"Full Throttle"
Overall Size: 22.5" x 33.5"
Signatures
Squadron Leader Don Laubman
From DDay to VE-Day, thirteen RCAF Fighter pilots in service on the
continent accounted for more than 120 German aircraft destroyed. Top
scorer was Squadron Leader Don Laubman of 412 Squadron (and later
402 Squadron), with fifteen victories.
On September 26 and 27, 1944, Don Laubman flew four missions and
downed seven enemy aircraft in the Nijmegan area (four FW190's and
three BF109's) plus another BF109 damaged. During this period and
along with his squadron mates, Don was heavily involved in air to ground
action. This involved bombing and strafing of marshalling yards and
targets of opportunity, such as trains, barges and vehicles. On his last
mission he attacked two fuel tenders traveling down a dirt road. He first
shot at the rear vehicle, observed strikes, and lined up with the second
truck which also received hits. But as he passed over at low level, they
exploded in a massive fireball which engulfed his Spitfire and he had to
bail out. He was then nearly lynched by German civilians but spent the
rest of the war as a POW.
All of his victories were scored in Spitfire VZZ. He ended the war as a
Squadron Leader with fifteen victories. Decorations included the DFC
and Bar. He is the fourth ranking RCAF ace, retiring as a Lt. General.
F/O Gordon Ockenden joined the RCAF in 1941, trained on the Fleet Finch
and Harvard, and won his wings a year later. After operational training on
Hurricanes he was posted to Europe in 1943 with 443 (F) Squadron, 144
Wing. This was the first Wing to move into France, on June 15, 1944.
During the Falaise Gap period, Gord was credited with over 35 German
vehicles and tanks destroyed. He is credited with 41/2 aerial victories.
The Mk. IXb Spitfire which Gordon Flew at this time was 21V. It was
reclaimed from salvage, rebuilt by RAF St. Athans, Wales, and now flies
with the RAF. Memorial Flight from Coningsby. He retired from the air
force as a Major General. Between June and December of 1944, Gordon
did most of his ops on another Spitfire, MJ171. During a dawn patrol he
had a rough time, so another pilot offered to take his place on the dusk
mission. All of the planes failed to return. Gordon feels as though he has
been on borrowed time since then.
F/O Don Murchie joined the RCAF in 1941, training on Tiger Moths and
Cessna Cranes. Posted to Bournemouth, England, he was selected for
day fighters and had further training on Miles Masters and Hurricanes.
Selected for Spitfires, he eventually ended up with 412 Squadron. He was
involved in dive bombing and armed reconnaissance flights in the Ruhr
areas, as well as fighter sweeps throughout the air space east of the
Rhine River. Don flew over 80 operational sorties and is credited with
numerous ground vehicles, locomotives and motorcycles destroyed.
F/O Douglas Gaudin enlisted in the RCAF In 1940 and received
operational training on Hurricanes at Sutton Bridge in Lincolnshire,
England. He was posted to 122 Squadron RAF on Spitfires at Scorton,
Yorkshire in February 1942, then later transferred to the Middle East via
West Africa. He then joined 417 Squadron RCAF in October 1942 at a
base near Alexandria, flying Hurricanes and, later, Spitfires. The main task
of the squadron at this time was the defence of Alexandria Harbour prior
to Montgomery's advance, and the interception of German photo
reconnaissance aircraft. Douglas is credited with nearly a hundred
operational sorties.
The Story
Immediately following the Normandy breakout by the allies in late July of
1944, the German army was in a full and disorganized retreat. The
combined allied war machine was beginning to push the Wehrmacht
across the length and breadth of France. This was accomplished in large
part by dominating the air space above the conflict. The air campaign of
Great Britain and the United States had wrestled air superiority from the
German Luftwaffe in the years 1942-1944. It was now paying big
dividends.
Without control of the air, the German army was denied the freedom to
move troops and equipment to combat the advancing allied effort.
Deployment of German troops was inevitably defensive in nature, and
they were constantly harassed by marauding fighter bombers and
reconnaissance flights.
No movement was safe, including the travels of high echelon superiors in
the military as they scurried about the battle front, attempting to analyze
the changing situation and adjust their plans.
In Robert Bailey's painting FULL THROTTLE, a German staff car,
escorted by motorcycles, is caught on an open road by Spitfires
searching for targets of opportunity. In this case, a locomotive
transporting war materials makes this a double bonus target.
