SPITFIRE

Michael Rondot's moody portrayal of a No.41 Squadron Spitfire in September 1940 is a tribute to the junior pilots, often straight from training with just a few hours on Spitfires, who were hurled into action in the Battle of Britain. 

The long summer days of 1940 witnessed intense air battles in the skies over Britain and over the angry grey waters of the English Channel. It was not uncommon for a fighter squadron to lose half its aircraft shot down or damaged in a single action.

No.41 Squadron, motto ‘Seek and Destroy’, was one of the RAF squadrons in the thick of desperate fighting in the Battle of Britain from July to the end of October 1940. In one five-day period during early September, they lost six Spitfires with three pilots killed, including the squadron commander and a flight commander, and at least one pilot seriously wounded. By the end of October, No.41 Squadron had lost 10 pilots killed and 12 wounded in action, a casualty rate of 45%.

The Battle was as much a test of aircraft and their armaments as a test of the endurance and courage of pilots but, despite the terrible cost in lives, the RAF had prevailed, and inflicted losses from which the German Air Force could never fully recover.

Michael Rondot's outstanding Spitfire portrayal is typical of his moody skyscapes and technically accurate studies of deadly fighting machines. During his 25 years’ service as a pilot in the RAF he flew Jaguars with No.41 Squadron in the Gulf War, thus bringing a certain understanding of combat action to his work.

✅ This Limited Edition has been personally signed by the artist!