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For perhaps the sixth time today, profoundly outnumbered, the RAF's young fighter pilots will intercept yet another Luftwaffe force as the evil raiders invade their beloved airspace. It is August 1940, and the Battle of Britain is raging towards its ferocious climax all over southern England. The sturdy Hawker Hurricane Mkls, bearing the brunt of all the combat flying during the Battle, will account for no fewer than four-fifths of the air victories achieved by RAF fighter pilots. The simplicity of its construction enabled the Hurricane to survive heavy punishment in combat, at the same time providing its pilots with a reliable and stable gun platform. Beautiful, distinctive, tough and aggressive, this remarkable fighter, together with its courageous young pilots, earned the undying gratitude of a nation on the verge of defeat and ultimately, an unrivalled position in the annals of air warfare.
Richard Taylor's poignant painting captures eloquently the urgency of a scramble - an everyday occurrence during those frantic days in the summer of 1940. Battle of Britain ace Flight Lieutenant Ian Gleed leads a detachment of Hurricane MkIs from 87 Squadron as they climb out of their Exeter airfield during the peak of the battle in the high summer of 1940. Each of the 450 prints in the edition carries the original signatures of three distinguished Battle of Britain Hurricane pilots from 87 Squadron, making it a truly collectible tribute to the glorious Hurricane and the valiant young pilots who flew it.
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