It had been exactly a year since the guns on the Western Front had fallen silent. After four years of bitter fighting a similar hush had fallen across the battlefields of Flanders as an armistice between the Allies and Germany took hold. Those who'd survived breathed deeply, relieved, unable to comprehend the stillness. The scale of loss had been unimaginable, over a million British soldiers killed.

In remembrance of their sacrifice a permanent Cenotaph was commissioned the following year. Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and constructed in Portland stone, it stands boldly in the midst of Whitehall. Austere but moving, simple yet gracious, no names are recorded on its sides, with few decorative embellishments apart from three furled flags to represent each of Britain's armed services and, at each end, a carved wreath and the simple words - The Glorious Dead - chiselled into the stone.

Rededicated to include those British and Commonwealth military and civilian service men and women killed during the Second World War and all subsequent conflicts, the Cenotaph forms the dramatic centrepiece of They Shall Grow Not Old, a poignant new triptych created by Richard Taylor as a tribute to them all.

No one can deny that the Battle of Britain was won by a few thousand young pilots from Fighter Command. The bravery, skill and resilience of Winston Churchill's 'Few' is beyond doubt and without their heroism Hitler's legions might well have been marching along Whitehall. Yet there is another, often understated truth: had it not been for the men upon whose shoulders was the responsibility for planning the air defence of Britain, or the tireless, dedicated support given by those 'behind the scenes', there would have been no victory.

Men such as ACM Sir Hugh Dowding, AOC Fighter Command who'd spent years meticulously planning the tactics for just such an event, or his Group commanders, including AVM Trafford Leigh-Mallory at 12 Group, and AVM Keith Park in charge of 11 Group in south-east England that would face the brunt of the fighting.

Also, always in the background but vital to success were the ground crews tasked with keeping the fighters serviceable, the armourers and the bowser crews. There were the members of the Observer Corps and those manning the Army's anti- aircraft guns and searchlight units, the radar operatives, plotters, dispatch riders, telegraphists, and the men and women pilots who ferried new aircraft to the squadrons. And, never forgotten by pilots forced to bale out over the Channel, were the crews of the little ships that plucked them from the sea.

One such scenario was brought to life by the late Robert Taylor in his drawing Sea & Air Rescue as Spitfires from 603 Squadron provide air cover to an RAF Air Sea Rescue launch which, with help from the crew of a small armed trawler, has just rescued a downed airman off the entrance to Dover harbour.

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Completed by Robert back in August 2023, his drawing was faithfully reproduced as a high quality giclée fine art print on textured velvet paper under his direct supervision through his exclusive publisher, The Military Gallery based in Great Britain. Every copy is issued signed by Robert and embossed with the logo of The Robert Taylor Trust, a body established to preserve Robert's legacy and safeguard the future copyright of his work in years to come.

Having left their forward airfield at RAF Hawkinge, Flight Lieutenant Pete Brothers leads the Hurricanes of 'Blue Section', 32 Squadron to intercept a large force of over a hundred Luftwaffe aircraft approaching over the Straits of Dover on the afternoon of 24 August 1940.

For the pilots of Fighter Command's 12 Group, Saturday 24 August, 1940 was much the same as any of the other days they'd encountered in the past couple of months. Flying three, four and sometimes more sorties a day they'd found themselves outnumbered, outgunned, increasingly fatigued and suffering heavy losses as the Battle of Britain ground its way through that long sweltering summer of 1940. Yet still they fought, and as Hitler and his henchmen would soon discover -- they would never surrender.

The day had started early for the pilots of 32 Squadron; at first light they'd left Biggin Hill and headed down to their forward base at Hawkinge which, a few miles from Folkestone, was the nearest RAF station to enemy-occupied France. With the Pas-de-Calais less than ten minutes' flying time away and within range of the enemy's biggest guns, Hawkinge was on the receiving end of numerous attacks and by now the Hurricane pilots of 32 Squadron were well accustomed to danger. No one was surprised, therefore, when later that afternoon yet another big battle erupted overhead, just one of the six major raids launched by the Luftwaffe throughout the day.

Using his well-honed skills with brush and canvas to record events, talented aviation artist Anthony Saunders brings us an impressive pair of new paintings, each depicting the view from either side of the Channel prior to the action. Centre stage in HEADING INTO ATTACK portrays Acting Flight Lieutenant Pete Brothers leading the Hurricanes of his 'Blue Section', 32 Squadron towards the enemy's bomber formations whilst at the same time, as shown in OUT OF THE BLUE, a group of Bf109s from JG3 have just spotted the Hurricanes in the distance below and open their throttles ready to engage. In the mêlée that followed Pete Brothers downed one of the Bf109s, but despite the success that afternoon's battle proved to be one of the last fought by 32 Squadron that summer. They'd withstood the worst of the fighting so far and later that day as the first Luftwaffe bombs fell on London, a new phase of the Battle of Britain was about to begin. It would end in triumph a few months later but for now 32 Squadron's part was over. Reduced to eight extremely exhausted pilots, the Squadron was finally withdrawn from the front line to be rested.

As a section of the force escorting a large formation of Luftwaffe bombers heading over the Channel, a group of Bf109 fighters from JG3 open their throttles ready to dive on a section of Hurricanes from 32 Squadron spotted in the distance below, 24 August 1940.

