Aircraft –Spitfire

Band of Brothers Part IV: Royal Air Force and Royal Navy Fighter Pilots of World War II
Royal Air Force and Royal Navy fighter aircrews flew combat throughout the six long years of World War Two. At the outbreak of war in 1939 four RAF Hurricane squadrons and two equipped with Gladiators went immediately to France where in short time New Zealander "Cobber" Kain became the first Allied Ace of the war. In April 1940 Hurricanes and Gladiators saw action in Norway, when Rhodesian Caesar Hull of 263 Squadron became the second air Ace. By the fall of France the new Spitfire joined in the great air battles over the Channel as the British Expeditionary Force evacuated Dunkirk. Bob Stanford -Tuck, Douglas Bader, Peter Townsend, Sailor Malan, and many other great Aces gained their first victories, but with German forces massing on the French coast, the invasion of Britain looked imminent. Only RAF Fighter Command stood in Hitler's way. By July, the most famous of all air battles had begun. The next three months, under glorious summer skies, saw the most decisive and continual aerial fighting in history. The British victory in the Battle of Britain was to fundamentally change the course of the war and, ultimately, the course of history. But there were four and a half more years of air battles still to be fought and won -from the English Channel Front to the North African desert, from the Mediterranean to Far East Asia. It fell to Fleet Air Arm pilots to see the last air fighting for British and Commonwealth pilots, by then equipped with Seafires and American Corsairs and Hellcats, as they took part in the final assaults on the Japanese mainland. As the last embers of hostilities faded into history the centuries old doctrine of maritime supremacy had gone. Now the aircraft ruled. In his masterful painting A Time For Heroes Robert Taylor pays tribute to the World War II fighter aircrews of the RAF and Fleet Air Arm. A panoramic scene from the era of the Battle of Britain shows Mk I Spitfires of 234 Squadron, 10 Group's top scoring squadron, returning to St. Eval after intercepting heavy raids on south coast ports during the heaviest fighting, in September 1940. St. Michael's Mount, the castle built on the site of a 14th Century monastery to defend Britain's shores from earlier enemies, provides a symbolic backdrop as once again a band of brothers is called upon to defend their Sceptred Isle.

Overall Print Size 31" x 23"

As part of the 'A Time For Heroes' Fighter Pilots Edition Artist Robert Taylor has been commissioned to create an exclusive set of only 25 individually hand-drawn pencil remarques.

Robert Taylor is the most sought after avation artist in the world, and is nternationally renowned for his wonderfully executed and evocative pencil drawings. Each remarque, created by the artist in the margin below the main image, is a small work of original art, complementing the subject matter of the original painting. Robert's remarques are very sought after.

We have only one copy in stock

The Fighter Pilots Remarque Edition - 9 signatures and 1 companion print

Compising main print signed by 7 Battle of Britain pilots; Group Captain Tom Dalton Morgan DSO DFC* OBE, Wing Commander Bob Doe DSO DFC*, Wing Commander George 'Grumpy' Unwin DSO DFM*.

Squadron Leader Neville Duke DSO OBE DFC* AFC CzMC, Wing Commander John Freeborn DFC*, Flight Lieutenant John Squier, Squadron Leader Mahinder Pujji DFC,

and two Fleet Air Arm pilots signing the exclusive Hurricane companion print 'Preparing for Action'

Preparing for Action signed by Commander Mike Crossley DSC* Royal Navy, Lieutenant Commander Peter Meadway Royal Navy.

Orders from outside the European Union are free of vat

The Signatories

Group Captain TOM DALTON MORGAN DSO DFC* OBE

Tom joined the RAF in 1935, serving with 22 Squadron. In June 1940 he was posted to Tangmere as ‘B’ Flight commander with 43 Squadron, flying Hurricanes, scoring his first victory on 12 July. In action over the Channel in August he was hit by crossfire, baling out with slight wounds. He soon resumed flying but was again wounded on 6 September. Ten days later he was promoted to command 43 Squadron. In January 1942 he left the squadron to become a Controller. Promoted Wing Commander Operations with 13 Group, he then led the Ibsley Wing, consisting of 4 Spitfire, 2 Whirlwind, and 2 Mustang Squadrons. His final victory in May 1943 brought his score to 17. Briefly attached to the USAAF 4th Fighter Group, he was then Operations Officer with the 2nd TAF until the end of the war.

