Walrus Amphibian Aircraft by Raymond McGrath, watercolour on canvas board

An amphibious biplane, the Walrus was used for RAF air-sea rescue missions to patrol British waters, the Mediterranean and the Bay of Bengal, to recover crew from downed aircraft.

Architect Raymond McGrath was best known for designing modernist interiors, including for the BBC’s Broadcasting House in the early 1930s. In 1940 he applied to become an Official War Artist, with endorsement from painter John Piper, and he soon received a short-term commission to represent aircraft under construction. This required him to visit factories across England, including to Vickers Armstrong’s in Southampton, which manufactured the Supermarine Walrus. From the Air Ministry allocation of works from the War Artists' Advisory Committee, 1947. Original accession number: LD139. On loan from the RAF Air Historical Branch. Artist copyright: Crown (expired). Image copyright: RAF Museum.