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Cranston Fine Arts Aviation Art World War Two Veteran Signatures UK and Commonwealth P Patterson, Charles |
[UP] - Page, Frederick - Page, Geoffrey - Palliser, Charles - Parfitt, Bill - Parker, Charles - Parkin, Eric - Parkin, Harold - Parkinson, Colin - Parrott, Peter - Parry, D - Parry, Gwyn - Parry, Hugh - Parsons, Beck - Parsons, Lou - Partridge, Richard - Patterson, Charles - Patterson, Ernie - Pattison, H - Paulk, John - Payne, Aan - Payne, Tom - Pearl, John - Pearson, R - Peel, John - Pegler, Roy - Pemberton, John - Penny, Michael - Perks, Geoffrey - Petrie-Andrews, John - Phillips, D F W - Phillips, J - Phillips, Pip - Pickering, James - Pickering, Tony - Pinfold, Herbert - Pinner, Al - Pinning, Jim - Pitt-Brown, Willam - Plumridge, Ken - Pottinger, Ron - Poore, Arthur - Pears, Harry - Prichard, George - Pugh, Dei - Pujji, Mahinder |
Squadron Leader Charles Patterson
Charles Patterson joined the RAF on the outbreak of WWII and flew Whitleys. He switched to Blenheims in 1940 with 114 Squadron on anti-shipping operations over Norway. After a period instructing he briefly flew Bostons before converting to Mosquitoes with 105 Squadron flying mostly Daylight raids, but also the first night raid to Berlin. In January 1943 he was selected as pilot for the Mosquito Film Unit and flew Mosquito DZ414 (now restored) on over 20,000 operational hours both day and night. In September 1943 he converted 3 Ventura Squadrons to Mosquitoes under Group Captain Pickard. In total he completed an unprecedented 3 tours on Mosquitoes, his final tour being with 487 Squadron (New Zealand) mainly on strikes against V1 sites. On D-Day he flew the film unit Mosquito over the beach head during the invasion.
| Squadron Leader Charles Patterson - Signed Aviation Art |
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| Text for the above items : |
Rangers on the Rampage by Robert Taylor. Flying the high speed low level Day Ranger missions in the Mosquito was one of the most exhilarating forms of aerial combat experienced by aircrews in WWII. Given a free hand at squadron level to select targets of opportunity deep inside enemy held territory, operating the fastest piston engined aircraft of the war, the Ranger Mosquito crews wreaked havoc in the air and on the ground literally all over occupied Europe. Approaching their targets at tree top height, often completely undetected, the element of surprise was usually total; one pair of Mosquitoes arriving over an airfield near Kronigsburg found a ceremonial parade in progress, broke up the party, and departed within seconds leaving five aircraft burning and a bunch of German generals diving for cover beneath thei staff cars! Typical of the Day Ranger squadrons was No.418 City of Edmonton Squadron RCAF. Flying the Mosquito Fighter-Bomber MkVI, they completed over 3000 effective missions, destroyed 172 enemy aircraft - 73 on the ground - damaged a further 103, and in addition brought down 83 buzz-bombs and destroyed countless vehicles. In company with other Mosquito Ranger squadrons, they rampaged across Europe with outstanding courage in the best traditions of the RAF and Commonwealth Air Forces. Robert Taylors painting dramatically brings to life a Mosquito attack on a German fighter station deep inside Germany. Arriving over the target at little above hangar height, the two-ship mission announce their arrival by raking the field with cannon and machine gun fire. Within seconds both aircraft have scored direct hits with their 50lb bombs, and before the defensive flak guns can get the range, the pair have departed for home. |
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This website is owned by Cranston Fine Arts. Torwood House, Torwoodhill Road, Rhu, Helensburgh, Scotland, G848LE Contact: Tel: (+44) (0) 1436 820269. Email: cranstonorders -at- outlook.com
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