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Midwinter Dawn by Robert Taylor. (RM)- Cranston Fine Arts Historical Art

Midwinter Dawn by Robert Taylor. (RM)


Midwinter Dawn by Robert Taylor. (RM)

The engineers at Rolls-Royce had worked their magic. They had somehow managed to squeeze every available ounce of power out of the current Merlin engine and by D-Day on 6 June 1944 the sleek Mk.IX Spitfires of Fighter Command reigned supreme in the skies over Normandy. The magnificent Mk.IXs were, by far, the most numerous variant of Spitfires that fought from D-Day to the threshold of the Reich. In the great drive from Normandy across northern France, Belgium and into Holland the Spitfire pilots of Fighter Command threw down the gauntlet to any Luftwaffe pilots brave enough, or foolhardy enough, to tangle with them. Perhaps the greatest pilot to ever fly the Spitfire was the RAF&39;s top fighter Ace Johnnie Johnson. His resolute determination and steadfast leadership came into its own during D-Day and the subsequent advance through Normandy, and he would finish the war as the highest scoring Allied Ace in Europe. The scene captures the moment when, as Wing Leader of 127 Canadian Wing, Johnnie is seen leading Mk.IX Spitfires from 421 Red Indian Squadron RCAF out on patrol from their airfield at Evere near Brussels on a cold December morning in 1944. It is close to the fighting and the German front line so, as the Canadians climb steadily out over the snow clad landscape in the golden light of dawn, they are already alert and on the lookout for the first signs of trouble.
AMAZING VALUE! - The value of the signatures on this item is in excess of the price of the print itself!
Item Code : DHM6461RMMidwinter Dawn by Robert Taylor. (RM) - This Edition
TYPEEDITION DETAILSSIZESIGNATURESOFFERSYOUR PRICEPURCHASING
REMARQUELimited edition of 15 remarques.

SOLD OUT.
Paper size 33 inches x 25 inches (89cm x 64cm) Nawarski, Stanislaw
Farnborough, Ron
Scrase, Rodney
Taylor, Jimmy
Johnson, Johnnie
Edwards, J F Stocky
Lindsay, James
Laubman, Don
+ Artist : Robert Taylor


Signature(s) value alone : £275
SOLD
OUT
NOT
AVAILABLE
All prices on our website are displayed in British Pounds Sterling



Other editions of this item : Midwinter Dawn by Robert Taylor.DHM6461
TYPEEDITION DETAILSSIZESIGNATURESOFFERSYOUR PRICEPURCHASING
PRINTSigned limited edition of 250 prints.

SOLD OUT.
Paper size 33 inches x 25 inches (89cm x 64cm) Nawarski, Stanislaw
Farnborough, Ron
Scrase, Rodney
Taylor, Jimmy
Johnson, Johnnie
+ Artist : Robert Taylor


Signature(s) value alone : £175
SOLD
OUT
VIEW EDITION...
ARTIST
PROOF
Canadian edition of 25 artist proofs.

SOLD OUT.
Paper size 33 inches x 25 inches (89cm x 64cm) Nawarski, Stanislaw
Farnborough, Ron
Scrase, Rodney
Taylor, Jimmy
Johnson, Johnnie
Edwards, J F Stocky
Lindsay, James
Laubman, Don
+ Artist : Robert Taylor


Signature(s) value alone : £275
SOLD
OUT
VIEW EDITION...
PRINTCanadian edition of 200 prints. Paper size 33 inches x 25 inches (89cm x 64cm) Nawarski, Stanislaw
Farnborough, Ron
Scrase, Rodney
Taylor, Jimmy
Johnson, Johnnie
Edwards, J F Stocky
Lindsay, James
Laubman, Don
+ Artist : Robert Taylor


Signature(s) value alone : £275
£50 Off!Now : £295.00VIEW EDITION...
PRESENTATIONTribute edition of 10 prints.

