Operating happily in conditions where towing tractors became quickly bogged
down, the Puttalam Elephants provided an invaluable service, and became
much loved by the pilots and ground crews.
This superb piece was originally painted by Robert back in 1984 as a commission
for the Fleet Air Arm Museum in Yeovilton, but was never released as a
limited edition.
Over the years there has been an unprecedented number of requests to see
this great image in print - to such an extent that we have now found the
opportunity to release it. Of course we now have the benefit of another
24 years of reproduction technology and the outcome is a vibrant, evocative
and very unusual piece that will appeal to both collectors of Aviation
and contemporary art alike.
In April 1942 the island had been narrowly saved from invasion by the
gallantry of Canadian pilot Sqn. Ldr. Leonard Birehall who, flying a Catalina
patrolling 250 miles south of Ceylon, sighted a huge Japanese invasion
fleet. Under attack from Zero fighters he managed to radio the alarm before
being shot down into the Indian Ocean. Alerted. the British forces withstood
the heavy air and naval assaults that followed.
As the British expanded operations on the island, the hastily constructed
airstrip of HMS Rajaliya was carved out of dense jungle at Puttalam. The
soft grass strip, reinforced with metal Somerfield tracking. enabled the
heavy American-built Chance Vought F4U Corsairs to use the runway, but
during the monsoon season the Corsair’s tricky landing characteristics
often sent them slithering off into the water-logged ground. It was then
that the Navy called in its secret weapon to haul the Corsairs back to
firmer ground — The Puttalam Elephants!
Privately commissioned in 1984 by one of the Corsair pilots stationed
at HMS Rajalh’a in 1942, Robert Taylor’s superb painting Puttalam
Elephants is displayed in the wonderful art collection of the Fleet Air
Arm Museum at Yeovilton. Admired by many thousands of visitors, the painting
depicts the unusual tactics at employed at Puiialam in order to keep the
land based naval fighters flying. Operating happily in conditions where
towing tractors became quickly bogged down, the Puttalam Elephants provided
an invaluable service, and became much loved by the pilots and ground
crews.
A print of this much loved masterpiece by Robert Taylor has been in huge
demand from collectors for many years, to such an extent that the Military
Gallery has now decided issue this wonderful painting as a strictly limited
edition. Collectors will therefore be delighted that this print, signed
by some of the Fleet Air Arm’s most distinguished fighter pilots,
can at last be added to their collection.
The editions are signed by a number of Fleet Air Arm pilots who actually
flew the Corsair in the Far East to personally sign the edition, which
as we're sure your collectors will appreciate, is not an easy task these
days.
THE LIMITED EDITION
Every print in this edition has been signed by RN Fleet Air Arm fighter
pilots who flew Corsairs in the Far East.
Lieutenant ERIC BEECHINOR RN
Sub Lieutenant (A) GORDON DUNNELL RNVR
Sub Lieutenant TONY MAYLETT RN
400 signed & numbered - £200 inc vat (£170.21+vat)
THE FLEET AIR ARM FOLIO
The Fleet Air Arm Folio Editions have been additionally signed by five
of the Royal Navy's most distinguished fighter pilots. This edition has
a total of EIGHT signatures.
Lieutenant ERIC BEECHINOR RN
Sub Lieutenant (A) GORDON DUNNELL RNVR
Sub Lieutenant TONY MAYLETT RN
Captain ERIC 'WINKLE' BROWN CBE, DSC, FRAeS, RN
Sub-Lieutenant VICTOR KAIRIS RN
Lieutenant CYRIL PRICE RN
Lieutenant PETER TWISS OBE, DSC*, RN
Lieutenant Commander BRUCE VIBERT RN
350 Folio Proofs - £230 inc vat (£195.75 +vat)
25 Artist Proofs - £325 inc vat (£276.60+vat)
Orders
from outside the European Union are free from VAT
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