For the pilots of Fighter Command's 12 Group, Saturday 24 August, 1940 was much the same as any of the other days they'd encountered in the past couple of months. Flying three, four and sometimes more sorties a day they'd found themselves outnumbered, outgunned, increasingly fatigued and suffering heavy losses as the Battle of Britain ground its way through that long sweltering summer of 1940. Yet still they fought, and as Hitler and his henchmen would soon discover -- they would never surrender.

The day had started early for the pilots of 32 Squadron; at first light they'd left Biggin Hill and headed down to their forward base at Hawkinge which, a few miles from Folkestone, was the nearest RAF station to enemy-occupied France. With the Pas-de-Calais less than ten minutes' flying time away and within range of the enemy's biggest guns, Hawkinge was on the receiving end of numerous attacks and by now the Hurricane pilots of 32 Squadron were well accustomed to danger. No one was surprised, therefore, when later that afternoon yet another big battle erupted overhead, just one of the six major raids launched by the Luftwaffe throughout the day.

Using his well-honed skills with brush and canvas to record events, talented aviation artist Anthony Saunders brings us an impressive pair of new paintings, each depicting the view from either side of the Channel prior to the action. Centre stage in HEADING INTO ATTACK portrays Acting Flight Lieutenant Pete Brothers leading the Hurricanes of his 'Blue Section', 32 Squadron towards the enemy's bomber formations whilst at the same time, as shown in OUT OF THE BLUE, a group of Bf109s from JG3 have just spotted the Hurricanes in the distance below and open their throttles ready to engage. In the mêlée that followed Pete Brothers downed one of the Bf109s, but despite the success that afternoon's battle proved to be one of the last fought by 32 Squadron that summer. They'd withstood the worst of the fighting so far and later that day as the first Luftwaffe bombs fell on London, a new phase of the Battle of Britain was about to begin. It would end in triumph a few months later but for now 32 Squadron's part was over. Reduced to eight extremely exhausted pilots, the Squadron was finally withdrawn from the front line to be rested.

Ten miles - the distance from Nijmegen to Arnhem where the British 1st Airborne Division was running out of ammunition and fighting for its life. They'd been ordered to capture the bridge over the Rhine and hold it for two days until relieved. A week later they were still waiting.

On paper Field Marshal Montgomery's plan had seemed simple - a daring airborne operation behind enemy lines to open a route along which an Allied army could advance rapidly north through Holland, outflank the Germans, and push straight into the heart of northern Germany. Codenamed Operation Market Garden the plan involved the U.S. 101st Airborne Division seizing crossings around Eindhoven, whilst the 82nd would do the same at Grave and Nijmegen. Ten miles further north the British 1st Airborne was to secure the bridge over the Rhine at Arnhem. Simultaneously the ground forces of the British XXX Corps would race northwards to link up with the airborne divisions.

But there were flaws. Parts of the road chosen for XXX Corps' advance were narrow, little more than a causeway across low-lying marshes; breakdowns and blockages would lead to appalling congestion and delay. And then there was greater than expected German resistance; Allied intelligence had failed to spot two elite SS Panzer Divisions refitting nearby. By the time XXX Corps fought their way into Nijmegen it had taken twice as long as planned, and they were still ten miles short of Arnhem where by now the Germans had recaptured the bridge.

It was all too late to save what little remained of 1st Airborne. Only just over 2,000 men out of the 10,000 involved managed to make the perilous withdrawal back across the Rhine; in nine days the rest had either been killed or captured.

There were many skills required of an RAF bomber crew and none more so than courage. They often flew deep into enemy territory, mainly by night and often in freezing conditions, bad weather and turbulent skies, to face the constant fear of attack from deadly flak, prowling night-fighters or mechanical malfunctions. Each man was a volunteer, but these bomber crews were a special breed. They had to be, for no other Allied unit had a greater casualty rate than the men of RAF Bomber Command.

One operation, however, demanded something more - the destruction of the great dams of the Ruhr during Operation Chastise on the night of 16 / 17 May 1943.

The means was provided by Barnes Wallis's unique Upkeep 'bouncing bomb' carried into battle by Roy Chadwick's specially-modified Lancaster bomber. But the method of delivering Wallis's bomb required that it be dropped exactly 60ft above the surface, some 400-450 yards from the target at precisely 210 mph. And to evade radar detection en- route to the Ruhr at night would mean flying the entire distance at tree-top height. No squadron existed with enough skilled crews to fulfil those criteria; so for the first and only time in Bomber Command's history, one was formed. It was numbered 617 Squadron - soon to be known as the Dambusters.

On the morning of 6 June 1944, fierce battles erupted across five beaches in Normandy as the first Allied units stormed ashore in the largest amphibious assault in history - D- DAY.

Subjected to a blizzard of deadly fire, those who survived the assault would never forget their perilous dash across the beach nor, as they gasped for breath in an air that hung heavy with cordite, the wretched scenes around them. Today those beaches are peaceful, tranquil settings where wheeling gulls and curious tourists stalk dunes still haunted by visions of the past, places to which an ever-diminishing band of Normandy veterans continue to be drawn. With fading recollections burnt into ageing memories none forget their fallen comrades who 'shall grow not old as they that are left grow old'.

In memory of the courage, sacrifice and heroism of the brave men and women who fought in Normandy, artist Simon Smith has created two memorable images to remember the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

THE LAST SALUTE
A tribute to the British and Commonwealth forces

The presence of those who fell appear through the dimming light of day, visible to none save the lone British veteran who gazes across Gold Beach to where the men of his East Yorkshire Regiment landed alongside the men of 47 (Royal Marine) Commando.

