Mural of Australian military aircraft, Korea-Vietnam period

Place Oceania: Australia, Victoria, Melbourne
Accession Number ART27777.004
Collection type Art
Measurement Overall: 5.4 x 14 m (inverted U shape)
Object type Painting
Physical description oil on canvas on hardboard
Maker Freedman, Harold
Place made Australia: Victoria, Melbourne
Date made 1972
Conflict Korea, 1950-1953
Vietnam, 1962-1975
Copyright Item copyright: © Australian War Memorial
Creative Commons License This item is licensed under CC BY-NC
Description

Mural of Australian military aircraft, Korea-Vietnam period.

During the Second World War Freedman enlisted in the RAAF and was appointed as a war artist attached to the RAAF Historical War Records Section and he worked here from 1944 to 1945, in Borneo, Noemfoor and around Australia. In 1968 the Memorial commissioned Freedman to produce a large mural depicting the history of Australian military aviation. The mural took five years to complete and features every aircraft used by the RAAF up until the Vietnam War. On completion of the mural Freedman was appointed to the unique position of Official State Artist for Victoria, which he held from 1972 to 1983. During this appointment he produced more large-scale murals, including the Cavalcade of transport in the main hall of Spencer Street Station and The History of racing at Flemington Racecourse

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