Author: Dorothy Haskett

Johnnie Johnson leads his Canadian Wing Spitfires over the Normandy beaches on D-Day, 1944.

A classic head-to-head combat between Spitfire and Me109 fought over the south coast of England on 25th August, 1940. Scrambled to intercept a raid approaching the Isle of Wight, Squadron Leader Sandy Johnstone hurriedly climbed his 602 Squadron Spitfires to 15,000. In spite of notice, the Spitfires intercepted the large force of 50 Ju88s and Do17s, escorted by Me109s and 110s, before they reached the target. The CO downed a Me110 by blowing off its tail unit before becoming embroiled in a one-on-one dogfight with a Me109 – Nick’s painting captures the action – the CO dispatching the enemy aircraft to notch up his second victory of the day. 602’s tally amounted to 13 aircraft destroyed, without loss. A superb action print edition signed by Sandy Johnstone and 602 Squadron Battle of Britain pilots.Signatures:Air Vice Marshal SANDY JOHNSTONE CB DFC AE DL Wing Commander PADDAY BARTHROPP DFC AFCAir Commodore C. J. ‘MICKEY’ MOUNT CBE DSO DFC Squadron Leader S. NIGEL ROSE Air Commodore PAUL WEBB CBE DFC AE Wing Commander HECTOR MacLEAN Flying Officer HUGH NIVEN Wing Commander DONALD M JACK

The pilots of I Gruppe JG-1 were up early on August 17th 1943. It was high summer, and even as the first streaks of light appeared in the sky to the east, four pilots got airborne out of Deelan, Holland, and headed for the coast. It was the first routine reconnaissance of the morning. By 0730 German listening services were picking up signals indicating large formations of enemy aircraft assembling to the west of Great Yarmouth, south east England. By 0800 it was clear to the German interceptor fighter groups stationed in Holland that this was going to be no ordinary day. Shortly after 0930 the first wave of a force of some 375 B-17s and B-24s, heavily escorted by fighters, started crossing the Dutch coast south of the Scheldt estuary, their destination Schweinfurt and Regensburg. They were shadowed by the German fighters of 1, 2 and 3 Gruppe along thei entire route over Europe. When the Allied fighter escort turned back at the limit of their range, the Luftwaffe fighters made their attack. It was the start of a day of incessant aerial combat which raged all the way across Holland, Belgium and Germany, and all the way back to the coast again as the Americans returned to England. It was one of the longest air-to-air battles of the war and became known by the Luftwaffe pilots as the day of the fighters. Signatures:Oberleutnant ADOLF GLUNGZHauptmann ALFRED GRISLAWSKIMajor GERHARD SCHOPFEL

A Typhoon of 181 Squadron flown by Flt Lt Roy Crane is shown attacking a German armoured column in th Falaise Gap in August 1944. Typhoons played a major role in destroying a large number of German armour and disrupting German movements during the battle of Falaise Gap.

By mid August 1940, the Battle of Britain had reached its most crucial stage. The all-powerful Luftwaffe was inflicting huge losses on RAF Fighter Command, many of its young and inexperienced pilots becoming easy victims of the battle-hardened German Aces. The contest was desperate. Air supremacy was vital.Each day, weather permitting, armadas of German fighters and bombers set forth across the Channel; the great aerial battles continuing from dawn until dusk. By September, I./JG2 Richthofen was under the command of the brilliant Helmut Wick. Leading the famous wing, Wick was the top-scoring Luftwaffe Ace in the Battle of Britain with 56 victories.Nicolas Trudgian’s dramatic limited edition depicts Wick, with Günther Seeger off his starboard wing, leading the Me109s of I./JG2 out on a mission in September 1940. Heinkel 111 bombers of the Kampfgeschwadern are assembling for another raid on England. A Blenheim of No 2 Group has force-landed on the beach, testimony to Bomber Command’s contribution to the historic battle. A masterful portrayal of aerial warfare.Two prominent Battle of Britain JG2 Richthofen Aces have joined Nicolas Trudgian in signing the complete edition.Signatures:Oberleutnant GÜNTHER SEEGEROberleutnant SIEGFRIED BETHKE