Douglas TBD Devastator, US Navy 1942.

This painting depicts a Douglas TBD-1 Devastator, a torpedo-bomber operated by the United States Navy between 1937-1942. The Devastator was the standard torpedo bomber that operated from the aircraft-carriers of the United States Navy in the Pacific during the first six months of the Pacific War in WW2. It saw action at the air attacks against Japanese bases in Rabaul, the Marshal islands, Wake Island and Tulagi in early 1942 and was successfully employed at the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942 where Devastators took primary credit for sinking the Japanese light aircraft carrier Shoho. At the Battle of Midway on 4th June 1942, the Devastator, a slow & under-powered bomber, suffered disastrous losses, losing 37 out of 41 aircraft in a single day. It was withdrawn from combat duty after that action and for the remainder of the war it was employed as a trainer and target tug.

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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.