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Cranston Fine Arts  Aviation Art and Artists World War Two Squadrons UK and Commonwealth No.151 Sqn to No.222 Sqn  No.174 Sqn |
[UP] - No.151 Sqn - No.152 Sqn - No.154 Sqn - No.156 Sqn - No.157 Sqn - No.158 Sqn - No.161 Sqn - No.166 Sqn - No.174 Sqn - No.175 Sqn - No.1770 Sqn FAA - No.181 Sqn - No.182 Sqn - No.185 Sqn - No.193 Sqn - No.197 Sqn - No.198 Sqn - No.199 Sqn - No.201 Sqn - No.207 Sqn - No.210 Sqn - No.213 Sqn - No.217 Sqn - No.218 Sqn - No.222 Sqn |
Attack
| No.174 Sqn Aviation Art Prints, Paintings and Drawings Aviation Prints |
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| Text for the above items : |
Clipped Signature - Jack Hodges. Jack Hodges joined the RAF in 1940, serving in a number of roles before flying Typhoons with No.175 Sqn then No.174 Sqn from 1944. He flew in the ground attack role until the end of the war, gaining a Distinguished Flying Cross leading an attack against a German armoured division. Clipped alongside the signatures of Frank Wheeler and Douglas Oram - Frank Wheeler trained as a pilot and served as an instructor from 1941 until he joined No.174 Sqn flying Typhoons in 1944. After his tour of operations he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. He died in 2013. Douglas Oram joined the RAF in 1942, training in the USA before being posted to No.174 Sqn flying Typhoons where he completed a year on operations. He left after the war but rejoined in 1947 until retiring in 1967. |
Clipped Signature - Douglas Oram. Douglas Oram joined the RAF in 1942, training in the USA before being posted to No.174 Sqn flying Typhoons where he completed a year on operations. He left after the war but rejoined in 1947 until retiring in 1967. Clipped alongside the signatures of Jack Hodges and Frank Wheeler - Jack Hodges joined the RAF in 1940, serving in a number of roles before flying Typhoons with No.175 Sqn then No.174 Sqn from 1944. He flew in the ground attack role until the end of the war, gaining a Distinguished Flying Cross leading an attack against a German armoured division. Frank Wheeler trained as a pilot and served as an instructor from 1941 until he joined No.174 Sqn flying Typhoons in 1944. After his tour of operations he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. He died in 2013. |
Clipped Signature - Frank Wheeler. Frank Wheeler trained as a pilot and served as an instructor from 1941 until he joined No.174 Sqn flying Typhoons in 1944. After his tour of operations he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. He died in 2013. Clipped alongside the signatures of Jack Hodges and Douglas Oram - Jack Hodges joined the RAF in 1940, serving in a number of roles before flying Typhoons with No.175 Sqn then No.174 Sqn from 1944. He flew in the ground attack role until the end of the war, gaining a Distinguished Flying Cross leading an attack against a German armoured division. Douglas Oram joined the RAF in 1942, training in the USA before being posted to No.174 Sqn flying Typhoons where he completed a year on operations. He left after the war but rejoined in 1947 until retiring in 1967. |
| No.174 Sqn RAF Aircraft details |
 Hurricane Manufacturer : Hawker Built : 14533 | Hurricane Royal Air Force Fighter, the Hawker Hurricane had a top speed of 320mph, at 18,200 feet and 340mph at 17,500, ceiling of 34,200 and a range of 935 miles. The Hurricane was armed with eight fixed wing mounted .303 browning machine guns in the Mark I and twelve .303 browning's in the MKIIB in the Hurricane MKIIC it had four 20mm cannon. All time classic fighter the Hurricane was designed in 1933-1934, the first prototype flew in June 1936 and a contract for 600 for the Royal Air Force was placed. The first production model flew ion the 12th October 1937 and 111 squadron of the Royal Air Force received the first Hurricanes in January 1938. By the outbreak of World war two the Royal Air Force had 18 operational squadrons of Hurricanes. During the Battle of Britain a total of 1715 Hurricanes took part, (which was more than the rest of the aircraft of the Royal air force put together) and almost 75% of the Victories during the Battle of Britain went to hurricane pilots. The Hawker Hurricane was used in all theatres during World war two, and in many roles. in total 14,533 Hurricanes were built. |
