Wellington (No. 301 Squadron RAF) Giclée Art Print

Original illustration of the Vickers Wellington bomber, as flown by No. 301 (Land of Pommerania) Polish Bomber Squadron of the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. Formed from experienced pilots of the Polish Air Force in 1940, No. 301 Squadron was among a number Polish squadrons which continued the war against Germany with the RAF.

No. 301 Squadron was initially a bomber squadron, briefly flying the Fairey Battle, but mainly using Vickers Wellington. Disbanded in 1943, much of the crew moved on to become No. 1586 (Polish Special Duties) Flight of No. 138 Squadron RAF, a transport squadron, flying the Handley-Page Halifax and Consolidated Liberator. This flight was reorganised into a resurgent No. 301 Squadron in 1944, and went on to fly the Vickers Warwick before disbanding in 1946.

The Wellington in this illustration is Z1277, GR-Z. Z1277 took part in a bombing raid on Mannheim on 7 November 1941, and on the return journey was forced to land in Belgium, where the crew were taken as prisoners of war. The observer and captain, Włodzimierz Kolanowski, later took part in the 'Great Escape' from Stalag Luft III, following which he was illegally executed.

The illustration was produced in partnership with the Polish Heritage Flight, which honours the memory of the Polish pilots who served with the Royal Air Force in the Second World War. You can learn more about them and their mission here.

This illustration by Rob Wisdom is a high quality Giclée art print on cotton-rich fine art paper.

12x16" print shown. Cropping and title position (if applicable) may differ slightly on 'A' size prints.