On the morning of 6 June 1944, fierce battles erupted across five beaches in Normandy as the first Allied units stormed ashore in the largest amphibious assault in history - D- DAY.

Subjected to a blizzard of deadly fire, those who survived the assault would never forget their perilous dash across the beach nor, as they gasped for breath in an air that hung heavy with cordite, the wretched scenes around them. Today those beaches are peaceful, tranquil settings where wheeling gulls and curious tourists stalk dunes still haunted by visions of the past, places to which an ever-diminishing band of Normandy veterans continue to be drawn. With fading recollections burnt into ageing memories none forget their fallen comrades who 'shall grow not old as they that are left grow old'.

In memory of the courage, sacrifice and heroism of the brave men and women who fought in Normandy, artist Simon Smith has created two memorable images to remember the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

A SALUTE TO HEROES
Remembering the valiant American armed forces

A veteran remembers those who were cut down in the vicious battle to capture 'Bloody Omaha', the beach whose blood-stained sands would claim the lives of so many young American soldiers. Paying a particularly heavy price were the first to land, the men of the U.S. 29th Infantry Division - the 'Blue and Gray' - whose spirits rise alongside Rangers who assaulted nearby Pointe du Hoc to acknowledge the salute.

Checkertails - the clue was in the name for there was no way of mistaking the highly- distinctive, black and yellow checkerboards that adorned the tails of the 325th Fighter Group. It was a sight that most Luftwaffe pilots dreaded and no wonder, because by the end of hostilities they'd chalked up some 520 aerial victories and dozens more aircraft destroyed on the ground, alongside the straffing of numerous targets such as trains, vehicles and airfields.

Veterans of North Africa and the invasion of Sicily, by the summer of 1944 the 'Checkertails' were based at Lesina on Italy's Adriatic coast. Re-equipping with long-range North American P-51s they were now able to escort the heavy bombers of the U.S. 15th Air Force on all their missions north over the Alps to Germany, Austria, France, Czechoslovakia and Hungary, and west to Yugoslavia and Romania.

Robert Taylor, the world's most instantly- recognisable aviation artist, remembers the heroic exploits of the men who flew with the 325th Fighter Group in his iconic piece. Few painters have the necessary skill to successfully blend the machines of war into beautiful landscapes as Robert, and his breath-taking work Checkertails - Outbound Escort is a classic example of just why he's considered the greatest ever aviation artist. Taking centre stage are P- 51Ds from the 317th Fighter Squadron, 325th Fighter Group led by their CO, Major 'Herky' Green and his wingman First Lieutenant 'Art' Fiedler climbing in the crisp mountain air over the magnificent, still snow-capped mountains of the Alps en-route to support heavy bombers of the U.S. 15th Air Force in the summer of 1944.

The message was as dismal as the winter weather; behind the sombre walls of Amiens prison several hundred members of the French Resistance, many of them betrayed by collaborators and condemned to death for assisting the Allies, awaited their fate. For some it was too late, several had already been shot, and the future of the others, including two captured intelligence officers, looked bleak. The surviving prisoners needed help before the entire Resistance movement in northern France was rolled up - and with further executions scheduled to be carried out on Saturday 19 February 1944 they needed help fast.

With fighter cover provided by Typhoons the difficult task of springing the captives was given to the RAF's low-level specialists - the Mosquito squadrons of 140 Wing based at Hunsdon. Operation Ramrod 564, later codenamed Operation Jericho, their brief was daunting: breach the 20-ft high outer wall, open up the wall of the main building and obliterate the guards' quarters in the hope that the cell doors would be sprung open by concussion from the blasts to allow the prisoners to escape.

Using the formidable skills acquired over 30 years as one of the country's highly- respected aviation artists, Chris French gives us a dramatic navigator's view as the final pair of Mosquitos race towards the snow-clad target with pilot Flight Lieutenant Tom McPhee of 464 Squadron RAAF keeping tight formation behind Squadron Leader Ian McRitchie. Deploying 11-second delayed action bombs with superb timing, the previous waves have already caused considerable damage inside the prison and to the towering outer wall, where two breaches are clearly visible as the first prisoners escape into the surrounding frozen fields, many to rejoin the Resistance.

Completed with the help of the de Havilland Museum, Chris' memorable painting not only serves as a lasting tribute to the brave airmen who took part in Operation Jericho, but also honours the countless aircrew from all parts of the world who flew the legendary 'Wooden Wonder' on such daring missions throughout World War Two.

'Procrastination and the negative were scorned, and even bloody experiences did not deter the overwhelming intention to succeed. This spirit percolated from the top to the bottom; each isolated combat group set in the English countryside proclaimed itself "the best damn group in the AAF", and in a sense, it probably was.' Those words, written by the eminent historian Roger Freeman, sum up in a few succinct words the heroics, grit and determination of the airmen who served in the United States Eighth Air Force - The Mighty Eighth. Thanks to them the Allies could now bomb around the clock, for whilst RAF Bomber Command continued their attacks by night the Eighth took up the challenge of bombing by day.

Following their arrival in England in 1942 their build-up had been rapid. During the month of December 1943 the Eighth's bomber force had, for the first time, dropped a greater tonnage of ordnance than the whole of RAF Bomber Command. Supported by ever- increasing numbers of fighters, soon to include the fabled, long-range North American Mustang, the Eighth's Bomb Groups were expanding their offensive to include an all- out push against targets in the heart of the Reich, including Hitler's capital - Berlin.

