RAAF nose art ww2

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c.1943 Nose art of 460 Squadron RAAF Lancaster bomber aircraft. The 16 operations flown by this aircraft are represented by rows of bombs.
United Kingdom: England, Lincolnshire, Binbrook

Nose art of 460 Squadron RAAF Lancaster bomber aircraft (Possibly Z Zebra). The 28 operations flown by this aircraft are represented by rows of bombs.
1943 Lincolnshire, Binbrook

Northern Australia. "Rilee Marikee" nose art on a Vultee Vengeance dive bomber aircraft of No. 12 Squadron RAAF

Cairns, Qld. 1944. Nose art below the cockpit canopy of a RAAF Catalina aircraft.

Nose art of 460 Squadron RAAF Lancaster bomber aircraft Q Queen. A curvaceous woman sits on a three dimentional Q. The 29 operations flown by this aircraft are represented by rows of bombs
England, Lincolnshire, Binbrook
c 1943

Nose art of 463 or 467 Squadron RAAF Lancaster bomber aircraft T Tare. A reclining woman features in the artwork. The 37 operations flown by this aircraft are represented by boomerangs.
United Kingdom: England, Lincolnshire, Binbrook
c 1943

Wagga, NSW. c 1947. The nose section of an RAAF Beaufort bomber "Scotty's Homin Pidgin", showing the nose art and the mission tally painted under the cockpit window. This aircraft is being dismantled in a wrecking yard.

RAAF liberator Ceylon 1945

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Falconara, Italy. c. November 1944. A fitter of No. 454 Squadron RAAF, inspects the nose art on a RAAF Martin Baltimore aircraft

Morotai. 1945. Flying Officer Alan Miller RAAF, navigator (left) and Flying Officer Vic Tovey RAAF, pilot, both of of No. 22 Squadron RAAF sitting on the nose of their Beaufighter aircraft. The nose art is of the famous australian cartoon character Ginger Meggs and his dog with PU.

 

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NOEMFOOR ISLAND, DUTCH NEW GUINEA. C. 1944- " ON AIRCRAFT OF NO. 78 (KITTYHAWK) SQUADRON RAAF

VIVIGANI, GOODENOUGH ISLAND, PAPUA. 1943-07-02. THE EMBLEM "GHOST SHIP" (NOSE ART) PAINTED ON THE KITTYHAWK AIRCRAFT OF NO. 77 SQUADRON RAAF FLOWN BY FLYING OFFICER J. V. HACKETT OF TOWNSVILLE, QLD.

MILNE BAY, PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 1943 PAINTED AS NOSE ART ON THEIR AIRCRAFT, THE FIERY MOUSTACHE INSIGNIA ADOPTED BY NO. 6 (BEAUFORT) SQUADRON RAAF AND MODELLED BY THEIR COMMANDING OFFICER, WING COMMANDER W. G. LEER DFC AFC.

VIVIGANI, GOODENOUGH ISLAND, PAPUA. 1943 "SECRET WEAPON" IS THE EMBLEM (NOSE ART) PAINTED ON THE KITTYHAWK AIRCRAFT OF NO. 77 SQUADRON RAAF

An Avro Lancaster bomber aircraft of 463 Squadron RAAF, with nose art depicting "Lonesome Lola?," a scantily clad woman, and bombs representing a tally of operations into Europe. The Lancaster nose art, which decorated nearly all RAAF heavy bombers, was painted by squadron ground staff at Waddington airfield, Britain.

An Avro Lancaster bomber aircraft of 463 Squadron RAAF, with nose art depicting a kangaroo and joey, the latter reaching from its mother's pouch to smash a swastika with a mallet. To the left of the illustration is the Latin phrase "Veni Vidi Vici" (I came, I saw, I conquered). The Lancaster nose art, which decorated nearly all RAAF heavy bombers, was painted by squadron ground staff at Waddington airfield, Britain.

An Avro Lancaster bomber aircraft of 463 Squadron RAAF
Waddington airfield, Britain.

An Avro Lancaster bomber aircraft of 463 Squadron RAAF, with nose art depicting "Joe the 'Obo," a swagman with a billy and blanket roll, beside which is written 'Olwyn's revenge.' A row of miniature Joe's to the right represent a tally of operations into Europe. The Lancaster nose art, which decorated nearly all RAAF heavy bombers, was painted by squadron ground staff at Waddington airfield, Britain.

AN EXAMPLE OF NOSE ART ON THE SIDE OF A BALTIMORE BOMBER, "GENTLEMAN GEORGE", OF NO. 459 SQUADRON RAAF

Kiriwina, Trobriand Islands, Papua. October 1943. A bull with a Japanese flag, nose art, on the port side engine cowlings of a No. 79 Squadron RAAF Spitfire Mk Vc aircraft on Kiriwina airfield

 

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Kiriwina, Trobriand Islands, Papua. September 1943. A girlie drawing named 'Nipponese', nose art on the port side cowling of a No. 79 Squadron RAAF Spitfire Mk Vc aircraft on the airfield.

