Hawker Sea Fury – The ultimate piston-engined fighter
© David Marshall Aviation Art 2025
The RAN took delivery of 101 Sea Furies. During the Korean War, they operated with 805 Squadron from HMAS Sydney (shown in the above painting) and 808 Squadron from HMAS Vengeance.
David aims for technical accuracy in his paintings and you can see this in the precise aircraft proportions, panel lines, and roundels
The low‑flying aircraft, angled diagonally across the canvas, create a sense of motion and immediacy. The aircraft carrier sits as a stabilising mass, giving the viewer a fixed point while the aircraft cut across the scene.
The colours are cool and atmospheric greys and blues of the sea, muted aircraft tones and soft, diffused sky light. The palette supports realism while also emphasising the operational environment of naval aviation.
The painting is a visual documentation and provides historical fidelity of naval and aviation history. It blends fine‑art realism with technical illustration.
- About David Marshall
- About Ships and aircraft in company
In this section a wide variety of artworks with more than one ship, submarine or aircraft are featured. When two or more naval vessels are operating together they are said to be ‘in company’.
The diverse nature of activities, exercises and deployments undertaken by ships, submarines and aircraft of the Royal Australian Navy means that a ship may spend long periods conducting single ship operations or periodically join with large numbers of other ships for such events as a naval review or fleet entry to a port. These latter events are generally scheduled to commemorate a particular event. During such events a prominent or royal figure will review the fleet as part of the ceremony. Throughout its history ships of the RAN have participated in major fleet entries and reviews both in Australian waters and overseas.
Details of Ships in the First Fleet
Name Class Commission Dates HMAS Australia Indefatigable Class 21 Jun 1913 – 12 Dec 1921 HMAS Melbourne Town Class Light Cruiser 18 Jan 1913 – 23 Apr 1928 HMAS Sydney Town Class Light Cruiser 26 Jun 1913 – 8 May 1928 HMAS Encounter Challenger Class Light Cruiser 1 Jul 1912 – 1 Jan 1923 HMAS Warrego River Class 1 Jun 1912 – 22 Jul 1919 HMAS Parramatta River Class 10 Sep 1910 – 22 Jul 1919 HMAS Yarra River Class 10 Sep 1910 – 30 Sep 1929
More reading
- Additional resources for Ships and aircraft in company
RAN Wessex 31B over HMAS Melbourne (ll)
Destroyer Cruising the Tropics
RAN Skyhawks share the deck of HMAS Melbourne (ll) with Grumman Trackers
RAN Skyhawks of 805 Squadron climb out over HMAS Melbourne (ll) at sunset
RAN Skyhawks joining formation above HMAS Melbourne (ll)
RAN Seahawks over HMAS Sydney (iv)
RAN Grumman Tracker taking off from HMAS Melbourne (ll)
RAN Sea King over HMAS Melbourne (ll)
RAN Gannets over HMAS Melbourne (ll)
Korean War Battler – A RAN Firefly V makes a low pass over HMAS Sydney (ll)
805 Squadron RAN Sea Venom makes a low pass over HMAS Melbourne (ll)
Aircraft carrier, with Grumman Avenger aircraft on flight deck
Replenishment at Sea (RAS) Approach, HMAS Supply, Hobart and Sydney
MV KRAIT and Japanese Destroyer in 1943
Troop Convoy and Escort and Hudson Bomber
N Class Destroyers off Libya
Sydney Harbour looking east to Garden Island from Dawes Point
Second Convoy that left Albany, Western Australia on the 31st December 1914
RAN tribute to Anzac dead Dardanelles 12th November 1918
