Large grouping of original photos, albums, certificates and documents to WWII Fleet Air Arm pilot who became a test pilot and famed record breaker.

 

A very large grouping of historic material to Lieutenant J.R.S. Overbury, who trained as a pilot with the Fleet Air Arm in WWII but rose to fame as a test pilot and world record holder  in the 1950s, before being killed while test flying a Jet Provost in 1960. This lot includes 2 photo albums of this Royal Navy days with 160 photos in the first album and 84 in the second. Photos follow his training in Canada with EFTS and include many group photos, aircraft, some great flying kit shots, etc. There are also several loos photos, including a superb colour photo in his Mk I helmet and Mk IV life vest. There are 2 original portraits of hm, one in charcoal and one painted on silk, plus a framed group photo of the Empire Test Pilot School, his original certificate from the Royal Aero Club for a record breaking flight from Rome to Malta. There are several newspapers and newspaper cuttings of his record breaking flights and accidents - one one featuring his wife who was the first female commercial jet pilot in the UK! There is literally a ton of great research material here  about a very interesting and important Royal Navy aviator.

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$575 / £470 / €525  email to secure this item

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Extensive and interesting log book grouping to a Fleet Air Arm observer, also qualified as a TAG and as a pilot!

 

Remarkable and possibly unique grouping to a FAA Observer who later qualified as a Telegraphist Air Gunner and then as a pilot (training with 845 squadron at Pensacola in the USA). Log book begins in 1940. His squadron commander was KIA in a small boat while rescuing troops from Dunkirk. After training in USA he was 845 was stationed on HMS Chaser. He was later posted to 828 squadron on HMS Implacable and sailed to Australia. Numerous combat missions in Grumman Avengers striking Japanese targets. Surrender of Japan is noted immediately after his last wartime sortie. With the log book is his personal diary notebook/scrapbook from 1944 and 45 which is 1.5 inches thick and features extensive written accounts of his activities and many photographs, fold outs, newspaper cuttings etc. Also included his extremely rare S1181 Observers note book and aircraft w/t log (knee type) with strike codes, crew flying, colours of day, frequencies etc. plus his Pilots Notes general and his Pilots Notes for the Avenger I and II. A book on Air Gunnery, hand-held computer, TAG wing (pin back) and medal ribbon bar. An amazing and complete set, far too much detail to mention everything  but feel free to ask questions of request additional photographs. Loads of interesting details in is writings and in his log book. A very interesting grouping with much to research.

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$1,475 / £1,200 / €1,345  email to secure this item

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Rare and historic Battle of Britain log book and other items to a Luftwaffe Ju 88 pilot.

 

Unique Luftwaffe log book and diary grouping, with extensive history and research, from the Battle of Britain. Great history, from Lt. Joachim Wreschnick, a bomber pilot with III/KG77. He flew the Do17, Ju86, Ju88 and He111. Flew multiple operations during the Battle of Britain and the Blitz, including over London, Birmingham, Coventry and Liverpool. Log book entries are from March 1940 to May 1941. He is well documented in several books (B of B Then and Now etc). On May 3rd, 1941 while returning home from a huge raid on Liverpool his aircraft suffered catastrophic double engine failure. His crew bailed out and he belly-landed on Welnet Wash in Norfolk. He was captured, interrogated and sent to POW camp for the duration. The grouping includes:

Log book in excellent condition (upon his return home in 1946, he completed and corrected some entries!).

His diary which he kept as a POW (which is actually more of a reflection of his thoughts based on his education on German history - very interesting!).

Two data plates from his aircraft given to him as a souvenir many years later when he visited his crash site.

LW breast eagle, probably from his flying jacket.

A September 1940 German LW newspaper.

Extensive research and documentation including eye-witness accounts, reports of the crash and the raid, details from the archaeology team that found it. 

Battle of Britain log books, both RAF and Luftwaffe, are highly desirable, and this is a particularly unique example, having a great deal of history and research.

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$3,000 / £2,475 / €2,700  email to secure this item

Superb WWI US Air Service grouping of photographs and documents to an airman in France. 

 

Extensive grouping of paperwork and photographs to an American airman named Will V. Matthews who served with the 224th Aero Squadron in France. Included is a beautiful 9" x 7" portrait in a lovely period frame, plus a smaller portrait photo in a studio folder, plus 75 other smaller photographs, 2.5" x 1.5" all very clear and detailed, showing his training, his journey while shipping overseas, life on base (in tents) plus numerous aircraft in the air and on the ground, crashes, his army friends etc. All are wrapped in a piece of paper labeled "W.V.M. overseas pictures." Also included is a complete squadron roster with home addresses of all members, a reunion card from 1939, a letter from Pershing about the end of the war, a single sergeant's badge with the winged prop insignia, his enlistment and discharge certificates, a newspaper clipping about Croydon Airport in London (where he presumably must have stayed en route). A wonderful grouping well worth researching further.