Nose art on an Avro Lancaster aircraft code named 'P' Peter (W4881) of 460 Squadron, RAAF. The nose art painted on the side of the aircraft depicts male and female cartoon caricatures arm in arm. The male figure is wearing a grass skirt and holding a boomerang
trailing string, to which are attached the caricatured heads of Adolph Hitler, Benito Mussolini, the Japanese emperor Hirohito and a bone. The female is wearing an Australian flag skirt, bangle, necklace and a hibiscus in her hair. The aircraft has been named 'Fooship IV' and next to the nose art is the aircraft's bomb log showing 31 completed operations. This aircraft was destroyed over Berlin, Germany, on 3 December 1943.
United Kingdom: England, Lincolnshire, Binbrook
c 1943

The port side forward fuselage section showing the nose art on an Avro Lancaster aircraft of 460 Squadron, RAAF, named 'Fooship II' (JA861). The art depicts a cartoon caricature wearing a crown and grass skirt, holding a boomerang, who is cooking Adolph Hitler in a large pot over a fire. This aircraft was destroyed over Hannover, Germany, on the night of 28 - 29 September 1943.
United Kingdom: England, Lincolnshire, Binbrook
c 1943

The nose of Lancaster bomber aircraft B Beer (not B Baker as might be expected from the phonetic alphabet) displaying the nose art. A bird sits on a beer barrel dripping beer into mugs and glasses with straws, the words 'jackass juice' beside it. The 15 glasses represent the number of missions flown by the aircraft.
United Kingdom: England, Lincolnshire, Binbrook
c 1943

Nose and cockpit of a Lancaster aircraft PO-H of 467 Squadron RAAF. The nose art is an Australian coat of arms and the number of raids is marked in kangaroos.
United Kingdom: England, Leicestershire, Bottesford
c 1943

 

[Steve27752]

Wow! very impressive.

 

[dinomartino1]

1943. Leading Aircraftman Alan Newton of No. 77 Squadron RAAF putting the finishing touches to an emblem he is painting as `nose art' on a Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk aircraft.

1944. The Empire Parliamentary Delegation talking to members of a Consolidated B24 Liberator bomber aircraft crew from No. 24 Squadron RAAF.

Nose art on a Lancaster bomber aircraft of 460 Squadron RAAF showing the cartoon character Ginger Meggs 'knocking off the block' of Adolf Hitler. The aircraft had flown 21 missions and the four ice cream cones.
represent missions to Italy.
United Kingdom: England, Lincolnshire, Binbrook
c 1943

Nose art on bomber aircraft of 460 Squadron RAAF. A large billed water bird wears a sporran and tam o' shanter cap and underneath is written 'cobber'. Two kangaroos indicate the aircraft has flown two missions
1943

Nose art of 460 Squadron RAAF Lancaster bomber aircraft (Possibly P Peter). A curvaceous cowgirl brandishes two pistols , the words 'Pistol Packin' Mama' painted beside her. To the left is the faint outline of the words 'Pistol Packin' Peggy' which had since been removed and repainted. The 27 operations flown by this aircraft are represented by rows of bombs.
1943 United Kingdom: England, Lincolnshire, Binbrook

Kiriwina, Trobriand Islands, Papua. September 1943. Nose art, a drawing of a koala dressed as a pilot, on the port side engine cowlings covering the main fuel tanks immediately in front of the pilot's cockpit of a No. 79 Squadron RAAF Spitfire Mk Vc aircraft.

Two members of No 3 Squadron RAAF in front of a Curtiss P40 Kittyhawk in the desert admire their handiwork. The nose art depicts a dog lifting its leg on the Afrika Korps insignia
Egypt 1942

East Bengal. C. 1943. Pilots of a Hurricane Squadron with their aircraft which has a kookaburra painted on as nose art.

Kiriwina, Trobriand Islands, Papua. October 1943. Named "Dawn" with Pegasus motif, nose art, on the port side engine cowlings of a No. 79 Squadron RAAF Spitfire Mk Vc aircraft A58-143, UP-Y, (RAF No. EE850), on Kiriwina airfield. Note also that a slatted mat has been laid over the port wing to assist in servicing the aircraft.

Nose art of a 460 Squadron RAAF Lancaster bomber aircraft. A growling dog, Pluto, is holding a bomb under his paw. The 30 operations flown by this aircraft are represented by the bombs painted under the cockpit.
1943 United Kingdom: England, Lincolnshire, Binbrook

 

[s4rmark]

Brilliant, keep them coming.

 

[Pilot]

Merci, super!

 

[dinomartino1]

Nose art on Lancaster bomber aircraft A Able showing an Australian flag and 30 missions flown. The captain of the aircraft had also been awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and this had also been painted beside the bombs and ice cream cones (Italian missions) to display the number of missions
1943 United Kingdom: England, Lincolnshire, Binbrook

WADDINGTON, LINCOLNSHIRE, ENGLAND, C.1944. NOSE AND COCKPIT OF A LANCASTER AIRCRAFT, FROM EITHER 463 OR 467 SQUADRON RAAF. SHOWS NOSE ART OF A BRITISH BULLDOG AND UNION JACK, MOTTO ILLEGIBLE. RAIDS MARKED ON SIDE IN KANGAROOS.

Flying Officer (later Flight Lieutenant, DFC and Bar) Thomas Victor (Vic) Watts, navigator, 460 Squadron, RAAF, painting some art onto the nose of an Avro Lancaster aircraft code named 'P' Peter (W4881) and named 'Fooship IV'. Tin arm. The male figure is holding a boomerang with a trailing string, to which are attached the caricatured heads of Adolph Hitler, Benito Mussolini, the Japanese emperor Hirohito and a bone. Next to the nose art is the aircraft's bomb log showing 30 completed operations. This aircraft was destroyed over Berlin on 3 December 1943 after completing 31 missions.

