The Hard Way Home

Robert Taylor

 

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The Hard Way Home Robert Taylor

The Battle of Britain had been won by the young fighter pilots of Fighter Command, but now it fell to another band of young men to wage total warfare against the Nazi war machine – the aircrew of RAF Bomber Command. In the late summer of 1941 a lone Halifax of 405 Sqn RCAF struggles home the hard way – damaged and alone. One of the aircraft’s engines is already out and another is smoking badly as the exhausted pilot and his crew fight to keep their unwieldy bomber airborne.

Any marauding Luftwaffe fighters would have found them easy prey, but fortunately they have been spotted by a formation of Hurricanes from 253 Sqn on a routine patrol. For that final leg of their long journey this crew will at last have protection to see them safely back to base. Like the fighter pilots of the Battle of Britain, the young men who flew with Bomber Command came not just from Britain, but from all over the Commonwealth and countries of occupied mainland Europe. Every man was a volunteer, prepared to endure the deadly flak and prowling night-fighters, to say nothing of the savage and bitter cold, in order to wage their relentless attack against the Third Reich.

Bearing the brunt of the RAF’s incessant campaign were two heavy bombers, the stalwarts of Bomber Command - the Lancaster and the Halifax. Between them they accounted for over three-quarters of all the bombs dropped by the RAF, and Halifaxes alone accounted for a total of 73,312 operations, nearly a fifth of all missions carried out by Bomber Command.

This magnificent new limited edition from the world’s premier aviation artist has been endorsed with the signatures of surviving veterans who flew operationally on Halifaxes during that long, bitter struggle in the skies over Europe, together with well respected Hurricane pilots who flew in their defence.

 

PRINT DETAILS

THE LIMITED EDITION

The Four Signature Limited Edition print is personally hand signed and numbered in pencil by the artist Robert Taylor and additionally signed by Two RAF aircrew who flew Halifaxes during World War Two, and Two Hurricane fighter pilots.

Warrant Officer HARRY IRONS DFC – Rear Gunner / 158 Sqn
Warrant Officer LAURIE GODFREY – WOP/Air Gunner / 408sqn
Warrant Officer ERIC CARTER – Hurricane Pilot / 615 sqn
Lieutenant STANISLAW NAWARSKI DFC KM – Hurricane Pilot / 302 sqn

THE COLLECTORS EDITION

The Twenty One signature Collectors’ Edition has been additionally signed by the twelve RAF aircrew who flew Halifaxes with RAF Bomber Command, and four Hurricane fighter pilots who flew escort with RAF Fighter Command.


Flying Officer TOM SAYER DFM – Halifax Pilot / 102 Sqn
Squadron Leader FRANK WILLIAMSON AFC – Halifax Pilot / 102 Sqn
Flight Lieutenant “BLUEY” MOTTERSHEAD DFC – Halifax Pilot / 158 Sqn
Warrant Officer JOHN MORRISON – Rear Gunner / 35 Sqn
Flying Officer FRANK WALKER – Rear Gunner / 466 Sqn
Flying Officer LEN McNAMARA DFC – Rear Gunner / 158 Sqn
Warrant Officer FRED MALTAS – Flight Engineer / 35 Sqn
Warrant Officer REG CLEAVER – Flight Engineer / 419 Sqn RCAF
Warrant Officer HARRY GOUGH – Rear Gunner / 10 Sqn
Flying Officer JOHN EVANS – Halifax Pilot / 158 Sqn
Warrant Officer SAM THOMPSON – Mid Upper Gunner / 103 sqn
Flight Lieutenant MATT HOLIDAY DFC – Mid Upper Gunner / 10 sqn
Warrant Officer WILLIAM BELL – Navigator / 103 Sqn
Flight Lieutenant KURT TAUSSIG – Hurricane Pilot / 225 Sqn
Wing Commander JOHN ‘TIM’ ELKINGTON – Hurricane Pilot / 134 Sqn
Wing Commander TOM NEIL DFC AFC AE – Hurricane Pilot / 259 Sqn
Pilot Officer STEFAN RYLL – Hurricane Pilot / 306 Sqn

THE RCAF & RCAF ARTIST PROOF EDITIONS

In tribute to those brave veterans who flew with the RCAF during World War Two, each print in this Seven signature edition is signed by two RCAF Hurricane pilots and five RCAF Halifax aircrew, together with the artist Robert Taylor.