It is the beginning of one of those early missions to Berlin that artist James Dietz skilfully portrays in Destination Berlin as he takes us to Thorpe Abbotts in Norfolk, home to the 100th Bomb Group. Earning the nickname 'The Bloody Hundredth' due to the heavy losses they suffered, it seems only fitting that the 100th have been chosen to represent all those who flew so heroically with the Eighth Air Force from England during the Second World War. Internationally respected for his unique authenticity and ability to emphasize the interaction between man and machine, Dietz depicts a scene as 'Our Gal Sal', a B-17G of the 351st Bomb Squadron is taxiing to the main runway on March 6, 1944. Their destination: Big B, Berlin!

17 May 1943, 00.49 hrs: by this time three specially modified Lancasters had attacked the Mohne Dam with their unique Upkeep 'bouncing bombs'. Commanding the operation, Guy Gibson had gone first, his Upkeep mine successfully detonating against the dam wall. 'Hoppy' Hopgood quickly followed but his aircraft, hit by flak had crashed; his Upkeep, released a second too late, bounced over the dam wall to explode on the power station below just as Mick Martin began the next attack. He, like Gibson, succeeded - their bombs throwing towering columns of water into the air. But despite their accuracy the dam wall held.

Time was ticking by as Gibson called on Dinghy Young to make the next attack. In Perfect Timing, a drawing of outstanding drama, Richard Taylor graphically depicts the moments that followed. Against the fiery backdrop of Hopgood's near miss Gibson, flying to Young's starboard side is joined by Mick Martin to port as they attempt to draw some of the enemy flak away from Young as he releases his own Upkeep. With perfect timing the mine bounces over the water and within seconds it too will detonate against the dam wall. Fatally weakened, it will take just one further strike, this time by David Maltby, to deliver the final coup- de-grâce. The first of Germany's great dams had finally been breached, another - the Eder - will shortly follow.

If Hitler had deployed his reserve Panzer divisions earlier the Germans might well have stymied the Allied advance off the Normandy beaches. But he dithered, still convinced that the long-expected invasion would come in the Pas-de-Calais. It took valuable time for the German armour to reach the front line by which time the Allies were probing deep inland.

Artist Richard Taylor has superbly created this impressive drawing depicting SS- Hauptsturmfuhrer Michael Wittmann, arguably the most successful Panzer Ace of the war, leading his company of Mk.VI Tiger tanks west towards the heavy fighting around Caen. On the morning of 13 June Wittmann surprised a squadron of British Cromwell tanks in the town of Villiers-Bocage where, in the space of just 15 minutes, he and his small force destroyed 14 British tanks and a large number of other vehicles and guns.

Hitler was thrilled, awarding Wittmann Swords to his Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, but the jubilation was short-lived. On 8 August Wittmann himself was ambushed, this time in an apple orchard south of Caen, when his Tiger was destroyed by a timely hit from the 17-pounder anti-tank cannon of a British Sherman Firefly. The legendary Panzer Ace was dead.

With at least 255 victories to his credit on the Eastern Front, Major Walter 'Nowi' Nowotny had deservedly received the highest of accolades culminating in October 1943 when he was awarded the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds for becoming the first pilot ever to notch up 250 victories. Fearing that his loss in action would damage morale, Nowotny was ordered to stand down from combat flying.

Nevertheless , with the Luftwaffe increasingly stretched and desperate for skilled pilots, in September 1944 he was posted back to front-line action; this time commanding a specialist trials unit, 'Kommando Nowotny', equipped with Messerschmitt's radical new jet - the Me262. Based near Osnabruck in Lower Saxony, Nowotny's task was simple but vital: to test, develop and adapt tactics best suited to the new fighter.

It didn't take long for his experience to pay off. On 7 October his unit intercepted a formation of B-24 Liberators engaged on a raid attacking Kassel. In a scene dramatically recreated by artist Richard Taylor, Nowotny has taken full advantage of his jet's high speed to swoop through the escorting P-51s in the skies high above the town of Bramsche to successfully attack a B- 24 from the 392nd Bomb Group. It was his 256th victory.

Tragedy, however, soon followed. On Thursday 8 November 1944, after further victories over a P-51 and another B-24, his engine is believed to have caught fire. Whilst returning to base at Achmer he crashed and was killed. With 258 victories to his credit he was still only 23.

The war in Vietnam saw a battleground that ushered in several forms of revolutionary warfare. One of these was the rapid deployment of elite cavalry units using helicopters in place of their four-footed charges of old, as dramatically captured in Richard's powerful piece Sky Troopers. Applying his compelling technique with a pencil to maximum effect, Richard depicts an aerial armada of iconic Bell 'Huey' UH-1Ds on their way to insert troopers of the 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, operating as part of the US Army First Cavalry Division (Air Mobile). Travelling light but fighting hard the troopers know from experience that the forthcoming encounter may prove to be brutal.

D-Day 6 June 1944: and the landing of vast British, American and Canadian armies on the beaches of Normandy would go down in history as the day on which the liberation of France and north-west Europe began. On Sword Beach, however, a small elite unit from another country joined the fray; the 177 men of the 1er Bataillon de Fusiliers Marins Commandos commanded by Capitaine de Corvette Philippe Kieffer.