The port side forward fuselage section showing the nose art of Avro Lancaster 'P' Peter, of 460 Squadron, RAAF. the background. The Lancaster has been given the name 'The Fooship' and painted next to the caricature is the aircraft's bomb log showing 25 completed missions represented by three rows of small kangaroos and a single boomerang. A larger kangaroo and a Distinguished Flying Cross ribbon are also visible. On returning from it's 34th or 35th operation, the substitute crew (not the usual crew) forgot to lower the under carriage which resulted in a surprise belly landing. 'P' Peter was damaged beyond repair and written off.

ABUAN ISLAND, BORNEO. 1945. COCKPIT AND NOSE OF LOCKHEED VENTURA AIRCRAFT OF NO. 13 SQUADRON RAAF, AND NOSE ART, "RELUCTANT DRAGON".

Portrait of air and ground crew members of 43 Squadron, RAAF, with their Catalina flying boat.
Australia: Queensland, North Queensland, Cairns
1944

LAKENHEATH, SUFFOLK, ENGLAND, C. 1943. AN EXAMPLE OF NOSE ART ON B FOR BEER, STIRLING BOMBER EX-B, LJ-514 WHOSE CREW INCLUDED AUSTRALIANS FROM NO. 199 SQUADRON RAF. THE ILLUSTRATION DEPICTS A BEAR CLUTCHING A BEER BOTTLE, THE SORTIES ARE LOGGED ON THE SIDE BY PICTURES OF BEER MUGS

The nose art showing a boxing rooster on a Beaufighter aircraft (A19-74) of 30 Squadron, RAAF. This aircraft later crashed into the sea off Goodenough Island on 11 August 1943 killing both crew members, 400140 Flight Sergeant (Flt Sgt), William Nicholas Pax Cosgrove and Flt Sgt Griffen.

 

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MADANG, NEW GUINEA. C. 1945-05. CLOSE-UP OF THE NOSE ART INSIGNIA ON THE FUSELAGE OF THE BEAUFORT BOMBER AIRCRAFT, A9-500, NICKNAME "BARMERA-WAIKERIE", OF NO. 15 SQUADRON RAAF NOW IN OPERATIONS IN NEW GUINEA. THIS AIRCRAFT, AS THE SKETCH INDICATES, HAS BEEN GIVING THE JAPANESE A WARM TIME. IT WAS NAMED AFTER THE TWO TOWNS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA, IN RECOGNITION OF THE FULFILMENT OF THEIR THIRD VICTORY LOAN QUOTA.

A P40 Kittyhawk aircraft of 77 Squadron, RAAF, based at Vivigani, on Goodenough island, Papua New Guinea, displaying nose art depicting a demonic kangaroo holding a bomb in one hand whilst beckoning a Japanese soldier with the other. The nose art is titled ‘And the devil take the hindmost’ 1943.

Portrait of 402390 Flight Lieutenant John Noel Ollivier, DFC, of Wollongong, NSW, 80 Squadron, RAAF, standing alongside his P40 Kittyhawk.
Netherlands East Indies: Dutch New Guinea, Noemfoor Island
1944

1943. Squadron LeaderR. (Dick) Cresswell, Commanding Officer of No. 77 Squadron RAAF, standing beside his Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk aircraft, serial no. A29-113, on which are painted as `nose art' the US, Australian, and RAAF flags. In this aircraft Sqn Ldr Cresswell shot down a Japanese Mitisubishi G4M medium bomber aircraft, code-name Betty, on 23 November 1942.

Northern Australia. Fitter IIE Corporal A. R. Beecham of Melbourne, Vic, at work on the CO's aircraft, Vultee Vengeance dive bomber NH-A A27-200, nicknamed "Ye Boss" "Y'gottabkwik", of No. 12 Squadron RAAF. The artwork (nose art) on the engine cowling is a leering devilish kangaroo, a caricature of the CO Flight Lieutenant John Hooper. "Ye Boss" was one of the most elderly Vengeance aircraft in the squadron.

The nose art showing a pouncing tiger painted onto a 77 Squadron, RAAF, P40 Kittyhawk which is based at Vivigani, Goodenough Island, Papua New Guinea.1943

NADZAB, NEW GUINEA. C. 1944. A TRANSPORT DRIVER, LEADING AIRCRAFTMAN W. CLARKE, MOSS VALE, NSW, WITH NOSE ART OF JAN RHYND, "ADOPTED" TIVOLI GIRL PERFORMER, WHICH HE PAINTED ON THE ENGINE COWLING OF A VULTEE VENGEANCE DIVE BOMBER AIRCRAFT OF NO. 24 SQUADRON RAAF BETWEEN TRIPS.

Sergeant G. Wynnands in the cockpit of a North American B25 Mitchell bomber aircraft, number N5-128 of No. 18 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron, pointing to the aircraft's emblem "Donald Duck", an example of nose art 1943
No. 18 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron was a joint Dutch and Australian bomber squadron of World War 11

 

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Based at Agnone, Flying Officer D Davidson (left) of Sydney, NSW, looks on whilst his fitter, 16528 Leading Aircraftman Jack Ronald Clifford Featherby (right) of Sydney, NSW, puts the finishing touches to some nose art, a boxing kangaroo, which some (possibly a flight), of the 'Desert Harassers' of No 450 (Kittyhawk) Squadron, RAAF, have adopted as an insignia during operations over Sicily and Italy.
Sicily 1943

NOSE ART ON A HANDLEY PAGE HALIFAX B MARK III AIRCRAFT, 'JANE' (NO. MZ913), OF NO. 462 SQUADRON RAAF. 1945

England. C. 1945 Crew of Halifax heavy bomber aircraft "E" for Easy on return from its 100th operational flight for which the target was Osnabruck in Germany. Essen, Cologne, Bochum, Munster, Duisburg, Osnabruck, Hamburg and Portmund have been among the targets attacked during the 100 operations. "E" for Easy was on operations on D-Day and has flown on missions over Calais, to Havre, Brest, Caen and flying bomb objectives.

