Description
Air Vice-Marshal Norman Hoad (1923-2014) was imprisoned in Stalag Luft III, conducted electronic reconnaissance missions against the Soviet Union during the Cold War and became one of the country’s leading equestrian and aviation artists.
The picture has an indifferent silver frame around it.
On the night of October 14 1944, Hoad was shot down in his No 61 Squadron Lancaster on the way to attack Brunswick. Two of his crew were killed, but the rest survived to spend the remainder of the war as PoWs. Hoad used the many hours of inactivity to develop his artistic talent.
Hoad elected to remain in the RAF and spent the next few years as a flying instructor, which resulted in the award of an AFC.
The Korean War was drawing to a close, and tension between the Western powers and the Soviet Union had intensified. Intelligence gathering was now increasingly important, and Hoad and his crews collected electronic and radio intelligence of the Soviet’s air defence system and other military capabilities – including the air intercept radars carried by Soviet fighters.
During Hoad’s period as the squadron CO, the Canberra jet was introduced and gradually took on some of the tasks of the Washingtons. He ended his tour with No 192 early in 1956, and was awarded a Bar to his AFC.
A highly talented artist specialising in aviation and animal subjects, Hoad studied under the renowned aviation artist Frak Wootton . With Wootton and others (including David Shepherd), he was a founder member of the Guild of Aviation Artists, later becoming a life vice-president.
His works are on display at the RAF Museum, Hendon, and in many public and private collections.
Horses were a favourite subject in his paintings, and in 1979 the Society of Equestrian Artists was formed under his chairmanship. Among his best-known works is one of the Queen reviewing Trooping the Colour on her favourite trooping horse, Burmese.
Purchased from Norman in 2000 with other examples of his work.