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John Albert Axel Gibson

Victories : 11
-----------------------------
Country : New Zealand
Fought in : WW2
Fought for : Allied
Died : 1st July 2000

In May 1940 John Gibson joined 501 Squadron. The squadron flew to France and saw action during the German advances. On 27th May Gibson destroyed an He III and shared in the destruction of another before he was himself shot down, crash-landing in a field. The much-depleted Squadrons final base was at St Helier in Jersey on 19 June 1940, from where it covered the evacuation of the British Army from Cherbourg. During the Battle of Britain, Gibson destroyed seven aircraft. In an action on August 15 1940 Gibsons aircraft was set alight by return fire from a Stuka, one of a force attacking Hawkinge airfield. Being then directly over Folkestone, Gibson steered his blazing aircraft away from the town and took it down to 1000 feet before baling out. He was again shot down in flames on the 29th, this time over Dover, and baled out into the sea two miles off the coast. He was picked up by a motor boat. About this time Gibson was awarded the DFC. Later in the war he served in the Pacific and was awarded the DSO. He passed away on the 1st July 2000.

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Latest Allied Aviation Artwork !
A Fairey Albacore of 826 Naval Air Squadron releases its torpedo at the Battle of Cape Matapan, 28th March 1941. With intelligence from deciphered Italian communications aiding them, the British fleet had a distinct advantage from the outset of this battle. However, gaining a torpedo hit on the well protected battleship Vittorio Veneto came at a price - Lt Com Dalyell-Stead and the crew of his Fairey Albacore got close enough to launch their torpedo and damage the battleship, but were killed when their aircraft was brought down by the hail of anti-aircraft fire returned. Ultimately, the battle was a massive British victory with several Italian capital ships sunk, but it was a notable victory for innovation and intelligence, with British ship-borne radar decisive in a night action, and code-breaking by Bletchley Park aiding the British fleet.

Albacore at Cape Matapan by Ivan Berryman.		A prominent aviator in the Battle of the Atlantic, Terry Bulloch flew B-24 Liberators with No.120 Sqn in an anti-submarine role. Already awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for shooting down two German aircraft in a No.206 Sqn Lockheed Hudson over Dunkirk, he was awarded a Bar to this when he sunk U-boat U-597 in October 1942. After another attack, this time sinking U-132 and damaging U-89, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, and gained a Bar to this on leaving No.120 Sqn at the end of 1942. Bulloch is seen here on 8th July 1943 in Liberator GR Mk.V BZ721 of No.224 Sqn having completed his hat-trick of U-boat kills, this time sinking U-514 in the Bay of Biscay. This type had been modified by RAF Coastal Command to carry rockets, which Bulloch had used to attack the submarine, finishing it off with depth charges. After the war, Bulloch became an airline pilot, crossing the Atlantic on more than 1,000 occasions. He died in 2014.

Tribute to Terry Bulloch by Ivan Berryman.		 In early May 1941, in conditions of strict secrecy because the United States was not yet at war, seventeen pilots of the US Navy had arrived in Britain and been attached to Catalina squadrons of Coastal Command. These experienced PBY pilots were there to assist the Royal Air Force to become familiar with the Catalina, and also to gain operational experience for the US Navy. On 26th May 1941 Catalina Z of No.209 Sqn, commanded by Flying Officer Dennis Briggs RAF, with Ensign Leonard B Smith USN as co-pilot, joined the search for the Bismarck. At 1015 the aircraft was being flown in poor visibility at an altitude of 500ft when Ensign Smith sighted the Bismarck at a range of eight miles. The Catalina was flown towards the contact so that a positive identification could be made and emerged from the cloud only 500 yards from the German ship. The aircraft met a hail of anti-aircraft fire but was able to make its escape. As a result of the sighting report from Catalina Z the Bismarck was again engaged by ships and aircraft of the Royal Navy and was sunk at 1040 on 27th May 1941. Leonard Smith can be considered therefore, the first American to be directly involved in action in World War Two. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (American) for his actions.

The Aircraft That Found the Bismarck by Ivan Berryman.		 Painted with the black and white markings of the D-Day invasion, P-51 Mustang 43-24823 B6-S 'Old Crow' is the personal aircraft of 'Bud' Anderson. He flew two tours with the 363rd Fighter Squadron and is credited with 16.25 victories in 116 missions from February to December 1944. After the war he became a test pilot, flying over 100 different aircraft types before retiring in 1972, often speaking at aviation history events ever since. As of the time of writing in 2023, he is 101 years old and has just been promoted to the honorary rank of Brigadier General.

Tribute to Clarence 'Bud' Anderson by Ivan Berryman.

John Albert Axel Gibson

Squadrons for : John Albert Axel Gibson
A list of all squadrons known to have been served with by John Albert Axel Gibson. A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name.
SquadronInfo

No.501 Sqn RAF


Country : UK
Founded : 14th June 1929
Fate : Disbanded 10th March 1957
County of Gloucester, City of Bristol (Auxiliary)

Nil time - Fear nothing

Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.501 Sqn RAF

No.501 Sqn RAF

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