“Typhoon Scramble”

by Stephen Brown

Stephen Brown is a self-taught artist who has specialised almost exclusively in aviation subjects for the last 15 years. Building on a background as a landscape and aviation photographer, his style carefully combines both these areas of interest. Stephen’s originals in oil are in much demand and have been regularly exhibited with the prestigious Guild of Aviation Artists. Demand for his originals is high with regular commissions being undertaken for commercial and private clients as well as the RAF.

The following Typhoon pilots have all signed copies of “Typhoon Scramble”.

We do hope you will find these biographies of interest. We think that by knowing a little about the men behind each signature, it will help you get the most from your copy of “Typhoon Scramble”. We would ask you not to reproduce the biographies in any format without our permission. Please bear in mind that the notes have been prepared by each individual and copied, with virtually no editing, by SWA Fine Art.

Flt/Lt Derek Lovell volunteered for the RAFVR in January 1941. He trained in Canada on Tiger Moths and Oxfords. He received his wings in April 1942 and was posted to Central Flying School. Following graduation, he taught Fleet Air Arm trainees on Harvards. He returned to the UK in March 1943 and flew Masters at AFU and Hurricanes at OTU. He taught Lancaster crews fighter evasion prior to posting to 84 GSU to fly Typhoons. He joined 197 Squadron at Needs Oar Point in the New Forest in June 1944 and was involved in close support operations and tactical dive bombing and low level bombing throughout the Normandy campaign and on through to VE-Day. He completed 135 operations and in August 1945 was posted to an OTU to instruct on Typhoons and Tempest Vs. He was demobbed in June 1946 and flew weekends in the VR on Tiger Moths and later Chipmunks. He was called up on the G Reserve in July 1951 and flew Harvards, Spitfire XXIIs and then Vampire Vs. He stood down in September as the Korea situation eased.

F/O Tony (Titch) Hallett DFC a member of 198 Rocket Firing Typhoon Squadron operated from bases in Southern England (Manston to Hurn). Operating from Thorney Island on D-Day and then from several landing strips on The Beachhead, France and Belgium between January and November 1944.

After Fighter Pilot training in the USA in 1941/42 he returned to the UK for conversion to Hurricanes and was then posted to an Army Co-operation Unit in Northern Ireland where he gained valuable experience flying various types of aircraft, i.e. Defiant, Lysander, Hurricane, Martinet and Twin Engine Oxford. His operational flying from Southern England consisted mainly of attacking the many strongly defended Radar Stations from Ostend to Cherbourg and on two occasions changed from rockets to bombs for attacks on Noball Targets (flying bomb sites).

Operations from the landing strips consisted, with close Army Support, taking out Gun Positions, attacking Tanks and destroying anything that moved in enemy territory all against very heavy enemy Flak. He completed in excess of 100 sorties and since 1984 has revisited Normandy on many occasions. He attended the official funerals of
two 198 Squadron Pilots whose aircraft wreckage had been discovered as many as 41 and 49 years after the events.

W/O Douglas Oram was initially trained through the Arnold Scheme in Florida USA. He joined 174 Squadron in March 1944 and continued operations with the Squadron through to March 1945. The Squadron landed in France on D-Day plus 6 for short ops and later settled at B5 Fresne Camilly on 16th and then continued on the B80 Volkel (Holland). In total Douglas completed 122 operations.

Six months after demob, Douglas returned to the RAF where he completed over six years as a flying instructor. After a short familiarisation on Meteors he was posted to 617 Bomber Squadron, first on jet bombers (Canberras) and then to Transport Command 216 Squadron on Comet II’s, re-proving aircraft after civilian fatalities in Comet I’s.

F/O Frank Wheeler DFC joined 174 (Mauritius) Typhoon Squadron in January 1944. His “baptism of fire” took place on 18th February when 174 Squadron escorted 464 Australia Mosquito Squadron on Operation Jericho – the raid on the Amiens Prison. Later their aircraft were converted for firing rockets, which made them able to attack almost every type of military target. D-Day saw them operating from the New Forest and then came their move to B.5 in Normandy.

Their main task was to support the British ground forces and this took them through France, Belgium, Holland and finally to B.100 (Gock) in Germany. From B.100 Frank was posted back to the UK at the end of March 1945 having completed 123 operational sorties.

In addition the following men have each signed 25 copies of the Artist Proof and Remarque editions:

F/O Ken Kneen 175 squadron
F/Lt Roy Crane 181 & 182 squadron
W/O Jack Hodges D.F.C. 174 squadron
W/O Bill Macia 3 (Tempest) squadron but he also flew Typhoons
Flt/Lt L.S. “Pip” Phillips 182 squadron
Flt/Lt. James Kyle 80 & 197 squadrons
Flt. Lt. David Ince D.F.C. 193 & 257 squadrons
Flt. Lt. Harry Prars D.F.C. 175 squadron
Flt. Lt. George Wood 263 and Member of the RAFFES (Escape Society)
S/Ldr. Ronnie Sheward 137, 263, 266 and 197 Squadrons.
Flt. Lt. John Shellard 263 squadron

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