Spitfires into Battle

Spitfires of 19 Squadron carry out a head-on attack against a large formation of Heinkel 111 bombers of KG26 and KG1 as the Battle of Britain reaches its critical phase in mid-September 1940. This painting is based upon the events of 11th September 1940 when Squadron Leader Brian Lane led 19 Squadron into a head-on attack against a formation of He111s and Do17s near London. 

I decided to depict legendary Battle of Britain ace, George 'Grumpy' Unwin as I was lucky enough to meet George several times during his lifetime  We always ended up talking about football as he had been quite a useful defender, hard as nails, an attitude which I always imagined transferred well to the skies above England in 1940! On this day he was flying his regular Spitfire QV-H P9546 and ended up getting too close to a Do17's rear gunner whose return fire forced him to make an emergency landing with a broken coolant pipe. 

 Overall limited edition of 210 

No's 1-150 signed by the artist....£50 

30 Artist's Proofs signed by the artist ...£65