A Handley Page Halifax B Mark III aircraft of 192 Squadron, RAF, showing some impressive nose art, consisting of a large kangaroo, a large bomb titled 'Reich 1,000' and a printed slogan, 'Matthews' & Co. Express delivery service'. This aircraft was piloted by James Matthews, RAAF, and has completed 55 operations represented by the rows of small kangaroos painted on the side. It has also shot down a German aircraft denoted by the swastika painted behind the pilot's side window.
1945 Norfolk, Foulsham

Fenton, NT. c. July 1944. The crew of a Consolidated B24 Liberator bomber aircraft from No. 24 Squadron RAAF lined up in front of their aircraft during the visit of the Empire Parliamentary Delegation

Ceylon 1945

458 sqn, Outdoor group portrait of flying crew in front of their aircraft, nicknamed "L for Love". The aircraft features distinctive nose art of 'Lily of the lamplight' and titled "Tommo's mob on ops again". The nose art shows the aircraft has flown 45 missions at the time the photograph was taken.
Identified in the picture is Warrant Officer Alexander Edward McGee,(lost on operations over the Mediteranean on 08 April, 1944) in the centre of the back row.

Group portrait of RAF ground staff with RAAF and Royal New Zealand Air Force air crew of a Mitchell bomber squadron, 180 Squadron RAF with the Second Tactical Air Force. Left to right: two RAF ground crew, Jock (Fitter) and Alf (Rigger); 422248 Flying Officer (FO) Jack B O'Halloran, pilot of Sydney, NSW, (later Flight Lieutenant and DFC); 417379 Pilot Officer James Crosby (Jim) Jennison (later Flying Officer and DFC) of Adelaide, SA; 422175 FO Reg J Hansen of Sydney, NSW; FO Harry M Hawthorn, RNZAF of Hastings, NZ. The aircraft was lettered D and the pilot named it 'Daily Delivery'
United Kingdom: England, Surrey, Dunsfold 1944

c. July 1944. Dr Thomas Wood, author of the book "Cobbers", talks to the crew of a North American B-25 Mitchell bomber aircraft of No. 2 Squadron RAAF who flew him to a North-West Area Base.

 

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Labuan Island, Borneo. 1945. Side view of the `Grey Nurse' (ZP-Y A58-67), a MK 8 Spitfire aircraft of No. 457 Squadron RAAF in flight over the sea. A Grey Nurse is a species of shark.

Lincolnshire, England. 1944 Informal group portrait of maintenance crew in front of a Lancaster bomber aircraft of No. 463 Squadron RAAF at RAF Station Waddington

Lincolnshire, England. 1943 Half the crew of this aircraft of No. 460 (Lancaster) Squadron RAAF of Bomber Command at RAF Station Binbrook are Scots, hence the emblem showing a kangaroo wearing flying boots and lustily playing the bagpipes. The bombs represent raids over enemy territory, the ice cream cones depicting Italian targets

Lincolnshire, England. 1943 Flight Lieutenant A. S. MacWilliam DFC of Sydney, NSW, giving the "thumbs up" sign in an aircraft of No. 460 (Lancaster) Squadron RAAF of Bomber Command at RAF Station Binbrook, which bears as emblem "Ginger Meggs", famous character of Australian newspaper comic page.

 

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Nadzab, New Guinea. 5 October 1943. Pilots and ground crew of No. 4 (Tactical Reconnaissance) Squadron RAAF beside a Boomerang aircraft ,code name QE-H, named `On the Job'

Nadzab, New Guinea. 5 October 1943. Five pilots of No. 4 (Tactical Reconnaissance) Squadron RAAF, with one of the squadron's Boomerang aircraft named `Susanne'.

MOROTAI, HALMAHERA ISLANDS, NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES. 1945. THE INSIGNA ON THE NOSE OF NO. 457 "SHARK" (SPITFIRE) SQUADRON RAAF, OPERATING WITH THE FIRST TACTICAL AIR FORCE, RAAF

MILNE BAY, PAPUA, 1943 NOSE SECTION OF BRISTOL BEAUFORT BOMBER NO. A9-193 OF NO. 100 SQUADRON RAAF AT GURNEY AIRFIELD. PAINTED ON THE NOSE IS A CARTOON OF A TORPEDO BREAKING A JAPANESE SHIP IN HALF, WITH BELOW IT THE NAMES OF THE AIRCRAFT'S CREW, PILOT OFFICER K. WATERS AND CORPORAL COLLINS. THE TWO LARGE MISSILES AND THREE SMALLER ONES ALSO PAINTED ON THE NOSE SIGNIFY THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAS CARRIED OUT TWO SUCCESSFUL TORPEDO STRIKES AND THREE SUCCESSFUL BOMB STRIKES.

Lincolnshire, England. 1944-12-06. "X" for X-ray, a Lancaster bomber aircraft of No. 463 Squadron RAAF at RAF Station Waddington, with twenty five operations recorded, sporting a fighting kangaroo with a fighting "joey" in its pouch.

Lincolnshire, England. 1944-12-06. "X" for X-ray, a Lancaster bomber aircraft of No. 463 Squadron RAAF at Bomber Command, based at RAF Station Waddington, with its "pin up girl" insignia.

