#No. 452 Squadron

[barkingbonzo]

SUPERMARINE SPITFIRES

[captain-price-unofficially]

WWII. December 1944. Supermarine Spitfires of No. 452 Squadron, shortly after leaving Sattler Airfield, Darwin, NT, en route to Morotai, Dutch East Indies.

[monkeyssalad-blog]

Donatella Gemmò by Truus, Bob & Jan too! Via Flickr: Vintage Italian postcard. Photo Vettori, Bologna, 452. Donatella Gemmò (?-?) was an Italian stage and screen actress. While she acted in only one silent film, Frate Francesco (Giulio Antamoro, 1927), playing Myria di Leros, and played a tourist in Lo squadrone bianco (Augusto Genina, 1936), it was in particular in postwar Italian television films and series she often acted as supporting actress, mostly in just one episode. On stage Gemmò acted e.g. in 1927 as Ismene in Ettore Romagnoli's stagings of Sophocles' Antigone and his Satiri alla caccia, as well as in his staging of Euripides' Medea (1927). In the first two cases, Maria Letizia Celli played the female lead. After the war, Gemmò acted in Michelangelo Antonioni's staging of John Van Druten's I Am a Camera, at the Teatro Eliseo in Rome in 1957, and in Luigi Squarzina's staging of La congiura by Giorgio Prosperi, at the Piccolo Teatro in Milano in 1960.

[mwsa-member]

Shadow Sanction by Steve Stratton

MWSA Review Pending  

Author's Synopsis

Lance Bear Wolf and his Shadow Tier operators must stop the rebirth of The French Connection and its terror funding connection to the Taliban. By any means necessary.

When the resurgent Sinaloa cartel attacks Wolf and his wife, Elle Parker, on the Crow Indian reservation, the safety of his people becomes Job One—until the president of the United States orders Shadow Tier to stop the Taliban’s opium trade. The president’s underlying message: The drug war is a failure. Fix this now, or your black funding disappears.

Torn between saving his people and the president’s demands for direct action, Wolf sends Shadow Tier’s Bravo Squadron to Afghanistan to infiltrate the Taliban drug organization. He sends Kieran Kennedy, his executive officer, to stand up and train a new international Charlie Squadron in the U.K. While Wolf bends the rules to protect the reservation on the home front, the squadrons track opium with a mysterious United Nations connection out of Afghanistan to a new “French Connection” in Marseilles, France.

The teams identify a likely distribution hub and its leadership. But going deeper will take initiative and innovation. Kennedy takes the dangerous decision to operate in the open … as a drug cartel. The operation yields results, but there is a piece missing. Parker and Kennedy believe a government contractor providing logistics flights into and out of the war zones is involved.

Plans are made by the fake cartel for a large shipment of heroin to go to the mafia in New York City, where wholesale arrests will be made if all goes as planned. As the data pours in from three continents, the heroin network unfolds and things to do not go as planned. The takedown of a multi-national drug production, shipment, and sales operation is unlike any operation Shadow Tier has attempted.

For the president, it’s a no-fail mission or his administration is doomed.

For Shadow Tier, it’s time to bring the war back into “the war on drugs.”

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 452

Word Count: 109000

[fisarmonical]

Strauss, NT. c. June 1943. Wing Commander Clive R. (Killer) Caldwell, Wing Leader of No. 1 (Fighter) Wing RAAF comprising No. 452 and 457 Squadrons (RAAF) and No. 54 Squadron RAF, seated on the wing of his Spitfire aircraft CR-C, smoking a pipe. Source: www.awm.gov.au

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BALIKPAPAN, BORNEO. 1945-07-15. FIRST RAAF FIGHTER AIRCRAFT AT SEPINGGANG AIRSTRIP PREPARE FOR ACTION. TECHNICIANS WERE AT WORK PREPARING THESE SPITFIRE AIRCRAFT, CODE QY-G, QY-E, OF NO. 452 SQUADRON RAAF TO MEET JAPANESE RAIDERS A FEW MINUTES AFTER THE AIRCRAFT HAD LANDED.

[goodeggshen]

Wikipedia article of the day for March 31, 2021

The Wikipedia article of the day for March 31, 2021 is Lou Spence. Lou Spence (1917–1950) was a fighter pilot and squadron commander in the Royal Australian Air Force during World War II and the Korean War. In 1941 he was posted to North Africa with No. 3 Squadron, which operated P-40 Tomahawks and Kittyhawks; he was credited with shooting down two German aircraft and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). He commanded No. 452 Squadron in 1944, flying Supermarine Spitfires in defence of Australia's North-Western Area against the Japanese, and was mentioned in despatches. In February 1950 he took command of No. 77 Squadron, operating P-51 Mustangs as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan. He led his squadron in the opening months of the Korean War, and was awarded a bar to his DFC, as well as the US Legion of Merit and the US Air Medal, for his leadership. Spence was killed during a low-level mission over South Korea in September 1950.

