AN artist has retold the story of a momentous day in the Second World War, played out in the skies above the North-East, on canvas ahead of its 80th anniversary.

Denis Fox has spent the last year and a half on a series of paintings portraying the events of August 15, 1940 – one of the fiercest days of the Battle of Britain.

The Luftwaffe suffered heavy losses after launching a series of raids aimed mainly at RAF bases, and for the first time attacked the North from German bases in Norway.

Last January, Mr Fox completed his first painting ‘The Hero of Tyneside’ and donated a special print to the RAF Benevolent Fund.

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He was looking forward to displaying the paintings across the region, so he could share the story of what happened that afternoon and pay tribute to the brave RAF pilots and support crew that made victory on the day possible, when the coronavirus pandemic hit.

He has already had three exhibitions cancelled.

He also hoped to display the collection at St Mary’s Heritage Centre, Gateshead, and Durham Cathedral, but plans for both events have had to be shelved.

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Sharing them instead with The Northern Echo, Mr Fox, from Durham, said: “I have carried out extensive research for my paintings from RAF documents, newspaper archives, visits to aircraft museums and eyewitness accounts from my relatives.

“I have even had the experience of being flown in my friend's aircraft and taken up along the North-East coast. This was a bonus for my strategy of how the composition of some of my paintings would look.

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“At times it has been very emotional even just to imagine what it would have been like waiting for the call to 'scramble', flying in close formation, ascending to high altitude and seeing an enemy whose intention was not only to kill you but destroy your homeland.

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“Being totally outnumbered, spitfires and hurricane squadrons gave their very best and with the support given by anti-aircraft fire from stations situated along the coast of Northumberland, Durham and North Yorkshire the German Luftwaffe suffered humiliation and defeat in so much as they never attacked the North-East again in large numbers during daylight hours.

“Everything worked according to plan from high command down to RAF ground crew, women played a vital part in the RAF operations room in Gosforth, radar technicians gave pilots what they needed most of all to know and that was the location of incoming enemy aircraft.

“Firefighting crew, munition workers and hospital staff were prepared for the air raid.

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“What was remarkable by the end of the air battle none of our pilots were killed, some were wounded and some of our fighter aircraft were damaged, however the Luftwaffe lost aircrew and aircraft and many bombers and fighter bombers were severely damaged returning to bases in Norway and Denmark.

“We should all remember the air battle that took place on 15th August 1940 in the North-East and how it shaped the events that followed the following month.

“The Luftwaffe soon realised that it was up against a formidable enemy whose people would never surrender come what may.

“Above all, this victory raised morale in Great Britain especially after the crisis at Dunkirk two months previous.”

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