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Squadron Leader Ian Blair DFM (deceased) - Art prints and originals signed by Squadron Leader Ian Blair DFM (deceased)

Ian Blair

Ian Blair
The signature of Squadron Leader Ian Blair DFM (deceased)

5 / 10 / 2016Died : 5 / 10 / 2016

Squadron Leader Ian Blair DFM (deceased)

Ian Blair joined 113 Squadron in 1938 as a AC1/Armourer AG. on Hawker Hind and later Blenheim Mk 1s. He took part in the heavy fighting of the first Lybian campaign. He was forced to take control and fly the Blenheim airceaft after his pilot was killed following an attack by an Italian Fiat CR 42. Remarkably he managed not only to evade the enemy aircraft, but fly to fly the Blenheim 350 miles back to his base where he made a succesful textbook landing. This extraordinary action earned him the award of an immediate DFM. Ian Blair said about the event :
The day before, we had been sent out to bomb an enemy airfield at Derna, about 400 miles west of Alexandria. We were in a Blenheim bomber, and I was the observer. That's the guy in the front who does the navigation and drops the bombs. But as soon as I had released the bombs, a fighter-plane attacked us.
Glasgow-born Sqn Ldr Blair still has the blood-stained flight log he made that day. The pencil entries end suddenly. He said : There was an almighty bang. When I looked round, the pilot - a chap called Reynolds - was slumped forward on the controls. I think it was the very last round that killed him. It was really unfortunate. His luck had run out. Then the aircraft went into a steep dive.
Despite having never flown an aircraft in his life before that moment, the young airman - paid one shilling and sixpence per day extra to fill in as part-time air crew - took charge. He said : From that moment the only thing going through my mind was survival. Everything happened so quickly, and we had to get the heck out of there. I managed to pull the pilot's body off his seat and get the aircraft under control. But we still had to get home and land the thing. My gunner, Hank, sent a message back to base saying: 'We're in dire trouble here, the observer is flying the aircraft.' Lo and behold, when we got back to base there was whole gallery of people, cars, ambulances and fire tenders all lined up waiting for the ultimate - but it didn't happen. I had spent a long time watching pilots, and made a textbook landing. We came down in a shower of dust. Perhaps I was a bit over-confident. The air officer commanding the base apparently said: 'If that guy can fly an aircraft without a pilot's course, let's send him on a pilot's course.'
He was presented with his DFM by George VI. The experience led him to train as a pilot at No 4 SFTS RAF Habbaniya, where the No 6 War Course were heavily engaged in operations to raize the siege of the base from the Iraqi Army. He was finally awarded his wings in May 1941. On return to the UK he served with 501 Squadron on combat duties on Spitfire Mk V's until injured as a result of enemy action. On return to flying duties he was posted to 602 Squadron flying MkV's and MkIX's until June 1944. In February 1944, he claimed a high altitude victory by destroying a Me.109 F at an altitude of 35,000 feet, flying a Spitfire Mk.VII H.F.

Items Signed by Squadron Leader Ian Blair DFM (deceased)

A large umbrella of Spitfire Wings covered most of the sky over Dieppe during the Allied attack Operation Jubilee on 19th August 1942. Squadron leader Johnnie Johnson leads 610 (County of Chester) Squadron down from top cover support to lend a hand t......
The Battle for the Skies Over Dieppe, 19th August 1942 by Graeme Lothian (AP)
Price : £145.00
A large umbrella of Spitfire Wings covered most of the sky over Dieppe during the Allied attack Operation Jubilee on 19th August 1942. Squadron leader Johnnie Johnson leads 610 (County of Chester) Squadron down from top cover support to lend a hand t......

Quantity:
A large umbrella of Spitfire Wings covered most of the sky over Dieppe during the Allied attack Operation Jubilee on 19th August 1942. Squadron leader Johnnie Johnson leads 610 (County of Chester) Squadron down from top cover support to lend a hand t......
The Battle for the Skies Over Dieppe, 19th August 1942 by Graeme Lothian (B)
Price : £110.00
A large umbrella of Spitfire Wings covered most of the sky over Dieppe during the Allied attack Operation Jubilee on 19th August 1942. Squadron leader Johnnie Johnson leads 610 (County of Chester) Squadron down from top cover support to lend a hand t......

Quantity:
 Robert has chosen to show a Spitfire in the Battle of Britain colours of No 41 Squadron for his romantic portrayal of a Spitfire over St Michaels Mount, just off the coast of Cornwall - where the southwest corner of the British Isles meets the might......
Spitfires Over St Michaels Mount by Robert Taylor.
SOLD OUT
Robert has chosen to show a Spitfire in the Battle of Britain colours of No 41 Squadron for his romantic portrayal of a Spitfire over St Michaels Mount, just off the coast of Cornwall - where the southwest corner of the British Isles meets the might......NOT
AVAILABLE
 Robert has chosen to show a Spitfire in the Battle of Britain colours of No 41 Squadron for his romantic portrayal of a Spitfire over St Michaels Mount, just off the coast of Cornwall - where the southwest corner of the British Isles meets the might......
Spitfires Over St Michaels Mount by Robert Taylor. (AP)
SOLD OUT
Robert has chosen to show a Spitfire in the Battle of Britain colours of No 41 Squadron for his romantic portrayal of a Spitfire over St Michaels Mount, just off the coast of Cornwall - where the southwest corner of the British Isles meets the might......NOT
AVAILABLE
GL2.  Fighter Pilot of the Royal Air Force by Graeme Lothian. ......
Fighter Pilot of the Royal Air Force by Graeme Lothian.
Price : £170.00
GL2. Fighter Pilot of the Royal Air Force by Graeme Lothian. ......

