THEY FLEW THEIR MISSIONS BY MOONLIGHT
Flight Lieutenant Peter Arkell of 161 Squadron (Special Duties) flying his Lysander en route to drop SOE Agents in France during 1944.
Flying secret agents in and out of occupied France, transporting arms and radio equipment to the Resistance, and collecting downed airmen from behind enemy lines, was one of the most hazardous flying operations of World War 11. These cloak and dagger sorties, always conducted at night by the light of the moon, required a cool head and inordinate flying and navigational skills a duty performed courageously by the pilots of RAF Special Duty Squadrons. Due to their clandestine nature, the true magnitude of their operations only became fully appreciated when the war was over.

Guiding a slow, unarmed aircraft, without navigational assistance other than a hand held map, the pilot had to locate a remote foreign field perhaps four hours flying time from base, lit only by half a dozen hand held torches. Without radio communication with those on the ground he needed to get his aircraft down, often in rough terrain, never knowing if his reception party had been betrayed and he was flying into the arms of the Gestapo.

The aircraft most suited to these difficult tasks was the rugged Westland Lysander — the aircraft Gerald Coulson has chosen to portray in his tribute to the pilots of the Special Duties Squadrons. With the moon at its fullest phase, a Lysander from 161 Squadron is en-route to France, literally flying into the unknown.

Overall Print Size: 18.75” wide x 15.75” high

SIGNED BY SPECIAL DUTIES LYSANDER PILOT
Joining artist Gerald Coulson, every print in this evocative new commemorative edition is personally signed by:

Flight Lieutenant PETER ARKELL: For his first tour Peter flew Mustangs and Spitfires with 26 Squadron on intruder and low-level photographic sorties over France, before joining 161 Squadron at Tempsford in 1944, flying Lysanders into occupied Europe. He then accompanied the Lysanders to Burma where he flew 35 successful but hazardous missions supplying Force 136 behind the Japanese lines.

350 Limited Edition Prints £65inc vat (£55.32+vat)

25 Artist Proofs £135 inc vat (£114.89+vat)

Orders from outside the European Union are free from vat.

See also - Robert Taylor's - Secret Operation (in our Robert Taylor Aviation Art Gallery)

Philip West's - Loire Rendezvous (in our Philip West Art Gallery)

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