Photos for you - might be of use........UPDATED

[garethbrum]

Hi folks

Here are a few scans from a large collection I am lucky enough to have been given by an old friend of the family, now sadly passed away.

I believe they were all given to him by the IWM (he was an ex Spitfire pilot).

Hope you like them.

Gareth

Edited January 22, 2009 by garethbrum

[Mike]

Fantastic! More please

[AnonymousFY21]

Love the Sunderland. I have pretty much stood in the spot the pic was taken. Sadly the only real memory of those times are the ramps, which still exist.

rich

[Pilgrim_UK]

Love the downed spitfire wonder what its story is.

[Test Graham]

Love the downed spitfire wonder what its story is.

Fl Lt HG Garwood, 412 Sq, MJ255, VZ.S, engine failure 11th June

See Christopher Shores/Chris Thomas's 2nd Tactical Air Force, volume 1.

[Red Dragon]

Spitfire IX, MJ255, VZ-S of 412 Sqdn Pilot F/O H.G. Harwood, engine failure and force landed 11th of June 1944. apparently it was in fairly good condition until a passing Sherman "moved" it off the road. I think the Shermans are moving up for the attack on Tilly-sur-Seulles. There are other photos and film of the Spit/Shermans also around.

Phil

Love the downed spitfire wonder what its story is.

[Red Dragon]

OOPS! Should read Garwood not Harwood.

Spitfire IX, MJ255, VZ-S of 412 Sqdn Pilot F/O H.G. Harwood, engine failure and force landed 11th of June 1944. apparently it was in fairly good condition until a passing Sherman "moved" it off the road. I think the Shermans are moving up for the attack on Tilly-sur-Seulles. There are other photos and film of the Spit/Shermans also around.

Phil

[Pilgrim_UK]

Cheers lads for the info.

[AnonymousFO98]

hats off to the friend of family

thanks for sharing Gareth

love the hurri in the snow with low level pass over

great pics

[Tango India Mike]

Very nice indeed! I've seen some of these before, but usually cropped and certainly not in such sharp clarity. What a great diorama subject the belly-landed Spit would make. I see that someone has already stolen the rear-view mirror!

Thanks and best wishes,

Tim.

[ancient mariner]

First class. Thank you for sharing these

[garethbrum]

No problem folks - I really need to crack on and get some more of these scanned in and tidied up, but here are a few more I did earlier!

[Aunty Gill]

I am at present researching my Father's service history and was very interested in the photo of the Sunderland. Do you know if this picture was taken at Pembroke Dock and any idea when it was taken? I imagine it was during World War II. Dad joined up as a regular at the beginning of June 1939 and between October 1939 and February 1940 was based at Pembroke Dock. He was in fact from Pembrokeshire where I was born and lived until 1958. As a youngster I remember seeing Sunderlands moored at Pembroke Dock. Just thinking that perhaps he could be in the picture!!!!!

[Mike]

Wonderful... and terrible. Those pics of the bombers in their death throes are poignant...

[AnonymousFO98]

welcome to Britmodeller Aunty

the Sunderlands in their moorings must have been a terrifc sight- good luck with the research!

superb pics Gareth but feel very sick to the core at seeing those bombers going down

really brings home what went on - inside a part of me is screaming for the crew to get out- stupid i know - but it is a moment of terror frozen in time.

[entlim]

Great nostalgia!

[tornado64]

I am at present researching my Father's service history and was very interested in the photo of the Sunderland. Do you know if this picture was taken at Pembroke Dock and any idea when it was taken? I imagine it was during World War II. Dad joined up as a regular at the beginning of June 1939 and between October 1939 and February 1940 was based at Pembroke Dock. He was in fact from Pembrokeshire where I was born and lived until 1958. As a youngster I remember seeing Sunderlands moored at Pembroke Dock. Just thinking that perhaps he could be in the picture!!!!!

if you go to the .... photo answers .....website and search through the forums for the ...old photo's thread ...a guy that worked on sunderlands at pembroke loaded lots of shots from the 50's and perhaps 40's would probably be able to p.m. him for info if he's still around ...

[tornado64]

nicest picture i have seen of a sunderland is moored in the thames at tower bridge with the tower of london behind it and it is in colour !!!!

