Approximate overall size including the mount: 59cm x 45.5cm
Approximate image size: 46.5cm x 31cm
This is a limited edition print from Philip E West a well renowned aviation artist.
Mounted and wrapped by SWA Fine Art
This unique print is personally signed and numbered by the artist Philip E West and comes with a certificate of authenticity. This is limited to only 50 prints.
TheAvro Lancaster was designed from the outset to build a bomber capable ofreaching the heartland of the enemy. Put this together with Rolls Royce Merlinengines, and a superlative aircraft was born. No less than 59 Bomber Commandunits saw active service with the Lancaster, flying 156,000 sorties. Some 7377aircraft were built by six factories producing five different variants of theLancaster. Here is a typical wartime scene. Lancaster’s from 35 Squadron arebeing prepared for yet another Pathfinder mission, with the ground crew busyservicing, rearming and refuelling the aircraft.
Signatures– The prints have been signed by the artist Philip West and the followingdistinguished WW2 airmen
Wedo hope you will find these biographies of interest. We hope that by knowing alittle about the men behind each signature, it will help you to get the mostfrom your copy of ‘Misty Morning’.We would ask you not to reproduce the biographies in any format without ourpermission.
FlightLieutenant George Dunn, DFC Ld’H – Bomber CommandPilot
George Dunn enlisted in the RAF in January 1941, and was called up in June ofthe same year. He was allocated to RAF Bomber Command and trained as a pilot inthe UK and Canada (under the Empire Air Training Scheme). In May 1943 he wasattached to 10 Squadron (very fleetingly) and then to 76 Squadron basedinitially at Linton-on-Ouse and then at Holme-on-Spalding-Moor in Yorkshire,part of 4 Group Bomber Command. Between May 1943 and October 1943 George tookpart in air operations against targets in Occupied Europe and Germany,completing his first ‘tour’ (30 operations) two weeks after his 21st birthday.During this time he took part in a number of ‘significant’ raids, includingHamburg and the V weapon research facility at Peenemunde.
Aftera period instructing (which could almost be as hazardous as operations) heconverted to flying Mosquitos and flew with the Light Night Striking Forceflying nuisance and diversionary raids, and later with the meteorology flightflying solo sorties to obtain advance weather data for planning raids. Now 96Years old (2019), George is still active giving talks about his experiences andraising funds for maintaining the Bomber Command memorial in London’s Green Park
Flight Lieutenant John Bell, MBE DFC Ld’H - John was a 16 yearschool boy in September 1939 preparing to return to school. His Fatherpredicted that the war would not last very long so John should consider hisfuture and find a job. He became an office boy with a firm of accountants inthe city of London.
By the time he was 18 years the war had intensified and so in 1941 joined theRAF. He had hoped to be a pilot but at the selection day he was told he was tootall so would not fit in a cockpit. He then began training as a navigator /bomber, which he completed in South Africa. In January 1943 he was posted to anOperational Conversion Unit (OCU) where he became part of a five man crew of aWellington bomber. The crew was increased to seven and they were trained on thenew 4 engine bombers. They were then posted to 619 Squadron at RAF Woodall Spato fly in an Avro Lancaster.
In June 1943 they undertook their first tour of bombing raids. All bomber crewshad to complete 30 missions before they were entitled to a break. The breakwould be to train other crews after which they would be called back to dofurther 20 missions. Realising they would probably be split-up if they took thebreak they opted to carry on.
This was not unusual as the crews formed a very close bond with each other.Hoping for a change from the large high altitude formation night bombing raidsthey transferred to 617 Squadron (The Dam Busters) at RAF Scampton. Only to beinformed by the C/O Leonard Cheshire that his Squadron were no longer flyinglow level missions. Instead they was about to become a high altitude precisionbombing unit.
Produced to a fine art standard and would make a fantastic edition to any aviation art collection.
It has been reproduced from an original painting by Philip E West under controlled conditions using ultra fine quality pigment inks and high quality acid free paper.
The sole copyright of the image is retained by the artist and publisher
Wrapped in cellophane wrap to protect the print.
Will be dispatched as a parcel to accomodate sufficient packaging.
Dispatched Flat
*Please take a look at our other items we can combine postage*