THE GREATEST DAY

THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN, 15 SEPTEMBER, 1940.

by Robert Taylor

THE WORLD'S FOREMOST AVIATION ARTIST COMMEMORATES THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN

Sunday, 15 September, 1940 and Luftwaffe supremo Hermann Goering believed victory over the RAF was at hand. Today, he decreed, would be the day that his 'glorious' Luftwaffe would finally break the back of Fighter Command's stubborn resistance. Or so he believed. 
 
In response to a massed formation of enemy aircraft detected heading for London, Air Vice Marshal Keith Park commanding 11 Group scrambled his squadrons. He also requested that 12 Group bring Douglas Bader's 'Big Wing' down from Duxford. Every available pilot and machine was committed. Prime Minister Winston Churchill turned to Park and asked "What other reserves have we" "There are none", Park replied. 
 
Bader now had five squadrons racing south, meeting what remained of the enemy on the outskirts of London. 
 
With a successful morning behind them the RAF fighters raced back to re-fuel and re-arm. Just after 14.00 hrs another enemy battle group was observed and this time the formations were even larger. Bader's Wing was scrambled once more.
 
Overall print size: 33 x 25 inches 
Image size: 26 x 17 1/2 inches
 
In his painting Robert Taylor takes us to the heart of the action with breathtaking clarity as he portrays Bader leading his wing into the fray on that afternoon of 15 September 1940. As their Bf109 escorts begin to run out of fuel, the enemy bombers were left to fend for themselves. They were savaged. By late afternoon it was over and whilst the Daily Mail and the press made much of the RAF's initial optimistic claims – the Luftwaffe had actually lost nearly 60 aircraft and 150 aircrew. The RAF had lost less than half that number of aircraft and only 13 pilots. The tide of the Battle of Britain had turned in the RAF's favour, and German High Command knew it.
 
The famous names who have signed this edition bears testament to the long association that has existed between these distinguished veterans and the Military Gallery over the last forty years. 
 
Joining artist Robert Taylor in signing every print are two of the most highly regarded fighter pilots who dueled during the Battle of Britain:  

EDITIONS AVAILABLE 

• Limited Edition:  Information below... 300 prints ($320)
• Collectors Edition: Information below... 175 prints ($410)
• Collectors Edition Artist Proof: Information below... 25 prints ($565)
• The Anniversary Edition: Information below... 75 prints ($745)
• The Remarque: Information below... 15 prints ($1,195)
• The Double Remarque Edition: Information below... 10 prints ($1,975)
• The Battle of Britain Tribute Edition: Information below... 10 prints ($4,395)

LIMITED EDITION SIGNATURES:

Joining artist Robert Taylor in signing every print are two of the most highly regarded fighter pilots who dueled during the Battle of Britain: 

• Wing Commander TOM NEIL DFC* AFC - Hurricane Pilot with 249 Sqn / 14 victories 
• Wing Commander JOHN 'TIM' ELKINGTON - Hurricane Pilot with 1 Sqn / 1 victory  

COLLECTORS EDITION SIGNATURES:

This FIVE signature Edition is additionally signed by three famous Battle of Britain fighter pilots: 

• Generalleutnant GÜNTHER RALL Knight's Cross, Oak Leaves & Swords - Bf109 Pilot with JG52 / 275 victories, the third highest-scoring Ace of all time 
• Squadron Leader TONY PICKERING AFC - Hurricane Pilot with 32 & 501 Sqns / 1 victory 
• Flying Officer KEN WILKINSON - Spitfire Pilot with 616 & 19 Sqns 

THE ANNIVERSARY & REMARQUE EDITIONS: 

Each print in these TEN signature editions is also signed by a further five highly-respected Battle of Britain pilots and aircrew: 

• Generalleutnant ADOLF GALLAND Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords & Diamonds - Commanded JG26 on Bf109's / 104 victories - the legendary Luftwaffe Fighter General. 
• Flight Lieutenant ARCHIE McINNES - Hurricane Pilot with 601 & 238 Sqns 
• Flight Lieutenant TERRY CLARK DFM AE - WOp/AG on Blenheims with 219 Sqn / 6 victories
• Flight Lieutenant WILLIAM 'BOB' HUGHES DFC AE - WOp/AG on Blenheims with 23 Sqn 
• Wing Commander RICHARD 'DICKIE' SUMMERS AFM OBE - Observer on Blenheims with 219 Sqn 

THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRIBUTE EDITION - 28 SIGNATURES + AN ORIGINAL PENCIL DRAWING:

 For the serious enthusiast this edition represents the ultimate in aviation art and historic autograph collecting. With all the signatures of the Anniversary Edition, each print is issued with one of Robert Taylor’s stunning original pencil drawings, themed on a classic Battle of Britain subject and signed by ten iconic RAF Battle of Britain Aircrew. Each unique drawing is conservation matted to include a further eight original signatures, representing some of the most famous RAF and Luftwaffe Aircrew to fly in the Battle of Britain. 

 Limited by its rarity the Tribute Edition is restricted to just TEN copies. 

• WING COMMANDER TOM NEIL HAS ALSO SIGNED EACH DRAWING
• Squadron Leader LAWRENCE THOROGOOD DFC AE - Hurricane Pilot with 87 Sqn / 1 victory 
• Squadron Leader JOCELYN MILLARD AE - Hurricane Pilot with 1 Sqn 
• Squadron Leader 'STAPME' STAPLETON DFC - Spitfire Pilot with 603 Sqn / 8 victories 
• Squadron Leader ARTHUR LEIGH DFC DFM - Spitfire Pilot with 64 & 72 Sqns / 7 victories 
• Wing Commander PADDY BARTHROPP DFC AFC - Spitfire Pilot with 602 Sqn / 5 victories 
• Group Captain BILLY DRAKE DSO DFC* - Hurricane Pilot with 1 Sqn / 22 victories 
• Wing Commander ERIC BARWELL DFC* AE - Defiant Pilot with 264 Sqn / 9 victories 
• Squadron Leader ROY MCGOWAN - Hurricane Pilot with 46 Sqn 
• Wing Commander KEN MacKENZIE DFC AFC AE - Hurricane Pilot with 501 Sqn / 12 victories 
• Warrant Officer DAVID DENCHFIELD - Spitfire Pilot with 610 Sqn 

THE MATTED SIGNATURES: 

• Group Captain Sir DOUGLAS BADER CBE DSO* DFC* FRAeS DL - Hurricane Pilot with 242 Sqn / 23 victories 
• Group Captain DESMOND SHEEN DFC - Spitfire Pilot with 72 Sqn / 4 victories 
• Major JOACHIM MÜNCHEBERG Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves & Swords - Bf109 Pilot with JG26 / 102 victories 
• Hauptmann SIEGFRIED BETHKE Iron Cross 1st Class - Bf109 Pilot with JG2 / 14 victories 
• Oberstleutnant HANS-JOACHIM JABS Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves - Bf110 Pilot with ZG76 / 50 victories 
• Oberstleutnant ERICH WEISSFLOG Knight's Cross - Radio Operator in Bf110s with ZG76 / 48 victories 
• Feldwebel WILLI WUST Knight's Cross – Radio Operator in Bf110s with ZG26 / 8 victories 
• Ambassador FRANZ ELLES - Bf109 Pilot with JG27 / 5 victories