirmed victories. Merv Shipard joined Qantas in 1957 he started flying L1049, Electras and then 707s his final flight was in June 1973 after which he was appointed B707 flight simulator instructor, retireing from Qantas in June 1979. Sadly Mervyn Charles Shipard DFC and Bar passed away on the 1st March 2003.

Aircraft for : Merv Shipard
A list of all aircraft associated with Merv Shipard. A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name.
Aircraft	Info
Beaufighter Click the name above to see prints featuring Beaufighter aircraft. Manufacturer : Bristol Production Began : 1940 Number Built : 5564	Beaufighter BRISTOL BEAUFIGHTER The Bristol Beaufighter was a Torpedo Bomber and had a crew of two. with a maximum speed of 330mph and a ceiling of 29,000 feet. maximum normal range of 1500 miles but could be extended to 1750 miles. The Bristol Beaufighter carried four 20mm cannon in the belly of the aircraft and upto six .303in browning machine guns in the wings. it could also carry eight 3 -inch rockets, 1605 lb torpedo or a bomb load of 1,000 lb. The Bristol Beaufighter first flew in July 1939 and with some modifications entered service with the Royal Air Force in July 1940. In the winter of 1940 - 1941 the Beaufighter was used as a night fighter. and in March 1941 the aircraft was used at Coastal Command as a long range strike aircraft. and in 1941, the Beaufighter arrived in North Africa and used as a forward ground attack aircraft. The Bristol Beaufighter was used also in India, Burma and Australia. A total of 5,564 Beaufighters were built until production in Britain finished in 1945, but a further 364 were built in Australia for the Australian Air Force

Squadrons for : Merv Shipard
A list of all squadrons known to have been served with by Merv Shipard. A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name.
Squadron	Info
No.68 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 30th January 1917 Fate : Disbanded 20th January 1959 Vzdy pripraven - Always ready Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.68 Sqn RAF	No.68 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.
No.89 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 8th October 1917 Fate : Disbanded 1st March 1965 Deiu auxilio telis meis - By the help of God with my own weapons Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.89 Sqn RAF	No.89 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.

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