The Battle for Britain

The Battle for Britain by Robert Taylor

Overall Print Size: 36" x 23"
Edition size of 300
S/N by Artist and Six (6) Pilots

Aircraft Type: Spitfire - Me109

With the Battle of Britain in its early stages, on the morning of Wednesday, 10 July 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.

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. A Spitfire from 610 Squadron, flown by Squadron Leader Andrew Smith, has taken on a Me109 from I./JG3, the two aircraft having flashed past each other at a closing speed nearing 800 mph. 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.

Signatures:

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
  
  THE KNIGHTS CROSS EDITION - All the above signatures plus: :
• Generalleutnant GÜNTHER RALL
• Oberleutnant GÛNTHER SEEGER
  
  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