Details
LONG SHORT DAYS
(Collectors Edition – 9 Signatures)
by Robert Taylor
Overall Print Size: 32;" x 24;"
Edition Size: 225
It was known as the Jagdverbdnde, the fighter arm of the Luftwaffe, and by June 1940 it contained some of the world's greatest fighter pilots. With tactics honed to perfection, first with the Condor Legion in Spain, then over Poland and France, these battle-seasoned veterans dominated the skies of Europe. Had it not been for the ruthless machinations of their commander, Hermann Goering, and the defiance of a small band of young Royal Air Force pilots during the Battle of Britain, the Jagdverbdnde may have won World War II for Germany. But, as the war progressed, the Luftwaffe fighter pilots faced another battle, the increasingly desperate war of attrition as the Allied air forces slowly, but inevitably, ground the German war machine into defeat. By early 1945 Allied air supremacy was overwhelming.
And yet, despite the odds increasingly stacked against them, from within their ranks came the most successful air Aces ever to fly on the Western Front. Names such as Hans-Joachim Marseille, whose tally of 158 victories made him the top-scoring fighter pilot in the West, the legendary Erich Rudorffer who scored more multiple victories than any other pilot and, of course, the Fighter General Adolf Galland, who achieved all of his 104 victories in the West. More than 100 Luftwaffe fighter pilots are known to have scored 100 or more victories, and 568 Jagdverbdnde flyers were holders of the Knight's Cross, Germany's highest awarded military honor.
Robert Taylor's stunning painting "THE LONG SHORT DAYS" beautifully captures a group of Bf109Gs from III./JG26, one of the Luftwaffe's most famous fighter units, as they return to their forward base after a long but uneventful sweep along the Channel coast in early 1944. In his unmistakable style, and with inordinate skill, Robert deftly evokes a moment of rare tranquility amidst the carnage of war as the lengthening sun glints across the frozen landscape during the short days of winter.
In addition to the artist, this print is individually signed in pencil by an outstanding collection of NINE Luftwaffe fighter pilots who flew in those momentous air battles over Europe:
- Stabsgefreiter HUBERT-LUDWIG PFAULM (Iron Cross)
- Feldwebel HEINZ RADLAUER (Iron Cross 1st Class – 15 victories)
- Leutnant HELMUT BALLEWSKI (Iron Cross)
- Feldwebel ERNST GIEFING (Iron Cross – 6 victories)
- Oberstleutnant NORBERT HANNIG (Iron Cross 1st Class - 42 victories)
- Unteroffizier GERHARD KOTT (Iron cross 1st Class - 8 victories)
- Major ERICH RUDORFFER (Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves & Swords - achieved more multiple victories than any other pilot and was the 12th highest scoring Ace in the West with 222 victories)
- Oberfeldwebel WILLI RESCHKE (Knight’s Cross - 27 victories)
- Generalleutnant WALTER KRUPINSKI (Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves - completed over 1,110 combat missions and scored 197 victories). - since endorsing the edition with his signature the General has sadly passed away giving even greater meaning to this release and providing aviation art connoisseurs with a remarkable and valuable future collectors piece.
Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.
