The history of the
Battle of Britain in superb aviation art prints by the world's leading
aviation artists. Battle of Britain art of supermarine spitfires,
Hurricanes and ME109's available from Cranston Fine Arts and the Military
Art Gallery
<a href=aces.php?PilotID=169>Adolf Galland</a> claimed his 16th victory on the afternoon of 25th July 1940 when Spitfires of 54 Sqn were bounced by Messerschmitt Bf.109s of Gallands III/JG26. A fierce battle ensued off Dover during which F/Lt Basil......
6 print editions available from £65.00 2 canvas print editions available from £370.00 Original available : £3500.00
A pair of Spitfire Mk 1s of 92 Sqn, based at Pembrey, practising dogfight tactics in a rare moment of relative peace in August 1940. Nearest aircraft, N3249, (QJ-P) is that of Sgt Ralph <i>Titch</i> Havercroft who was to score 3 confirmed victories......
5 print editions available from £35.00 1 canvas print edition available from £490.00 Original available : £1800.00
In Gerald Coulsons fine study First Light, Mk Vb Spitfires of 92 Squadron climb out of Biggin Hill at the outset of an early morning patrol on a cold winters morning in February 1941. Leaving the mist behind as the first beams of light streak across......
A solo Hurricane flies over the remains of a downed German bomber during the Battle of Britain. Also shown in the painting are the early warning radar towers which played a significant part in the detection of German aircraft and their number, helpi......
1 print edition available from £50.00 1 ex-display print available from £36.00
In a classic image of wartime England, Mk V Spitfires, symbol of the RAF, defiant against the threat of the Luftwaffe return to their base in the heart of the beautiful rolling English countryside. ......
The Spitfires of 54 Squadron, quickly scrambled from nearby Hornchurch, clash with the Me109s from 1./JG51 over Kent. Below, Me110s from KPRG210 are about to receive unwelcome attention as the rest of the Spitfires hurtle down upon them and in the ......
Just after midday on 27 September 1940 one of the bitterest engagements of the Battle of Britain took place in the skies over Kent when the Spitfires of 19 Squadron took on the Bf109s of JG54. In the huge dogfight that ensued, 19 Squadron claimed 8......
At the height of the Battle of Britain in August 1940, Spitfires of 610 Squadron from Biggin Hill are seen dogfighting with Messerschmitt 109s in the summer sky high above Kent, whilst Hurricanes of 501 Squadron from Gravesend engage an incoming for......
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 N......
It is 1941, the Battle of Britain is won but the countrys future is still by no means certain, with the Luftwaffe continuing to mount daily raids on cities, factories and airfields. In Stephen Browns painting Return of the Few, the legendary Douglas......
Supermarine Spitfire Mk.1As of No.610 (County of Chester) Sqn RAAF, intercept incoming Heinkel 111H-16s of the 9th Staffel, Kampfgeschwader 53 Legion Condor during the big daylight raids on London of August and September 1940 – the climax of the Bat......
8 print editions available from £80.00 1 canvas print edition available from £370.00 Original available : £2000.00
Flying as Leader of B Flight, 41 Sqn, on 15th August 1940, Pilot Officer Ted Shipman and the rest of his flight found themselves among a mass of Messerschmitt Bf.110s that had been detailed to escort a bomber force of Heinkel He111s on a raid on the......
4 print editions available from £65.00 1 canvas print edition available from £220.00 Original available : £725.00
Spitfires (MkI) of 92 Squadron out of Biggin Hill in September 1940 are about to take on the enemy during the Battle of Britain. The aircraft in the background was flown by Pilot Officer Alan Wright - his list of victories was eleven, three destroy......
Battle of Britain Ace Wing Commander Bob Doe in Spitfire AZ-D and his wingman hurry to intercept incoming enemy aircraft during the Battle of Britain. ......
On the 9th September 1940, No.92 Squadron was thrown into the Battle of Britain. They had fought bravely during the evacuation of Dunkirk, and after a spell on convoy patrol, they were thrust into the desperate climax of the greatest air battle in......
