Warportraits - Portraits of war

[LHR]

Hello, all. First post here. Four photos, a snapshot of a young man at war. Grandpa:

Still with us. Lives all by himself at age 92, chasing the ladies. A tough old bird!

 

[Smithy]

Great pics LHR. Be proud of the old boy, sounds like he's a real character!

 

[Spitfire]

Great shots LHR :eusa_clap - and welcome to the Lounge.
Phoenix - eh? It's been too long since I was out there. Arizona is a great place on earth.

 

[fishmeok]

Thanks for those Mark, some wonderful photos in there.

How's that new A-2? Getting lots of use I bet

That's my Goodwear Dubow test A-2. Worn almost daily...

Cheers
Mark

 

[Twitch]

LHR- very cool that grandpa is still around!

 

[zaika]

my grandfather was the only one i know of who served. here are a couple of pictures i have of him. every time i see my grandfather's picture, i see my dad. it's creepy!!

anyway

i like this one...

 

[Twitch]

Not a portrait but a superb color photo from 1944 of Don Gentile and a friend

 

[Smithy]

Great pics Zaika and Twitch.

Here's another favourite of mine, F/O Jack Riddle of 601 Sqn. This was taken during the Battle of Britain. The strain The Few were under and how hard the fight was is so apparent on his face.

 

[Corto]

Boyington

One of my favorite WWII portraits is this particular one of Col. Gregory "Pappy" Boyington (USMC).

I like his sneer...he's either showing his contempt for the Japanese or the PAO taking the photo. Or Both.

Regardless he looks meaner than a snake. No one I'd want to tangle with in the air, or on the ground.

 

[Spitfire]

Just stumbled over this great portrait of Johnnie Johnson - the top british ace.
Looks like he has upgraded his BD jacket with some brassbuttons. But what a grin!

 

[SpitfireXIV]

Just stumbled over this great portrait of Johnnie Johnson - the top british ace.
Looks like he has upgraded his BD jacket with some brassbuttons. But what a grin!

I love Johnnie... only pilot i can think of that used to strap kegs to his wings to bring back for the boys at the air fields! :eusa_clap

 

[Smithy]

I love Johnnie... only pilot i can think of that used to strap kegs to his wings to bring back for the boys at the air fields! :eusa_clap

Actually Spitfire XIV, that was a fairly common thing, especially when squadrons were first being based in France and supplies were scant of certain items, beer being one. As well as traditional beer kegs, drop tanks were also filled with beer for squadrons in France. I've got a good pic of a Norwegian Spitfire pilot waiting whilst the ground crew write "JOY JUICE" on the newly filled "beer tank"

 

[Spitfire]

Keep turning back to this - IMO - great portrait of a very worn out fighterpilot from the Battle of Britain: The South African Albert Lewis - 18 confirmed enemy planes downed. Among them 5 in one sortie.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

North Africa, 1943.

Post Alamein in (possibly) Tunisia. 3rd from Left is my grandad. Short buggers, them Scots.

bk

 

[BellyTank]

Not Egypt?

B
T

 

[Baron Kurtz]

could be. The tan seems a little too well developed. I don't think he was in egypt for that long. I imagine that identfying the uniform that the African chap is wearing will give definitive answer.

bk

 

[cheaterome]

Seriously great photo's everyone, The casualness and the formality and finality of it all in one snapshot.
I love the photos, especially taken with medium and large format cameras .

I wanted to contribute a photo of a nose gunner of a b-24 squadron in Italy sometime in 1944 from customer who supplied me with his dad book (who took the photos) and his fathers self portrait.

And a nice photo during gunner training back here in the states

Dig it .
Jerome

 

[Sarge]

Here's a few I always kinda liked.

 

[sixsexsix]

My grandfather, finishing up training in England before being deployed in WW2. If you think he looks young, it's because he is. He lied about his age at 16 to join the Canadian Army. He served in the IV Princess Louise Dragoon Guards and was sent to Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and (obviously) the UK, where he met my grandmother after the war.

We are still super close, he is more of a father figure to me than my dad ever was and my respect for him is never-ending.

 

[thunderw21]

I think the Germans had some of the best ones, especially during their retreats. Holding off the Russian horde is a tough job.

Execution.