Hawker Hunter FGA.9

This famous painting was commissioned to celebrate one of the most astonishing aviation incidents of the jet age. On 5 April 1968 Hawker Hunter FGA.9 XF442 from No.1 Squadron RAF, flown by Flt Lt Alan Pollock, flew under Tower Bridge after "beating up" the Houses of Parliament. Unimpressed that there would be no fly past over London to celebrate the RAF's 50th Anniversary, Pollock decided to do something himself.

The edition is limited to just 50 individually produced fine-art giclée copies, each with an original pencil drawing of a Squadron badge on the border and signed by the pilot, Alan Pollock.

Remarque prints can be ordered with a detailed drawing on the print border in addition to the Squadron badge. Each drawing is unique, adding a personal touch and, of course, enhancing the value of the print.

Letter taken from Flight International, 18 April, 1968

"Timid" RAF Flying"

SIR,-The beating-up of Central London and Tower
Bridge by a Hunter signifies to me that the adventurous spirit is not
yet quite dead in the RAF. The apparently timid fashion
in which some RAF aircraft have been flown at air displays during recent
years had led me to believe that pilots who were willing to fly in a
spirited fashion, using fine judgment in the process (and thereby
increasing their efficiency as fighting pilots), no longer existed in
the RAF.

I bet that this flight gave the aircraft knockers and the Neddies in
Whitehall (who don't know what aircraft are, anyway, or so it would
seem) something to think about.

Good luck to the pilot! I would rather trust the defence of this country
to a handful of his type than to a great number of the timids.

Redditch, WorcsJ. G. ROBINSON

Flt Lt. Alan Pollock ALAN POLLOCK, the man who flew a Hunter Jet through the middle of Tower Bridge on April 5, 1968.His daredevil antics caused a storm of controversy at the time, but the Royal Air Force refused to court martial him, preferring, instead to have a Medical Board discharge him. He was not court martialled, he claims, because his outspoken views on the fighting effectiveness of the Royal Air Force and the lack of RAF 50th anniversary flying celebrations in l968, might provide embarassing publicity. It has also since transpired that his one-man anniversary display inadvertently co-incided with the recently exposed 'coup plot' against Prime Minister Harold Wilson's Labour Government. A graduate prizewinner from RAF Training College Cranwell, Mr Pollock was a fighter leader and instructor and saw active operational service in the Middle East and served as Aide-de-Camp to a NATO Air Commander. One of the three pre-formation founders of the Red Arrows aerobatic team, he held the rare 'exceptional' RAF fast jet pilot rating. For further information and to read more about Flt Lt. Alan Pollock's famous Tower Bridge Incident, please click here.

PRINT DETAILS

Giclée Artist's Proofs with drawing of squadron badge

The Giclée Artist's Proofs Edition is hand signed and numbered in pencil by the artist Michael Rondot. The edition is limited to just 50 individually produced fine-art giclée copies, each with an original pencil drawing of a Squadron badge on the border and signed by the pilot, Alan Pollock.

Remarque prints can be ordered with a detailed drawing on the print border in addition to the Squadron badge. Each drawing is unique, adding a personal touch and, of course, enhancing the value of the print.

Each print is accompanied with a matching numbered certificate of authenticity.

Overall Print Size 65 X 48 (cm) Printed in lightfast inks on acid free archival paper.

With only 50 copies of this amazing new edition from the studio of Michael Rondot available worldwide, we fully expect the edition to be heavily over subscribed. We would therefore recommend you pre order your copy now to avoid disappointment. The release of this new edition is due early March 2011

PRINT PRICES

Giclée Artist's Proofs
UK £150.00 Edition Size - 50 (Print release due early March 2011)

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When ordering remarque and artist proof editions, we recommend you email us first to advise on delivery details.

The Aviation Art Gallery accept most major credit and debit cards. Place your order online, or by telephone. If you wish to pay by cheque, or fax your order, please download our printable order form here.

info@aviationartgallery.co.uk

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

ALAN POLLOCK, the man who flew a Hunter Jet through the middle of Tower Bridge on April 5, 1968.His daredevil antics caused a storm of controversy at the time, but the Royal Air Force refused to court martial him, preferring, instead to have a Medical Board discharge him. He was not court martialled, he claims, because his outspoken views on the fighting effectiveness of the Royal Air Force and the lack of RAF 50th anniversary flying celebrations in l968, might provide embarassing publicity. It has also since transpired that his one-man anniversary display inadvertently co-incided with the recently exposed 'coup plot' against Prime Minister Harold Wilson's Labour Government. A graduate prizewinner from RAF Training College Cranwell, Mr Pollock was a fighter leader and instructor and saw active operational service in the Middle East and served as Aide-de-Camp to a NATO Air Commander. One of the three pre-formation founders of the Red Arrows aerobatic team, he held the rare 'exceptional' RAF fast jet pilot rating. For further information and to read more about Flt Lt. Alan Pollock's famous Tower Bridge Incident, please click here.

 

Helpful information regarding our Limited Edition Prints

Limited edition print:

An edition of identical prints, numbered sequentially and individually signed by the artist, having a stated limit to the quantity in the edition. Following publication the printing plates are destroyed. Almost all the aviation art and aircraft prints featured on this website are authenticated with the original signatures of distinguished military personnel.

Artists Proof:

An old tradition of reserving a quantity of prints for the artist's use, usually equal to about 10 % of the edition. In the early days of printing, these prints were the only remuneration the poor artist received. Proofs are signed by the artist and numbered showing the quantity of Artist's Proofs issued in the edition. Because of their highly restricted number, Artist's Proofs are sold at a higher value than the regular prints in the edition.

Publishers Proof:

A quantity of prints, not always announced or issued at the time of publication, usually equal to no more than 10% of the edition. These are reserved for the publisher's use, mostly for donation to Museums, Service establishments, Service Associations, and the like. Quantities of Publishers Proofs, sometimes issued with a supplementary print, may be made available to collectors either at the time of publication, or at a later date, depending upon availability.

Remarqued print:

A print issued with an original pencil drawing by the artist in the margin, each numbered out of the quantity of individually remarqued prints in the edition. The quantity of remarqued prints in any one edition generally is between 25 and 50. Each remarque drawing made by the artist is slightly different, thus making each print totally unique. Remarqued prints may be available at the time of publication, or announced at a later date, depending upon the artist's work load at the time .Please be aware that Remarque prints can take up to six weeks for delivery. An artist remarqued print is the ultimate collector item in terms of reproduced work.

Companion print:

An additional print, usually issued with smaller dimensions, published to compliment a limited edition, and usually issued at the same time.

Matted (or mounted) print:

A print fitted into an acid-free or conservation matt (or mount), ready for framing.

Original drawing:

An original work individually drawn by the artist, completed in pencil, ink, or other medium, and personally signed by the artist. Being an original work each drawing is unique and different.

Certificate of Authenticity:

A certificate issued by the publisher stating the total quantity of prints issued in the edition, confirming authenticity of the signatures, and in the case of a limited edition, inscribed with the matching unique number inscribed on the individual print. Collectors are advised to keep certificates safely as a future means of provenance. All our aviation art and aircraft prints are issued with a certificate of authenticity.

 

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