A
Spitfire from 309 Squadron (American) zooms past a mortally wounded
Messerschmitt 109 'Gustav,' whose pilot attempts to exit his flaming
aircraft near the beach head. In the heat of battle, there is an
undeniable air of defiance amongst the combatants as dozens of
planes from both sides jockey for a position of advantage.
One of the largest air battles of World
War 2 occurred on August 19, 1942 over the French port of Dieppe.
The planned amphibious assault, code named 'Operation Jubilee' was
initiated in the early morning hours of August 19, and lasted less
than nine hours. But in that short time the British attempt at
testing Hitler's 'Atlantic Wall' and new battle doctrines, turned
into a disaster for the ground forces, costing the Allies
substantial casualties.
Of a nearly 6100 assault force made up of
mostly Canadian troops (4963), 3367 became casualties, either killed
in action or taken prisoner. 2210 returned to England with many
wounded among them.
In the air, over 49 Spitfire and Hurricane
squadrons, some with American pilots, faced off against three
hundred Me109's and FW190's of JG2 (Richtofen) and JG26 (Schlageter).
Nearly 1000 aircraft from both sides engaged in a raging air melee
in the relatively confined air space over the city of Dieppe. Not
since the summer of 1940 and the Battle of Britain had so many
planes and aircrew been embroiled in such a conflict. Though
outnumbered by nearly 3 to 1, the German defenders lost 48 aircraft
to the Allies' 106.
On the surface, 'Operation Jubilee' was
nothing short of a disaster of monumental proportions that did not
bode well for the Allies or the war in Europe. The raid on Dieppe
left little for them to claim as a victory, when reviewing the stark
figures in the loss of men and material. Fortress Europa seemed to
remain impregnable. This would be true for the time being, except
for the invaluable lesson learned from the failed mission. For out
of the ashes of the Dieppe raid came the tried and tested battle
doctrines, both on the ground and in the air. These doctrines would
serve the Allies well a few years later, less than 100 miles south
of the beaches of Dieppe in a new operation with the code name
'Overlord.'
Each Allies Edition of DEFIANCE AT
DIEPPE is accompanied by a matching number print of
ANDOVER CROSSING.
This action-packed print is signed by American and Canadian Spitfire
pilots, and is a 'must' for your aviation art buy-list! Three of
these pilots were actually involved in this battle! (The two USA
pilots and Flt. Sergeant Matheson).
THE
SIGNATURES:
-
2nd Lieutenant
Leonard H. Brown
-
2nd Lieutenant
Jerry D.
Collinsworth
-
Flying Officer
Don Murchie
-
Flying Officer
Douglas Gaudin
-
Flight Sergeant
Douglas R. Matheson
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Overall Print Size: 33"
x 21 1/2"
Allies Edition of 150 prints with 5 signatures: $225
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Overall Print Size: 33"
x 21 1/2"
American Edition of 100 prints with 2 signatures (
Brown, Collinsworth): $175
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