Customer Helpline
(UK) : 01436 820269

Shipping Rates
Valuation of Your Collection

You currently have no items in your basket

Visa Credit payments supported by RBS WorldPay Visa Debit payments supported by RBS WorldPay Visa Electron payments supported by RBS WorldPay Mastercard payments supported by RBS WorldPay Maestro payments supported by RBS WorldPay JCB payments supported by RBS WorldPay RBS WorldPay Payments Processing


Buy with confidence and security!
Publishing historical art since 1985

All Aircraft :

All Squadrons :

Aviation Signatures :

Aviation Art Special Offers :
Product Search        

James E "Johnnie" Johnson

Victories : 36.91
-----------------------------
Country : UK
Fought in : WW2
Fought for : Allied
Died : 30th January 2001


Awarded the Distinguished Service OrderAwarded a Bar to the Distinguished Service OrderAwarded Two Bars to the Distinguished Service OrderAwarded the Distinguished Flying CrossAwarded a Bar to the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished
Service Order		Bar to the
Distinguished
Service Order		Two Bars to the
Distinguished
Service Order		Distinguished
Flying Cross		Bar to the
Distinguished
Flying Cross

Johnnie Johnson joined 92 Spitfire squadron in August 1940, but it was with 616 squadron that he scored his first victory on June 26th 1941 while flying with Douglas Baders Tangmere Wing. He was squadron leader of 610 squadron in July 1942, but it was as Wing Commander of the Kenley Wing in 1943 that his scores really started to mount. He was W/C of 144 wing during D-Day and led 127 and 125 wings until the end of the war when we has the topscoring allied fighter pilot with 38 air victories. Inspired by the great British WW 1 aces like Bishop and Ball, Johnnie Johnson dreamed often as a child of becoming an R.A.F. pilot. The young Johnson enthusiastically joined the Volunteer Reserve at the first opportunity. After completing his initial flight training Johnson was posted to 616 Squadron at Kenley. However, this Squadron had been hit hard with the loss of six pilots and five wounded, and the unit was withdrawn to Coltishall prior to Johnson encountering combat. With only 12 hours of flight time in a Spitfire this was no doubt advantageous. In February 1941 Billy Burton moved the Squadron to Tangmere. Douglas Bader then arrived to take over the Tangmere Wing, and fly with the 616 Squadron. Johnnie, Alan Smith and Cocky Dundas were chosen to fly with Bader. During the summer of 1941 the Battle of Britain was at its peak. Bader took the time to instruct Johnson carefully in both the art of flying and the skills necessary to attain success in aerial combat. Bader's idea of an afternoon off duty, according to Johnson, was to take his section over the Channel in hopes of running into Adolph Galland and his Abbeyville Boys. On August 19, 1941 Bader failed to return from a mission when 616 Squadron was hit hard by a group of Messerschmitt 109s. Johnson flew on in Baders absence, and in the summer of 1942 he was promoted to command of the 610 Squadron. In 1943 he was promoted again to Wing Commander of the Canadian Spitfire Wing in Kenley. By that time Johnson had attained eight confirmed victories. During the spring and summer of 1943 Johnnie led the Canadian unit on more than 140 missions over Northwest Europe. Johnsons squadron attained more than 100 victories during this period, and Johnnies own personal score rose to 25. After a short leave, Johnson was posted to lead the 144 Canadian Spitfire Wing. On D-Day Johnson led his Wing on four missions in support of the Allied invasion. On June 8, Johnsons Wing was the first Spitfire group to land in newly liberated France. Johnson continued fighting in France through September 1944 when he achieved his 38th and final victory. Patrolling the Rhine Johnsons unit jumped nine 109s which were flying beneath them in the opposite direction. Five of the 109s were downed. Early in 1945 Johnson was promoted to Group Captain and put in command of the 125 Wing, which was equipped with the Spitfire XIV. Flying from former Luftwaffe airfields the 125 Wing assisted in the final Allied push to Berlin. Johnson attributed much of his aerial combat success to his ability to make tight turning maneuvers. Johnsons tightest call came on August 19, 1942 when he was unable to dislodge an Me-109 from his tail during the raid on Diepppe. Johnson raced his Spitfire flat out at a group of Royal Navy ships. The usual barrage of flak and tracer fire came right at him, and fortunately for the ace, missed his Spitfire but effectively eliminated the brave pilot on his tail. During the Korean War Johnson flew fighter-bombers with the USAF. Following his retirement from the R.A.F. in 1966 Johnson founded the Johnnie Johnson Housing Trust that has provided homes for more than 4000 disabled and elderly persons, and his sixth book Winged Victory was published in 1995. Johnson flew many of the Spitfire models. His favorite was the beautiful Mark IX, the best of them all. Johnnie passed away in 2001 at the age of 85, in Derbyshire, England.

