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Special Events Collections |
This painting depicts the capture of F/O Barry Davidson on a French beach between Calais and Dunquerque on 6 July, 1940 after his Blenheim IV had been hit by flak. It was the beginning of over five years of captivity for F/O Davidson and his crew. The painting honours all Canadian aircrew who became Prisoners of War. Barry Davidson Jr. and other members of the Davidson family unveiled the painting on 12 August, 2000.
Commissioned to honour the first of the ten thousand Canadians killed serving with Bomber Command, this painting depicts the Blenheim IV Bomber flown by Sgt. Albert Stanley Prince being shot down as it attacked the German battleship Admiral Scheer on 4 September, 1939. Sgt. Prince's son, William B. Prince of Stoke-on-Trent, England, unveiled the painting at a ceremony held on 4 September, 1999.
This painting depicts W/C Guy Gibson attacking the Mohne Dam just after midnight on 17 May, 1943. As they approached the dam, P/O "Terry" Taerum watched the downward projecting spotlights from the side-blister in the cockpit and directed Gibson to the required 60' altitude. The painting was commissioned to commemorate the Sixtieth Anniversary of the Dams Raid. It was unveiled on 16 August, 2003 by Fred Sutherland, front-gunner aboard F/L Knight's Lancaster that breached the Eder Dam, and Rob Taerum, Terry Taerum's nephew.
Honouring the Lancaster Bomber, this painting depicts No. 419 Squadron Lancaster KB-732 about to touch down at Middleton-St. George following its last operation of the war. VR-X completed 84 operations against the enemy, more than any other Canadian built Lancaster. As well, it destroyed two enemy fighters. The painting was unveiled on 18 August, 2001 by Lt. Col. Steve Hill, Commanding Officer No. 419 Squadron, and Howard Witwer, a 419 Squadron pilot who flew three operations in VR-X during World War II.
This painting was commissioned for the museum's "Operation Manna Commemoration" held on 22 July, 1995. The aircraft depicted is the No. 625 Squadron Lancaster flown by F/O Joe English, currently a resident of Nanton. Mr. English and his crew were aboard one of the lead aircraft on the opening day of the operation. They all agreed that it truly was, "The best raid of the War."
In October, 1943, the first two Fairchild Cornell trainers arrived at No. 5 Elementary Flying Training Station at High River, Alberta. Soon the school's De Havilland Tiger Moths were replaced by the more modern monoplane. Tiger Moth #1214 was flown by Gordon Jones during World War II and Gordon continues to fly the aircraft in 2003. Tiger Moth #4176 was flown by Bruce Warren for this first solo and #4990 was flown by his twin, Douglas Warren, for his. #4080 was flown by Murray Peden for his first solo flight. Commissioned as part of the museum's "Salute to the BCATP" event, the painting was unveiled on 24 August, 2002 by Gordon Jones, former flying instructor at No. 5 EFTS.
This painting depicts Avro Lancaster designer Roy Chadwick standing below the nose of BT308 following the Lancaster's first flight at Woodford on 9 July, 1941. Mr. Chadwick's daughter Margaret, who joined him to watch the first flight, may be seen in the background. Margaret Dove, is the Nanton Lancaster Society's Honourary President. The painting was unveiled by Roy Chadwick's nephew, Donald S. Hudson of Calgary, Alberta on 26 July, 1997.
Through this painting the Society honours four vital components of the successful air war against the Nazis. The lower section depicts aircraft at a British Commonwealth Air Training Plan base, focusing on the contribution of women to its operation. The top right image honours members of the airforce ground crews, here shown servicing a Halifax Bomber. In the top left, tribute is paid to Fighter Command, exemplified by the two Spitfires flown by the Warren Twins. The centre of the painting honours the aircrew of Bomber Command as a Lancaster piloted by Nanton native Glen Ransom is shown crossing the French coast. The painting was unveiled by former Ferry Command pilot Marie Wright of Edmonton on 27 July, 1996.
This painting was unveiled by Major General Lloyd Campbell, commanding officer of No. 1 Canadian Air Division. Our 1998 event honoured members of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets as well as current and past members of the Canadian Airforce.
Honouring members of the Pathfinder squadrons, this painting is of a raid led by No. 405, the Canadian Pathfinder squadron, on the railway yards at Montzen, Belgium on the night of 27/28 April, 1944. Depicted is a point during the raid shortly after W/C Edward W. Blenkinsop had dropped his target markers and was about to be attacked by an enemy fighter. The aircraft banking in the upper portion of the painting is being flown by W/C Reg Lane. The painting was unveiled by Reg Lane DSO DFC & Bar on 31 July, 1994. Lt. General Lane (ret'd) was the Master Bomber on this raid that was successful but at a heavy cost in Canadian aircraft and aircrew.
This painting was commissioned by the Society to honour all of Bomber Command's air gunners. It depicts an incident during the night of 10/11 June, 1944 when No. 424 Squadron Halifax "Dipsy Doodle" was attacked by an Me110 fighter and then almost immediately afterwards by an Me109. A fighter flare had been dropped to aid the enemy in locating the bombers, but in this case it worked to the air gunners' advantage, silhouetting the attacking fighters. The mid-upper gunner, Sgt. Peter Engbrecht, and the rear gunner, Sgt. Gordon Gillanders, shot down both aircraft. The families of Peter Engbrecht and Gordon Gillanders unveiled it at the museum's "Salute to the Air Gunners" on 14 August, 2004.
Commissioned for the museum's tribute to the RCAF's post-war Lancaster crews and unveiled at its "Lancs in the Fifties" event in 2008, the painting depicts an operation during Lancaster FM-159's service with No. 407 Maritime Reconnaissance Squadron. During 1955, the Royal Canadian Navy cruiser HMCS Ontario had travelled through the Panama Canal and was en route to Esquimalt, British Columbia. Lancasters of No. 407 Squadron provided an escort and engaged in simulated attacks so that the ship's crew could hone their anti-aircraft gunnery skills. The painting was unveiled by Duke Dawe who was the flight engineer aboard RX-159 that day.