A LIFELONG passion for history and aviation has inspired a Wellington Point resident to capture a forgotten WWII plane crash in his latest painting.
76-year-old William John Jones has lived in Wellington Point since 1978 and has spent decades nurturing his passion for painting.
One of his latest works, still in progress, captures a tragic chapter in local history: the collision of two Wirraway aircraft over Thornlands on February 13, 1942.
The painting depicts the mid-air crash during a training exercise simulating dog-fighting manoeuvres by the Royal Australian Air Force.
“Unfortunately, aircraft serial no: A20-100 and A20-290 collided, resulting in total loss of both aircraft and crew – two pilots and two observers,” Mr Jones explained.
With limited historical information and no witnesses at the time, Mr Jones relied on his aviation knowledge and the known crash sites to craft the dramatic scene.
“Due to the limited information, this depiction remains a somewhat educated guess,” he said. “I then positioned the craft as they would likely behave after such an impact.”
The inspiration to paint this moment came from multiple sources, including a memorial plaque in Cleveland’s Ziegenfusz Park and discussions with aviation enthusiasts and a volunteer from the Redlands Museum.
“It sparked my interest in two of my favourite subjects: history and aviation,” he said.
After a lifetime of painting and drawing, Mr Jones humbly claims he’s not a professional artist, being self-taught, with each painting presenting a steep learning curve.
“I can’t walk past one of my paintings without wanting to redo parts of it,” he noted.
“I like to do aviation, marine art, landscapes, seascapes, and portraits in oil and acrylic,” he said.
“I would like to enter the world of watercolour too.”
Mr Jones hopes his work might find a place in the Redlands Museum, offering future generations a visual connection to a pivotal yet often overlooked event.