 

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1944 Close up of nose art on 460 Squadron's Avro Lancaster aircraft nicknamed "K2 Killer". The artwork depicts a hand stabbing a knife through a swastika, and the text "K2 Killer". 17 knives have been painted on the aircraft, indicating that 17 missions had been flown at the time the photograph was made.

HANDLEY PAGE HALIFAX B MARK III AIRCRAFT
1945 Norfolk, Foulsham

Sicily, Italy. 1943. Pilot Officer (PO) D. Minchin, No. 450 (Kittyhawk) Squadron RAAF, of Chatswood, NSW, stands beside his Kittyhawk aircraft with nose art depicting fly spray targetting two swastikas. PO Minchin flew with the Desert Harassers through operations from El Alamein to Tunis and Sicily. He shot down a Messerschmitt Bf109 aircraft during operations over Cape Bon in Tunisia.

Portrait of seven crew members standing in front of their Lancaster bomber 'J' Johnnie, WS-J, (W-4964), 9 Squadron, RAF. This aircraft completed an impressive 106 operations and is seen here after completing 104. It is one of approximately 35 Bomber Command Lancaster's to have completed over 100 operations during the Second World War, Looks like the Johhny Walker whiskey logo.
United Kingdom: England, Lincolnshire, Bardney

Flying Officer (FO) Henry John 'Donk' Bray of 3 Squadron RAAF (3 Sqn), of Mooloolah, Queensland, standing beside a Curtis P40 aircraft. The nose art depicts an Australian kangaroo kicking a German Dachshund. FO Bray enlisted at Brisbane on 19 August 1940 and trained as a pilot. He was posted out of 3 Sqn in June 1943 for further training and in December 1943 joined 451 Squadron, RAAF. In July 1944 he was promoted to Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) and in December of that year was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Flt Lt Bray was killed in an air battle on 14 March 1945 and is buried at the Cambridge Regional Cemetery, England.
Tunisia: Kairouan 1943

Pilot Officer Colin Dickson, 467 Squadron RAAF, sitting in the cockpit of a Lancaster aircraft art 'Naughty n PO Dickson was one of the crew of Lancaster aircraft JA901 which took off from RAF Waddington, England on the night of 3/4 May 1944 to bomb military camps at Mailly-le-Camp, France. The aircraft was shot down on 4 May 1944 at Mertz, France. PO Dickson was one of the five crew members who were killed. He was aged 23. Two other crew members survived and evaded capture.

Pilot, Flight Sergeant Tim Forneau of Hawkers Bay, New Zealand, standing on a muddy tyre of his Curtiss P40 Kittyhawk fighter bomber aircraft. He is a member of the 'Desert Harassers', No 450 Squadron, RAAF, which operated in the Middle East, Sicily and Italy during the Second World War. This aircraft is loaded up with two 250 pound bombs and has been decorated with nose art depicting a boxing kangaroo. It has also been named 'Pete' (visible underneath the windscreen). Judging from the mud encrusted tyres, it would appear that the squadron is operating from a rough forward airfield. Another bombed up P40 is visible in the background.
1943 Italy: Apulia, Foggia

Flying Officer Victor Henry Neal DFC, 460 Squadron, RAAF and an unidetified colleague posing in the cockpit of 460 Squadron's Avro Lancaster aircraft nicknamed "K2 Killer". The aircraft features distinctive nose art depicting a hand stabbing a knife through a swastika. 25 knife icons have been painted on the aircraft, indicating that it had flown 25 missions at the time the photograph was taken.

 

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WHOA BESSIE IS THE NAME OF A LANCASTER BOMBER AIRCRAFT OF NO. 463 SQUADRON RAAF OF BOMBER COMMAND, FLOWN BY FLYING OFFICER B. A. BUCKHAM, PENSHURST, NSW (CAPTAIN). EACH BOTTLE OF MILK ABOVE THEIR EMBLEM, THE ENRAGED COW, REPRESENTS A RAID OVER ENEMY TERRITORY.
1944 Lincolnshire, Waddington

Two unidentified members of 460 Squadron, RAAF, sitting in the cockpit of an Avro Lancaster aircraft named 'Fooship III' (PB407). Attached to the boomerang by a trailing string, are the caricatured heads of Adolph Hitler, Benito Mussolini, the Japanese emperor Hirohito and a bone. This aircraft was destroyed over Emmerich, Germany, on 7 October 1944.
Lincolnshire, Binbrook

Turning the propeller of an Indian Ocean Air Force Liberator aircraft, branded with a kangaroo and boomerang, is 421555 Warrant Officer Don K. Barnard, air gunner of Mittagong, NSW.
Ceylon 1945

Mark I Avro Lancaster bomber, with the squadron code WS-J (serial number W-4964), of 9 Squadron, Royal Air Force. 'J' Johnnie, completed an impressive 106 operations and is seen here after completing 104. It is one of approximately 35 Bomber Command Lancaster's to have completed over 100 operations. The large bomb (bottom right corner of the log) represents the 100th operation flown. This aircraft features the Johnny Walker whiskey symbol with the firm's equally famous motto, ‘Still Going Strong.’ The column of symbols next to the bomb log includes three ribbons representing the Distinguished Flying Cross and four representing the Distinguished Flying Medal. The chevron indicates a completed year of active service and the three vertical lines represent wound stripes, two for injured crew members and a third for an operational incident involving a container of fifty, four pound incendiary bombs, dropped from above, that passed through the aircraft's wing. The Lancaster has been credited with the destruction of a German aircraft (swastika) and a searchlight. Also visible is an unidentified three panel ribbon bar, possibly representing the 1939-45 star. The Russian red star with hammer and sickle represents a raid made from a Russian base at Yagodnik against the German battleship Tirpitz, on 15 September 1944. Aircraft from this squadron attacked the battleship twice more, on 29 October and 12 November 1944, using 12,000 pound Tallboy bombs. The later raid resulting in the destruction of the Tirpitz. The small kangaroo painted near the Navigator's and Wireless Operator's position was a gesture by the RAF to indicate that the aircraft carried two Australian crew members, 416597 PO (later Flight Lieutenant, (Flt Lt)), James William (Jim) Moore, DFC, Navigator, RAAF and 422824 PO (later Flt Lt) Robert (Bob) Woolf, Wireless Operator, RAAF.
Lincolnshire, Bardney