Wing Commander BOB DOE DSO DFC*
Posted to 234 Squadron in November 1939. and 238 Squadron in September 1940. Bob Doe achieved great success during the Battle of Britain, scoring 14 and 3 shared victories. He was one of the few pilots to fly both the Hurricane and Spitfire. In October he was shot down, but rejoined the squadron soon after, however in January 1941 he suffered engine failure and was forced to crash land, suffering severe injuries resulting in plastic surgery. Able to resume operational flying in May 1941, he joined 66 Squadron, moving to 130 Squadron in August. In July 1943 he joined 118 Squadron. then 613 Squadron flying Mustangs. In October he was posted to the Far East to form 10 Squadron Indian Air Force on Hurricanes, which he led in Burma.

Wing Commander GEORGE ‘GRUMPY UNWIN DSO DFM*

George Unwin joined the RAF in 1929, and in 1936 was posted to Duxford with 19 Squadron as a Sergeant Pilot. He was one of the first pilots in the RAF to fly the Spitfire. With the outbreak of war 19 Squadron moved to Hornchurch and George, now one of the Squadron’s most experienced pilots, took part in the great air battles over France and Dunkirk, scoring 3½ victories. He flew with 19 Squadron continuously during the whole of the Battle of Britain. He was commissioned in 1941. After a period instructing, he resumed operations, flying Mosquitos with 16 Squadron. George finished the war with 13 victories, 2 shared, 2 unconfirmed, and 2 probables.

Squadron Leader NEVLLLE DUKE DSO OBE DFC* AFC CzMC
Neville Duke flew Spitfires as wingman to ‘Sailor Malan in 92 Squadron. In
November 1941 he was posted to 112 Squadron in the Middle East. After asecond tour in the Desert, he flew a third tour, with 145 Squadron in Italy. Hewas the top scoring Allied Ace in the Mediterranean with 28 victories. After the war, in 1953, he captured the World Air Speed record.

Wing Commander JOHN FREEBORN DFC*
Johnnie Freeborn flew Spitfires with 74 Squadron over Dunkirk, and was in action throughout the Battle of Britain, he had been with his Squadron longer, and flown more hours. than any other Battle of Britain pilot. He joined 602 Squadron in 1942, and commanded 118 Squadron in June 1943. In June 1944 he was promoted Wing Commander Flying of 286 Wing in Italy. John Freeborn scored 17 victories.

Commander MIKE CROSSLEY DSC* Royal Navy (Companion Print). ~ ~ Fleet Air Arm Ace Mike Crossley joined the carrier HMS Eagle in 1941, flying Sea Hurricanes in defence of the Malta convoys. In August 1942 he was lucky to escape when 'Eagle' was sunk by a U-boat. He joined 'HMS Biter' flying Sea Hurricanes in Operation Torch, and Seafires during D-Day. He finished the war in the Far East, an Ace with 5½ victories.

Flight Lieutenant JOHN SQUIER
John Squier was called up from the RAFVR at the outbreak of war, joining 64 Squadron at Kenley in June 1940 flying Spitfires. In August he crash-landed following an attack by Hannes Trautloft of III. JG51, suffering severe injuries. Rejoining 64 Squadron in November, he was posted to 72 Squadron, then 603 Squadron, and finally 141 Squadron. He was commissioned in 1942. After the war he became a test pilot and was the first pilot to eject at supersonic speed.

Lieutenant Commander PETER MEADWAY Royal Navy (Companion Print) Peter Meadway joined the Royal Navy in 1939, and was posted as Observer to 825 Squadron FAA flying Swordfish from HMS Furious. Transferring to 810 Squadron FAA on HMS Ark Royal he took part in the successful torpedo attac- on the German battleship Bismarck on the night of 26/27 May 1941, and was witness to her sinkine the following day.

Squadron Leader MAHINDER PUJJI DFC
In 1940 Mahinder, a qualified pilot flying for Shell in India, volunteered to join the RAF and was commissioned as Pilot Officer. Arriving in England, he was
posted to 43 Squadron and then ‘58 Squadron at Kenley, flying both Hurricanes and Spitfires. Later posted to the Western Desert, then to India, and finally to Burma, where he completed two tours against the Japanese.

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