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Back From Normandy by Nicolas Trudgian.
Like the Messerschmitt 109, its great adversary throughout almost six years of
aerial combat, the Spitfire was a fighter par excellence. Good as many other
types may have been, these two aircraft became symbols of the two opposing air
forces they represented. Their confrontation, which began in 1940 during the
Battle of Britain, continued without interruption until the last days of World
War Two. From an air force teetering on extinction in the dark days of 1940, by
the summer of 1944 the pilots of RAF Fighter Command had fought their way back
to become top dogs. And when the invasion of northern France came, they swept
over the beaches in force, cutting deep into enemy occupied territory, hammering
the enemy in the air and on the ground. Key to this air superiority was the
supreme performance of the Spitfire, its ability to out-fly the Luftwaffes best,
and the wily leadership of the pilots who had survived the early air battles of
the war. Among the best was 26 year old Pete Brothers, by 1944 a highly
successful and experienced fighter pilot commanding his own Wing. Having fought
through the battles of France and Britain, now with a clutch of air victories to
his credit, in 1944 he took command of first the Exeter Wing, and then the
Culinhead Wing, ideally placed to support the coming invasion of Normandy. Nick
Trudgians striking painting recreates a typical scene as Mk IX Spitfires of 126
Squadron, led by Wing Commander Pete Brothers flying his Mk V11 Spitfire wearing
high altitude paint scheme, race back to base at RAF Culinhead after a low-level
attack on enemy transport in Normandy. The Culinhead Spitfire Wing flew constant
armed Rhubarb attacks in support of the invasion from D-Day - June 6 1944 - till
the first improvised strips were established in France a few weeks following the
invasion. This beautiful aviation print, contrasting the frenetic pace of war
with a restful English coastal landscape, evokes the memory of a legendary
fighter aircraft that, flown by gallant pilots, helped change the course of
history. Prints are signed by Pete Brothers and two other pilots who flew
Spitfires in combat during World War II. |
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Back from Normandy by Nicolas Trudgian.
Like the Messerschmitt 109, its great adversary throughout almost six years of aerial combat, the Spitfire was a fighter par excellence. Good as many other types may have been, these two aircraft became symbols of the two opposing air forces they represented. Their confrontation, which began in 1940 during the Battle of Britain, continued without interruption until the last days of World War Two. From an air force teetering on extinction in the dark days of 1940, by the summer of 1944 the pilots of RAF Fighter Command had fought their way back to become top dogs. And when the invasion of northern France came, they swept over the beaches in force, cutting deep into enemy occupied territory, hammering the enemy in the air and on the ground. Key to this air superiority was the supreme performance of the Spitfire, its ability to out-fly the Luftwaffes best, and the wily leadership of the pilots who had survived the early air battles of the war. Among the best was 26 year old Pete Brothers, by 1944 a highly successful and experienced fighter pilot commanding his own Wing. Having fought through the battles of France and Britain, now with a clutch of air victories to his credit, in 1944 he took command of first the Exeter Wing, and then the Culinhead Wing, ideally placed to support the coming invasion of Normandy. Nick Trudgians striking painting recreates a typical scene as Mk IX Spitfires of 126 Squadron, led by Wing Commander Pete Brothers flying his Mk V11 Spitfire wearing high altitude paint scheme, race back to base at RAF Culinhead after a low-level attack on enemy transport in Normandy. The Culinhead Spitfire Wing flew constant armed Rhubarb attacks in support of the invasion from D-Day - June 6 1944 - till the first improvised strips were established in France a few weeks following the invasion. This beautiful aviation print, contrasting the frenetic pace of war with a restful English coastal landscape, evokes the memory of a legendary fighter aircraft that, flown by gallant pilots, helped change the course of history. Prints are signed by Pete Brothers and two other pilots who flew Spitfires in combat during World War II.
Signed limited edition of 500 prints. Paper size 30 inches x 23 inches (76cm x 58cm). Price £160.00 Signed by Air Commodore Peter Brothers CBE, DSO, DFC* (deceased), Lieutenant General Avi Baron M Donnet CVO DFC FRAeS and Squadron Leader Arthur Leigh DFC, DFM (deceased).
