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Some other related items available from this site. | ||||
  Clipped Signature - Arthur Leigh. |   The Hard Way Home by Robert Taylor. |   In Them We Trust by Ivan Berryman. |   Escorting Blenheims to Le Trait, Spitfire W3455 of No.610 Sqn by Ivan Berryman | |
| Signatures on these products | |
| *The value given for each signature has been calculated by us based on the historical significance and rarity of the signature and is for the unmatted version where available. Values of many pilot signatures have risen in recent years and will likely continue to rise as they become more and more rare. | |
| Name | Info |
  Flight Lieutenant Alexander N R L Appleford (deceased) Died : 2012 *Signature Value : £40 Editions signed : Limited edition of 50 artist proofs. RAF signature edition of 50 prints (Nos 1 to 50) from the signed limited edition of 1150 prints. | Appleford, Alexander N R L (Flight Lieutenant Alexander N R L Appleford (deceased)) Born in September 1921, Robin Appleford was one of the youngest pilots to take part in the Battle of Britain. He joined 66 Squadron at Duxford on 13th May 1940, flying Spitfires. He was shot down over the Thames Estuary during a dogfight on 4th September 1940, but baled out slightly wounded. After a spell as an instructor, in 1943 he flew another combat tour, this time with 274 Squadron, flying Hurricanes on coastal defence in North Africa. After a spell with the Aircraft Delivery Unit, he went to South Africa as a flying instructor. Sadly, we have learned that Alexander Appleford passed away on 17th April 2012. |
  Group Captain Byron Duckenfield AFC (deceased) Died : 2010 *Signature Value : £50 Editions signed : Limited edition of 50 artist proofs. RAF signature edition of 50 prints (Nos 1 to 50) from the signed limited edition of 1150 prints. Taussig / Duckenfield signature edition of 300 prints from the signed limited edition of 1150 prints. | Duckenfield, Byron (Group Captain Byron Duckenfield AFC (deceased)) Byron Duckenfield started at Flying Training School on 25th November 1935 in a Blackburn B2 at Brough. As a Sergeant, he joined No.32 Sqn at Biggin Hill on 8th August 1936 and flew Gauntlets and Hurricanes. He joined 74 Squadron at Hornchurch on 11th April 1940, flying Spitfires, and on 5th May was posted to 501 Squadron flying Hurricanes at Tangmere. On the 11th of May at Betheniville, he survived a crash in a passenger transport Bombay aircraft in an aircraft in which he was a passenger, While comin ginto land the aircraft at 200 feet the aircraft stalled and the aircrfat fell backwards just levelly out as it histhe ground. 5 of th epassengers were killed when the centre section collapsed and crushed them. Duckenfield was fortunate as he had moved position during the flight. as the two passengers sitting each side of where he was sitting had died in the crash. (it was found later that the Bombay had beeb loaded with to much weight in the aft sectiion. ) recovering in hospital in Roehampton. On 23rd July 1940, he rejoined No.501 Sqn at Middle Wallop, then moved to to Gravesend two days later, scoring his first victory, a Ju87, on the 29th of July 1940. During August and September he scored three more victories. After a spell as a test pilot from 14th September 1940, he was posted to command 66 Squadron on 20th December 1941, flying Spitfires. On 26th February 1942 he took command of 615 Squadron flying Hurricanes from Fairwood Common, taking the squadron to the Far East. In late December 1942 he was shot down in Burma and captured by the Japanese. He remained a POW until release in May 1945. After a refresher course at the Flying Training School in November 1949, he took command of No.19 Squadron flying Hornets and Meteors from Chruch Fenton. After a series of staff positions, he retired from the RAF as a Group Captain on 28th May 1969. Duckenfield would write later his details : Burma At first light, 12 Hurricanes IIC aircraft of 615 Squadron, myself in the lead, took off from Chittagong for central Burma to attack the Japanese air base at Magwe, 300 miles away on the banks of the River Irrawaddy. Arriving at Yenangyaung, we turned downstream at minimum height for Magwe, 30 miles to the South and jettisoned drop tanks. Just before sighting the enemy base, the squadron climbed to 1200 feet and positioned to attack from up sun. On the ramp at the base, in front of the hangers, were 10 or 12 Nakajima KI - 43 Oscars in a rough line up (not dispersed) perhaps readying for