HM Stephen - one of the Battle of Britains top scoring fighter pilots, brings down two Me109s in quick succession over the White Cliffs of Dover, early on August 11, 1940. Flying a Spitfire with 74 Squadron, HM shot down five German aircraft on this......
On August 12th, 1940 the Luftwaffe turned their full attention to the RAF's forward fighter bases and radar stations with the intent to obliterate them once and for all. The outcome of the Battle of Britain hung in the balance. It was late in ......
Mickey Mount, flying his 602 Squadron MkII Spitfire, successfully attacks a Messerschmitt Me109 low over the cliffs of Beachy Head on the south coast during the Battle of Britain in the summer of 1940. Spitfires and Me109s were so evenly matched at ......
5 print editions available from £85.00 1 ex-display print available from £75.00
A Spitfire of 610 Squadron narrowly misses colliding with an Me109 while in close combat, low over the south of England, during the late summer of 1940. ......
During the legendary Battle of Britain Spitfires of 92 Squadron are engaged with Messerschmitt Me109s of JG-2 in a high-altitude dog-fight directly over London in September 1940. Way below bombers of the Luftwaffe attempt one of their final daylight......
Biggin Hill was one of the most active R.A.F. Fighter bases of World War II. Fighter aircraft scrambled as many as seven or eight times a day during the height of the Battle of Britain. Mark Vb Spitfires are seen retracting their undercarriage almos......
Spitfires pass above a downed Me110 as they return to base at Biggin Hill in September 1940, the most intense and crucial phase of the Battle of Britain. ......
A typical scene from a bright August morning in that momentous summer of 1940. Having climbed into the dawn sky at daybreak, the Spitfires of No 603 Squadron have already been in action, and with more heavy raids on the plotters table, they scurry b......
The winter of 41 is remembered well by Geoffrey Wellum, pilot of Spitfire G for George. Bitter cold and heavy snow during this Battle of Britain period made flying conditions almost unbearable. The ground-crews job at RAF Manston, never easy at the ......
Chariots of Fire depicts Spitfires of 610 squadron (County of Chester) engaging Messerschmitts 190E of the Luftwaffe over the South Coast of England, August 1940. ......
1 print edition available from £360.00 Original Sold.
On the afternoon of 5th September 1940, Spitfires of 41 Sqn intercepted a large formation of Heinkel 111 bombers and their escorts over the Thames estuary, en route for London. Flying N3162 as Red 2, <a href=aces.php?PilotID=8>Flight Lieutenant Eri......
4 print editions available from £65.00 2 canvas print editions available from £480.00 Original available : £2000.00
A classic head-to-head combat between Squadron Leader Sandy Johnstone in his Spitfire and an Me109 over the south coast of England on 25th August, 1940. With 602 Squadron scrambled to intercept an approaching raid. The Commanding Officer notches up ......
On a September evening in 1940, Spitfires of No.19 Sqn are seen flying south over the River Thames to engage the enemy. In the distance, barrage balloons are in position to help protect the docklands. ......
Symbolically Johnnie Johnsons Spitfire Mk9 flies with Adolf Gallands ME109E on the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. The two top scoring fighter aces represent all the pilots of the Allies and the Luftwaffe who fought against each other in ......
Pilot Officer Allan Wright - later Group Captain, and awarded DFC and AFC - pilots Spitfire QJ-S of No.92 Squadron during the Battle of Britain, with his wingman in close support. ......
5 print editions available from £60.00 1 canvas print edition available from £400.00
Flt. Lt. Geoffrey Wellum of 92 Squadron once again takes his trusted Spitfire into attack high over southern England. Any moment now both he and one other Spitfire pilot will be flying into hell amongst at least a dozen Luftwaffe He111s on their wa......
2 print editions available from £85.00 1 ex-display print available from £65.00
The Battle of Britain commenced at the beginning of June 1940, and for the next two and a half gruelling months the young men of Royal Air Force Fighter Command, duelled with the cream of Goerings Luftwaffe over the skies of southern England. It wa......