Wing Commander J.F.‘STOCKY’ EDWARDS DFC* DFM RCAF – Hurricane Pilot / 92 Sqn
Lieutenant Colonel DOUGLAS ‘DUKE’ WARREN DFC CD RCAF – Hurricane Pilot / 165 Sqn
Squadron Leader IAN HEWITT DFC* – Flight Engineer / 405 Sqn RCAF
Warrant Officer REG CLEAVER – Flight Engineer / 419 Sqn RCAF
Warrant Officer RICHARD CURNOCK – Rear Gunner / 425 Sqn RCAF
Flying Officer EDWARD BOWLES – Bombardier / 429 Sqn RCAF
Flight Lieutenant HENRY OAKEBY – Navigator / 432 Sqn RCAF

THE BOMBER COMMAND TRIBUTE PROOFS

This outstanding Thirty Nine signature Bomber Command Tribute Edition is issued in recognition to the outstanding airmen who flew and fought with RAF Bomber Command during World War Two. Released with all the components of the Collectors’ Edition, with the addition of an Original pencil drawing by Robert Taylor, personally signed by thirteen Bomber Command aircrew:

Flight Lieutenant BORIS BRESSLOFF DFC – Bomb Aimer / 635 Sqn
Warrant Officer GRAHAM BRIGGS DFM – WoP/Air Gunner / 103 Sqn
Flight Lieutenant ERIC CLARKE MiD – WoP/AG 49 Sqn
Flight Lieutenant GEORGE COX – Flight Engineer / 214 Sqn
Squadron Leader HARRY GLENDINNING – Navigator / 115 Sqn
Squadron Leader DOUGLAS JOSS MBE – Air Gunner / 626 Sqn
Flight Lieutenant BOB LASHAM DFC* – Lancaster Pilot / 97 Sqn
Flight Sergeant RUDOLF LEKSINSKI – WoP/AG 300 Sqn
Warrant Officer HARRY LEVY – WoP/AG 9 Sqn
Squadron Leader REG MANNING DFC – Flight Engineer / 10 Sqn
Flight Lieutenant JOE PETRIE ANDREWS DFC, DFM – Halifax Pilot / 35 Sqn
Flight Lieutenant RON SMITH DFC – Lancaster Air Gunner / 617 Sqn
Flight Lieutenant KEN THOMAS DFC – Lancaster Pilot / 622 Sqn

Each piece has been exquisitely conservation matted to include a museum quality reproduction Bomber Command Aircrew Europe Medal with France and Germany clasp, along with the original signatures of a further five legendary figures of Bomber Command:

Air Vice-Marshal DON BENNETT CB CBE DSO FRAes
Group Captain LEONARD CHESHIRE VC OM DSO DFC
Warrant Officer NORMAN JACKSON VC
Wing Commander ROD LEAYROYD VC
Flight Lieutenant BILL READ VC

Bomber Command Tribute Proof Edition Robert Taylor
Bomber Command Tribute Proof Edition Robert Taylor

 

Matching numbered certificate of authenticity included.

Overall Print Size 35 1/4"x 23 1/4" (inches) Printed in lightfast inks on acid free archival paper.

Overall Matted Pencil Drawing size: 20" x 19" (inches)

To complement the purchase of your fine art print, we are now able to offer a professional Picture Framing service. For further details please click Here

 

PRINT PRICES

Signed and Numbered Edition
UK £200.00 Edition Size - 400 (Four Signatures)

The Collectors Edition
UK £325.00 Edition Size - 250 (Twenty One Signatures)

The RCAF Edition
UK £250.00 Edition Size - 250 (Seven Signatures)

The RCAF Artist Proof Edition
UK £325.00 Edition Size - 25 (Seven Signatures)

The Tribute Edition
UK £2100.00 Edition Size - 10 (Thirty Nine Signatures)

Please Call

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Tel: (01423) 867986 Overseas (44) 1423 867986

 

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