SUSSEX, ENGLAND. C.1944. AUSTRALIAN WAR ARTIST, DENNIS ADAMS PAINTS A TYPICALLY AUSTRALIAN DESIGN ON THE FUSELAGE OF THE MOSQUITO AIRCRAFT FLOWN BY 404891 WING COMMANDER G. PANITZ DFC, SOUTHPORT, QLD, COMMANDING OFFICER OF NO. 464 (MOSQUITO) SQUADRON RAAF WITH THE SECOND TACTICAL AIR FORCE AT RAF STATION THORNEY ISLAND.

LINCOLNSHIRE, ENGLAND. C. 1944FLIGHT LIEUTENANT H. R. PURSER, SYDNEY, NSW, GIVES THE ALL CLEAR FOR STARTING THE MOTORS OF HIS LANCASTER AIRCRAFT, DER-TAG, OF NO. 467 SQUADRON RAAF

Lincolnshire, England. 1944 A Lancaster aircraft of No. 460 Squadron RAAF "Q for Queenie" at RAF Station Binbrook.

 

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MOROTAI ISLAND, HALMAHERA ISLANDS, NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES. 1945-03-26. THESE ARE SOME OF THE BEAUFIGHTER CREWS OF NO. 31 SQUADRON RAAF WHO PARTICIPATED IN A SUCCESSFUL RAID ON GROUNDED JAPANESE AIRCRAFT, BETTYS AND DINAHS, IN THE CERAM AND AMBON AREAS, DESTROYING SEVEN JAPANESE TWIN-ENGINED BOMBERS, PROBABLY DESTROYING TWO AND DAMAGING FIVE.

NADZAB, NEW GUINEA. C. 1944- AN ENGINE COWLING PANEL DECORATED BY A PAINTING (NOSE ART) OF "ADOPTED" TIVOLI GIRL PERFORMER RUBY LACEY BEING FITTED TO A RAAF VULTEE VENGEANCE DIVE BOMBER AIRCRAFT

1943 An RAF Consolidated B24 Liberator bomber flown by an RAAF crew based in Agra, India.

1944 nose art from a Bristol Beaufort aircraft of 100 Squadron RAAF. The design depicts a sulphur-crested cockatoo.

Flight Sergeant Bevan Wallace of Mosman, NSW, a member of No. 454 Squadron RAAF, gets acquainted with "SniPhter", the nose art on a Martin Baltimore aircraft at Falconara, Italy. 1944

Italy. 1943. Ground crew personnel of No. 450 Squadron RAAF, now operating in Italy, at work on one of the squadrons Curtiss P40 Kittyhawk aircraft.

Agra, India, c. 1943- RAF Consolidated Liberator B-24 bomber aircraft flown by a RAAF crew

VIVIGANI, GOODENOUGH ISLAND, PAPUA. 1943-07-05. A MACABRE TOUCH IS GIVEN BY THE SKULL AND CROSSBONES EMBLEM (NOSE ART) PAINTED ON THE AIRCRAFT OF NO. 77 (KITTYHAWK) SQUADRON RAAF

NOEMFOOR ISLAND, DUTCH NEW GUINEA. C. 1944-08. PORTRAIT OF 424486 FLYING OFFICER A. E. WATTS OF KATOOMBA, NSW, WITH HIS KITTYHAWK AIRCRAFT OF NO. 80 SQUADRON RAAF

 

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VIVIGANI, GOODENOUGH ISLAND, PAPUA. 1943-07-02. "TROPO" THE FEROCIOUS CAT DEVOURING JAPANESE RATS IS THE EMBLEM (NOSE ART) PAINTED ON THE KITTYHAWK AIRCRAFT OF NO. 77 sqn RAAF

Kairouan, Tunisia. May 1943. Armourers of No. 3 (Kittyhawk) Squadron RAAF at work under the aircraft.

NADZAB, NEW GUINEA. C. 1944-02. GROUND CREW MEMBERS OF NO. 24 (VENGEANCE) SQUADRON RAAF ATTACH A PAINTING (NOSE ART) OF JUNE MCPHERSON, "ADOPTED" TIVOLI GIRL PERFORMER, TO AN AIRCRAFT.

RAF Station Leconfield, England. c. 1943. The crew of Wellington LN289 standing under the nose of their aircraft which has the nose art painting of a kangaroo smacking Adolf Hitler up a flight of stairs with his tail and the words "git up them stairs". The five bombs painted under the caricature indicated the aircraft has flown five operational missions. The crew, flying in a Halifax aircraft, were shot down on a bombing raid over Germany on 20 January 1944 and were all buried in the Becklingen War Cemetery, 13 miles south east of Soltau

Nose art of 460 Squadron RAAF Lancaster bomber aircraft C Charlie (serial JA856 AR-6). A dog with a wagging tail underneath which are the words Mk II (probably a reference to the fact that the first C Charlie was so severely damaged by an on ground bomb exploding that it was never flown again). The 18 operations flown by this aircraft are represented by ice creams (Italy), stars containing the letter B (Berlin) and kangaroos (other) and the single beer mug containing an M is probably Munich. This aircraft was lost over Munich during operations on the night of 2-3 October 1943.

