Curtiss P-36 Hawk photo gallery

Curtiss H-81A Hawk - Tomahawk photo gallery

Curtiss P-40 Warhawk photo gallery

Curtiss P-40 Warhawk photo gallery

  

RAAF 450 Squadron

Curtiss P-40K RAAF 450Sqn OKM AK634 flown by New Zealander Flt Lt 'Willy' Williams, LG 91, Egypt, 5 July 1942

Profile 00: Kittyhawk I AK634 of No 450 Sqn RAAF, flown by Flt Lt 'Willy' Williams, LG 91, Egypt, 5 July 1942. New Zealander 'Willy' Williams made all his claims during his tour with No 450 Sqn in the summer of 1942. Flying this aircraft (which carned a personal marking on the nosel on an early morning armed reconnaissance patrol on 5 July, he came across a single Ju 88 from I./LG1 and shot it down for his second victory. tn October Williams became CO of No 450, but his tenure was brief for on the 31st he was Shot down and made a PoW. Sent to Germany, he panicipated in the 'Great Escape' of March 1944, and was one of those later murdered by the Gestapo after being recaptured. Having previously served with No 112 Sqn AK634 was struck off charge on 26 April 1944.

Curtiss P-40K RAAF 450Sqn OKM AK634 Libya 1942 01

Photo 01: This close up view of AK634 shows Flt Lt 'Willy' Williams posing next to his bomb-armed Kittyhawk, which displays appropriate nose art. Having become a PoW, he escaped from Stalag Luft lll during the Great Escape of 25 March 1944, but on recapture Williams was one of the 50 Allied prisoners murdered by the Gestapo (A W J Taylor)

Curtiss P-40K RAAF 450Sqn OK0 AK897 flown by Sgt Don Mc Burnie, LG 142 Gambut 1, Libya May 1942

Profile 00: Kittyhawk I AK897 of No 450 Sqn RAAF, flown by Sgt Don Mc Burnie, LG 142 Gambut 1, Libya. May 1942. Don McBurnie was an ace with 5.5 victories, all of which were made during his tour in Kittyhawks with No 450 Sqn in the desen in 1942. On 23 May he was flying this aircraft near Tmimi when he claimed a Bf 109 from II./JG27 for his second victory. McBurnie achieved his fifth kill in July, although by then AK897 had been shot down (on 29 May).

 

Curtiss Kittyhawk MkIV RAAF 450Sqn OKY FX745 and OKD at Cervia Italy IWM CNA3493

Photo: Curtiss Kittyhawk Mark IV, FX745 'OK-Y', of No. 450 Squadron RAAF, taxying to the runway at Cervia, Italy, loaded with three 250-lb GP bombs for a sortie in support of the 8th Army's spring offensive in the Po Valley.

Source: Imperial War Museum IWM CNA 3493 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205211946

Curtiss Kittyhawk MkIV RAAF 450Sqn at Cutella south of Vasto Italy IWM CNA4239

Photo: An RAF Wing Commander inspects a 1,000-lb GP bomb slung beneath the fuselage of a Curtiss Kittyhawk Mark IV of No. 450 Squadron RAAF in a dispersal at Cutella, south of Vasto, Italy. Two 500-lb GP bombs are also slung from the wing loading points.

Source: Imperial War Museum IWM CNA 4239 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205209512

   WAR DIARY FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

 

 Gambut, Al Butnan, Libya Map

 

    Bibliography: +

  • Baugher, Joe. 'Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, Tomahawk, Kittyhawk.' American Military Aircraft.
  • Planes and Pilots: Curtiss P40 Vol 3 From 1939 to 1945. ISBN: 2913903479 Author: Anis Elbied Publisher: Histoire & Collections Paperback Pages: 84
  • Osprey - P-40 Warhawk Aces of the CBI (Aircraft of the Aces 35) ISBN: 184176079X Author: Carl Molesworth Publisher: Osprey Paperback Pages: 96.
  • Osprey - P-40 Warhawk Aces of the Pacific (Aircraft of the Aces 55) ISBN: 1841765368 Author: Carl Molesworth   Publisher: Osprey Paperback Pages: 96.
  • RAAF Camouflage & Markings 1939-45 Vol 1 ISBN: 0858800365 Author: Geoffrey Pentland Publisher: Kookaburra Hard Cover Pages: 144
  • RAAF Camouflage & Markings 1939-45 Vol 2 ISBN: 0858800373 Author: Geoffrey Pentland Publisher: Kookaburra Hard Cover Pages: 144
  • Jane's - Fighting Aircraft of World War II ISBN: 1851701990 Author: Bill Gunston Publisher: Janes Hard Cover Pages: 320

    Magazines: +

  • Airfix Magazines (English) - http://www.airfix.com/
  • Avions (French) - http://www.aerostories.org/~aerobiblio/rubrique10.html
  • FlyPast (English) - http://www.flypast.com/
  • Flugzeug Publikations GmbH (German) - http://vdmedien.com/flugzeug-publikations-gmbh-hersteller_verlag-vdm-heinz-nickel-33.html
  • Flugzeug Classic (German) - http://www.flugzeugclassic.de/
  • Klassiker (German) - http://shop.flugrevue.de/abo/klassiker-der-luftfahrt
  • Le Fana de L'Aviation (French) - http://boutique.editions-lariviere.fr/site/abonnement-le-fana-de-l-aviation-626-4-6.html
  • Le Fana de L'Aviation (French) - http://www.pdfmagazines.org/tags/Le+Fana+De+L+Aviation/
  • Osprey (English) - http://www.ospreypublishing.com/
  • Revi Magazines (Czech) - http://www.revi.cz/

    Web References: +

  • Wikipedia.org - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109
  • Wikipedia.org - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109_variants#cite_ref-100
  • Wikipedia.org - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109_operational_history
  • Flickr.com - https://www.flickr.com/photos/farinihouseoflove/2209839419/in/photostream

 

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This webpage was updated 6th April 2021

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