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Entitled "Se va la Primera", this painting by Vladimir Urbanek shows Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vc ser.no. ES124, AN-J of No. 417 Fighter Squadron RAF. The scene depicts action on 19th April 1943, with Argentinean pilot F/Lt Bernardo De Larminat DFC at the controls.

Extract of De Larminat's combat report for that day states:

"I went to spiral down to the deck and headed home across the peninsula at O feet. As I reached the coast on the other side North of Nabeul. I saw two stukas lown and flying formation. I was about in the line astern and I opened fire on one them at 150 yards.

Then I picked up the other one, in line astern and blow ( I was flying at 50 or 100 feet) and the stukas must have been 200/300 feet. I gave him a long burst with all my ammunition in my brownnings and he went down in a very steep dive. I was going very fast and passed over him at 100 feet. at my last glimpse he was still going down, as I had exhausted all my ammunition I did not return to see what happened because the flak of the german aerodrome opened fire with me, although I think he must have hit the ground."

Oil on canvas, 70x40 cmoriginal painting in personal collection. Vladimir's website is available at http://www.multiweb.cz/czfighters/ [Vladimir Urbanek, used by permisison of the artist]

Labels: Aviation art