[tornado64]

i have it in a book with the tower behind it , but borrowed this shot off flickr of another view of the same scene

must have been a long taxy ...

[Aunty Gill]

if you go to the .... photo answers .....website and search through the forums for the ...old photo's thread ...a guy that worked on sunderlands at pembroke loaded lots of shots from the 50's and perhaps 40's would probably be able to p.m. him for info if he's still around ...

Thanks for the information. I'll have a look

"Aunty Gill"

[Notdoneyet]

Fantastic photos Gareth, don't know how I missed this when you first posted. The picture of the Spitfire MJ255 (VZ@S) is particularly interesting as I'm in the process of decalling a model of her for the D-Day GB.

Many thanks for posting the photos.

Ian

[Tango India Mike]

I am at present researching my Father's service history and was very interested in the photo of the Sunderland. Do you know if this picture was taken at Pembroke Dock and any idea when it was taken? I imagine it was during World War II. Dad joined up as a regular at the beginning of June 1939 and between October 1939 and February 1940 was based at Pembroke Dock. He was in fact from Pembrokeshire where I was born and lived until 1958. As a youngster I remember seeing Sunderlands moored at Pembroke Dock. Just thinking that perhaps he could be in the picture!!!!!

This same photograph appears in the Sunderland 'Profile' publication and is identified as an aircraft belonging to No 10 Sqn R.A.A.F. at Pembroke Dock. I can't lay my hands on it right at this moment, but I'm sure the caption gives a date. Photo is interesting in that it shows the original Dk Earth/Dk Green camouflage exposed by the flaking white paint. If you can wait a while, I'll dig out the Profile and let you know exactly what the caption says.

Cheers for now,

Tim.

[Tango 1]

Gareth,

many thanks for sharing your photo's with us. They are amazing.

[Aunty Gill]

This same photograph appears in the Sunderland 'Profile' publication and is identified as an aircraft belonging to No 10 Sqn R.A.A.F. at Pembroke Dock. I can't lay my hands on it right at this moment, but I'm sure the caption gives a date. Photo is interesting in that it shows the original Dk Earth/Dk Green camouflage exposed by the flaking white paint. If you can wait a while, I'll dig out the Profile and let you know exactly what the caption says.

Cheers for now,

Tim.

Thanks Tim. There's no hurry but I would be very interested to know when the photo was taken. I have just looked on the Australian War Memorial Site http://www.awm.gov.au/units/unit_11037.asp and see that No. 10 Sqn RAAF was at Pembroke Dock between October 1939 – April 1940 when Dad was stationed there.

Thanks very much for your help.

All the best

Aunty Gill

[Tango India Mike]

Thanks Tim. There's no hurry but I would be very interested to know when the photo was taken. I have just looked on the Australian War Memorial Site http://www.awm.gov.au/units/unit_11037.asp and see that No. 10 Sqn RAAF was at Pembroke Dock between October 1939 – April 1940 when Dad was stationed there.

Thanks very much for your help.

All the best

Aunty Gill

Aha! I've found it, but I was wrong - it doesn't give a date. All it says is: 'Well-known study of a very "operational" Mk. III, W4004, being beached; the immaculate factory finish did not survive many Atlantic Patrols.'

So it's not actually identified as a 10 Sqn machine either, but I think there's a good chance that it is, from my observation of those ground crews wearing the Australian dark blue overalls and berets (the beret I was issued with in 1975, which I still have, had 1943 stamped inside it!).

I don't think the reference to the 'immaculate factory finish' is correct though. This aircraft would have left the factory in Dk Green/Dk Earth camouflage (I'm uncertain about the undersides) and repainted some time in late 1942 or early '43 according to new Coastal Command instructions. You can see evidence of the demarkation line between the upper and lower colours on the rear fuselage. Perhaps someone else can clarify the date of the change of colours and markings.

Below is another 10 Sqn aircraft, W3093, the squadron's first loss after two years of wartime service - obviously before the colours and markings change . . .

Also, I think I may have been wrong about the photograph being taken at Pembroke Dock, as 10 Sqn were operating from Mount Batten, near Plymouth, by 1942.

Sorry this isn't much help, but I hope it's of some interest anyway.

Best wishes,

Tim.

Edited April 16, 2009 by Tango India Mike