Even the most faithful of Messerschmitt Me109 pilots that also flew the Focke-Wulf Fw190 grudgingly admitted the well proportioned and aesthetically pleasing Fw190 was the finest single seat fighter in the Luftwaffe’s armoury during World War II. Soon after its arrival on the Channel Front in 1941, when initial bugs were ironed out, this superb fighter came close to fighter design perfection by the standards of the day. Just as the Mk IX Spitfire held its mantle as Britain'’ most outstanding combat fighter of the war, so was the Fw190 regarded by experienced Luftwaffe pilots. Within months of its operational debut the Fw190 was causing widespread consternation among RAF pilots, the new fighter equal to the Mk IX Spitfire in all but its ability in the tightest of turning circles.
By 1944 the technically superb Fw190 came into its own in the great air battles against the USAAF’s massed daylight raids. The defence of the Reich’s western airspace rested on the shoulders of a few Jagdgschwarden who , against steadily increasing odds , were tasked with interception and destruction of the attacking American heavy bombers. Flying alongside the two established Channel fighter wings JG2 ‘Richthofen’ and JG26 ‘Schlageter’, equipped with Fw190’s and led by the great fighter ace Oberrst Walter Oesau, JG1 joined the battle in the defence of northern Germany.

Nicolas Trudgian's fine new painting Storm Chasers depicts the Fw190A's of I./JG1, distinguished by their distinctive black and white stiped cowls, scrambling from snow covered Dortmund airfield on February 10th 1944 to intercept another inboound American daylight raid. Nick's dramatic view of this technically supreme fighter conveys its true class as it hurtles over the airfield, its undercarriage retracting as the Fw190 accelerates into the climb. Below, sharing the airfield with I./JG1, are the Fw190's of the newly formed Sturmstaffel 1, identified by their black-white-black tail bands, seen taxiing out to join in the interception. Despite bad weather conditions the Luftwaffe's defending fighters scored heavily that day, inflicting severe losses on the Americans, claiming 29 bombers and 8 fighters shot down in the action.

Overall Print Size: 35½” wide x 24” high

THE FIGHTER PILOTS EDITION

Each print in the Signed & Numbered Edition has been individually signed by the artist and FOUR eminent Luftwaffe Fighter Aces who all flew combat during the ‘Defence of the Reich’.

Leutnant HUGO BROCH

Unteroffizier GUSTAV DREES

Oberfeldwebel WILLI RESCHKE

Oberleutnant ERNST SCHEUFELE

525 Signed and numbered with FOUR signatures £120 inc vat (£102.13+vat)

25 Artist Proofs with FOUR signatures £170 inc vat (£144.68+vat)

40 Remarques with FOUR signatures £325 inc vat (£276.60+vat)

Orders from putside the European Union are free from VAT.

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