MILNE BAY, PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 1943-08-01. SHOWING HOW IT IS DONE, WING COMMANDER W. G. LEER DFC AFC, CO OF NO. 6 (BEAUFORT) SQUADRON RAAF, FEATURING A FIERY MOUSTACHE, POSES BESIDE THE NOSE ART PAINTED ON THE AIRCRAFT.

VIVIGANI, GOODENOUGH ISLAND, PAPUA. 1943-07-05. FLYING OFFICER J. A. T. HODGKINSON, ORANGE, NSW, A PILOT OF NO. 77 (KITTYHAWK) SQUADRON RAAF.

HOLLANDIA, DUTCH NEW GUINEA. C. 1944-06. GROUP PORTRAIT OF AMERICAN AIRCREW AND GROUNDSTAFF MEMBERS OF A US ARMY AIR FORCE UNIT OPERATING LIGHT AIRCRAFT IN A LIAISON AND CASUALTY EVACUATION ROLE. NOTE THE NICKNAME "GUINEASHORTLINES" AND NOSE ART, A KANGAROO.

NOEMFOOR ISLAND, DUTCH NEW GUINEA. C. 1944-08. PORTRAIT OF 578 SQUADRON LEADER A. H. BRYDON, ARMIDALE, NSW, THE COMMANDING OFFICER OF NO. 78 (KITTYHAWK) SQUADRON RAAF

 

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Informal portrait of 401283 Flying Officer (later Flight Lieutenant), Humphrey Arthur Cecil (Slim) Jowett of 450 Squadron, RAAF, at Kairouan, Tunisia, standing next to a Curtiss P40 Kittyhawk aircraft 1943

Informal portrait of 401283 Flying Officer (later Flight Lieutenant), Humphrey Arthur Cecil (Slim) Jowett of 450 Squadron, RAAF, at Kairouan, Tunisia, standing in front of a Curtiss P40 Kittyhawk

Crete. c. May 1944. Informal portrait of 425749 Flying Officer (FO) I. G. S. Purssey of Brisbane, Qld, a member of No. 450 Squadron RAAF beside a Curtiss P40 Kittyhawk aircraft

Kiriwina, Trobriand Islands, Papua. October 1943. The pilot's personal motif, "Nipps Emergency Sea-Trip", nose art, on the port side engine cowlings of the No. 79 Squadron RAAF Mk Vc Spitfire

Probably Port Moresby, New Guinea. c. 1942. An RAAF officer, poses beside the nose art on a Catalina flying boat. Ths image of a woman and the name 'Maggie' has been painted by Paul Rigby who went on to become a well-known artist.

Squadron Leader Clive Gardiner Tolhurst, of Adelaide, SA, Commanding Officer of 75 Squadron, RAAF, standing with his P40 Kittyhawk,
1945 Netherlands East Indies: Halmahera Island, Morotai Island

NADZAB, NEW GUINEA. C. 1944-02. A RAAF VULTEE VENGEANCE DIVE BOMBER AIRCRAFT OF NO. 24 SQUADRON RAAF, CREWED BY PILOT FLIGHT SERGEANT NORM B. KELLETT OF BRUNSWICK, VICTORIA, AND OBSERVER FLIGHT SERGEANT BRIAN "TUCK" P. TURNER OF SNOWTOWN, SA, CARRIED A PORTRAIT (NOSE ART) OF "ADOPTED" TIVOLI GIRL PERFORMER JOYCE SMITH ON ITS MISSIONS AGAINST THE JAPANESE

Kiriwina, Trobriand Islands, Papua. October 1943. 407174 Flight Lieutenant D. H. (David) Hopton, Flight Commander in the cockpit of his No. 79 Squadron RAAF Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vc aircraft

MADANG, NEW GUINEA. C. 1945-05. CREW OF BEAUFORT BOMBER AIRCRAFT A9-500 OF NO. 15 SQUADRON RAAF

 

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NOEMFOOR ISLAND, DUTCH NEW GUINEA. C. 1944-08. PORTRAIT OF 424311 FLIGHT SERGEANT D. A. SMYTH OF DOVER HEIGHTS, NSW, AND NO. 78 (KITTYHAWK) SQUADRON RAAF

TSILI TSILI, NEW GUINEA. C. 1943-11. LEADING AIRCRAFTMAN FLEMING, MEMBER OF NO. 24 (VENGEANCE) SQUADRON RAAF, PAINTING AN EMBLEM (NOSE ART) ON THE SIDE OF ONE OF THE AIRCRAFT

A Wellington bomber of 458 Squadron (Sqn), RAAF, with the call sign 'J' for Johnny displaying a large section of nose art depicting a map of Australia and New Zealand which has been over painted with a large Kookaburra holding a tiki in it's beak. 458 Sqn operated throughout North Africa and Italy during the Second World War.

Egypt. c. 1941 Informal portrait of six members of the Air Force, probably the crew, standing in front of A for Apple, a Wellington aircraft with a saint holding a bomb as its nose art.