<a href=http://www.military-art.com/mall/aces.php?PilotID=3797>Gerald <i>Stapme</i> Stapleton</a> in his 603 Sqn Spitfire despatching the Bf109 of Franz von Werra of III/JG 3. ......
3 print editions available from £70.00 Original Sold.
The Battle of Britan - 13th August 1940. Fresh from a successful action over a marauding group of Me110s and Me109s attempting to raid port facilities at Portland during the Battle of Britain, Spitfires of 152 Squadron return to their base at Warmw......
Squadron Leader H C Sawyer is depicted here flying his 65 Sqn Spitfire Mk.1a R6799 (YT-D) in the skies above Kent on 31st July 1940 at the height of the Battle of Britain. Chasing him is Major Hans Trubenbach of 1 Gruppe, Lehrgeschwader 2 in his Me......
12 print editions available from £65.00 2 canvas print editions available from £370.00 Original Sold. 1 ex-display print available from £52.00
Portsmouth August 26th 1940, the lone spitfire of Squadron Leader Sandy Johnstone breaks the ranks and picks off one of the menacing Heinkels only to encounter an equally determined attack from a BF109. <br><br>We were brought to readiness in the mi......
2 print editions available from £120.00 1 canvas print edition available from £370.00 Original available : £2750.00
In this classic Robert Taylor painting Brian Kingcome is seen leading the Spitfires of 92 Squadron in a diving attack into a force of HEIIIs over the city of London during the height of the Battle of Britain. Brian Kingcome flew Spitfires operationa......
Posted to 64 Squadron on 1st July 1940, </a>the tragically short relationship of <a href=aces.php?PilotID=3711>Sub Lt F Dawson Paul</a> with the Spitfire was crammed with victories. He immediately shared a Dornier Do17 off Beachy Head and, just fou......
5 print editions available from £65.00 2 canvas print editions available from £370.00 Original Sold.
No one knows for certain whether the two great fighter aces <a href=aces.php?PilotID=11>Douglas Bader</a> and <a href=aces.php?PilotID=169>Adolf Galland</a> actually fought each other in a one-on-one combat, but it is thought highly likely that they......
6 print editions available from £65.00 2 canvas print editions available from £370.00 Original Sold.
A classic view of a Mk I Spitfire belonging to 609 Squadron, flown by Battle of Britain ace John Bisdee, high over South East England in that fateful summer of 1940. After the first fifteen months of the war this famous fighter squadron, initially m......
Geoffrey Wellum joins combat head-on with a Dornier during the Battle of Britain. He was part of a small group of 10 spitfires from Biggin Hill facing 150 plus enemy bombers and fighters. Other friendly fighters joined battle but the defenders were ......
Flt. Lt. Geoff Wellum leads this flight of Spitfires from 92 Squadron in a scramble to take on the might of the German Luftwaffe during the height of the Battle of Britain. No 92 Squadron was first formed on the 1st September 1917 at London Colney ......
The Battle of Britain in 1940 was the biggest air battle ever fought in the history of armed conflict. After the fall of France Hitler hoped to sign a peace treaty with Britain allowing the Germans to dominate Europe, and ultimately attack Russia in......
2 print editions available from £30.00 3 canvas print editions available from £294.00
Bobby Oxspring in his 66 Squadron Spitfire destroys an ME109 of JF/53 Ace of Spades Group, in a high level attack at 30,000 feet above Dover, 18th September 1940. ......
Mk I Spitfires of 610 Squadron flying a defensive patrol low over the White Cliffs during the height of the Battle of Britain in August 1940. A superb painting that symbolises a crucial period in history. ......
Portland, England, 30th September 1940. Already an accomplished Spitfire ace with at least 10 confirmed kills, Bob Doe had just transferred from 234 squadron to 238 Hurricane squadron when he intercepted and brought down a Heinkel He111P-2 from I/......