Created in the spring of 1944 the battalion owed its origins to a small unit of 'Commandos Francais' formed in 1942 which had fought with distinction on several raids, including alongside British and Canadian commandos at Dieppe. On D-Day, operating as part of Lord Lovat's 1st Special Service Brigade, they landed under heavy fire on Sword Beach at around 07.30 hrs on the morning of 6 June. Being the first and only French unit landing on any of the D-Day beaches that morning they nevertheless acquitted themselves with great distinction by successfully overwhelming several German strongholds, including the heavily fortified casino in Ouisterham before fighting their way inland to link up with the British paratroopers holding Pegasus Bridge.

Marking the eastern flank of the Normandy landings was Sword Beach. Lying just to the west of the small town and port of Ouisterham, it was separated by almost fifty miles of well-defended coastline from the American Utah Beach to the west. Between the two, three other beaches - the Canadian Juno, British Gold and the American 'bloody' Omaha - formed the backdrop to the largest amphibious invasion the world had ever seen.

Securing a measure of protection from any lightning enemy counter-attack, both flanks inland would be seized by two American Airborne Divisions in the west and the British 6th Airborne Division in the east. The task entrusted to the commandos of Brigadier Lord Lovat's 1st Special Service Brigade was to fight their way ashore on the most eastern extremity of Sword Beach and battle their way inland and link up with the British airborne troops who had landed by glider shortly after midnight to capture the strategic 'Pegasus' Bridge.

Following an RAF career that spanned over 20 years and included flying as the team leader 'Red 1' for a record four years in the Red Arrows aerobatics team, Hanna became one of the leading display pilots of vintage military aircraft. At the first ever Goodwood Revival in 1998, with crowds expecting an overhead pass, Hanna instead flew his Spitfire at full throttle along the deck past the start/finish line in what has become perhaps the most memorable moment in the history of the festival.

No one ordered it and none in High Command approved of it, yet as the first Christmas of the war approached it was perhaps inevitable that a mood of goodwill would somehow seep into the war-torn trenches of the Western Front.

It started on Christmas Eve; the plaintive sound of beautifully sung yet somehow familiar carols coming from the German trenches, along which small fir trees had been placed alongside tiny twinkling lanterns. The tunes drifted amidst the snowflakes in the still night air that lay across the bleak, frozen no-man's land that separated the two opposing armies. The British 'Tommies' were quick to respond, shouting back their own messages of seasonal goodwill until somehow - and no one knows just when or exactly how - an impromptu truce was arranged for the following day.

But would it hold?

Dawn on that freezing Christmas morning was met by an uncanny silence along trenches dusted by snow, everyone holding their breath in anticipation of what might happen. And then the first, more adventurous soldiers emerged from both sides, all unarmed as they climbed out of their lines - 'you no shoot, we no shoot' came the challenge. It was accepted and small groups of men trudged warily towards each other in the few hundred yards of 'no man's land'. Others quickly followed and then they met, enemies standing face to face until someone muttered the first hello, followed by a smile and hesitant handshake. It was Christmas and the ice was broken, photographs taken and small gifts began to be exchanged - a cigarette given here, another returned there, a can of bully beef swapped for a cigar, a bottle of beer for a button for there wasn't much to offer except the recognition that humanity still existed in this terrible place. Someone from somewhere produced a football and if by magic there was laughter in the all too brief knockabout.

After a few hours it was over but, as the men fell slowly back to their own trenches, many would never forget that Christmas Day when a truce, tolerance and goodwill stopped the fighting - if only for a day.

With a tradition dating back to the early years of military flying, the Royal Navy has a proud and distinguished association with air combat. Fifty-six Fleet Air Arm pilots took part in the Battle of Britain, four of them becoming Aces, and in November 1940, twenty-one Fleet Air Arm Swordfish bi-planes flew off the deck of HMS Illustrious to destroy the heart of the Italian Fleet at Taranto - the first carrier-based attack in history which, much admired for its skill and audacity, was copied by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor. Then, in May 1941, Swordfish from HMS Ark Royal had crippled the German battleship Bismarck, leading to her destruction under the guns of the Home Fleet. The Fleet Air Arm would serve with distinction in all the major theatres of the Second World War including the north Atlantic, Mediterranean and the Far East. They invented the armoured flight deck, and their highest-scoring fighter Ace, Cdr Stanley Orr, notched up an impressive 17 victories. By the end of hostilities in 1945 the Fleet Air Arm possessed a force of some 3,700 aircraft operating from a fleet of 59 carriers.

After the war the Royal Navy was instrumental in pioneering the steam-powered catapult, angled flight decks and optical landing systems, all adopted by the huge carriers of the U.S. Navy. In 1978, however, after seventy-five years of operations, the use of fixed-wing aircraft by the Royal Navy came to an end, their magnificent McDonnell Douglas Phantom jets handed over to the RAF.

HMS Ark Royal (R-09), meanwhile, at that time the last of a long line of famous conventional British carriers, would soon be decommissioned and Robert Taylor, then a young artist bursting on to the scene, was asked to paint a scene commemorate the occasion; his piece 'HMS Ark Royal' became the best-selling print of the year. Whilst working on his commission Robert created a small painting for his own personal collection; it featured the moment when pilot Flt Lt Murdo MacLeod RAF with Lt. Dennis McCallum RN in the back seat, flying F4-K Phantom XT870/R-012 of 892 Naval Air Squadron became the last fixed wing aircraft to be launched from the deck of Ark Royal, and the last time a Phantom flew with the Fleet Air Arm.