LABUAN, NORTH BORNEO. 1945-08-10. 2623 FLIGHT LIEUTENANT FRANK R. SCHAAF DFC OF PAGEWOOD, NSW, WHO LED A FLIGHT OF FOUR AIRCRAFT OF NO. 82 (KITTYHAWK) SQUADRON RAAF, WHICH DESTROYED THREE SINGLE-ENGINED JAPANESE FIGHTER AIRCRAFT, ALLIED CODE NAME OSCAR, ON KUCHING AIRSTRIP. IT WAS THE LONGEST STRIKE FLOWN BY SINGLE-ENGINED FIGHTERS FROM THE LABUAN BASE. HIS AIRCRAFT CARRIES MARKINGS AND INSIGNIA (NOSE ART) INDICATING THAT HE FLEW WITH THE FAMED DESERT HARASSERS IN THE WESTERN DESERT

Kiriwina, Trobriand Islands, Papua. September 1943. A No. 79 Squadron RAAF pilot with his support crew and their Spitfire Mk Vc aircraft on the airfield

NOEMFOOR ISLAND, DUTCH NEW GUINEA. C. 1944-08. PILOT AND GROUNDSTAFF WITH KITTYHAWK AIRCRAFT OF NO. 78 (KITTYHAWK) SQUADRON RAAF.

LABUAN, NORTH BORNEO. 1945-10-19. A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THEY LEFT LABUAN AIRSTRIP, IN THE MASS EXODUS OF RAAF AIRCRAFT WHICH BEGAN DURING THIS WEEK, THESE PILOTS FROM THE FAMOUS NO. 457 (GREY NURSE) SQUADRON RAAF ASSEMBLED NEAR ONE OF THEIR SPITFIRE AIRCRAFT FOR FINAL INSTRUCTIONS FROM THEIR COMMANDING OFFICER. THEY WERE AMONG THE FIRST RAAF PILOTS TO FLY BACK FROM BORNEO TO AUSTRALIA

 

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Flight Lieutenant Lex Halliday's crew all from 23 Squadron, RAAF, in front of their United States, Consolidated B-24 J Liberator, christened 'Toddy', The aircraft is part of the 531st Squadron, United States Army Air Force (USAAF), 380th Bombardment Group (BG) of the United States 5th Air Force. Gunner; 28639 Sgt John James Hinter, Belly Gunner. Absent: Flt Lt L Badman, WAG. This particular aircraft has a bomb log showing 22 missions. The four US Heavy Bombardment squadrons (528th, 529th, 530th & 531st), that made up the 380th BG were based in the Northern Territory, Australia, from May 1943 to February 1945 and were under Australian (rather than American) operational control. After February 1945 these squadrons rejoined the United States 5th Air Force BGs based on Mindoro Island, Philippines.

Shepherd's Grove, England. kangaroo. The squadron was with the Allied Expeditionary Air Force towing Horsa gliders and dropping paratroops at this time.

Squadron Leader (Sq Ldr) Donald Keith Hamilton Gulliver beside an aircraft painted with nose art displaying his squadron's logo: The Green Ghost Squadron RAAF Spookus Sneakinus.Sq Ldr Gulliver was commander of 93 Squadron, RAAF and had enlisted on 8 January, 1940. He was killed in a take off accident in Beaufighter A8-184 on 19 December, 1945 at Labuan, North West Borneo.

No 8 Squadron, RAAF, Bristol Beaufort nicknamed "The Tucker Box". The aircraft had recently completed 72 bombing missions and designated by the bomb tallies shown under the pilots side window. LAC Berthelsen painted the nose art depicted on the aeroplane. The aircraft was named after the aircraft's regular pilot Flying Officer Tucker.
Tucker box is also slang for a food box.
New Guinea: Aitape 1045

VIVIGANI, GOODENOUGH ISLAND, PAPUA. 1943-07-02. "TROPO", THE FEROCIOUS CAT DEVOURING JAPANESE RATS IS THE EMBLEM (NOSE ART) PAINTED ON THE KITTYHAWK AIRCRAFT OF NO. 77 SQN IS APPRAISED BY SQUADRON LEADER R. C. (DICK) CRESSWELL , THE COMMANDING OFFICER, SITTING IN HIS JEEP.

LINCOLNSHIRE, ENGLAND. C. 1944- LANCASTER X X-TRA OF NO. 467 SQUADRON RAAF AT RAF STATION WADDINGTON. THE RED STARS ON THE FUSELAGE REPRESENT THE NUMBER OF MISSIONS CARRIED OUT BY THE AIRCRAFT. THE NOSE ART IS IN THE FORM OF A SIMULATED VOTING CARD LISTING THE WARTIME LEADERS CURTIN, SMUTS, STALIN, CHURCHILL AND GHANDI. A CROSS APPEARS IN THE BOX NEXT TO STALIN AND "VOTE FOR JOE" IS PAINTED BELOW THE PILOT'S SIDE WINDOW. "JIMMY" IS WRITTEN ON THE FUSELAGE BELOW THE FORWARD GUNNERS POSITION AND "ALLAN" BELOW THAT OF THE PILOT.

E Easy Lancaster bomber aircraft of 460 Squadron RAAF. Note the nose art of a devil beckoning, with a bomb hidden behind its back. The bombs and icecreams indicate the aircraft has flown 17 missions and the ice creams indicate three missions over Italy.
Lincolnshire, Binbrook 1943

Kabrit, Egypt. c.1941. A view of the nose art on a Wellington aircrft, depicting an English dog leaning against a window smoking a cigarette, wearing a top hat and a jumper with a roundel on its chest, holding a German dog, with a swastika on its back, upside down by the tail. Underneath them is the title Der Oberhund

 

[Flightengineer]

Thank you, very interesting rare photos, especially with Australian nuanses where kangaroo and koala are used. Thanks for posting here.