P/O Hillary 603 Sqdn

Woodie

P/O Hillary 603 Sqdn

Pilot Officer Richard Hillary RAFVR was a member of 603 (City of Edinburgh) Sqdn and the painting is of him being shot down in a Spitfire MkI, ser.no.X4277, code XT-M, by Hauptmann Eric Bode flying a Messerschmitt Bf109E of the German Luftwaffe on the 3rd September 1940 during the Battle of Britain.

The fuel tank of Hillary’s aircraft was hit by cannon fire and almost immediately engulfed the cockpit in flames. Hillary had difficulty in sliding back his canopy and quickly lost consciousness due to the pain of his burns. The next thing he was aware of was descending over the sea beneath his parachute. This action took place between 20,000 and 25,000ft over the Thames Estuary, north of Margate. Pilot Officer Hillary was rescued by the Margate lifeboat just after 10am and taken to Margate Hospital suffering serious burns to his face, hands and legs. He was later treated by the renowned plastic surgeon Archibald McIndoe.

P/O Hillary died, aged 23, along with his navigator-radio operator, Wilfrid Fison in a flying accident on the 8th January 1943, whilst on a night training flight from RAF Charter Hall, Berwickshire, Scotland. His B of B score was 5 enemy a/c, 2 probables and 1 shared.
603 were the top scoring Sqdn during the B of B.

P/O Hillary 603 Sqdn belongs to the following groups:

"Exceptional Ekphrasis", Aeronautics & Aviation, Hand drawn or painted vehicles, Realist Traditional Art, War and WARBIRDS Available for sale as

Greeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints and Framed Prints
P/O Hillary 603 Sqdn by Woodie
P/O Hillary 603 Sqdn by Woodie
  • Anartist

    Anartist

    I love your work and your reseach is enthralling
    Harris…....................<><

  • Von McKnelly

    Von McKnelly

    Hahahaha! Your to much!! Oh I thought the title was in reference to something else.

  • Woodie replied

    I’ve amended the title so as not to get our american friends over excited.LOL
    Cheers Neil

  • Brian Towers

    Brian Towers

    Another one of your brilliant paintings Neil. And, as always, a good story to go with it.
    PS. I guess Von McKnelly was refering to Mrs Clinton taking a dive.

  • Kofoed

    Kofoed

    I too love your work, Neil. This is so good. And your research is brilliant and most interesting.

  • Von McKnelly

    Von McKnelly

    No worries Neil it was a brilliant play.

  • Woodie replied

    A lady that goes to my art club, who’s maiden name is Rodham, says she is related to Hillary C.

  • Steven Agius

    Steven Agius

    Excellent work Neil, well done.

  • PhotogeniquE IPA

    PhotogeniquE IPA

    amazing painting.

    Here’s a peice of Triva. My mother was a nurse during the war and worked with Archibald McIndoe and his ‘Guinea Pigs’ . She used to tell me some of the stories about what they were able to do for airmen who had been severely burnt. I was, perhaps, a little to young then to appreciate quite how ground-braking his work was.

  • Woodie replied

    I’ve just uploaded 630 Sqdn Lancaster featuring a F/Sgt rear gunner that was treated by Dr McIndoe for burns. See also Tea Up on the dispersal.
    Cheers Neil

  • Walter Colvin

    Walter Colvin

    Exvellent work woodie great job

  • Greg Halliday

    Greg Halliday

    I once asked a RAAF airframe tech if he wished he was a fighter pilot, he replied “What, strap a tin can full of explosive fuel to my back and jump 40,000ft in the air, I don’t think so…”. Wise words I think. The bravey of these guy’s is unbelievable and you’ve caught a key point in what makes them a special breed.

  • Chookas

    Chookas

    Not only does this piece interpret the scariness of the art of flying in a dog fight and the courage of the airmen but the vital groundbreaking exploratory work done to create the technology and in the field of medicine that the pressure of war demands!
    ☼ BRAVO! ☼

  • Woodie replied

    Technology develops very quickly in war. Both medical and machines.
    Neil

  • Joy Williams

    Joy Williams

    The Last Enemy – one of my favourite autobiographical fighter pilot books written by Richard Hillary during his convalesence. Brave Brave man – as were they all.

  • Woodie replied

    Hi Joy
    I have his book, The Last Enemy but I had to read his biography to get the details for this painting.
    Neil

  • Xadrik

    Xadrik

    Cool.

  • ISMAIL ALAOUI ABDALLAOUI

    ISMAIL ALAOUI ...

    this is it this is the end,
    hitting the ground!
    i bet the pilot has already died due to the gatling shooting:

  • Woodie replied

    Hilary did survive, but was badly burnt.
    Gatling, – Do you mean machine gun/cannon fire?
    Cheers Neil

  • ISMAIL ALAOUI ABDALLAOUI

    ISMAIL ALAOUI ...

    hilary; ?? i just said a joke,
    i didn’t expect you know the name of the pilot!
    well yes about the 2008 planes gatling: roling machine gun!
    the blodiest ones! there is a new one that can fire 6000 shots/minutes,
    its a heavy weapon used against misilles
    that one is so fast that when its working you here onlyTJJJJjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj!
    not tatatatatatatata!
    its scary!

  • Woodie replied

    Hi Ismail,
    This painting was a commission and I did a lot of research to get it right so I thought it would be a good idea to add a sumary of events leading up to P/O Hillary being shot down, SEe ABOVE!!!
    Cheers Neil

  • neogolas

    neogolas

    Brilliant Art work.

  • Woodie replied

    Thanks mate!!
    Cheers Neil
    Love your folio!!

  • Tainia Finlay

    Tainia Finlay

    Fabulous image and narrative Woodie. A great tribute. Tai

  • Woodie replied

    Thanks Tai

  • joak

    joak

    this is amazin and what a story

  • Woodie replied

    Cheers Mate!

  • ndicki

    ndicki

    Nice piece of work there, Neil! Good tribute to a bloody brave type.

  • Woodie replied

    Thanks Nigel!!

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