| Places | |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | ART26051 |
| Collection type | Art |
| Measurement | Overall: 45.9 x 66.2 cm |
| Object type | Work on paper |
| Physical description | carbon pencil with pen and ink heightened with white crayon on paper |
| Maker |
Norton, Frank |
| Place made | North Africa: Libya, Cyrenaica, Antelat |
| Date made | 1942 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
Servicing Rima II, Libya
Description
A typical Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk, "Rima II" is flown by Pilot Officer L. Spence of No. 3 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force. (The name "Rima" dates to the last war when a fighter aircraft of that name was flown by Spence's father-in-law.) Each aircraft in the Squadron has its own pet name, usually also the pilot's emblem. The plane has just returned from an operational flight and pilot has left it in the hands of his rigger, fitter, etc., who are preparing the plane for any immediate take-off. "Snakey" Britton, (Rigger 2A) is cleaning the windscreen; "Bluey" Inkster, (Fitter) is refueling and "Snowy" Horne checking the wireless. Under the wing Bill Gordon is attending the guns, Antelat, Libya.
In 1941 Frank Norton joined the Royal Australian Navy and was appointed in March that year as an Official War Artist, travelling to Western Australia, the Middle East, Tobruk and the Western Desert. Norton was again appointed official war artist for the Navy in Korea in 1952.