In an exquisite tribute to America's World War I Ace of Aces, Richard Taylor has created yet another inspirational drawing to add to his growing list of highly-collectible masterworks. Deservedly respected for his skilful technique of incorporating pencil and colourwash highlights, Richard furthers his repertoire of World War I subjects with Captain Eddie, a superb depiction of Rickenbacker alongside the Spad XIII fighters of his 94th 'Hat-in-the-Ring' Aero Squadron on the Western Front in 1918.

On 1 January 1945 newly promoted Oberst Hans-Ulrich Rudel, commanding officer of Schlachtgeschwader 2, stood before Hitler. He was about to become the first and only recipient of Germany's highest award for gallantry, the Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, and the most decorated German serviceman of the war. Amongst those present to witness the historic event were Reichsmarschall Hermann Goring, Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel, Chief of the Supreme High Command of the German Armed Forces, his deputy Generaloberst Alfred Jodl, and Grand-Admiral Karl Donitz, Commander-in-Chief of the Kriegsmarine.

Rudel was not a typical Luftwaffe Ace. Seeing action exclusively on the Eastern Front, he was primarily a Stuka pilot responsible for destroying over 500 Russian tanks, 150 pieces of artillery, some 800 enemy vehicles and four armoured trains along with the destruction of a Russian battleship, a cruiser, a destroyer and 70 landing craft. In addition to numerous bridges, bunkers and roads demolished he and his gunner claimed over 50 aerial victories. His flying career encompassed a record-breaking 2,530 combat missions in which he was shot down by ground fire over 30 times. His list of wounds included the amputation of his right leg below the knee in February 1945 yet, not to be deterred, he returned to combat flying just six weeks later.

Alongside his impressive record as a Stuka dive-bombing Ace, Rudel would pioneer a new lease of life for the ageing Ju87, developing it into a formidable ground-attack tank- buster by equipping it with two 37mm flak guns slung under the wings. It is one of these Stuka tank-busters that forms the backdrop to Robert Taylor's detailed drawing Change to the Flight Plan, a compelling masterpiece depicting Rudel during the final months of the war.

On 6 April 1918 Ernst Udet shot down a British Sopwith Camel whilst flying with Jasta 11, Manfred von Richthofen's former squadron. It was his 23rd victory and three days later he was awarded the Pour le Merite - the 'Blue Max' - Prussia's highest military honour. In doing so he'd joined a highly select band that included such top aviators as Max Immelmann, Oswald Boelcke and Manfred von Richthofen, the legendary 'Red Baron'.

The award was also the start of his most successful period. With Hermann Goering now in charge of Jagdgeschwader 1 following von Richthofen's death in April 1918, Udet was promoted to command Jasta 4 in May. By the end of August, and now duelling with the newly-formed RAF, his tally climbed to 60. But on 26 September his luck ran out; having shot down two British D.H.9 fighters near Metz, he was badly wounded in the thigh and hospitalised. He was still recovering when the Armistice ended hostilities on 11 November.

But at least Udet had survived the war, and with 62 victories to his name the highest- scoring German Ace to do so. He later travelled the world as a stunt pilot, returning to Germany in 1933, persuaded by Goering, his former commander, to join the new Luftwaffe. Rising to the rank of Generaloberst, and in of charge re- equipping the German aircraft industry, by 1941 he'd become deeply disillusioned both by Goering and Hitler's policies. Depressed, he shot himself. His friend Adolf Galland was one of the six top fighter pilots forming the guard of honour at his funeral.

The men of Bomber Command depended on teamwork and trust both in the air and on the ground, because not everyone was a flier. A typical Lancaster had a flight crew of seven, but back on the ground it took three or four times that number to make sure the aircraft was repaired, serviced and fine-tuned to perfection. If the RAF had some of the finest aircrews in the world, so were the ground crews, all highly trained and skilled technicians doing their bit to keep the bomber offensive going. Amongst them were mechanics who could strip an engine in minutes, engineers, fitters, carpenters, electrical and instrument technicians along with armourers, bomb-loaders and bowser drivers, all working around the clock in sometimes cold, lonely and exposed dispersal points. And all making sure that no faults could imperil the safety of the men in the air.

The air superiority held by the Allies over the Channel and northern France during D-Day and the invasion of France was overwhelming. No longer did the Luftwaffe reign supreme as they once did; held at bay by RAF Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain they had since been decimated on the Eastern Front and relentlessly pummelled in the west. Those that remained, however, were still a deadly foe.

From the creation of the U.S. Eighth Air Force in 1942 until victory over Nazi Germany in May 1945 the heroics of its airmen are legendary. Eventually becoming the largest air group of the war, the 'Mighty Eighth' helped pound the enemy war machine to its knees and played a pivotal role in securing Allied success. The Luftwaffe tried its best to thwart the mighty armada of Eighth Air Force bombers but could never hope to match the growing numbers of American aircraft heading east from England to pound the Reich into ultimate submission. But, until the end, they tried, as portrayed in Keith's spectacular painting as a lone Fw190 makes a desperate but unsuccessful diving pass through a formation of B-17Gs from the 91st Bomb Group.

When Boeing first unveiled their new B-17 a local journalist was quick to notice the machine's bristling array of .50 calibre machine-guns. He described the new bomber as a '15-ton 'flying fortress'. The name stuck and it wouldn't be too long before the Luftwaffe would come face to face with the Fortress's heavy punch.