take. These aircraft and the hangars behind them were attacked in a single pass, before withdrawing westward at low level and maximum speed. A few minutes later perhaps 20 miles away form Magwe, I was following the line of a cheung (small creek), height about 250 feet, speed aboput 280 mph, when the aircraft gave a violent shudder, accompanied by a very lound, unusual noise. The cause was instantly apparent: the airscrew has disappeared completely, leaving only the spinning hub. My immediate reaction was to throttle back fully and switch off to stop the violently overspeeding engine. Further action was obvious: I was committed to staying with the aircraft because, with a high initial speed, not enough height to eject could be gained without the help of an airscrew. So I jettisoned the canopy and acknowledged gratefully the fact that I was following a creek; the banks of either side were hillocky ground, hostile to a forced landing aircraft. Flying the course of the creek, I soon found the aircraft to be near the stall (luckily, a lower than normal figure without an airscrew) extended the flaps and touched down wheels-up with minimum impact ( I have done worse landings on a smooth runway!) My luck was holding, if one can talk of luck in such a situation. December is the height of the dry season in that area and the creek had little water, it was shallow and narrow at the point where I came down: shallow enough to support the fusalage and narrow enough to support wing tips. So I released the harness, pushed the IFF Destruct switch, climed out and walked the wing ashore, dryshod. The question may occur -Why did not others in the squadron see their leader go down? - the answer is simple, the usual tatctic of withdrawal from an enemy target was to fly single at high speed and low level on parallel courses until a safe distance from target was attained. Then, the formation would climb to re-assemble. Having left the aircraft, I now faced a formidable escape problem? I was 300 miles from friendly territory: my desired route would be westward but 80% of that 300 miles was covered by steep north-south ridges impenetrably clothed in virgin jungle; these were natural impediments, there was also the enemy to consider. Having thought over my predicament, I decided the best I could do - having heard reports of mean herted plainspeope - was to get as far into the hills as possible and then find a (hopefully sympathetic) village. I suppose I may have covered about 15 miles by nightfall when I came upon this small hill village and walked into the village square. Nobody seemed surprised to see me (I suspect I had been followed for some time) I wa given a quiet welcome, seated at a table in the open and given food. Then exhaustion took over, I fell asleep in the chair and woke later to find myself tied up in it. Next day I was handed over to a Japanese sergeant and escort who took me back to Magwe and, soon after that, 2.5 years captivity in Rangoon jail. Sadly we have learned that Byron Duckenfield passed away on 19th November 2010. |
  Wing Commander John Freeborn DFC* (deceased) Died : 2010 *Signature Value : £70 Editions signed : Limited edition of 50 artist proofs. RAF signature edition of 50 prints (Nos 1 to 50) from the signed limited edition of 1150 prints. | Freeborn, John (Wing Commander John Freeborn DFC* (deceased)) Wing Commnader John. C. Freeborn was born on the 1st of December 1919 in Middleton, Yorkshire. John left grammar school at 16 and joined the RAF in 1938, where he made 14 shillings a week and shot pheasant in his spare time. He later visited his classmates after flight school by landing his plane on a nearby cricket pitch. In March 1938 John Freeborn was commissioned in the RAFO, and on the 9th of April 1938 went to Montrose and joined 8 FTS, where he completed his training before going to 74 'Tiger' Squadron at Hornchurch on 29th October. He relinquished his RAFO commission on being granted a short service one in the RAF in January 1939. Johnie Freeborn flew Spitfires with 74 Squadron over Dunkirk, and claimed a probable Ju 88 on May 21st 1940. On the 22nd of May 1940 he destroyed a Junkers 88, and a probable Bf 109 on the 24th of May followed soon after on the 27th by a Bf 109 destroyed and another probably destroyed. On one occasion his Spitfire was badly damaged over Dunkirk and he crash-landed on the beach near Calais but managed to get a lift home in a returning aircraft. His squadron flew relentlessly during the Battle of Britain. In one eight-hour period, its