Limited edition of 25 artist proofs. Paper size 30 inches x 23 inches (76cm x 58cm). Price £225.00 Signed by Air Commodore Peter Brothers CBE, DSO, DFC* (deceased), Lieutenant General Avi Baron M Donnet CVO DFC FRAeS and Squadron Leader Arthur Leigh DFC, DFM (deceased).
Limited edition of 50 publishers proofs. Paper size 30 inches x 23 inches (76cm x 58cm). Price £215.00 Signed by Air Commodore Peter Brothers CBE, DSO, DFC*, Lieutenant General Avi Baron M Donnet CVO DFC FRAeS and Squadron Leader Arthur Leigh DFC, DFM.
** (Ex Display) Signed limited edition of 500 prints. (Two copies reduced to clear) Paper size 30 inches x 23 inches (76cm x 58cm). Price £115.00 Signed by Air Commodore Peter Brothers CBE, DSO, DFC* (deceased), Lieutenant General Avi Baron M Donnet CVO DFC FRAeS and Squadron Leader Arthur Leigh DFC, DFM (deceased).
ITEM CODE DHM2659
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Back From Normandy by Nicolas Trudgian
- The Signatures
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 | Air Commodore Peter Brothers CBE, DSO, DFC* (deceased)
Learnt to fly at the age of 16 and joined the RAF two years later in 1936. He first saw action in 1940 when as a Flight Commander in 32 Squadron, based at Biggin Hill, he flew his Hurricane against the fighters and bombers of the Luftwaffe. He recalls this as an intensely busy period, during which he shot down an Me109 - his first enemy aircraft; by the end of August that same year his tally of enemy aircraft shot down increased to eight. Awarded the DFC, he was transferred to 257 Squadron where he joined Bob-Stanford Tuck as a Flight Commander. Promoted in 1941 to Squadron Leader, Pete Brothers then took command of 457 Squadron RAAF, equipped with Spitfires. A year later when 457 Squadron returned to Australia, Pete took command of 602 Squadron. In the early autumn of 1942 he went on to become Wing Leader of the Tangmere Wing, succeeding his old friend, Douglas Bader. By the end of the war Pete Brothers had amassed 875 operational hours over a 44-month period. He was credited with having personally shot down 16 enemy aircraft and damaged many more. He later went on to command 57 Squadron during the Malaya campaign. Upon return to the UK Pete Brothers joined the V-Force, flying Valiant-4 jet bombers. He retired in 1973. Sadly, Pete Brothers died 18th December 2008.
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Peter Brothers signing the print - Combat Over Normandy - by Graeme Lothian |
Peter Brothers signing the print - Fighting Lady - by Graeme Lothian |
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 | Lieutenant General Avi Baron M Donnet CVO DFC FRAeS
One of Belgiums most distinguished fighter pilots, Mike Donnet led 350 (Belgian) Squadron Spitfires over the D-Day beaches just before dawn, as the invasion was going in. He returned to the beachhead during the day and then finally at sunset. In all he flew 30 sorties over the beaches during the Normandy campaign. Originally a member of the Belgian Air Force, Donnet was captured by the Germans in May 1940 but subsequently made a daring escape to England by air in July 1941. Flying with 69 Squadron he scored three victories before taking command of 350 Squadron. After Normandy Donnet was in action against the V1s and the retreating German ground forces, as well as providing air cover for the Arnhem operation. In October 1944 he took command of the Hawkinge Wing of Spitfires. He rose to high command in the postwar Belgian Air Force.
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 | Squadron Leader Arthur Leigh DFC, DFM (deceased)
Another RAFVR pilot, The son of a regular soldier, Arthur Leigh was called up at the outbreak of war. After finishing his flying training he was posted to 7 OTU and then on to convert to Spitfires in August 1940. Arthur Leigh flew with 64 Squadron at Leconfield and 72 Squadron at Biggin Hill during the Battle of Britain before transferring to 611 Squadron. Awarded the DFM in September 1941, Leigh had then completed 50 sweeps, had destroyed two Bf 109s, probably destroyed another four and shared in the destruction of a Do 17. After a spell instructing and ferrying Hurricanes from Gibraltar to Cairo, he returned to operations with 56 Squadron flying Typhoons from Manston. He was shot down on his first sweep by flak, near Calais but was picked up by an ASR launch. In late 1943 Leigh was posted to 129 Squadron at Hornchurch and was awarded the DDC on completing his second tour in December 1944, spending the rest of the war as an instructor.
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