Stories

In addition to a bomber’s official markings, airmen would often decorate the nose with a mascot or emblem to illustrate romantic, familial, or national identities. It provided a sense of camaraderie. Michael Wilcox explains the nose art of his father’s aircraft, AA-Y ‘Yorker of 75 (NZ) Squadron.

Wellington R1162 A.A.- Y “Yorker”
(Credit:  Sgt Jack Wakefield)

Whilst serving with 75 (NZ) Sqn RAF my father Ted Wilcox was commissioned to paint a soda siphon, squirting bombs as nose art on a Wellington 1C R1162, A.A.-Y “Yorker”.

I am not sure of the exact date or what prompted Ted to paint the soda siphon, (embellished with the letters “RAF”, held in a right hand squirting 5 bombs). We know that it was painted whilst he was at RAF Feltwell during the period August 1940, when he arrived, to January 1941, when he left.

The Imperial War Museum (IWM) has a similar photograph, clearly taken around the same time, but without the aircrew.

Of note are what appear to be oil marks on the aircraft. Having studied other photographs taken of R1162 with similar oil marks we believe that the IWM (CH 2718) was probably taken on or around 10 May 1941.

As a family we were all very familiar with the story of the soda siphon nose artwork, as told by both our parents. How Ted acquired some aircraft linen fabric and, making free with our mother’s kitchen table, created the soda siphon. I am not sure how our mother actually felt about this, but I do not think she really minded.

The completed painting was then fixed to Wellington R1162 by the application of aircraft dope.

Air Ministry photograph of Wellington 1C A.A.-Y “Yorker” R1162 believed to have been taken by Mr PHF Tovey.
(Credit: Imperial War Museum)

In addition to the original photograph Ted and Mary retained a newspaper clipping showing the black and white photograph taken heading a short article. The article is headed S-W- I-S-S-H! It is undated, but it mentions that the siphon photograph was taken before the 39th raid on Berlin, which was apparently on 9 April 1941, but that could have been for disinformation purposes.

Wellington R1162 AA –Y

Wellington R1162 AA-Y
(Credit:  Sgt Jack Wakefield)

Vickers Wellington R1162 was a Wellington 1C which was received by 75 (NZ) Sq. on 19 December 1940 from No 9 MU, Cosford.  It flew 24 Ops and was last flown on operations by the squadron on 17/18 May 1941.

According to his logbook Ted flew in R1162 as the rear gunner on seven occasions, on operations, and one final time on 26 October 1941 whilst at No 27 OTU.

From Feltwell Flying Control logbooks it was dispatched 16 August 1941 to No 27 OTU. She failed to return from the third one thousand bomber raid on Bremen, June 23/24, 1942, one of the 23 OTU aircraft and crews lost that night.

Other 75(NZ) Sq. featured nose art

Several of the Wellington bombers of 75(NZ) Sqn featured nose art in the style of Disney cartoon characters. Three of the aircraft featured Donald Duck, Bones and Mr Wimpy. According to the Feltwell Community website they were painted by Mr DW Smith BEM.

In addition to Popeye and Mr Wimpy another Wellington, L7848, AA-V featured “Cuthbert”. In an entry on the 75(NZ) Sqn Association website detailing the service history of “Cuthbert” and according to Pilot Officer Curtis, “he flew as Captain with P.O. Sandy Sanderson as 2P; it was Sanderson’s girlfriend who did the nose art of Cuthbert for V for Victor.”

There is also a painting of three 75 (NZ) Sqn Wellingtons by British artist, John Stevens, which was commissioned by Michael Curtis as a birthday present for his father, Pilot Officer R M Curtis, who flew L7848, ‘Cuthbert”, whilst serving with 75 (NZ) Sqn during the war.

My father, Ted, flew in L7848 on six occasions as the rear gunner; two of which were operational flights. I also noticed a Wellington of 75 (NZ) Sqn, had nose art of a devil, holding a trident, squirting four bombs and it crossed my mind that this painting might have some association with my father’s painting.

I don’t know who the artist is, but it looks very much in the style of Mr DW Smith BEM. It is interesting to note that this artwork and that attributed to Mr DW Smith were painted directly onto the fabric of the aircraft whereas the soda siphon was initially painted on to a sheet of aircraft linen fabric and then “fixed” to the aircraft with dope.

Armourers of No 75 (New Zealand) Squadron pose with a pair of 500-pounders and give the ‘thumbs up’ in front of the ‘Wellington Devil’, a suitably decorated Wellington IC, Feltwell, 10 May 1941.
(Credit: Imperial War Museum).

Ted Wilcox’ war years 1939-1945

Ted was granted an emergency commission with the RAFVR on 12 April 1939 and retired from the RAF in March 1966. On 14 August 1940, Ted joined 75 (NZ) Squadron at RAF Feltwell as an Air Gunner.

Having completed 25 Operational missions Ted left RAF Feltwell on 2 February 1941 for 18 Operational Training Unit (18 OTU) at RAF Bramcote as an Air Gunner Instructor until 27 April 1941. He was then posted to 27 Operational Training Unit (27 OTU), RAF Lichfield.

The crew of AA- Y Yorker
(Credit: Sgt. Jack Wakefield)

Ted’s wife, Mary, died in January 1966 whilst Ted was stationed a RAF St Athan, some three months before he retired from the RAF. Ted died, peacefully, on 7 July 1995 aged 82 and is buried in Llywel Church, Trecastle, Powys, South Wales, alongside his daughter.

– Michael Wilcox November 2018

 Like so many of his generation he very rarely spoke of his wartime experiences. Nonetheless, he was extremely proud of his service in the RAF and his family are extremely proud of him.

My aim had always to confirm that Edward “Ted” Wilcox, as the artist who painted the soda siphon nose art on Vickers Wellington bomber R1162, A.A.-Y “Yorker” and to remember his service.