Quantity:
Each of the 20 artist proof remarques features a hand-drawn remarque of a famous WW2 RAF fighter pilot alongside the signatures.......
Fighter Pilot of the Royal Air Force by Graeme Lothian. (APB)
Price : £480.00
Each of the 20 artist proof remarques features a hand-drawn remarque of a famous WW2 RAF fighter pilot alongside the signatures.......

Quantity:
Each of the 20 artist proof remarques features a hand-drawn remarque of a famous WW2 RAF fighter pilot alongside the signatures.......
Fighter Pilot of the Royal Air Force by Graeme Lothian. (APC)
Price : £480.00
Each of the 20 artist proof remarques features a hand-drawn remarque of a famous WW2 RAF fighter pilot alongside the signatures.......

Quantity:
Each of the 20 artist proof remarques features a hand-drawn remarque of a famous WW2 RAF fighter pilot alongside the signatures.......
Fighter Pilot of the Royal Air Force by Graeme Lothian. (APD)
Price : £320.00
Each of the 20 artist proof remarques features a hand-drawn remarque of a famous WW2 RAF fighter pilot alongside the signatures.......

Quantity:
Each of the 20 artist proof remarques features a hand-drawn remarque of a famous WW2 RAF fighter pilot alongside the signatures.......
Fighter Pilot of the Royal Air Force by Graeme Lothian. (APE)
Price : £480.00
Each of the 20 artist proof remarques features a hand-drawn remarque of a famous WW2 RAF fighter pilot alongside the signatures.......

Quantity:
Each of the 20 artist proof remarques features a hand-drawn remarque of a famous WW2 RAF fighter pilot alongside the signatures.......
Fighter Pilot of the Royal Air Force by Graeme Lothian. (APF)
Price : £480.00
Each of the 20 artist proof remarques features a hand-drawn remarque of a famous WW2 RAF fighter pilot alongside the signatures.......

Quantity:
 Spitfires from 144 Wing RCAF 2nd TAF led by W/c Johnnie Johnson. Supplying air cover to a mixed force of 942 bombers over Normandy on Operation Goodwood, 18th July 1944. SR-Z of 101 (Special) squadron. Lancasters piloted by Flt Lt George Harris DFC.......
Returning from Caen by Graeme Lothian.
Price : £260.00
Spitfires from 144 Wing RCAF 2nd TAF led by W/c Johnnie Johnson. Supplying air cover to a mixed force of 942 bombers over Normandy on Operation Goodwood, 18th July 1944. SR-Z of 101 (Special) squadron. Lancasters piloted by Flt Lt George Harris DFC.......

Quantity:
 Spitfires from 144 Wing RCAF 2nd TAF led by W/c Johnnie Johnson. Supplying air cover to a mixed force of 942 bombers over Normandy on Operation Goodwood, 18th July 1944. SR-Z of 101 (Special) squadron. Lancasters piloted by Flt Lt George Harris DFC.......
Returning from Caen by Graeme Lothian. (XX)
Price : £130.00
Spitfires from 144 Wing RCAF 2nd TAF led by W/c Johnnie Johnson. Supplying air cover to a mixed force of 942 bombers over Normandy on Operation Goodwood, 18th July 1944. SR-Z of 101 (Special) squadron. Lancasters piloted by Flt Lt George Harris DFC.......

Quantity:
Spitfires from 144 Wing RCAF 2nd TAF led by W/c Johnnie Johnson. Supplying air cover to a mixed force of 942 bombers over Normandy on Operation Goodwood, 18th July 1944. SR-Z of 101 (Special) squadron. Lancasters piloted by Flt Lt George Harris DFC. ......
Returning from Caen by Graeme Lothian. (Y)
SOLD OUT
Spitfires from 144 Wing RCAF 2nd TAF led by W/c Johnnie Johnson. Supplying air cover to a mixed force of 942 bombers over Normandy on Operation Goodwood, 18th July 1944. SR-Z of 101 (Special) squadron. Lancasters piloted by Flt Lt George Harris DFC. ......NOT
AVAILABLE

Packs with at least one item featuring the signature of Squadron Leader Ian Blair DFM (deceased)

Pack 540. Pack of two D-Day Normandy aviation prints by Nicolas Trudgian.
Pack Price : £215.00
Saving : £255
Aviation Print Pack. ......

Titles in this pack :

D-Day Armada by Nicolas Trudgian.
Returning from Caen by Graeme Lothian.

Quantity:
Pack 575. Pack of two WW2 Fighter prints by Simon Smith and Graeme Lothian.
Pack Price : £155.00
Saving : £165
Aviation Print Pack. ......

Titles in this pack :

Freedom Fighters by Simon Smith.
Fighter Pilot of the Royal Air Force by Graeme Lothian.

Quantity:
Pack 620. Pack of two Spitfire prints by Philip West and Graeme Lothian.
Pack Price : £175.00
Saving : £150
Aviation Print Pack. ......

Titles in this pack :

Spitfires - Masters of the Air by Philip West.
The Battle for the Skies Over Dieppe, 19th August 1942 by Graeme Lothian (B)

Quantity:
Pack 622. Pack of two Spitfire artist proofs by Philip West and Graeme Lothian.
Pack Price : £215.00
Saving : £210
Aviation Print Pack. ......

Titles in this pack :

Spitfires - Masters of the Air by Philip West. (AP)
The Battle for the Skies Over Dieppe, 19th August 1942 by Graeme Lothian (AP)

Quantity:
Squadron Leader Ian Blair DFM (deceased)

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