D-Dog Over Hildesheim

Oil on Stretched Canvas 24” x 18”

This painting was commissioned by the grandson of Flying Officer Frederick Ricketts who was a Lancaster Navigator that completed an extended duty on 166 Squadron between Oct 1944 and Mar 1945.

The main Lancaster featured, ME499, with AS-D squadron codes, was nicknamed 'D-Dog' by her crew. The scene depicts 'D-Dog' flying as lead bomber on a daylight raid over Hildesheim on 22.03.1945, it was the crews penultimate sortie. Their final ten sorties being lead bomber.

I was provided with various information regarding the raid, including an aerial bombing photograph taken during the raid, which was a useful aid to creating the landscape in the painting. I find it very gratifying to work with the relatives of these brave airmen, to produce a commemorative painting such as this.