SPECIAL DUTIES

Flying by stealth and guided by moonlight, Westland Lysander V9367 flown by Pilot Officer Peter Vaughan-Fowler of 161 (Special Duties) Squadron RAF, crosses the coast of northern France en-route to extract a secret agent working with the Resistance in 1943.

It was dangerous, clandestine work for Special Duties pilots flying agents into France – they were unarmed and with no navigational aids had to let moonlight be their guide. They did have a pencil torch and tiny map to help them locate and land in small rough pastures at night, in enemy territory, and faced with the ever-present risk of capture, torture and death by the Gestapo. These were the bravest of men, but fortunately they had at their disposal a special aircraft to help them – the unmistakable Westland Lysander.

Few other aircraft could make such short landings, its rugged fixed undercarriage shrugging off uneven, rough isolated pastures lacking any illumination save the very last-minute help of the aircraft’s own landing light. Bumping to a halt it took only seconds to insert or extract an SOE operative via the distinct ladder fixed to assist rapid access to the rear cockpit.

Today, only two Westland Lysanders are airworthy in the UK. The first is depicted in Paul Dove’s evocative painting ‘Special Duties’ which shows Lysander Mk.III MA-B, serial number VV9367, of 161 (Special Duties) Squadron as it crosses the coast of northern France en-route to extract an agent in 1943.

The second, Westland Lysander V9312, served operationally during World War Two with 225, 4 and 613 Squadrons and is the only British-built example in airworthy condition, operated today by Aerial Collective, Duxford. Join us at Aces High Gallery in Steventon to see this iconic aircraft up close for an exclusive event ‘Westland Lysander Experience – 6 September 2026’.

Special print launch and fly in …

Paul Dove’s atmospheric painting has been faithfully reproduced as a highly-restricted Giclée print, limited to just TWENTY FIVE copies worldwide.

Every copy is issued personally hand signed and individually embellished with a colour remarque in the lower border, carefully completed in coloured acrylic paint.