FURY OF ATTACK – Book & Print Portfolio
by Robert Taylor
This is the first time we’ve ever seen an edition featuring an original 'Sailor' Malan signature!
On 7 September 1940 Adolf Hitler, in league with his deputy and Luftwaffe chief Herman Goering, made an irrational blunder, a miscalculation of such magnitude that it would unwittingly lead RAF Fighter Command to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Fighter Command was on its knees and close to breaking point; within a matter of days its fighter airfields and radar stations in south-east England were facing obliteration whilst losses of both pilots and machines had become unsustainable. And then, incensed by an RAF bombing raid on Berlin, Hitler demanded revenge – London must be destroyed. The sudden change in tactics, however, gave Fighter Command a few days’ respite to regroup, repair the runways and rush in just enough replacement pilots and machines to at last turn the tide of the battle.
This detailed drawing from Robert Taylor continues to reinforce his position as the leading master of aviation art and also continues to inspire our imagination. It’s September 1940 and the Luftwaffe bombers have switched their focus to London but, now reinforced, ready and waiting are the pilots of Fighter Command. In the foreground Squadron Leader ‘Sailor’ Malan leads the charge as the Spitfires of 74 ‘Tiger’ Squadron rip through escorting Bf109s that are doing their best to defend a formation of Luftwaffe Do17s heading for London. The German bombers are in for another mauling. By the end of the month their raids on London and other big cities had resulted in unsustainable losses to both men and machines. Moreover Hitler’s greedy eyes were now turning east and by the end of October any thoughts of a German invasion of southern England had evaporated.
We now have the opportunity to remember Churchill’s legendary ‘Few’ who, by their heroic actions, stymied Hitler’s ambitions during that long, hot summer. The historical importance of this extremely limited edition Book & Print Portfolio is highlighted by the inclusion of THIRTY original autographs.
Only SEVEN portfolios are available worldwide with THIRTY original autographs including a RARE 'Sailor' Malan signature!
Since 1975 the Military Gallery, Robert’s exclusive publisher, has been signing with and collecting original autographs of the very men who took part in the battle. Thanks to the latest printing technology, Robert’s detailed drawing Fury of Attack has been faithfully reproduced on fine art paper which dates back many years and has been personally signed by a staggering nineteen RAF pilots!
Each print is then mounted to full conservation standards to include an additional eight original signatures of Battle of Britain veterans, including the RARE autograph of the famous Ace depicted. This is the first time the Military Gallery have ever offered ‘Sailor’ Malan’s signature. The full list of names reads:
- Group Captain Sailor Malan DSO* DFC*
- Squadron Leader Percival Beake DFC
- Air Commodore Peter Brothers CBE DSO DFC*
- Group Captain Tom Dalton Morgan DSO OBE DFC*
- Air Commodore James Leathart CB DSO
- Squadron Leader Jocelyn Millard AE
- Wing Commander George Swanwick
- Wing Commander George 'Grumpy' Unwin DSO DFM*
- Flight Lieutenant Terry Clark DFM AE
- Squadron Leader Roy McGowan
- Wing Commander Bob Doe DSO DFC*
- Group Captain Billy Drake DSO DFC*
- Wing Commander Paddy Barthropp DFC AFC
- Wing Commander Tom Neil DFC* AFC AE
- Squadron Leader Tony Pickering AFC
- Flying Officer Kenneth Wilkinson
- Squadron Leader Basil 'Stapme' Stapleton DFC
- Wing Commander 'Bunny' Currant DSO DFC*
- Air Vice Marshal Johnnie Johnson CB CBE DSO** DFC*
- Flight Lieutenant Bernard Brown
- Wing Commander Peter Ayerst DFC
- Squadron Leader Cyril 'Bam' Bamberger DFC
- Flight Lieutenant Reginald Nutter
- Warrant Officer Peter Fox
- Air Vice Marshal 'Sandy' Johnstone DFC AE
- Wing Commander Bob Foster DFC
- Squadron Leader Charles Frizell
Completing each portfolio is a matching-numbered copy of the book ‘SAILOR’ MALAN – FREEDOM FIGHTER by leading author Dilip Sakar MBE which includes a bookplate signed by a further three Battle of Britain veterans:
- Flight Lieutenant Archie McInnes
- Wing Commander John Gibson
- Squadron Leader Ben Bennions DFC
- Media:
- Lithograph and book set
- Size:
- 20.75 x 20.25 inches
- Release Date:
- 8/2023
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