SOLD OUT.
Paper size 33 inches x 25 inches (89cm x 64cm) Nawarski, Stanislaw
Farnborough, Ron
Scrase, Rodney
Taylor, Jimmy
Johnson, Johnnie
Edwards, J F Stocky
Lindsay, James
Laubman, Don
Stebbings, Ray (companion print)
Conrad, Walter (matted on companion print)
Dowding, Harry (matted on companion print)
Haywood, Robert K (matted on companion print)
Robillard, Larry (matted on companion print)
Russel, Blair Dalzell (matted on companion print)
Smith, Roderick (matted on companion print)
+ Artist : Robert Taylor


Signature(s) value alone : £475
SOLD
OUT
VIEW EDITION...
REMARQUELimited edition of 10 double remarques.

SOLD OUT.
Paper size 33 inches x 25 inches (89cm x 64cm) Nawarski, Stanislaw
Farnborough, Ron
Scrase, Rodney
Taylor, Jimmy
Johnson, Johnnie
Edwards, J F Stocky
Lindsay, James
Laubman, Don
+ Artist : Robert Taylor


Signature(s) value alone : £275
SOLD
OUT
VIEW EDITION...
General descriptions of types of editions :




Signatures on this item
*The value given for each signature has been calculated by us based on the historical significance and rarity of the signature. Values of many pilot signatures have risen in recent years and will likely continue to rise as they become more and more rare.
NameInfo


The signature of Air Vice Marshal Johnnie Johnson CB, CBE, DSO**, DFC* (deceased)

Air Vice Marshal Johnnie Johnson CB, CBE, DSO**, DFC* (deceased)
*Signature Value : £70

James Edgar Johnson was born in Barrow on Soar near Loughborough on 9th March 1915. He lived in Melton, the first house on the left of Welby Lane as you leave Nottingham Road, with his parents - his father being a local Police Inspector. Johnnie qualified as a Civil Engineer at Nottingham University in 1937. He joined the RAFVR and did his flying training at 21 E&RFTS, Stapleford before enlisting for full-time service in the RAF at the beginning of WWII. He first went to ITW at Jesus College, Cambridge, completed his ab initio flying at 22 EFTS, Cambridge and his intermediate and advanced flying at 5 FTS, Sealand. Johnnie Johnson joined 92 Spitfire squadron in August 1940, but it was with 616 squadron that he scored his first victory on June 26th 1941 while flying with Douglas Baders Tangmere Wing. He was squadron leader of 610 squadron in July 1942, but it was as Wing Commander of the Kenley Wing in 1943 that his scores really started to mount. He was W/C of 144 wing during D-Day and led 127 and 125 wings until the end of the war when we has the topscoring allied fighter pilot with 38 air victories. Inspired by the great British WW 1 aces like Bishop and Ball, Johnnie Johnson dreamed often as a child of becoming an R.A.F. pilot. The young Johnson enthusiastically joined the Volunteer Reserve at the first opportunity. After completing his initial flight training Johnson was posted to 616 Squadron at Kenley. However, this Squadron had been hit hard with the loss of six pilots and five wounded, and the unit was withdrawn to Coltishall prior to Johnson encountering combat. With only 12 hours of flight time in a Spitfire this was no doubt advantageous. In February 1941 Billy Burton moved the Squadron to Tangmere. Douglas Bader then arrived to take over the Tangmere Wing, and fly with the 616 Squadron. Johnnie, Alan Smith and Cocky Dundas were chosen to fly with Bader. During the summer of 1940 the Battle of Britain was at its peak. Bader took the time to instruct Johnson carefully in both the art of flying and the skills necessary to attain success in aerial combat. Baders idea of an afternoon off duty, according to Johnson, was to take his section over the Channel in hopes of running into Adolph Galland and his Abbeyville Boys. On August 19, 1941 Bader failed to return from a mission when 616 Squadron was hit hard by a group of Messerschmitt 109s. Johnson flew on in Baders absence, and in the summer of 1942 he was promoted to command of the 610 Squadron. In 1943 he was promoted again to Wing Commander of the Canadian Spitfire Wing in Kenley. By that time Johnson had attained eight confirmed victories. During the spring and summer of 1943 Johnnie led the Canadian unit on more than 140 missions over Northwest Europe. Johnsons squadron attained more than 100 victories during this period, and Johnnies own personal score rose to 25. After a short leave, Johnson was posted to lead the 144 Canadian Spitfire Wing. On D-Day Johnson led his Wing on four missions in support of the Allied invasion. On June 8, Johnsons Wing was the first Spitfire group to land in newly liberated France. Johnson continued fighting in France through September 1944 when he achieved his 38th and final victory. Patrolling the Rhine Johnsons unit jumped nine 109s which were flying beneath them in the opposite direction. Five of the 109s were downed. Early in 1945 Johnson was promoted to Group Captain and put in command of the 125 Wing, which was equipped with the Spitfire XIV. Flying from former Luftwaffe airfields the 125 Wing assisted in the final Allied push to Berlin. Johnson attributed much of his aerial combat success to his ability to make tight turning maneuvers. Johnsons tightest call came on August 19, 1942 when he was unable to dislodge an Me-109 from his tail during the raid on Diepppe. Johnson raced his Spitfire flat out at a group of Royal Navy ships. The usual barrage of flak and tracer fire came right at him, and fortunately for the ace, missed his Spitfire but effectively eliminated the brave pilot on his tail. During the Korean War Johnson flew fighter-bombers with the USAF. Following his retirement from the R.A.F. in 1966 Johnson founded the Johnnie Johnson Housing Trust that has provided homes for more than 4000 disabled and elderly persons, and his sixth book Winged Victory was published in 1995. Johnson flew many of the Spitfire models. His favorite was the beautiful Mark IX, the best of them all. Johnnie passed away in 2001 at the age of 85, in Derbyshire, England.
Flight Lieutenant Rodney Scrase DFC (deceased)
*Signature Value : £35

