Greyish - Thematic Photography

When I saw the theme was greyish I immediately thought of battleship grey.

HMS Illustrious - 1940 Aircraft Carrier

 

 

This photo comes from my brother's photos taken during WWII. He served on the Illustrious in the Mediterranean  and may have been aboard when Swordfish aircraft from the carrier attacked the Italian fleet at Taranto.

Swordfish (I think)

Seaplanes also flew off carriers but this one seems to have lost its way.

Grounded - Supermarine Walrus

To add a bit of colour to our greyish theme I'll change to grey and green,

13th Century Parish Church, St Mawgan, Cornwall

Dedicated to St Mauganus and St Nicholas

St Mauganus was a Welshman so I'm told.

In North Yorkshire the best preserved ruins of a Cistercian monastery are those of Fountains Abbey.

Fountains Abbey, North Yorkshire

I have nearly 40 photos of the Abbey but for this greyish theme you will have to be satisfied with one.

For other grey matters you need to pay a visit to Carmi's thematic photographic 185

My Brother's War Photos - Sepia Saturday

I showed a few photos before at My Brothers War but Alan's photo this week enables me to post some more. Four men are in this one too.

Fleet Air Arm buddies

My brother Arthur is on the left. Unfortunately I do not know where the picture was taken or who the others are.

His album contains a lot of action photographs including a number of what I believe is a Supermarine Walrus flying boat like this:

Supermarine Walrus

(The picture came from "Aircraft of the Flying Powers", Volume I edited by HJ Cooper, OG Thetford and DA Russell, Harborough Publishing Co., Leicester, England 1940)

The Walrus used for reconnaissance would be catapulted off the aircraft carrier.

Walrus over carrier

I believe the structure you can see below the plane is a catapult mechanism. But how did it get back on board?

The aircraft carrier would slew to one side creating a smooth surface in its wake on which the plane would land.

Walrus landing in the ships wake

Then the plane would be quickly brought alongside.

Crewman on the wing

His job is to hook up the aircraft to the carrier's crane.

Lifting onboard

Operation complete

I have put these pictures together in sequence based on a desciption of the operation I found on the web. Hopefully it makes sense and Arthur's pictures fit together.

For more action please visit Sepia Saturday 96