Warportraits - Portraits of war

[Smithy]

Here's two great (IMHO) photos of Erich Topp, one of the leading U-boat aces of the war.

 

[Absinthe_1900]

Col H. Franklin Gregory, the first U.S. Air Corps pilot to fly a helicopter.
Frank Gregory was instrumental in getting the U.S. Air Corps to adopt these noisy, vibrating, machines, that would go on to save countless lives.

Col. H.F. Gregory with the Sikorsky XR-5 during W.W. II

 

[Treetopflyer]

Finally!

Finally a helicopter! Thanks Absinthe.

 

[Absinthe_1900]

Col. Frank Gregory accepting the XR-1A at Wright Field June 1944.

 

[HadleyH]

Unsung Heroes!

Aboard the USS Saratoga (1943)

 

[Kitty_Sheridan]

Some amazing pics chaps!

A couple from my own collection:

Wilmoth Thomas Purdy, RCAF killed august 1941 in Yorkshire. I look after his grave, his sister Lily had her ashes interred there last yr.

The second is of a Belgian soldier, I picked him up at a car boot sale and all it says on the back is 'I hope you will always remember your Belgian friend, Georges' I just think he's lovely!!!

Thirdly, my all time hero-Eugenisz Horbaczewski 315 Deblin Squadron. If I could meet with anyone and chat it would be him. Every one of his former sqdn colleagues I've ever met talks about him with such affection and respect. I'm going to France next yr and want to lay flowers on his grave at Creill.

 

[Spitfire]

What wonderfull portraits, Kitty. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Smithy]

Kitty if you are interested I have some photos and info on "Horby" as well as a very nice profile of the Spit he was flying whilst commanding the Polish Fighting Team in Tunisia in the spring of 1943.

If you would like scans PM me and I will send this through to you.

Cheers,

Smithy.

 

[desertweasel]

Some Canucks

Since my area of interest is RCAF aces of WWII, here's some steely-eyed Canucks (courtesy of AcesofWW2.com)

Here's a shot of Bob Middlemiss and George 'Screwball' Beurling while serving with 403 Squadron, RCAF.

'Buck' McNair admires his portrait painted by 411 RCAF artist Bob Hyndman, note the 'goldfish club' badge on McNair's battle dress pocket:

'Willie' McKnight flew wing for Douglas Bader in 242 Squadron.

A medical student before the war, McKnight adorned his aircraft with two grim reapers, one on each side of the cockpit:

 

[Spitfire]

19 year old Pilot Officer Keith Gillman of No. 32 squadron. Missing over the Channel august 25 1940 - one of the first cassualties in Battle of Britain.

The portrait was later used by the artist George Campbell - and for the cover of this famous book:

 

[Smithy]

Fantastic book, a must have for any Battle of Britain fan!

 

[Smithy]

Here's a couple more which I like, Anders "Andy" Lassen, a Danish member of the SAS who won the VC. The eyes tell it all

And the quintessential public perception of a Battle of Britain pilot, complete with "RAF moustache", Basil "Stapme" Stapleton (his biography published by Grub Street is a great read - I'm the proud owner of a copy signed by Stapme and two other BoB pilots)

 

[BellyTank]

SBS/Special Boat Section

Posthumous V.C. April '45, Lake Comacchio, Italy.

One of my heroes too.

BT

 

[Twitch]

Here's a couple of my father back in the day...

 

[Smithy]

Great photos Twitch, bet you're proud of the old boy!

 

[Spitfire]

Great pics, Twitch. It allways strikes me how young they were.

 

[Twitch]

Yeah, the days of 20 year old majors and 21 year old colonels.

 

[Micawber]

Lt.Col Marvin Lord (91st BG(H), Bassingbourn) who lost his life leading the 91st on a mission to Berlin, Feb 3, 1945.

 

[fishmeok]

This is a series of photo's I scanned from a post war commemerative yearbook for the 95th BG. Some amazing stuff and it includes aspects of base operations you don't see much of- security, administration, motorpool, etc.

http://s129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/fishmeok/linux dump/95th BG/

Cheers
Mark

 

[Smithy]

Thanks for those Mark, some wonderful photos in there.

How's that new A-2? Getting lots of use I bet