Curtiss P-40E Kittyhawk RAAF No 75 Squadron Milne Bay 1942

This work portrays the Curtiss P-40E Kittyhawk fighter of Flight Lieutenant Bruce 'Buster' Brown of No 75 Squadron RAAF. His fighter was christened 'Polly' after his girlfriend back home. No 75 Squadron fought a defensive campaign over Milne Bay in 1942-43. 'Polly' arrived in New Guinea in August 1942 and remained operational with the squadron until April 1943, seeing action against the Japanese on numerous occasions and sustaining combat damage several times. It's final combat sortie was on April 14, 1943 when Squadron-Leader Wilfred Arthur led the squadron against a large Japanese air attack. His P-40's weapons malfunctioned shortly after take-off but Arthur continued to fly into action, later receiving a DSO for his bravery.
After being transferred back to Australia, the P-40E 'Polly' served as a trainer with the RAAF at a base at Flemington Race-Course. It was retired from the RAAF in 1947 and was purchased by a private owner. It changed hands several times before it was purchased by the Australian War Memorial in 1992 and is now displayed in that museum in Canberra ACT.

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Born in Casterton 1970. Studied fine arts at Ballarat University. I worked as a Secondary School Art and Visual Communications Teacher in western Victoria for 11 years between 1994 and 2004, teaching in Dimboola, Casterton and Rainbow. Currently employed as an Enrolled Nurse in Community & District Nursing with West Wimmera Health Services. I live in the Wimmera-Mallee region of Victoria. I enjoy painting in oils and acrylics and do so as an active hobby in my spare time. My favourite topics to paint are landscapes, still lifes and military aviation scenes. I have produced paintings of railway, maritime, science fiction and wildlife subjects and pets as commissions. I have been an active hobbyist painter for over 30 years and devote much of my spare time to the pursuit. I have exhibited at a large number of community art shows across Western Victoria and also in south-east Melbourne. On average, I produce between 50- 60 paintings of various sizes and mediums per year, sometimes more.