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Supermarine
Spitfire of Royal Air Force 71 Squadron. Supermarine Spitfire MkVb of 71 Squadron shown in aviation art prints available
from aviationprints.co.uk, part of the Royal Air
Force squadron's history in aviation art.
Great Fighter Pilots. Colonel Steve Pisanos
Volunteering for the RAF in 1941, he joined 71 Eagle Squadron RAF, flying
Spitfires, transferring into the USAAF 4th Fighter Group in October 1942.
On 5th March he got his 10th victory in a P51 on an escort mission over
France, but was forced down through engine failure. Evading capture he
served behind enemy lines with the French Resistance, the American OSS,
and the British SOE. He returned to England in September 1944 following
the Allied liberation of Paris. |
| Eagle Force by Robert Taylor. In the dark days of 1940 following Dunkirk, a seemingly defenceless Britain stood starkly alone in Europe, facing the might of an all-conquering Nazi Germany. Protected only by the narrow waters of the English Channel, it was left to a tiny band of young RAF fighter pilots to stem the Luftwaffes onslaught as the country braced itself for invasion. Across the Atlantic, America followed the savage encounters of the Battle of Britain, knowing that soon it too would become involved in the war. Unable to wait, a small band of Americans decided their time had come; some 240 young US pilots, motivated to fight for the cause of freedom, made their way to England to fly with the RAF, and later the USAAF; many paid the ultimate price, more than a third never returning home. By September 1940 these carefree young flyers were united into a re-formed 71 Squadron, the first of three Eagle Squadrons, and the first to go into action, followed shortly after by 121 and 133 squadrons. Showing the same steely determination that had carried their British comrades through the Battle of Britain, they were quickly embraced into the fold of the RAF, their ferocious reputation in combat endearing them to the British people. The legend of the American Eagles was born. Robert Taylors tribute to the young American volunteer pilots who joined the RAF to fight for freedom at the time when Britain stood alone against the Nazi domination in Europe. Robert Taylors painting features Spitfire Vbs of 71 Squadron RAF as they return to their base at North Weald, September 1941, the young American pilots perhaps taking a brief moment to marvel at the myriad colours of the late evening sun – welcome relief from the perils of recent air combat with the Luftwaffe high above the English Channel. Signed limited edition of 400 prints. Paper size 32.5 inches x 23.5 inches (82cm x 60cm). Price £200.00 Signed by Colonel Bill Edwards, Flight Lieutenant James Gray and Colonel Steve Pisanos.
Eagle edition of 25 artist proofs. Paper size 32.5 inches x 23.5 inches (82cm x 60cm). Price £395.00 Signed by Colonel Bill Edwards, Flight Lieutenant James Gray, Colonel Steve Pisanos, Colonel Don Blakeslee, Flight Lieutenant John Cambell*, Colonel Jim Goodson*, Colonel George Maxwell*, Major Michael Miluck, Lieutenant Colonel Don Nee and Lieutenant Colonel Don Ross. (* = signed companion print)
Eagle edition of 350 prints. Paper size 32.5 inches x 23.5 inches (82cm x 60cm). Price £285.00 Signed by Colonel Bill Edwards, Flight Lieutenant James Gray, Colonel Steve Pisanos, Colonel Don Blakeslee, Flight Lieutenant John Cambell*, Colonel Jim Goodson*, Colonel George Maxwell*, Major Michael Miluck, Lieutenant Colonel Don Nee and Lieutenant Colonel Don Ross. (* = signed companion print)
Eagle Tribute edition of 40 prints. Paper size 32.5 inches x 23.5 inches (82cm x 60cm). Price £ Signed by Colonel Bill Edwards, Flight Lieutenant James Gray, Colonel Steve Pisanos, Colonel Don Blakeslee, Flight Lieutenant John Cambell*, Colonel Jim Goodson*, Colonel George Maxwell*, Major Michael Miluck, Lieutenant Colonel Don Nee, Lieutenant Colonel Don Ross, Captain Luke Allen*, Colonel Oscar Coen**, Lieutenant Steve Crowe*, Major General Carroll W McColpin**, First Lieutenant Bill Slade* and Col Reade F Tilley USAF (deceased)**. (* = signed companion print, ** = matted with companion print)
ITEM CODE DHM1639 |
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Eagle Squadron by Robert Taylor An outstanding painting commemorating the intrepid 240 American air men
who volunteered to fly with the R.A.F. in their early struggle against the
Luftwaffe before the U.S.A. joined the war. Taylor's painting vibrated
with the roar of the Spitfires' Merlin engines as they 'Scramble' into
action. Goodson later became a 4th Fighter Group Ace
Spitfire Over Buckingham Palace by John Young Spitfire from No. 71 (eagle) squadron flys over Buckingham Palace.
Royal
Air Force fighter aircraft, maximum speed for mark I Supermarine Spitfire, 362mph
up to
The Seafire 47 with a top speed of 452mph. maximum ceiling for Mk I
34,000feet up to 44,500 for the mark XIV. Maximum range for MK I 575
miles . up to 1475 miles for the Seafire 47. Armament for the various
Marks of Spitfire. for MK I, and II . eight fixed .303 browning Machine
guns, for MK's V-IX and XVI two 20mm Hispano cannons and four .303 browning
machine guns. and on later Marks, six to eight Rockets under the wings or
a maximum bomb load of 1,000 lbs. Designed
by R J Mitchell, The proto type Spitfire first flew on the 5th March 1936.
and entered service with the Royal Air Force in August 1938, with 19
squadron based and RAF Duxford. by the outbreak of World war two, there
were twelve squadrons with a total of 187 spitfires, with another 83 in
store. Between 1939 and 1945, a large variety of modifications and
developments produced a variety of MK,s from I to XVI. The mark II
came into service in late 1940, and in March 1941, the Mk,V came into
service. To counter the Improvements in fighters of the Luftwaffe
especially the FW190, the MK,XII was introduced with its Griffin
engine. The Fleet Air Arm used the Mk,I and II and were named
Seafires. By the end of
production in 1948 a total of 20,351 spitfires had been made and 2408
Seafires. The most produced variant was the Spitfire Mark V, with a
total of 6479 spitfires produced. The Royal Air Force kept Spitfires
in front line use until April 1954. |
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