3 print editions available from £70.00 Original available : £410.00
With the Battle of Britain at its height and the RAF stretched to breaking point, September of 1940 was a desperate time for the young pilots who fought gallantly to defend the UK against an imminent invasion. Among those brave few was the eighteen......
3 print editions available from £60.00 1 canvas print edition available from £220.00 Original available : £675.00
Battle of Britain Spitfire Mk 1a, P7350 from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, flies in tight formation with the first production Eurofighter single seater F2. ......
3 print editions available from £75.00 1 canvas print edition available from £375.00
Sussex Coast, England, 16th August 1940. For Donald MacDonald, Squadron leader of 64 Squadron, this particular day was fairly eventful. Catching the JG54 fighters and III/KG55 bombers on the coast, he personally accounted for one Me109E destroyed,......
3 print editions available from £70.00 Original available : £360.00
Don Kingaby is the only pilot in the RAF to have been awarded 3 DFMs. During his first combat on August 12, 1940, he severely damaged an JU88 over the Isle of Wight and Robert Taylor captures the moment of break, with the JU88 already smoking. Don Ki......
Without doubt the most famous British fighter aircraft. It always inspired devotion from pilots and mechanics alike – to this very day. Flight Lt. Geoff Wellum in his 92 Sqn. Spitfire, during an all-too rare quiet moment, one evening during the summ......
Air Commodore Alan Deere DSO DFC* and other Spitfires of No.54 squadron during the Battle of Britain, attacking He111 bombers which are being escorted across the Channel by Me109 fighters ......
Another busy start to the day at Biggin Hill in the summer of 1940. The Battle of Britain is at its height and 92 Squadron Spitfires with Geoffrey Wellum in G for George, depart under early morning sunlight to engage a mass of incoming enemy aircraf......
On October 12, 1940, No. 603 Squadron, reduced to only eight aircraft, took on a large formation of Me109s attacking head on. Robert Taylors vivid portrayal shows Scott-Maldens Spitfire moments after knocking down an Me109 in the encounter, both he ......
High over the southern coast of England in 1940 a Spitfire (Mk 1) of 609 Squadron from Middle Wallop, flown by Flying Officer John Dundas, lies in wait for enemy aircraft (Junkers 87 divebombers) on their way to attack British naval installations at ......
The afternoon of 25th July 1940 was a desperate one for the already exhausted fighter pilots of the RAF defending the South coast of England. As convoy CW8 made its way through the English Channel, sixty JU.87 Stukas and forty JU.88 bombers launche......
4 print editions available from £100.00 3 canvas print editions available from £500.00 Original Sold.
Depicting the No.19 Sqn Spitfire Mk.IIA of <a href=aces.php?PilotID=3798>Flt Lt Walter Lawson</a> attacking a a Bf.109 E-4 of JG.3 in the Summer of 1940. The final tally of Lawson before he was listed as missing in August 1941 was 6 confirmed, 1 sha......
4 print editions available from £65.00 2 canvas print editions available from £490.00 Original Sold.
Along with the Hurricane, the Supermarine Spitfire was the backbone of Fighter Command. here three Spitfires are shown on patrol above the fields of southern England during the Battle of Britain. ......
Simon Atack has recreated an action flown by Pilot Officer Bob Doe during a fierce battle over the south coast, near the Isle of Wight on 18th August, 1940. Flying a Mk I Spitfire of No 234 Squadron, Boe Doe is seen bringing down an Me109 High over ......
Flt/Lt John Dundas, having already notched up eleven victories to his name during the Battle of Britain 1940, is viewed out on the last patrol of the day off the Isle of Wight. In a few moments he will be heading back to his base at Middle Wallop. ......
2 print editions available from £75.00 1 ex-display print available from £55.00
A surprise dive bombing attack at 12.45pm as Spitfires of 65 squadron were taking off. 148 bombs were dropped on the airfield and hangars. The entire squadron got airborne with one exception, its engine was stopped by the blast from one of the bombs.......