Flying Spitfires with 72 Squadron, Rodney Scrase operated over North Africa, Sicily and Italy with much success, scoring 4 air victories and 3 damaged. He finished the War with No.1 Squadron from Manston flying bomber escort patrols over Europe. Fl Lt Scrase was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for piloting Spitfires with 72 Squadron in North Africa. His citation listed his 'aggressiveness, outstanding leadership and devotion to duty'. After leaving the RAF he was the chief executive officer of the London Tourist Board and has recently written his biography titles Spitfire Saga, in which he recalls his wartime experiences. He died on 25th February 2018.
Flight Sergeant Ron Farnborough
*Signature Value : £10

Spitfire pilot who flew fighter patrols on D-Day and throughout the Allied invasion.
The signature of Flt/Lt Jimmy Taylor (deceased)

Flt/Lt Jimmy Taylor (deceased)
*Signature Value : £20

Flt/Lt Jimmy Taylor joined the RAF in 1941, received his pilot training in the USA under the Arnold Scheme and instructed American cadets on the Vultee BT-13a from 1942 to 43. He took the PRU OTU course at Dyce and joined 16 Squadron, part of 34 PR Wing in 2nd Tactical Air Force, at Northolt in August 1944, flying blue Spitfire XIs and pink Spitfire IXs. He moved with the Squadron to A12 airstrip in Normandy, then to the airfield at Amiens - Glisy and at the end of September, to Melsbroek airfield outside Brussels. On 19th November, he suffered engine failure over Germany , baled out and landed in a field in Holland. after evading capture for five days he reached the Rhine, but was spotted by an alert German officer and spent the rest of the war in Stalag Luft I on the Baltic. He returned to instructing, on Harvards, until he was demobilized in 1946. Thereafter, he followed a career in education. In 1989, he took up gliding and found it more challenging than flying with an engine. In 1990, he learned from a Dutch archivist that four Dutchmen had been executed as a result of his landing in their village. This was a great shock and he returns each year to lay a wreath on their memorial. He died on 27th January 2017.


