The Blackburn B-24 Skua was a British
Carrier-borne
two-seater single-engine
Low-wing
Naval dive bomber and fighter
The
aircraft took its name from the sea bird
Which
'divebombs' any potential predators
They
served with the Fleet Air Arm
During
the Allied campaign in Norway,
As
well as the evacuations from Dunkirk
Later
in the war it reverted to a training role
The
Skua was withdrawn altogether 1945
The Handley Page Heyford was a British
Twin-engine biplane heavy
bomber of the 1930s
And
was the last of its type used by the RAF
Which
was withdrawn from frontline service in 1939
And
was used as bombing and gunnery trainers,
The
Heyford were finally retired in 1941
The Blackburn B-25 Roc was a British
Carrier-borne
single-engine naval fighter
Named
after the mythical bird of the Arabian Nights,
And primarily served with the Fleet
Air Arm
During
the Allied campaign in Norway,
As well as the evacuations
from Dunkirk
Later
in the war it reverted to a training role
The
Roc was withdrawn altogether during 1943
The Blackburn Firebrand was a British
Carrier-borne single-engine
naval strike fighter
And
was a low-winged, all-metal monoplane
Primarily
serving with the Fleet Air Arm
They
were not delivered until the end of WW2
And
were withdrawn from front-line service in 1953
The Blackburn B.48 Firecrest was a British
Carrier-borne
single-engine naval strike fighter
And
was a low-winged, all-metal monoplane
Intended
to serve with the Fleet Air Arm
But never got passed the protype stage
The Blackburn Shark was a British
Carrier-borne biplane torpedo
bomber
Primarily
serving with the Fleet Air Arm
Despite
reaching obsolescence in 1937
They
still played an active combat role
At
Dunkirk and in the Pacific theatre
The
Sharks were finally retired in 1945
The Blackburn B-5 Baffin was a British
Carrier-borne biplane torpedo
bomber
Primarily
serving with the Fleet Air Arm
They
were in frontline service from 1937
Until
1941 and were retired in 1945
The Saunders-Roe SR.A/1 was a British
Experimental prototype flying
boat fighter
And was the first jet-propelled sea plane
Ever conceived and built in the world
Work commenced on it in mid-1943
But the first prototype didn’t make
Its maiden flight until four years later
However the project was scrapped in 1951
The Westland Wyvern was a British
Carrier-based multi-role strike aircraft
Powered by a turboprop engine with
Distinctive
contra-rotating propellers
And
served during the Suez Crisis
in 1956
But
was retired two years later in 1958
The Airspeed AS.10 Oxford is a British
Twin-engine monoplane transport aircraft
Widely
used by the RAF for training
Aircrews, in navigation, radio-operating,
Bombing and gunnery throughout WW2
The Airspeed Consul was a British
Twin-engine light transport aircraft
Developed
from the Airspeed Oxford
After
World War Two for use
As
a military and civil transport
The Supermarine Spiteful was a British
Single–engine combat
fighter aircraft
During the Second World War
Which
was a successor to the Spitfire
Powered by a Rolls-Royce Griffon engine
With a radical new wing design
However
because the war was ending
A
limited number were built for RAF use
The Royal Navy opted for a navalised
Variation, the Supermarine Seafang
The Supermarine Seafang was a British
Single–engine combat
fighter aircraft
Designed for Royal Navy carrier use
Which
took its maiden flight in 1946
Powerful
with contra-rotating propeller
Was
unfortunately outmoded by jets
So
the Seafang had a very limited shelf life
The Supermarine Sea Otter was a British
Single-engine amphibious biplane designed
As a maritime patrol aircraft by R.
