Original Oil Painting by Philip E. West
"The Guardians" portrays legendary Hurricane pilot Pete Brothers
(32 Sqn) and his wingman having recently taken off from Biggin Hill, now
just over the White Cliff's of Dover during the period of the Battle of
Britain.
The unframed size of this outstanding oil on canvas painting is 12"
deep x 24" wide. If you would like to add this superb new painting
to your collection please contact us right away
The painting is signed on the back of the canvas by Peter Brothers.
PILOT DETAILS;
Air Commodore Peter Brothers DSO, DFC & Bar learnt to fly at the
age of 16 and joined the RAF two years later in 1936. He first saw action
in 1940 when as a Flight Commander in 32 Squadron, based at Biggin Hill,
he flew his Hurricane against the fighters and bombers of the Luftwaffe.
He recalls this an intensely busy period, during which he shot down a
Me109 - his first enemy aircraft.
At the end of August that same year his tally of enemy aircraft shot down,
increased to eight. Awarded the DFC, he was transferred to 257 Squadron
where he joined Bob Stanford-Tuck as Flight Commanders. Promoted in 1941
to Squadron Leader, Pete Brothers then took command of 457 Squadron (Royal
Australian Air Force), equipped with Spitfires. A year later when 457
Squadron returned to Australia, Pete took command of 602 Squadron. In
the early autumn of 1942 he went on to become Wing Leader of the Tangmere
Wing, succeeding his old friend Douglas Bader. By the end of the war Pete
Brothers had amassed 875 operational hours over a 44-month period. He
was credited with having personally shot down 16 enemy aircraft and damaged
many more. He later went on to command 57 Squadron during the Malaya Campaign.
Upon return to the UK Pete Brothers joined the V-Force, flying Valiant-4
jet bombers. He retired in 1973.
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