It wasn't only glamorous fighter pilots who managed to chalk up the five kills that earned them the coveted status of 'ace'. Little known are the seventeen Bomber Command air gunners who skilfully managed to equal the scores of their Fighter Command colleagues. Led by Defiant air gunner Sergeant Frederick Barker of 264 Squadron, top scorer with 13 victories, these 'forgotten' aces downed no less than 133 enemy aircraft between them.

It is a scene that could have been played out on a dozen airfields in East Anglia during 'Big Week' in early 1944; a badly damaged B-17F, mauled by enemy fighters, has battled its way home. In James Dietz's compelling painting Sitting Pretty, it's a bomber from the 91st Bomb Group that's run into trouble this time, yet somehow, with gritty determination and super-human effort, they've made it back to Bassingbourn. But, with power finally failing on all four engines, it takes the crew one final effort to land their crippled warbird. Fortunately they've made it one piece and help is quickly on hand. With the rest of their colleagues now on final approach, for the first time in hours the exhausted but relieved crew can savour the moment. They have survived.

The creation of Edgar 'Ed' Schmued, the same man who designed the P-51 Mustang, the near supersonic F-86 Sabre was the USAF's first ever swept-wing jet fighter and their primary front-line fighter in Korea. Entering service in 1949 with the 1st Fighter Group's 94th Fighter Squadron it would become one of the finest jet fighters of the Korean War with an impressive kill ratio over the Soviet designed MiG-15s. All but one of the 40 American fighter pilots to achieve Ace status in Korea did so in an F-86.

The Book

Wing Commander Robert Stanford Tuck Pilot's Flying Log Book

Completing the portfolio is a mint copy of an exact facsimile edition of Stanford Tuck's Flying Log Book.Issued in a specially produced presentation sleeve and accompanied by a numbered certificate of authenticity, this book has been restricted to very limited numbers worldwide and covers Stanford Tuck's entire RAF career from 1935 to 1954.

Established in 1975 the Military Gallery is the world's leading publisher of aviation and military art. Representing many of the finest artists in the industry and pioneering the genre, it's with unrivalled pedigree that the Military Gallery breathes new life into such a classic item as this stunning reproduction of Wing Commander Guy Gibson's 'Pilot's Flying Log Book No.2'.

Officially licensed as a faithful reproduction of the original, which is held in the Public Records Office in London, only a limited number have ever been produced. It covers the period from 15 November 1940, with the first written entry an 'aileron / elevator test' on a 29 Squadron Blenheim, and records all of his subsequent flights up to the 'air test' of a P-38 Lightning on 16 September 1944. Three days later, on 19 September, Gibson was killed piloting a Mosquito over Holland. For Dambuster enthusiasts, however, the most important entries are those leading up to and including the mission that took place on the 16 / 17 May 1943 - the night he led the Lancasters of 617 Squadron on Operation Chastise, the legendary raid for which his leadership and conspicuous bravery led to the award of the Victoria Cross.

To remember this extraordinary warplane and in tribute to the men who flew Mosquitos in World War II, Richard Taylor has created his moving painting, Long Night Ahead. Featuring Mosquito FB.VIs from 169 Squadron based at Great Massingham, Richard depicts them as they fly low over a poppy-strewn meadow in the lee of Ely Cathedral as they head towards a south coast airfield in preparation for a night-fighter intruder operation shortly after D-Day in the summer of 1944.

Almost 80 years since the first elements of the U.S. Eighth Air Force arrived in England and to remember the courage and sacrifice made by the thousands of airmen who served with the 'Mighty Eighth', artist Anthony Saunders has painted a beautiful piece worthy of the occasion. Entitled 'Return to Ridgewell', Anthony has selected the iconic B-17s from the 381st Bomb Group to represent all who flew and fought with the Eighth Air Force. They are seen returning from a long and arduous mission to Munich on 11 July 1944 and completing a last gentle turn low over the peaceful banks of the River Stour, they prepare to land at their home base nearby at Ridgewell. In the foreground is 'Rotherhithe's Revenge', a B-17G from the 533rd Bomb Squadron that survived the war after completing a total of 122 combat missions.

128 page hardback book in its own embossed slipcase...

THE MIGHTY EIGHTH
The heroics of the airmen who served in the U.S. 8th Air Force and fought in the embattled skies of Europe during WWII are legendary. This new book provides a unique glimpse into the lives of some of the men and machines that fought in that bitter, often titanic struggle, together with some of the extraordinary missions they flew, painstakingly researched with the assistance of leading historians.

Each copy of THE MIGHTY EIGHTH in these special editions is individually numbered and supplied in its own embossed slipcase.

Limited Edition veteran-signed print...

BACK FROM BERLIN
Exclusively commissioned for the occasion, Anthony has portrayed a group of B-17 Flying Fortresses as they make landfall over England following the Eighth Air Force's first daylight raid to Berlin carried out on 4 March 1944.

Whilst the rest of the force had been recalled due to bad weather, two squadrons from the 95th BG, one from the 100th BG and a pathfinder from the 482nd BG pressed on towards Berlin. With their P-51 Mustang escorts from the 4th FG and 357th FG, the small American force successfully released their bombs on target despite the large presence of Luftwaffe fighters over the German capital.

Schweinfurt - The Second Mission is one of Robert Taylor's most dramatic paintings. Depicting Colonel Budd Peaslee's B-17 Equipose, flown by Kemp Maclaughlin, as they lead the Fortresses of the 92nd Bomb Group high over Germany en-route to Schweinfurt and under constant attack from enemy fighters, it is the latest Giclee Proof on canvas issued to commemorate the heroism shown by the young men who flew with the Eighth Air Force on the Regensberg - Schweinfurt missions.

