With the Battle of Britain in its early stages, on the morning of Wednesday July 10th 1940, a convoy of slow moving cargo ships heading along the south coast came under attack from a formidable force of Dornier Do17 bombers, escorted by five squadrons of fighters. RAF Fighter Command scrambled several squadrons to meet the oncoming force in an effort to protect the ships, and a massive dogfight involving more than a hundred planes developed in the region of Dover.
Ripping into the oncoming bombers, the RAF fighters attacked head-on – a hazardous tactic requiring great courage, but highly effective in unnerving bomber crews, causing them to swerve out of formation and abandon their target. Head on collisions were not uncommon. The great battle raged well into the afternoon, and by evening the insurgents had been driven back to their bases in France to lick their wounds. Only one direct hit was scored by the enemy, when a 700 ton sloop was sunk. The Luftwaffe lost nineteen aircraft and although the RAF had seven aircraft damaged, it lost only one pilot that day.
Robert Taylor’s new painting captures a head on attack between two seasoned pilots high over the port of Dover in the late morning of 10 July 1940. A Spitfire from 610 Squadron, flown by Squadron Leader Andrew Smith, has taken a Me109 from I./JG3, the two aircraft having flashed past each other at a closing speed nearing 800mph. Smith was forced to crash-land his damaged aircraft at Hawkinge following this encounter, but the gallant squadron commander was to lose his life following combat with Me109s just two weeks later.
Below the duelling aces, other aircraft contest the air above the old port, while the coastline is seen stretching west into the distance. A superb new limited edition recreating a typical scene from the first decisive battle ever fought exclusively in the air.

THE FIGHTER EDITION with FOUR signatures.THE KNIGHTS CROSS EDITION with SIX signatures. THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN PROOFS with Fifteen Signatures

Overall print size: 36" wide x 23.5" high

THE FIGHTER EDITION

Wing Commander TERENCE KANE
Group Captain TOM DALTON MORGAN DSO DFC* OBE
Flight Lieutenant RICHARD L JONES
Squadron Leader J G MILLARD

Edition Size - 400 Signed and Numbered - £200inc vat (£170.21+vat)

THE KNIGHTS CROSS EDITION All the above signatures plus:

Generalleutnant GÜNTHER RALL
Oberleutnant GÛNTHER SEEGER

Edition Size - 300 - Signed and Numbered - £275inc vat (£234.05+vat)

THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN PROOFS
All the above Six signatures plus:

Major HANS-EKKEHARD BOB
Oberleutnant ERWIN LEYKAUF
Wing Commander GEORGE ‘GRUMPY’UNWIN DSO DFM*
Wing Commander GEORGE W SWANWICK
Group Captain GEORGE H WESTLAKE DSO DFC
Wing Commander WILFRED M SIZER DFC*
Flight Lieutenant MICHAEL E CROSKELL
Squadron Leader JOCELYN G P MILLARD
Wing Commander PADDY BARTHROPP DFC

Please see below for descriptions of the signatories

A total of FIFTEEN signatures

Edition Size -

200 - Signed and Numbered - £495.00inc vat (£421.28+vat)
25 - Remarques - Secondary Market

Robert Taylor is the most widely sought-after aviation artist in the world, and is internationally 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 Taylor’s remarque editions are in high demand with collectors, and most are heavily over-subscribed, so please remember — there are ONLY 25 available in this historic Battle of Britain edition!

Orders from outside the European Union are free of VAT

The Signatories

Flight Lieutenant RICHARD L JONES
In July 1940 Richard Jones was posted to 64 Squadron at Kenley. flying Spitfires. He was involved in heavy fighting over the Channel during the Battle of Britain. with the squadron suffering many losses during July and August. Towards the end of the Battle of Britain, in October, he moved to 19 Squadron flying Spitfires from Fowlmere. and was heavily involved in the fighter sweeps taking place at that time.

Wing Commander TERENCE KANE
Terry Kane joined the RAF in July 1938, and after a short time as an Instructor, in July 1940 was posted to 234 Squadron flying Spitfires at St Eval, where he helped down a Ju88. On 23 September he shot down a Me 109 during a patrol, but was in turn himself shot down moments later, and baled out over the Channel near to the French coast. Rescued from the water by the Germans, he spent the remainder of the war as a POW

Squadron Leader JOCELYN G P MILLARD
Volunteering for the RAFVR in August 1939, J G Millard was called up for full-time service the following month. Converting to Hurricanes, he was posted to 1 Squadron at Wittering in October 1940, and shortly after transferred to Douglas Bader’s 242 Squadron at Coltishall. In November he moved to 615 Squadron at Northolt. After the Battle of Britain he spent time as an Instructor, going to Canada. He later became Squadron Commander of 35 SFTS.

Group Captain TOM DALTON MORGAN DSO DFC* OBE
Joining the RAF in 1935, Tom served with 22 Squadron. In June 1940 he was posted to Tangmere as a Flight Commander with 43 Squadron, flying Hurricanes, scoring his first victory on 12 July. In action over the Channel he was hit by crossfire and baled out with slight wounds. He resumed flying but was again wounded on 6 September. Ten days later he was given command of 43 Squadron. In January 1942 he became a Controller. Promoted to Wing Commander with 13 Group, he 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.

Wing Commander PADDY BARTHROPP DFC AFC
At the outbreak of war Paddy flew obsolete Hinds, Hectors and Lysanders in combat, but converted to Spitfires and joined 602 Squadron at Tangmere. During the Battle of Britain he flew with some of the great aces — Douglas Bader, Sailor Mala, and Bob Stanford Tuck. In 1941 he was a Flight Commander with 610 Squadron. Continuing to fly Spitfires, now with 122 Squadron based at Hornchurch. he flew fighter sweeps and escort missions. On I 7 May 1942 he was shot down over St Omer. He baled out but was captured. spending the next three years as a POW.