 Typhoon Manufacturer : Hawker Built : 3330 | Typhoon Single engine fighter with a maximum speed of 412 mph at 19,000 feet and a ceiling of 35,200 feet. range 510 miles. The Typhoon was armed with twelve browning .303inch machine guns in the wings (MK1A) Four 20mm Hispano cannon in wings (MK!B) Two 1000ilb bombs or eight 3-inch rockets under wings. The first proto type flew in February 1940, but due to production problems the first production model flew in May 1941. with The Royal Air Force receiving their first aircraft in September 1941. Due to accidents due to engine problems (Sabre engine) The Hawker Typhoon started front line service in December 1941.The Hawker Typhoon started life in the role of interceptor around the cost of England but soon found its real role as a ground attack aircraft. especially with its 20mm cannon and rockets. This role was proved during the Normandy landings and the period after. The total number of Hawker typhoons built was 3,330. |
| No.174 Sqn RAF Pilot and aircrew signature details |
Warrant Officer Jack Hodges DFC Our estimated value of this signature : £40 | Warrant Officer Jack Hodges DFC Jack Hodges joined the RAF in late 1940, and after completing his pilot training in Canada he returned to England and was then briefly sent to a Photo Reconnaissance Unit flying Spitfires. He moved to a OTU in Annan, Scotland on Hurricanes before finally moving to a holding unit in Redhill, flying Typhoons. In 1944 he was posted to join 175 Squadron. Shortly after this he moved to 174 Squadron at Westhampnett. He served on operations throughout occupied Europe until the end of the war, being awarded the DFC in 1945 for successfully leading a group of Typhoons against a German Armoured Division. |
Warrant Officer Douglas Oram Our estimated value of this signature : £45 | Warrant Officer Douglas Oram Doug Oram joined the RAF in 1942 and went out to America to train as a pilot. In 1944 he joined 174 Typhoon Fighter Squadron at Westhampnett, and spent a year on operations serving throughout occupied Europe. In 1945 he became a Flying Instructor and left the RAF in 1946. However he rejoined in 1947 and stayed in the service until retirement in 1967. |
Air Commodore William Pitt-Brown DFC Our estimated value of this signature : £40 Died : 2004 | Air Commodore William Pitt-Brown DFC After Cranwell William (Bill) Pitt-Brown was posted to India where he saw service on the North-West Frontier with 31 Squadron flying Wapatis and Valencias. When the Japanese attacked in the far east he was posted to command 5 Squadron flying H75A Mohawk fighters in Assam and on the Imphal and Arakan fronts. Returning to the UK he was given command of 174 Squadron with Typhoons which he led through the Normandy Invasion. In August 1944 he became Wing Leader of 121 Wing. He was rested in October 1944 after a total of more than 100 operational sorties. He went on to high command of the RAF after the war. Sadly he passed away on the 4th of July 2004. 'Memories of Normandy are coloured by the enemy speed of reaction to our air supremacy. In the first few days after D-Day the enemy rushed forward to confront the Allies. We created havoc by picking off targets to jam the traffic and then methodically flaming the lot. Very large losses of German tanks and MT were inflicted in the fluid situation. Then suddenly by day nothing in the area was immediately visible. The German guns and tanks had dug in hull-down in the deep bocage country hedges which were perfect for camouflage. MT moved cautiously in shade and shadow. The vicious close-quarter tank and infantry fighting was largely unseen. Air attacks on map references were acknowledged by the Army to be effective but were frustrating since results were seldom seen except for transport brew ups. The picture was transformed when the Allies burst out of the bridgehead primarily through sheer force of numbers. the whole area east of Avranches - Vire, Mortain, Flers, Falaise, Argentan erputed and became a seething mass of enemy trying to retreat. The air forces smashed, burnt and killed. It seemed unbelievable that so much enemy force could have been concealed; now that they were all in the open, the slaughter, explosions, and fires burning from endless daily air attack obliterated everything. It was deadful; dead horse-drawn transport, bloated farm animals and humans all contributed to the sickly sweet smell of death. The enemy escaped annihilation by being highly disciplined even after such a defeat. Their losses were appalling but their retreat was never a rout.' |
Flying Officer Frank Wheeler DFC Our estimated value of this signature : £45 Died : 2013 | Flying Officer Frank Wheeler DFC Frank Wheeler joined the RAF in 1941, training in England as a pilot after which he completed a period of instructing. In January 1944 he was posted to join 174 Typhoon Fighter Squadron at Westhampnett, his first operation being as an escort to the Mosquitos taking part in Operation Jericho, the Amiens Jailbreak. He stayed with 174 Squadron for the remainder of the War, serving throughout occupied Europe, and in 1945, at the end of his tour of operations, he was awarded the DFC. We have learned that Frank Wheeler sadly passed away in early 2013. |
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