It takes an artist of international stature to convey those air battles of August 1943 as emotively as Robert Taylor does and Return from Schweinfurt, originally published as a signed limited edition in 1990, remains a 'timeless memorial to all those who flew that historic day'. The painting depicts a moment soon after one of the few positive air battles fought that day as high above the battle-scarred B-17s of the 91st and 381st Bomb Groups fighting their way back home, con-trails reveal the P-47s of Hub Zemke's 56th Fighter Group, now out of ammunition after destroying 17 Luftwaffe fighters over Holland and Belgium. In their place Johnnie Johnson's Canadian Spitfire Wing takes up the fight.

To win the Guild of Aviation Artists' prestigious "Aviation Painting of the Year" is no easy task. The award, sponsored by BAE Systems plc - one of the largest defence and aerospace companies in the world - involves the very best aviation paintings submitted to the Guild's Annual Exhibition, judged by an independent panel of experts. Winning the award is a monumental task, but in 2016 that is exactly what Keith did with this masterpiece, CO-OPERATION.

Using his superb technical ability to craft this dramatic and inspirational scene, it's clear why this award-winning picture is held in such high regard. The title CO-OPERATION says it all - the close bond that existed between the Royal Air Force and the United States Eighth Air Force throughout World War II visibly expressed by Keith's heartfelt image. RAF medics are quickly on hand to help the crew of a badly-damaged Eighth Air Force B-17G Flying Fortress that has made a forced landing on an RAF airfield. With badly wounded crewmen on board unable to bale out, the American bomber's Captain has had no choice but to struggle back to England and put down on the first airfield he could find. It doesn't matter that this is an RAF station - as the closest of allies, everyone is in this together.

Keith's ability to capture the power and drama of a scene never fails to win the imagination and this dramatic piece is no exception. The artist's award-winning talent takes us to the sandy bluffs overlooking Omaha Beach shortly after D-Day. The foreshore that only days before had witnessed chaos and bloody carnage, is now abuzz with action as American armored forces disembark from their beached Tank Landing Ships and head inland to support colleagues heavily engaged in bitter fighting to dislodge German units in northern Normandy.

With these words the British Prime Minister reminded the House of Commons of the heroic role undertaken by the young men of RAF Bomber Command during World War II as they set out across the North Sea to wreak havoc upon the enemy. And the cost they bore - for the odds of a safe return were, at best, marginal.

One aircraft above all came to symbolise the valiant deeds that these young men undertook - the mighty Avro Lancaster. Introduced in early 1942, it quickly became the backbone of Bomber Command and it wasn't long before a score of airfields across the east of England reverberated to the sound of its four mighty Merlin engines.

Almost Home recreates a scene that was familiar to anyone in Bomber Command. A lone 9 Squadron Lancaster, separated from the main force during a punishing mission to Germany in late 1944, returns to safety. The weary crew are no doubt relieved to see familiar fields beneath them as they approach their base at RAF Bardney. 9 Squadron had received their Lancasters in September 1942 and became a leading unit within Bomber Command. Working on operations alongside 617 Squadron, they specialised in dropping Barnes Wallis's famous 12,000lb 'Tallboy' bombs, including the successful mission to sink the German battleship Tirpitz.

This previously unreleased work was commissioned by a crew member of the featured Lancaster in 1984, the decade that saw artist Robert Taylor shoot to international renown as the world's most widely collected aviation artist. A timeless and poignant classic, Almost Home has been selected from the Military Gallery Archives to commemorate the Centenary of the Royal Air Force. The world's oldest independent air force, the RAF was formed towards the end of WWI on 1 April 1918, when the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service merged to create what was then the largest air force in the world. Since then the RAF has played a significant role in British military history.

Ace: a fighter pilot who has shot down five or more enemy aircraft in combat.

Helmut Wick is the subject of Robert Taylor's brilliantly composed Crack Ace, the latest release in his increasingly collectible series of Masterwork drawings. With his unrivalled skill using his striking graphite and paint combination, Robert portrays the top Ace shortly after his appointment as Geschwaderkommodore of JG2 'Richthofen', describing the outcome of a recent duel with a Spitfire to his fellow officers.

MRAF Sir Arthur Harris

As part of the Military Gallery's commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain, Robert Taylor has created a stunning new drawing. Brimming with realism, the world's premier aviation artist captures the very essence of an airfield during the height of the battle.

As part of the Military Gallery's commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain, Robert Taylor has created a stunning new drawing. Brimming with realism, the world's premier aviation artist captures the very essence of an airfield during the height of the battle.

Following the outbreak of war Hurricanes fought with distinction in the Battle of France. During the Battle of Britain it was responsible for shooting down more enemy aircraft than its famous counterpart, the Spitfire and from the beginning of July until the end of October 1940, four-fifths of all enemy aircraft destroyed fell victim to the guns of a Hurricane. This hugely versatile aircraft fought throughout the whole of WWII including northern Europe and the Mediterranean to North Africa and the Far East.

Following the outbreak of war Hurricanes fought with distinction in the Battle of France. During the Battle of Britain it was responsible for shooting down more enemy aircraft than its famous counterpart, the Spitfire and from the beginning of July until the end of October 1940, four-fifths of all enemy aircraft destroyed fell victim to the guns of a Hurricane. This hugely versatile aircraft fought throughout the whole of WWII including northern Europe and the Mediterranean to North Africa and the Far East.