J. Mitchell
Which
were primarily tasked with maritime patrol
And also undertook air-sea
rescue duties
With both the Royal
Air Force and the Royal Navy
But
were also purposed as a fleet spotter, launched
By catapult from cruisers or battleships
The
Sea Otter first took to the skies in 1938
And
served until the end of the WW2
Afterwards
continuing in various civilian roles
The Supermarine Walrus was a British
Single-engine amphibious biplane designed
As a maritime patrol aircraft by R. J. Mitchell
It
was purposed as a fleet spotter, launched
By catapult from cruisers or battleships
And
was employed as a maritime patrol aircraft
The
Walrus first took to the skies in 1933
And
served until the end of the WW2
They
continued in various civilian roles
Well
into the 1960’s
The Supermarine Seagull was a British
Flying boat designed by R.J. Mitchell
Which were employed by the Fleet Air Arm
For gunnery spotting and reconnaissance
It
was removed from service in 1936
The Supermarine Seal was a British
Flying
boat designed by R.J. Mitchell
Which
were intended for the Fleet Air Arm
For gunnery
spotting and reconnaissance
However
only one was ever produced
Because
after being fitted with a new engine
It was renamed the Supermarine Seagull
The Northrop P-61 Black Widow was an American
Twin-engine, twin-boom
fighter aircraft of WW2
It
was Named after the North
American spider
It
was most effectively used as a night fighter
By United States Army Air Forces globally
It was operational from 1944 until 1954
The Vickers Warwick was a British
Twin-engine
large bomber aircraft
Delays
in production meant it was
Obsolete
for the role it was intended
They
still retained a role in the war effort
As
maritime reconnaissance
With Coastal
Command
And
as part of RAF Transport Command
The Martin
187 Baltimore was an American
Twin-engine
light attack bomber
Originally
ordered by the French in May 1940
But
after the fall of France They were diverted
To
Britain for the RAF and were used exclusively
In
the Mediterranean and Middle East theatres
Operating
to great effect for the duration of the war
The Handley Page HP.52 Hampden was a British
Twin-engine medium
bomber operated by the RAF
They
came into service at the outbreak of WW2
It
was retired from Bomber Command in late 1942
By
1943 it was superseded by the larger bombers
Like
the four-engine heavy Avro Lancaster
The Armstrong Whitworth A.W.41 Albemarle
Was
a twin-engine British transport aircraft
And
was one of the aircraft which entered service
With
the Royal Air Force during the Second World War
It
was originally planned to fulfil a bomber role
But
was re-tasked for aerial reconnaissance and transport
The Armstrong Whitworth A.W.38 Whitley
Was
a British twin-engine medium/heavy bomber
In
service with the RAF at the outbreak of WW2
By
1942 it was superseded by the larger bombers
Like
the four-engine heavy Avro Lancaster
They
still retained a role in the war effort
As
maritime reconnaissance with Coastal Command
A
glider-tug, trainer and as a transport aircraft
The Gloster Gladiator was a British
It is a
single-seat biplane fighter
Operated by
the Royal Air Force
And saw action in
almost all theatres
During the Second
World War
The Gloster Sea Gladiator was a British
It
is a single-seat biplane fighter
Operated
by the Fleet Air Arm
And
saw action in almost all theatres
During
the Second World War
The Bell P-39 Airacobra was the principal
American
Fighter when the USA entered combat
A
small number were operational with the RAF
They
soon reached obsolescence in Europe
And
the remaining stock were sold to the USSR
The Boulton Paul Defiant was a British
Two-seat
single-engine turret fighter
Which
served with the Royal Air Force
As
a day and night interceptor fighter
It
was nicknamed “Daffy” by pilots
By
mid-1942 it was replaced by faster
Better
performing night fighters, but
Continued
to be useful in gunnery training,
Target
towing, electronic countermeasures,
And air-sea
rescue until the end of the war
Died: 5 June
1963, Cork, Ireland
Belgian born
Adrian Carton de Wiart
Was from an
aristocratic family
But was educated
in England
And was an officer
in the British Army
He was a career soldier
who served
In the Second Boer
War, and India
During World War I
he fought
In the Somaliland
campaign
Battles of the
Somme, Passchendaele
Cambrai and the
Battle of Arras
Between 1918 and
1921
He was involved in
the wars
Between Poland and
the Soviets,
Ukrainians and Lithuanians
He retired from the Army in 1923
For the life of a
Polish Gentleman
But after 15
peaceful years
World War 2 loomed
large
And he fought with
the Poles
During the German
invasion
Before he was
recalled to Britain
And soon had a
significant role
In Britain’s
Norwegian campaign
Then a brief spell
in Northern Island
His next mission
was to Yugoslavia
He flew from Malta
after refuelling
But both engines
failed, and they crashed
Off the coast of
Libya and were captured
During his two
years of captivity
He made numerous
escape attempts
In the end he was
released by the Italians
Two years later to
act as an envoy
In prelude of an
Italian surrender
Then at Winston
Churchills behest
He was sent to
communist China
During the Second
Sino-Japanese War
As Churchills
personal representative
And stayed until
1947 when he retired
Despite being
offered a job
By the Chinese
leader Chiang Kai-shek
Carton de Wiart
suffered numerous
Injuries by enemy
shot and shell
During his long
military career
To his head, face,
stomach, groin,
Ankle, leg, hip
and arms
And survived two
plane crashes
He lost an eye and
part of his ear
In the Somaliland
campaign
And his left hand
at the Battle of Ypres
In recognition of
his distinguished service
His awards are as
numerous as his scars
He was Mentioned
in Despatches,
Received The
Victoria Cross,
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire,
Companion of the Order of the Bath,
Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
Distinguished Service Order
The Polish Virtuti Militari,
The Belgium Croix de guerre
And the French
Legion of Honour
And the Croix de
Guerre