During the battle of Britain, 609 Squadron (PR) and 152 Squadron (UM) were pitting themselves against the Luftwaffe. 609 based at Middle Wallop near Andover and 152 operating from Warmwell were tasked with protecting part of 10 Groups Southern Sector......
Situated on the south eastern tip of Kent, RAF Hawkinge was the most forward airfield in Fighter Command. It was not surprising therefore that when Reichmarshal Goering began his fierce attacks on airfields - part of his softening up campaign in pr......
A Battle of Britain Spitfire from 610 Squadron takes on a Me109 from I./JG3 in a head-on attack high over the south coast port of Dover, in the late morning of 10 July 1940. ......
After winning the Battle of France, the Luftwaffe sought to gain air superiority in the skies over Britain during the summer of 1940. The ensuing defence by the RAF against the onslaught of the Luftwaffe became known as the Battle of Britain. It was the first major campaign fought entirely by means of aerial combat. Initially, the Luftwaffe attacked shipping in the English Channel, and shipping ports such as Portsmouth and Plymouth. By August, they were concentrating their attacks on RAF airfields and ground installations. However, in a move that probably invited defeat for Germany in the battle, the Luftwaffe switched from bombing RAF targets to bombing major cities. This move allowed the airfields the time to recover and regroup, making the defence capabilities of Britain stronger.
By the summer of 1940, the RAF had approximately 9,000 pilots and 5,000 aircraft, most of which were bombers. By the 1st of July, the Commander of Fighter Command, Marshal Hugh Dowding could provide just 1103 fighter pilots - which came from the regular RAF squadrons, the Auxiliary Air Force squadrons and the Volunteer Reserve. Replacement pilots with little flight training and often no gunnery training suffered high casualty rates. Meanwhile, the Luftwaffe comprised 1450 fighter pilots, many with experience from the Spanish Civil Wars just a few years earlier. During the Battle of Britain, the Luftwaffe used four primary bombers. These were the Heinkel He111, Dornier Do17 and Junkers Ju88 for level bombing, and the Junkers Ju87 Stuka dive bomber. These were escorted by Messerschmitt Me109 and Me110 fighters. Defending Britain against the Luftwaffe were the Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire squadrons of the RAF. While Britain successfully defended the air during the battle and repelled any invasion attempt by denying the Luftwaffe air superiority, losses were high on both sides of the battle. Between the official dates of the battle - 10th July to 31st October 1940 - 2936 fighter pilots took part n the battle on the British side, including 595 non-British pilots. These included 145 pilots from Poland, 127 from New Zealand, 112 from Canada, 88 from Czechoslovakia, 28 from Belgium, 32 from Australia, 25 from South Africa, 13 from France, 10 from Ireland, 7 from America, and 1 from each of Jamaica, Palestine and Rhodesia.
The Allied losses were 544 aircrew killed, 422 wounded and 1547 aircraft destroyed, while the Luftwaffe lost 2698 aircrew killed, and lost 1887 aircraft.
This key battle was considered the first crucial defeat for Germany. Had the Luftwaffe been successful in its aims, Germany could have invaded Britain, and had the invasion been successful, the outcome of the war could have been very different, with nowhere for the American Air Force to launch attacks on Germany from.
The Right of the Line by Graeme Lothian "Sailor" Malam leading 74 squadron engaging ME109's of
1/JG52 Battle of Britain, September 1940. Signed with six pilot signature three luftwaffe and three RAF: Rudi
Miese, Ulrich Steinhilfer, Gunther Rall, Archie Winskill, Stephen
Hardbourne and Paddy Barthropp.
GAUNTLET BY ANTHONY SAUNDERS Portsmouth August 26th 1940, the lone spitfire of Squadron Leader
Sandy Johnstone breaks the ranks and picks off one of the menacing
Heinkels only to encounter an equally determined attack from a BF109.
