Ship paintings

[Roger Pellett]

Barrage Balloons -  A great picture of an apparently routine but historically neglected job.

 

A question- These balloons appear often in European Theater photos but not in those for the Pacific.  How effective were these in deterring aerial attacks and preventing losses?

Edited December 15, 2020 by Roger Pellett

[Vegaskip]

Sorry. Haven’t a clue!.

Jim

[wefalck]

Perhaps in Europe there were clearer and shorter 'fronts', where a barrage makes sense. Putting balloons around all those islands would have been a job for 'Christo' ...

[mtaylor]

I got the shivers just looking at those last two paintings..... brrrrrr....

[Vegaskip]

Two small paintings this afternoon. Postcard size 5.75” X 3.75”
I04 HMCS Annapolis and K113 HMCS Arvida , most enjoyable at this size, watch out for more.

[Vegaskip]

Another two small ones, photographed on one of my more usual 16.5“ X 11.75”

Herzogin Cecilie and Ocean Angel

 

 

[Vegaskip]

Another mini pic. (5.75” X 4”)

HMS Clematis leaving harbour.

[Vegaskip]

Latest two small pics

L ...Birkdale R....Alice

w/c 5.75” X 4”

[Vegaskip]

To all my friends concerned with keeping the friendships and memories of The Arctic Convoys and what they meant to our countries, fresh in the minds of future generations. Seasons greetings. Health. Wealth. Happiness and always a Fathom below your Keel.

[Rik Thistle]

Seasons greetings. Health. Wealth. Happiness

 

And to you and your's all also.

 

Although I was aware of the Arctic Convoys I never really knew about them. So I have just spent a bit of time on Wikipedia reading up on them.... strategically very important events and very brave people involved.

 

I found out there were a number of books written and a film made. I will try to find out where this film is available.... https://www.prlib.ru/en/news/684563

 

Richard

 

Edit: I found this film  ... https://www.amazon.co.uk/PQ-17-Arctic-Convoy-Disaster/dp/B00JAI29AM ...it's Clarkson commentating but I think he knows when to be serious.      

Edited December 24, 2020 by Rik Thistle

[Canute]

Hollywood cranked out a Bogart film during the war titled "Action in the North Atlantic". It was a Murmansk bound convoy. My Father said the Army showed it to them just before the sailed to England in 1943.

[Vegaskip]

Arctic Echoes was a book made up with about fifty of my convoy related paintings. Printed in Moscow, sponsored by various companies. My wife and I were invited to attend the 75 anniversary celebrations held in Arkhangelsk and St Petersburg, in 2016. Trip of a life time!

[Vegaskip]

Pilots,! Think i might need one!

[Vegaskip]

Thames Estuary again.

14” x 10” w/c

[Vegaskip]

1956, I left school, joined Merchant Navy, trained as a Catering boy at the TS Dolphin in Leith. Joined my first ship Edenwood  at Ellesmere Port. Ballast to Casablanca for Phosphate for Bo'ness on the Firth of Forth. On the return trip we stopped off to 'swing the Compass' off Inchkeith. The Compass Adjuster was T.C. Lauder of Leith. I was sent up to the bridge with tea and sandwiches for him. Not the last time I was to meet Tommy Lauder. Several ships, sea miles and years later, now in the RN, I met the girl who was eventually to be my wife. When I met her Family her Dad was  the same TC Lauder Nautical Optician and Compass Adjuster I had met that day on Edenwood. It will be our 60th wedding anniversary this year.

The painting is Edenwood off Inchkeith with the Pilot Boat (as I remember it )  alongside and my future Father in Law climbing aboard.

 

[G.L.]

That are nice memories, Jim.

I wish you a happy, healthy and creative 2021.

[JohnG]

Great story, Jim. I love your paintings and your approach to your work. All  best wishes to you and yours for a happy, healthy and productive 2021.

John

[Guyuti]

On 12/7/2017 at 1:48 PM, Vegaskip said:

Thanks Pat. Here's a more modern scene, Gold Rover topping up a couple of her oppos.

Jim

Jim,

must have missed this the first time I went through all you wonderful pictures, I served on the Gold Rover, in Late '82. I was made redundant the following year during the 1st round of Maggie T's defense cut backs after the Falklands. Best 3.5 years of travel ever during my time on the RFA

 

Thanks

Guy

[Vegaskip]

Up date, put in a Short S17 'Kent' Flying boat.

[lmagna]

Probably didn't see too many of those over the Thames. 

[Vegaskip]

1 hour ago, lmagna said:

Probably didn't see too many of those over the Thames. 

I think there were only about 5 built, and they mostly operated in the Middle East. However no doubt they were test flown in the area.

 

[Vegaskip]

I was asked by Valentina Golycheva if I could do a painting of the attack on Convoy BD-5 - 12 August, 1944: The Marina Raskova was a soviet cargo ship that was torpedoed and damaged in the Kara Sea by U-365 (commander Kapitänleutnant H.Wedemeyer) while heading from Molotovsk to Kara's naval base at Port Dikson to supply food, technical equipment relief personnel and their families. The merchant ship was being escorted by three minesweepers from the 6. Minesweeper Division, and two of them were also sunk by the German submarine (T-118 and T-114). Marina Raskova was sunk by a coup de grâce the day after. Of the 632 men Women and Children on the three ships, 373 were lost and only 259 were rescued. Valentina's Father was among those killed. A little known event among the the the many tragedies during the war at sea in the Arctic Convoys. It is well worth looking into the story of Convoy BD-5 and subsequent expedition in 2015 to find and honour the remains of those who did not return

Valentina Golysheva is well known in connection with Russian Arctic Convoy associations and Rememberance events in Russia and UK. She is

Associate Professor, PhD

Director of the British Centre

Department of English

School of Social Sciences and Humanities and International Communications

Northern ( Arctic) Federal University (NARFU)

Arkhangelsk

[Ian B]

On 1/9/2021 at 2:48 PM, Vegaskip said:

Up date, put in a Short S17 'Kent' Flying boat.

My favourite picture so far -- still enjoying all your output

[Ian B]

It reminds me of my favourite picture I have on the wall at home-- sorry for the poor quality photo but gives you the idea

[lmagna]

On 1/10/2021 at 1:59 AM, Vegaskip said:

However no doubt they were test flown in the area.

Doesn't really matter. The feeling the painting creates is unaffected by the model of the aircraft. Like you said, at some point in time they would have had to fly in the area.  

[Vegaskip]

Gun Line

This was a commission for a gentleman in America, whose father served in both ships.
Shore bombardment Vietnam. USS O'Brien and USS Taussig in the background. Worth looking up O'Brien, she had quite an illustrious career.
w/c 16" X 11"

[lmagna]

Great paintings as always Jim. Do you know what the gear on the fantails of both destroyers is? All I could think of for the time period would be a DASH helicopter, but that would have been located forward of the aft turret where the torpedo tubes used to be. This looks more like mine sweeping gear or something. Could it be some kind of SONAR tow gear?

Edited January 27, 2021 by lmagna

[el cid]

3 hours ago, lmagna said:

Great paintings as always Jim. Do you know what the gear on the fantails of both destroyers is? All I could think of for the time period would be a DASH helicopter, but that would have been located forward of the aft turret where the torpedo tubes used to be. This looks more like mine sweeping gear or something. Could it be some kind of SONAR tow gear?

Yep, it’s the SQA-10 VDS (variable depth sonar).  (Sumrall 1995.  Sumner-Gearing Class Destroyers. pp. 212-215)

[michaelpsutton2]

Great work as always

[lmagna]

Thanks El

I'm a bit of a dummy when it comes to post WWII and modern Navy