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Supermarine
Seafire of 887 Squadron Fleet Air Arm in aviation art print by M A Kinnear.
887 squadron took part in the Salerno landings and joined Task Force
37 taking part in the ramrod attacks on Sumatra. Aviation print of Sub
Lieutenant Victor Lowden's Supermarine Seafire is available from Cranston
Fine Arts.
Aircraft side view by M A Kinnear.
Supermarine Seafire MkIII LR866 (S121).
Aircraft History:
Built by Westland
Aircraft Ltd. Yeovil and delivered to 39 MU on 12th December 1943, it went
to 880 squadron May 1944 then onto 887 squadron September 1944. Whilst
being flown by S/L V Lowden on 15th August 1945 LR866 was credited with
2½ destroyed and 2 'probable' A6M5 "Zeke" fighters. This was
the last air combat of the 1939-45 conflict.
887 Squadron Fleet Air Arm:
887 Squadron was formed as a Fleet
Fighter squadron at Lee-on-Solent 1st May 1942. Initially equipped with
Fulmars Mk II, the squadron re-equipped with Spitfires MKV in
December, finally equipping with Seafires Mk III in March 1943 - which 887
used until its disbandment - in both L and F variants. In April 1943 the
squadron embarked on HMS Unicorn sailing in May on convoy escort to Malta
and in September, they provided fighter cover for the Salerno landings.
887 became part of the 24th Naval Fighter Wing in October joining HMS
Indefatigable in July 1944. 887 was in action off the coast of Norway
during operations against the Tirpitz. On rejoining HMS Indefatigable, 887
sailed for Ceylon to join the British Pacific Fleet. The squadron took
part in attacks on Sumatra (January 1945), the Sakishima Group of islands
(March/ April) and prior to V J Day saw action over the Japanese mainland.
In November 1945 they sailed to New Zealand and then onto Australia before
sailing home. 887 squadron was disbanded on arrival at Gosport on 15th
March 1946.
Battle Honours: Atlantic 1943, Salerno
1943, Norway 1944, Palembang 1945, Okinawa 1945 and Japan 1945.
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Supermarine Seafire MkIII LR866 (S121) by M A Kinnear.
Aircraft History: Built by Westland Aircraft Ltd. Yeovil and delivered to 39 MU on 12th December 1943, it went to 880 squadron May 1944 then onto 887 squadron September 1944. Whilst being flown by S/L V Lowden on 15th August 1945 LR866 was credited with 2½ destroyed and 2 probable A6M5 Zeke fighters. This was the last air combat of the 1939-45 conflict.
Sub Lieutenant (Air) Victor S Lowden DSC, RNVR: Born in Bangkok, Siam September 1923, Victor Lowden joined the Fleet Air Arm in July 1942 and commenced his basic flying training at Sealand UK and then Kingston, Canada. After converting to Seafires in August 1943, he joined 899 squadron in Northern Ireland and with the unit embarked on the escort carrier HMS Khedive. His first operational sortie in a Seafire took place in June 1944 in Air Defence Great Britain at Peterhead in Scotland. Further sorties on the type soon followed, notably over France during Operation Dragoon and then on to the Aegean in September 1944 with operational Aplomb and Outing. After arriving in Australia in April 1945 aboard HMS Chaser, 899 squadron was dismantled to provide pilot and aircraft for the Fleet Carrier HMS Indefatigable to which Victor found himself attached. He officially joined 887 squadron as part of the British Pacific Fleet in Task Force 37 off Sakashima, Japan in May 1945. Moving on to Task Force 38 in July of that year, he was engaged in dive bombing, strafing and providing Combat Air Patrols off Shikoko and Honshu. During the next few weeks, more Ramrod operations followed, attacking shipping and shore installations off Sendai, Japan. On 15th August 1945 whilst leading a flight of Seafires Mk III in LR866 escorting Fireflys and Avengers attacking targets south of Tokyo, he ran into a force of approximately 15 A6M5 (Zeke) fighters and an intense dogfight ensued. The enemy accounted for one Seafire (out of 7) and one Avenger but in doing so paid a high price 8 Zekes were shot down and a further four counted as probables. Victor Lowden was credited with 2½ destroyed and 2 probables/damaged. This engagement subsequently proved to be the last aerial combat of the 1939-45 war, for shortly after landing back on the Indefatigable the official ceasefire flag was run up and flown on the ship. After the Tokyo Bay surrender, the carrier returned to Sydney and Victor was awarded the DSC. In mid September 1945 he sailed back to the United Kingdom for early demobilisation. Today he lives happily with his wife Helen in Scotland.
Open edition print. Image size 16.5 inches x 11.5 inches (42cm x 30cm). Price £14.00
ITEM CODE AP0007
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Sub Lieutenant (Air) Victor S Lowden
DSC, RNVR:
Born in Bangkok, Siam September 1923,
Victor Lowden joined the Fleet Air Arm in July 1942 and commenced his
basic flying training at Sealand UK and then Kingston, Canada. After
converting to Seafire's in August 1943, he joined 899 squadron in Northern
Ireland and with the unit embarked on the escort carrier HMS Khedive. His
first operational sortie in a Seafire took place in June 1944 in Air
Defence Great Britain at Peterhead in Scotland. Further sorties on the
type soon followed, notably over France during Operation Dragoon and then
on to the Aegean in September 1944 with operational Aplomb and Outing.
After arriving in Australia in April 1945 aboard HMS Chaser, 899 squadron
was dismantled to provide pilot and aircraft for the Fleet Carrier HMS
Indefatigable to which Victor found himself attached. He officially joined
887 squadron as part of the British Pacific Fleet in Task Force 37 off
Sakashima, Japan in May 1945. Moving on to Task Force 38 in July of that
year, he was engaged in dive bombing, strafing and providing Combat Air
Patrols off Shikoko and Honshu. During the next few weeks, more 'Ramrod'
operations followed, attacking shipping and shore installations off
Sendai, Japan. On 15th August 1945 whilst leading a flight of Seafires Mk
III in LR866 escorting Firefly's and Avengers attacking targets south of
Tokyo, he ran into a force of approximately 15 A6M5 (Zeke) fighters and an
intense dogfight ensued. The enemy accounted for one Seafire (out of 7)
and one Avenger but in doing so paid a high price 8 Zekes were shot down
and a further four counted as probable's. Victor Lowden was credited with
2½ destroyed and 2 probable's/damaged. This engagement subsequently
proved to be the last aerial combat of the 1939-45 war, for shortly after
landing back on the Indefatigable the official ceasefire flag was run up
and flown on the ship. After the Tokyo Bay surrender, the carrier returned
to Sydney and Victor was awarded the DSC. In mid September 1945 he sailed
back to the United Kingdom for early demobilisation. Today he lives
happily with his wife Helen in Scotland. |
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