Description

Signed & numbered Limited Edition of 300
Overall print size: 33 x 25 inches
Image size: 26 x 17 1/2 inches

The Greatest Day, September 15th 1940
The Daily Mail September 16th 1940:
“THE GREATEST DAY FOR THE RAF – HALF RAIDERS BROUGHT DOWN: 375 CAME, ONLY 175 RETURNED
Hitler’s air force returned to mass daylight raids yesterday and the RAF gave them the most shattering defeat they have ever known
Sunday 15 September 1940 and Luftwaffe supremo Hermann Goering believed victory over the RAF was at hand. Today, he decreed, would be the day that his ‘glorious’ Luftwaffe would finally break the back of Fighter Command’s stubborn resistance. Or so he believed.
In response to a massed formation of enemy aircraft detected heading for London, Air Vice Marshal Keith Park commanding 11 Group scrambled his squadrons. He also requested that 12 Group bring Douglas Bader’s ‘Big Wing’ down from Duxford. Every available pilot and machine was committed. Prime Minister Winston Churchill turned to Park and asked “What other reserves have we” “There are none”, Park replied.
Bader now had five squadrons racing south, meeting what remained of the enemy on the outskirts of London.
With a successful morning behind them the RAF fighters raced back to re-fuel and re-arm. Just after 14.00 hrs another enemy battle group was observed and this time the formations were even larger. Bader’s Wing was scrambled once more.”

Bader is shown leading his wing into the fray on that afternoon of 15 September 1940. As their Bf109 escorts begin to run out of fuel, the enemy bombers were left to fend for themselves. They were savaged. By late afternoon it was over and whilst the Daily Mail and the press made much of the RAF’s initial optimistic claims – the Luftwaffe had actually lost nearly 60 aircraft and 150 aircrew. The RAF had lost less than half that number of aircraft and only 13 pilots. The tide of the Battle of Britain had turned in the RAF’s favour, and German High Command knew it.
Signed by:
Wing Commander Tom Neil DFC* AFC – Hurricane Pilot with 249 Sqn / 14 victories
Wing Commander John ‘Tim’ Elkington – Hurricane Pilot with 1 Sqn / 1 victory
Also available is the Collectors Edition of 175 at £275
Additionally signed by:
Generalleutnant Gunther Rall Knight’s Cross, Oak Leaves & Swords – Bf109 Pilot with JG52 / 275 victories, the third highest-scoring Ace of all time
Squadron Leader Tony Pickering AFC – Hurricane Pilot with 32 & 501 Sqns / 1 victory
Flying Officer Ken Wilkinson – Spitfire Pilot with 616 & 19 Sqns

Also available is the Anniversary Edition of 75 at £495
This 10 signature edition is also signed by:
Generalleutnant Adolf Galland Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords & Diamonds – Commanded JG26 on Bf109’s / 104 victories – the legendary Luftwaffe Fighter General.
Flight Lieutenant Archie McInnes – Hurricane Pilot with 601 & 238 Sqns
Flight Lieutenant Terry Clark DFM AE – WOp/AG on Blenheims with 219 Sqn / 6 victorie
Flight Lieutenant William ‘Bob’ Hughes DFC AE – WOp/AG on Blenheims with 23 Sqn
Wing Commander Richard ‘Dickie’ Summers AFM OBE – Observer on Blenheims with 219 Sqn