Lieutenant General Don Laubman DFC* (deceased)
*Signature Value : £30

Born in Provost, Alberta, 16th October 1921. Home in Edmonton. Enlisted there, 13th September 1941. Trained at No.2 ITS (graduated 27th November 1940), No.5 EFTS (graduated 16th January 1942) and No.3 SFTS (graduated 4th May 1941), Awarded wings 4th May 1941 as a Sergeant. Promoted successively to Flight Sergeant and Warrant Officer. Commissioned 1st July 1942. Promoted to Flying Officer, 1st January 1943, Flight Lieutenant, 1st July 1944, Squadron Leader, 6th April 1945. Retained in Canada for home defence duties with No.133 Squadron from 7th September 1942 to 8th May 1943. Arrived in UK, June 1943. With No.412 Squadron, 16th August 1943 to 5th November 1944, and No.402 Squadron 6th-14th April 1945. Briefly POW, 14th April 1945. Released 25th September 1945. Re-enrolled 17th January 1946. Initially with No.6 Communications Flight, NWAC. Command of No.416 Squadron (January 1951 to March 1952). Command of No.3 Wing at Zweibrucken (July 1963 to August 1966). Command of No.1 Air Division (July 1969 to April 1970). Command of Canadian Forces in Europe (April 1970 to Aug. 1971), &. Chief of Personnel, CFHQ (May 1972 to retirement). He died on 20th June 2018.


Lt Stanislaw Nawarski DFC KM (deceased)
*Signature Value : £40

Polish pilot Stanislaw Nawwarski flew with the French Air Force, but escaped to England after the fall of France in 1940 and joined the RAF. Just prior to the Battle of Britain he was injured after being shot down whilst ferrying an unarmed Hurricane. In 1941, back in action, he was posted to 302 Polish Squadron flying Spitfires. He flew Spitfires om D-Day and throughout the subsequent Allied advance through Normandy, scoring four victories, all Me109s. He died on 8th January 2017.


Wing Commander J F Stocky Edwards DFC* DFM (deceased)
*Signature Value : £45

Stocky Edwards became a P40 Ace with 260 Sqn. 94 Sqn RAF, Flight Commander 260 Sqn RAF, 417 Sqn RCAF, Flight Commander 92 Sqn RAF, Squadron Commander 274 Sqn RAF, Wing Leader 127 Wing RCAF. His victory total was 15 with 3 shared. He died on 14th May 2022.


Wing Commander James Lindsay DFC
*Signature Value : £25

Born in September 1922, James 'Doug' Lindsay joined the RCAF in February 1941, training on Harvards. He was posted to the UK, arriving in March 1943 and joining 403 Sqn in October that year. In his first tour, he claimed 5 Me109s as well as 2 Fw190s, plus another damaged. Of the Me109s he shot down, three of these were in a single minute, earning him a DFC. For his second tour, he rejoined 403 Sqn in April 1945, claiming a probable Fw190 during his short time with this squadron before he moved to 416 squadron until the end of the war in Europe. After the war he stayed with the air force, and in 1952 served during the Korean war with the USAF. He flew F-86 Sabres with the 39th Fighter Squadron of the 51st Fighter Wing, claiming victories over two MiG-15s and damaging 3 others. In 1953, he returned to the UK with No.1 Fighter Wing leading Sabres in formation at the Queen's Coronation. He retired in 1972, having flown more than 30 different types of aircraft (excluding different Mks). These included, Harvard, Anson, Master, Spitfire, Typhoon, Tempest, Hurricane, Mustang, Beaufort, Beaufighter, Oxford, Dakota, Tiger Moth, Vampire and Sabre.

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