Accompanying the artists signature are three signatures
from pilots of 602 Squadron:
Air Vice Marshal Sandy Johnstone, Air Commodore Micky Mount and Wing Commander
Hector MacLean.
Air
Commodore Micky Mot, CBE, DSO, DFC Flying Officer C.J Mount
joined NO.602 squadron on August 8th 1940 after a brief conversion
course on Spitfires. On August 18th his Spitfire L1005 was severely damaged in combat with JU 87's and BF109's over Ford. Micky was unhurt.
he again escaped injury when his Spitfire X4270 was damaged landing at
Tangmere. he served in many of the theatres of WW2 and he flew
Hurricanes in Malta and North Africa and Wellingtons in the Middle east.
Micky is now retired and lives in Ascot in Berkshire.
Wing
Commander Hector Maclean Hector was flying with No 602 squadron
before war broke out. A gallant young man, his fighter pilot days were
drawn to an abrupt halt on August 26th 1940 when his leg was severely injured during battle, but the war was not by no means over. After his
recovery he was posted to Rosemount for duty as a fighter controller, in
the rank of Squadron Leader. hector is now retired and lives in
Kilmacolm near Glasgow.
Air Vice-Marshall Sandy Johnson CB,
DFC,
AE. Sandy was in command of no. 602 squadron during the
critical days of the Battle of Britain, flying with the squadron before
the war though to 1941, when he was posted to the Middle east, he also
served with 229 and 249 squadrons in Malta during the Islands most
fateful days of the war. sandy is now a successful author living near
Ipswich in Suffolk
The Gauntlet Action South of Portsmouth 26th August 1940.
We
were brought to readiness in the middle of lunch and scrambled to
intercept mixed bag of 100+ Heinkel III's and DO 17's approaching
Portsmouth from the South. The controller did a first class job
and positioned us one thousand feet above the target. with the sun
behind us, allowing us to spot the raiders from a long way off. No
escorting Messerschmitts were in sight at the time, although a sizable
force was to turn up soon after. then something strange happened.
I
was about to give a ticking off to our chaps for misusing the R/T when I
realised I was listening to German voices. It appeared we were both
using the same frequency and, although having no knowledge of the
language it sounded from the monotonous flow of the conversation that
they were unaware of our presence. as soon as we dived towards
the leading formation, however we were assailed immediately to loud
shouts of Achtung Spitfuern Spitfuern! as our bullets began to
take their toll.
In spite of having taken jerry by surprise our
bag was only six, with others claimed as damaged, before the remainder
dived for cloud cover and turned for home. In the meantime the escorting
fighters were amongst us when two of our fellows were badly shot up.
hector Maclean stopped a cannon shell on his cockpit, blowing his foot
of above the ankle although, in spite of his grave injuries, he managed
to fly his spitfire back to Tangmere to land with wheels retracted.
Cyril Babbage's aircraft was also badly damaged in the action. forcing
him to abandon it and take to his parachute. He was ultimately picked up
by a rescue launch and put ashore at Bognor, having suffered only minor
injuries.
I personally accounted for one Heinkel III in the
action (Sandy Johnson).
No. 602 'City of Glasgow' auxiliary
squadron was a household name long before WW11 began. It had been the
first auxiliary squadron to get into the air in 1925, two of its
members, Lord Clydeside and David McIntyre were the first to
conquer Mount Everest in 1933; the squadron sweeped the board in gunnery
and bombing in 1935, beating the regular squadrons at their own game. It
was the first auxiliary Squadron to be equipped with Spitfire Fighters
as far back as March 1939 and it was the first squadron to shoot down
the first enemy aircraft on British Soil.
The squadron moved
south from Drem airfield in east Lothian on August 14th 1940. to relieve
the already battered no. 145 squadron at Westhapnett, Tangmere's
satelitte station in Sussex. the squadron suffered 5 casualties during
the battle. The squadron remained at Westhampnett until December 1940 to
be replaced by no. 610 auxiliary airforce squadron. No 602 squadron
itself remained active up until 1957 when it was put into mothballs.