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SOLD

Important and highly significant Royal Flying Corps log book and photo grouping to Reginald Collis, who went on to become head of flying training in the RCAF in WW2. 

 

A very significant log book, being the only one of these early "ledger” types I have ever seen and I have no idea how long they were issued. There is also a very extensive grouping of documentation and photos. The first entry in the log book is dated January 1913 (it may well be the oldest surviving RFC pilot log book). It contains lots of WWI combat in the most comprehensive detail and neat handwriting. There are far too many completed pages to photograph all - but these sample pages give you a feel for his attention to detail.  The last entry is September 1916 when Collis was injured in a crash on top of a gasometer! There are 3 photos, tucked inside the log book, of the wreckage - including one of him still sitting/lying  in it. Collis stayed in the RAF, moved to Canada and became head of flying training in Canada in WW2, rising to the rank of Air Vice Marshal. He was also an inventor of some renown and some of his patents are included with the grouping. Several of his patents were registered in Canada and in the US. Also included is a leatherbound 1st edition of “Aviation in Canada” which is a rare book in its own right. Collis has annotated it rather sarcastically. email for complete details.

 

£3,275 / $4,200  / €3,700   email for more details

Interesting RAF Observer flight training photo album. 

 

Named and with many places / units identified, this album has all high quality, large format photos (postcard size) including a menu from Christmas dinner, 1942. 16 images total show life at training school but not your "run-of-the-mill" type photos. All are military and include many group / unit photos. Last photos show owner in sergeant uniform with Observer wing and a newspaper clipping indicating he had "passed out." A nice album, well annotated with names and places.

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£43 / $55 / €48  email to secure this item

14 original WWII AAF crew / aircraft photographs.

 

14 original wartime photos portraying aircraft, airfields, crashes and crew members. None are captioned so some research is required. Largest is 5.5" x 4" (140mm x 100mm)  and smallest is 2.75" x 1.75" (70mm x 45mm) all are excellent quality.

 

£58 / $75 / €65  email to secure this item

Superb original WWI WRAF photograph

 

Excellent and large fornat original photograph showing three women of the WRAF in WWI. an outstanding example of the uniforms they wore c.1918-19.  Approx. 4" x 6" with slight creasing / cracking at bottom corners.

 

£28 / $35  / €30  email for more details

Set of two RAF log books and photo album  from a Flight Observer / Air Gunner / Photographer who served from 1931 through to the end of WWII on Sunderlands, Wellingtons and Stirlings. Great historical content.

 

Two log books and a photo album containing a wealth of British Colonial history and the early days of the RAF as well as excellent photographs. LAC R.F. Jones started his RAF career as an Air Gunner, Navigator and Photographer with 10 squadron, flying in such aircraft as the Hyderabad, Fairey IIIF, Shorts Singapore, Vickers Vincent and Westland Wallace, entered WWII flying on Catalinas and Sunderlands on convoy support and Air Sea Rescue. He ended the war on Wellingtons and Stirlings. A fantastic career included flying with Sir Charles Portal (who was then a mere Air Commodore) and being lead navigator for many formation flying displays (which he diagrammed in his log books). On September 7th, 1936, while with 8 squadron, his aircraft was directed to rescue Mr. Roy Chapman Andrews, famous American paleantologist and explorer for the Museum of Natural History in New York, from one of his many scrapes. (Chapman Andrews was the basis for George Lucas' Indiana Jones character). A fascinating set of log books. The books were at one time glued together (back cover to front cover) but have been separated with minor loss to the surface (nothing serious). Photo album is in very good condition. As an accomplished aerial photographer, Jones' photo album is full of professional quality images, 81 total, most are 6" x 3.5" or 8" x 6.5" with some smaller. Many aerials of the area, including Aden, Alexandria, Aboukir, Canopus and Cairo and lots of rare aircraft, as well as service life in the Middle East (including sailing).

 £730 / $950  / €850  email for more details

Souvenir postcards from immediate postwar Japan.

3 sets of 6, still in their wrapping.

 

3 complete sets of 6 "souvenir of Japan" postcards, brought home by a USN veteran who was there at the end of the war. Subjects include popular tourist attractions (Kyoto, Mount Fuji etc,) and the ubiquitous Geisha girls. Still in their original "plain brown wrapping" (though nothing saucy or pornographic inside!). Make a great late war / post war display or decorative backdrop for a collection.

 

£19 / $25 / €22  

email for more details