Artist Graeme Lothian with Johnnie Johnson.

Click here for artwork signed by this Ace!

Artwork featuring this Ace : Prints and Paintings Available to Purchase!



Johnnie Johnson by Graeme Lothian. (P)

Spitfire - Fighting Lady by Graeme Lothian. (P)

Spitfire Maintenance Check by Graeme Lothian. (P)


D-Day Spitfire - Johnnie Johnson by Graeme Lothian. (P)

Combat Over Normandy by Graeme Lothian.


The Battle for the Skies Over Dieppe, 19th August 1942 by Graeme Lothian.


Combat over the Pas de Calais by Simon Smith.

Wing Commander Johnnie Johnson DSO**, DFC* by Graeme Lothian.

Dawn Till Dusk by Richard Taylor.


Ramrod by Robert Taylor


Fighter Legend - Johnnie Johnson by Nicolas Trudgian.


Greycap Leader by Robert Taylor.


Spitfire Patrol by Philip West.

Normandy Fighter Sweep by Nicolas Trudgian.

Latest Allied Aviation Artwork !
The formation of six New Zealand squadrons within the RAF in the early part of WW2 acknowledged the contribution and commitment of the Commonwealth to the campaign against the Nazi invasion of Europe. Among these was 489 Sqn, based at Dallachy in Scotland, whose Beaufighter Mk Xs flew missions against Axis shipping in the North Sea as well as other missions along the Scandinavian coast. Here, two 489 Sqn Beaufighters run up their engines prior to a sortie in the Winter of 1943/44.

Kiwis at Dallachy - Tribute to No.489 Squadron by Ivan Berryman.		 The Winter of 1943-44 saw Hawker Typhoons operating from Tangmere, equipped with 500lb or 1000lb bombs against radar installations and V1 sites in northern France. Wing Commander J R Baldwin is depicted getting airborne with others of his squadron for just such a mission early in 1944, before the squadron moved to Needs Oar Point in readiness for the D-Day landings.

Winter Warriors by Ivan Berryman.		 For over five years the young men of RAF Bomber Command fought a long, unceasing and always bitter struggle against the mighty war machine of Nazi Germany. Magnificently brave, they endured fearful odds, frightening losses and some of the most terrifying flying conditions imaginable, but they persevered unflinchingly. The extraordinary heroism of those men is reflected by the twenty-three Victoria Crosses awarded during that time. And one aircraft above all others came to symbolise that gallantry, the mighty Lancaster. Robert Taylor's moving tribute to that famous bomber, <i>Winter Homecoming</i>, is surely one of the most beautiful aviation landscapes in existence. With great skill the artist has managed to portray the contrasting moods of wartime England within a single canvas. As dawn breaks over a tranquil English landscape, the crisp winter air echoes to the sound of hard-working Merlin engines. The glinting rays of the rising sun reveal the damaged Lancaster, its inner port engine smoking as the battle-weary pilot struggles to keep his aircraft flying. Probably there are injured men on board. Long overdue, the straggler has fallen far behind the main returning force, only the dogged tenacity of her pilot and crew have kept them going. They could easily have fallen prey to prowling Luftwaffe night fighters, but this time they've been lucky, they will make it home - just.