Major HANS-EKKEHARD BOB
After great success in the Battle of Britain, Hans-Ekkehard Bob took over leadership of 9./JG54 in 1940. Transferring to the Eastem Front. by September 1942 his victories had risen to 50. His Group transferred back to the West where in April 1943 he rammed a B 17. Retuming to the East as Kommandeur of IV./ JG3. he ended the war with Galland’s JV44 in the West. Awarded the Knights Cross, he scored 60 victories.

Flight Lieutenant MICHAEL E CROSKELL
Joining the RAFVR in June 1938, Michael Croskell was called up in September 1939 at the outbreak of war. He was posted to join 213 Squadron at Wittering in December flying Hurricanes, and took part in the Battle of France and the operations over Dunkirk in May 1940, where he probably destroyed a Ju87. He flew with 213 Squadron throughout the Battle of Britain, scoring three further victories at the height of the battle in August 1940. Commissioned in 1942, his great fighter skills led him to spending six years as an instructor.

Squadron Leader DESMOND FOPP AFC MD
Joining the RAFVR in 1938, Des Fopp was called up at the outbreak of war, joining 17 Squadron in May 1940. and fought with them in France and afterwards during the Battle of Britain. After several successes he was shot down, baled out badly burned and was hospitalised. Retuming to 17 Squadron in July 1941. he then joined 132 Squadron at Peterhead. In late 1943 he went as Liaison Officer to the 8th and 9th USAAF, and in May 1944 became an Instructor.

Oberleutnant ERWIN LEYKAUF
Erwin Leykauf flew with JG27 at the beginning of the Battle of Britain, then with JG54 where he scored his first 7 victories. Transferring to the Balkans, and later the Eastern Front, in 1943 he joined JG26 flying the Fw190. At the end of the war he was with JG7 flying the Me262 jet. Erwin Leykauf was awarded the Iron Cross I and II class, and finished the war with 33 victories.

Wing Commander WILFRED M SIZER DFC*
At the outbreak of war Bill Sizer was flying Hurricanes with 213 Squadron. The squadron flew to France in May 1940, where he scored his first victories, before being attacked by five Me1O9s and shot down. Rejoining his squadron soon after, he took part in the air battles over Dunkirk before again being shot down and escaping back to England. He flew throughout the Battle of Britain. In April 1941 he was posted to join 1 Squadron, and then 91 Squadron. In April 1942 he joined 152 Squadron flying Spitfires, with whom he went to North Africa. In January 1943 he was given command of 93 Squadron and took part in the Sicily landings. He finished the war with 7 and 5 shared victories.

Wittg Commander GEORGE W SWANWICK
George Swanwick was an air-gunner on Wallaces and Hinds with 504 Squadron during the 1930’s. In 1938 George re-trained as a pilot, and was promoted to Sergeant Pilot in August 1939. In May 1940 he joined 7 BGS, and on 7 September was posted to 54 Squadron at Catterick flying Spitfires. He then went to 41 Squadron at Hornchurch. Commissioned in late 1941. he was posted to 222 Squadron at North Weald in April 1942 as a Flight Commander. He later served with 603 and 81 Squadrons in Malta.

Wing Commander GEORGE ‘GRUMPY’ UNNWIN DSO DFM*
George Unwin joined the RAE in 1929. He was one of the first pilots to fly the Spitfire. With the outbreak of war 19 Squadron moved to Hornchurch and George took part in the great air battles over France and Dunkirk. He flew with 19 Squadron continuously during the whole of the Battle of Britain and 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.

Group Captain GEORGE H WESTLAKE DSO DFC
Flying Hurricanes. George Westlake joined 43 Squadron at the height of the Battle of Britain. On 29 September he moved to 213 Squadron at Tangmere. and on 15 November shot down an Me109. In May of the following year the squadron flew their Hurricanes off HMS Furious to Malta bound for Eygpt and was briefly attached to 80 Squadron during the Syrian Campaign, where he had some further successes. Returning to 213 Squadron, he took temporary command in October 1942. In 1944 he led 239 Wing in Italy. He finished the war with eleven victories.

Generalleutnant GUNTHER RALL
Gunther Rall was a young pilot with III./JG52 at the outbreak of war. and quickly demonstrated his natural ability and leadership qualities. He scored his first victory early in the Battle of Britain, and by July 1940 was leading 8./JG52. After transfer to the Eastern Front his victories soon mounted but he was hospitalised following a crash. Returning to combat as Komtnandeur of III./JG52. he gained the Wings 500th victory; before being posted Kommandeur of II./JG11 on the Western Front, flying high altitude intercepts in Me109Gs. He was later Komtnandeur of JG300. and finished the war as the 3rd highest Ace in history with 275 victories. He was awarded the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.

Oberleutnant GUNTHER SEEGER
In February 1940 Gunther Seeger was an Unteroffizier with 3./JG2, scoring his first victory in the early days of the Battle of Britain. He served on the Channel Front until December 1942. including several months with the Geschwaderstabsschawm. He transferred to the Mediterranean theatre with 11./JG2. before joining 6./JG53. In February 1943 he joined 7./JG53, becoming Staffelkapitan in September 1944. Awarded the Knight’s Cross, Gunther Seeger flew over 500 combat missions and scored 56 victories, all of them in the West.

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