Squadron Leader Don Laubman
From DDay to VE-Day, thirteen RCAF Fighter pilots in service on the
continent accounted for more than 120 German aircraft destroyed. Top
scorer was Squadron Leader Don Laubman of 412 Squadron (and later
402 Squadron), with fifteen victories.
On September 26 and 27, 1944, Don Laubman flew four missions and
downed seven enemy aircraft in the Nijmegan area (four FW190's and
three BF109's) plus another BF109 damaged. During this period and
along with his squadron mates, Don was heavily involved in air to ground
action. This involved bombing and strafing of marshalling yards and
targets of opportunity, such as trains, barges and vehicles. On his last
mission he attacked two fuel tenders traveling down a dirt road. He first
shot at the rear vehicle, observed strikes, and lined up with the second
truck which also received hits. But as he passed over at low level, they
exploded in a massive fireball which engulfed his Spitfire and he had to
bail out. He was then nearly lynched by German civilians but spent the
rest of the war as a POW.
All of his victories were scored in Spitfire VZZ. He ended the war as a
Squadron Leader with fifteen victories. Decorations included the DFC
and Bar. He is the fourth ranking RCAF ace, retiring as a Lt. General.
F/O Gordon Ockenden joined the RCAF in 1941, trained on the Fleet Finch
and Harvard, and won his wings a year later. After operational training on
Hurricanes he was posted to Europe in 1943 with 443 (F) Squadron, 144
Wing. This was the first Wing to move into France, on June 15, 1944.
During the Falaise Gap period, Gord was credited with over 35 German
vehicles and tanks destroyed. He is credited with 41/2 aerial victories.
The Mk. IXb Spitfire which Gordon Flew at this time was 21V. It was
reclaimed from salvage, rebuilt by RAF St. Athans, Wales, and now flies
with the RAF. Memorial Flight from Coningsby. He retired from the air
force as a Major General. Between June and December of 1944, Gordon
did most of his ops on another Spitfire, MJ171. During a dawn patrol he
had a rough time, so another pilot offered to take his place on the dusk
mission. All of the planes failed to return. Gordon feels as though he has
been on borrowed time since then.
F/O Don Murchie joined the RCAF in 1941, training on Tiger Moths and
Cessna Cranes. Posted to Bournemouth, England, he was selected for
day fighters and had further training on Miles Masters and Hurricanes.
Selected for Spitfires, he eventually ended up with 412 Squadron. He was
involved in dive bombing and armed reconnaissance flights in the Ruhr
areas, as well as fighter sweeps throughout the air space east of the
Rhine River. Don flew over 80 operational sorties and is credited with
numerous ground vehicles, locomotives and motorcycles destroyed.
F/O Douglas Gaudin enlisted in the RCAF In 1940 and received
operational training on Hurricanes at Sutton Bridge in Lincolnshire,
England. He was posted to 122 Squadron RAF on Spitfires at Scorton,
Yorkshire in February 1942, then later transferred to the Middle East via
West Africa. He then joined 417 Squadron RCAF in October 1942 at a
base near Alexandria, flying Hurricanes and, later, Spitfires. The main task
of the squadron at this time was the defence of Alexandria Harbour prior
to Montgomery's advance, and the interception of German photo
reconnaissance aircraft. Douglas is credited with nearly a hundred
operational sorties.
The Story
Immediately following the Normandy breakout by the allies in late July of
1944, the German army was in a full and disorganized retreat. The
combined allied war machine was beginning to push the Wehrmacht
across the length and breadth of France. This was accomplished in large
part by dominating the air space above the conflict. The air campaign of
Great Britain and the United States had wrestled air superiority from the
German Luftwaffe in the years 1942-1944. It was now paying big
dividends.
Without control of the air, the German army was denied the freedom to
move troops and equipment to combat the advancing allied effort.
Deployment of German troops was inevitably defensive in nature, and
they were constantly harassed by marauding fighter bombers and
reconnaissance flights.
No movement was safe, including the travels of high echelon superiors in
the military as they scurried about the battle front, attempting to analyze
the changing situation and adjust their plans.
In Robert Bailey's painting FULL THROTTLE, a German staff car,
escorted by motorcycles, is caught on an open road by Spitfires
searching for targets of opportunity. In this case, a locomotive
transporting war materials makes this a double bonus target.
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| Ozark Airfield Artworks |
This Scenario
Spitfires of 412 Squadron,
RCAF, attack targets of
opportunity in France just
after DDay.
Spitfires of 412 Squadron,
RCAF, attack targets of
opportunity in France just
after DDay.