Winter Homecoming by Robert Taylor. (GS)		 For those on the ground there were few sights more stirring than a B-17 Fortress on its final approach from a combat mission, and Robert Taylor's outstanding painting <i>Winter's Welcome</i> is no exception. This now legendary image conjures up those exhilarating final moments as an exhausted pilot and his crew bring their mighty warbird safely home to the welcoming winter countryside of East Anglia. It has been another tough and arduous mission and damage is clearly visible, but with engines throttled back, and wheels and flaps down, the tired captain coaxes his aircraft gently down the glide path towards touchdown. On the ground below a pair of startled pheasants take to the air as the mighty machine thunders overhead, and local farm workers gaze up in respect and wonder.

Winter's Welcome by Robert Taylor. (GS)

Recommended Item! - From all items shown below, we highly recommend this item.

Kiwis at Dallachy - Tribute to No.489 Squadron by Ivan Berryman.


Kiwis at Dallachy - Tribute to No.489 Squadron by Ivan Berryman.

The formation of six New Zealand squadrons within the RAF in the early part of WW2 acknowledged the contribution and commitment of the Commonwealth to the campaign against the Nazi invasion of Europe. Among these was 489 Sqn, based at Dallachy in Scotland, whose Beaufighter Mk Xs flew missions against Axis shipping in the North Sea as well as other missions along the Scandinavian coast. Here, two 489 Sqn Beaufighters run up their engines prior to a sortie in the Winter of 1943/44.

Our reason for recommending this item :
Featured Item.
Kiwis at Dallachy - Tribute to No.489 Squadron by Ivan Berryman.
TYPEDESCRIPTIONSIZESIGNATURESOFFERSPRICEPURCHASING
PRINTLimited edition of 30 giclee prints.

Image size 16 inches x 12 inches (41cm x 31cm)Artist : Ivan Berryman£95.00

Quantity:
All prices on our website are displayed in British Pounds Sterling


James E "Johnnie" Johnson

Squadrons which this Ace flew with
SquadronInfo
125 Wing
127 Wing RCAF
144 Wing
No.421 Sqn RCAFRed Indian

Bellicum cecinere - They have sounded the war trumpet

No.610 Sqn RAFCounty of Chester (Auxiliary)

Alifero tollitur axe ceres - Ceres rising in a winged car

No.616 Sqn RAFSouth Yorkshire (Auxiliary)

Nulla rosa sine spina - No rose without thorns

No.92 Sqn RAFEast India

Aut pugna aut morere - Either fight or die

Aircraft flown by this Ace
AircraftInfo
SpitfireRoyal Air Force fighter aircraft, maximum speed for mark I Supermarine Spitfire, 362mph up to The Seafire 47 with a top speed of 452mph. maximum ceiling for Mk I 34,000feet up to 44,500 for the mark XIV. Maximum range for MK I 575 miles . up to 1475 miles for the Seafire 47. Armament for the various Marks of Spitfire. for MK I, and II . eight fixed .303 browning Machine guns, for MKs V-IX and XVI two 20mm Hispano cannons and four .303 browning machine guns. and on later Marks, six to eight Rockets under the wings or a maximum bomb load of 1,000 lbs. Designed by R J Mitchell, The proto type Spitfire first flew on the 5th March 1936. and entered service with the Royal Air Force in August 1938, with 19 squadron based and RAF Duxford. by the outbreak of World war two, there were twelve squadrons with a total of 187 spitfires, with another 83 in store. Between 1939 and 1945, a large variety of modifications and developments produced a variety of MK,s from I to XVI. The mark II came into service in late 1940, and in March 1941, the Mk,V came into service. To counter the Improvements in fighters of the Luftwaffe especially the FW190, the MK,XII was introduced with its Griffin engine. The Fleet Air Arm used the Mk,I and II and were named Seafires. By the end of production in 1948 a total of 20,351 spitfires had been made and 2408 Seafires. The most produced variant was the Spitfire Mark V, with a total of 6479 spitfires produced. The Royal Air Force kept Spitfires in front line use until April 1954.

About our Signatures on Artwork

 

Return to Home Page