[iloveahangar]

A Wing Commander (LtCol equiv.) at 21yo with 28+ aerial victories to his name, “Paddy” Finucane was one of the greats. Today, we’ve released a design in his honor complete with his initialed Shamrock. Wing Commander Brendan “Paddy” Finucane, DSO, DFC & Two Bars (October 16th 1920 - July 15th 1942) whilst with 452 Squadron RAAF. Born in Ireland in 1920, Finucane moved to England with his family in 1936, joining the RAF in 1938. On July 13, 1940 – after completing his Spitfire conversion training - he was posted to 65 Squadron RAF and only one month later on August 12th, scored his first victory. Over the next 2 years Finucane was credited with 28 aerial victories, five probably destroyed, six shared destroyed, one shared probable victory, and eight damaged. Official records differ over the exact total. After the war, two of Finucane's victories that were credited as probables had, in fact, been destroyed, but were not officially included. His total victory count could be as high as 32 and some sources credit him this figure In June 1942, aged only 21yrs and 8mths he became the RAF's youngest Wing Commander (equiv. to a Lt Col) in its history, however, sadly only weeks later Finucane was killed when his Spitfire was damaged by ground-fire on a mission to France. Whilst attempting to fly back to England across the English Channel he was forced to ditch into the sea and subsequently vanished. Like so many at that time, “Paddy” was gone far too young. 😔🙏 🌎www.iloveahangar.com 📷Feel free to repost but please remember to tag us 👍😊 #aircraft #airforce #airshow #avgeek #aviation #aviationdaily #aviationgeek #aviationhistory #aviationlovers #aviationphotos #avnerd #ww2aviation #instaaviation #militaryaviation #militaryaviationphotography #oldairplanes #spitfire #planepics #usaaf #vintageaircraft #warbird #warbirds #ww2aircraft #ww2airplanes https://www.instagram.com/p/CMri_tjBS_D/?igshid=unlimy088evw

[militarymetalart]

VMGR-452: Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 452 (VMGR-452) is a reserve United States Marine Corps KC-130T/KC130J squadron. They are based at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, New York and fall under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 49 (MAG-49) and the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing (4th MAW). VMGR-452 MISSON: Support the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) commander by providing air-to-air refueling and assault support, day or night under all weather conditions during expeditionary, joint, or combined operations. https://www.instagram.com/p/CVY45xcPWnF/?utm_medium=tumblr

[airmanisr]

VMF-452 pilots by G. Verver Via Flickr: VMF-452 Skyraiders pilots and squadron F4U-1D Corsair, MCAS Mojave, circa 1942.

[greatworldwar2]

• Paddy Finucane (Irish RAF Ace)

Brendan Eamonn Fergus Finucane, known as Paddy Finucane amongst his colleagues, was a Second World War Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter pilot and flying ace—defined as an aviator credited with five or more enemy aircraft destroyed in aerial combat.

Born in 1920; into a Catholic family in Dublin,Ireland of Irish and English heritage, Finucane grew up during the "early troubles" and the Irish Civil War. In 1936, the family moved to England, where he developed an interest in aviation. Keen to fly, Finucane applied to join the RAF and in August 1938, was accepted for flight training as a pilot. After a shaky training career, in which he crash-landed on one occasion, he received news that he had completed flight training. In June–July 1940, he began conversion training on the Supermarine Spitfire. On July 13th, Finucane was posted to No. 65 Squadron at RAF Hornchurch.

Finucane's first victory was scored on August 12th, 1940 during the Battle of Britain. During the campaign, he was credited with two enemies destroyed, two probably destroyed and one damaged. Promoted to acting flight lieutenant in April 1941, he joined No. 452 Squadron flying offensive patrols over France, known as the Circus offensive. During this period, Finucane had his most successful period of operations, destroying 20 German aircraft, sharing in the destruction of three, with two damaged and another two probably destroyed.

In January 1942, Finucane was promoted to the rank of squadron leader in No. 602 Squadron. Within six months, he was credited a further six individual victories bringing his tally to 28. In June 1942, he became the RAF's youngest wing commander in its history. Finucane was appointed to lead the Hornchurch Wing. On July 15th, 1942, Finucane took off with his flight for a mission over France. His Spitfire was damaged by ground-fire. Finucane attempted to fly back to England across the English Channel but was forced to ditch into the sea and subsequently vanished. After his death, Finucane's brother Raymond served in No. 101 Squadron RAF and survived the war.

Finucane was credited with 28 aerial victories, five probably destroyed, six shared destroyed, one shared probable victory, and eight damaged. During his career he was awarded a Distinguished Service Order for gallantry displayed in flying operation against the enemy, and awarded a second Bar to the Distinguished Flying Cross for gallantry displayed in flying operation against the enemy.

[warpicshistory]

🇦🇺"Indonesia: Dutch New Guinea; Netherlands East Indies: Halmahera Islands, Morotai. Group Captain Clive R. ("Killer") Caldwell DSO DFC, the Officer Commanding, No. 80 (Fighter) Wing RAAF, next to his Supermarine Spitfire Mk VIII aircraft of No. 452 Squadron RAAF on which are depicted his numerous victories against German, Italian and Japanese aircraft". [Australian War Memorial / OG1998] https://www.instagram.com/p/B0dI4pSJRIG/?igshid=1afu5crnexv7h

[captain-price-unofficially]

B-17G Flying Fortress "Lady be Good" -J of 728 Bomb Squadron, 452 Bomb Group dodging flak on a mission over the Ludwigshafen Industrial Oil Refinery in western Germany, 21 September 1944

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B-17G Flying Fortress “Lady be Good” -J of 728 Bomb Squadron, 452 Bomb Group dodging flak (exploding anti aircraft shells) on a mission over the Ludwigshafen Industrial Oil Refinery in western Germany on September 21, 1944. . The 452nd Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses from Deopham Green, Norfolk, from January 1944. The air crews hit strategic sites in Germany but also supported the movement of ground forces across Europe after D-Day. On 6 June 1944 itself, the Group bombed coastal defences before the landings. The 452nd Group was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for bombing a jet fighter base at Kaltenkirchen, northern Germany, on 7 April 1945, under intense pressure from enemy fighters and anti-aircraft flak. https://www.instagram.com/p/BoEl_r7iIjT/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1p8plsx2dtpgp

[de-boeldieu]

Australian pilots of No. 452 Squadron relax outside their dispersal hut at Kirton-in-Lindsey, June 18, 1941.