pilots flew into combat four times, destroying 23 enemy aircraft (three by John Freeborn) and damaging 14 more. Five kills denoted an Ace and by the end of the Battle of Britain, John had seven to his credit and won the DFC. John claimed a Bf 109 destroyed on 10th July, shared a probable Dornier 17 on the 24th, shot down a Bf 109 on the 28th, destroyed two Bf 110s, a Bf 109 and probably another on 11th August, destroyed a Do 17 on the 13th, destroyed another on 11th September and damaged an He 111 on the 14th. Freeborn was made a Flight Commander on 28th August. He shared a Bf 109 on 17th November, shot down two Bf 109s, shared another and damaged a fourth on 5th December, and damaged a Dornier 17 on 5th February and 4th March 1941. John Freeborn had been with his squadron longer, and flown more hours, than any other Battle of Britain pilot and on the 25th of February 1941 John freeborn was awarded a Bar to the DFC. In January, 1942 John Freeborn was posted to Army Air Force Base in Selma, Alababma which was home to the South East Training Command in America. After two months as RAF liaison officer he went to Eglin Field, Florida where he helped in testing various aircraft, including the new fighters the Thunderbolt and P-51 Mustang. He returned to the UK in December 1942 and went to Harrowbear, Exeter, and then to Bolt Head as Station Commander. John Freeborn joined 602 Squadron in 1942, and commanded 118 Squadron in June 1943 at Coltishall, leading it until January 1944. In June 1944 he was promoted Wing Commander (the youngest Wing Commander in the RAF) of 286 Wing in Italy. John Freeborn scored 17 victories and left the Royal Air Force in 1946. Sadly, we have learned that John Freeborn passed away on 28th August 2010. John Freeborn was truly one of the great Fighter Pilots of world war two and his autograph is certainly a major additon to any signature collection, as he did not sign a great deal of art pieces. |
 Pilot Officer Norman Brown (deceased) Died : 2013 *Signature Value : £45 Editions signed : Brown RAF signature edition of 100 prints from the signed limited edition of 1150 prints. | Brown, Norman (Pilot Officer Norman Brown (deceased)) Norman McHardy Brown was born in Edinburgh on 27 July, 1919, and went to South Morningside Primary before George Heriot's School. He volunteered for the Royal Air Force Voluntary Reserve (RAFVR) as an airman u/t pilot (under training) a few days after his 20th birthday and was called up on 1st September, 1939 as war loomed. He was posted to 3 ITW (Initial Training Wings) in Hastings, moving in April 1940 to EFTS (Elementary Flying Training School) at RAF Burnaston near Derby. He was commissioned as Pilot Officer on 7 September, 1940 - with the service number 84958 - trained in Spitfires at 7 OTU (Operational Training Unit), RAF Hawarden, Chester, and was posted to 611 Squadron at RAF Digby, Lincolnshire, immediately engaging in the Battle of Britain. Norman Brown was one of 'The Few', those who took part in the Battle of Britain in the autumn of 1940 in the skies above England and the Channel. He was never shot down. On 12 October, 1940, Brown - nicknamed Sneezy by his comrades - was transferred to No.41 Squadron at Hornchurch and continued to hunt down German fighter planes. As the RAF gained the upper hand in the Battle of Britain, Brown's Spitfire was returning to Hornchurch on 1 November, 1940 when, in poor visibility, it overshot the RAF base and strayed into London's Barrage Balloon defence area. He struck a cable.The weather was still quite thick … my starboard wing struck a cable - not a pleasant discovery, he wrote many years later in a an article for the Scottish Saltire Branch of the Aircrew Association (ACA). My first instinct was to bale out, but I couldn't for two reasons; I was fully occupied holding the Spitfire straight as it tried to spin round the cable and secondly I could see I was over houses. If I had tried, I would almost certainly have killed myself. As it was I struggled hard with the controls and literally flew down the cable with the airspeed falling dramatically. Finally, the aircraft stalled and did what I can only describe as a violent flick roll. At this point the cable, I think, broke and tore away part of the wing, and I went into a steep dive. On trying to pull out, the Spit turned over on it's back at about 1,000ft and I thought all was over and I momentarily experienced the most unusual sense of complete tranquillity…He went on to describe how he spotted a small housing development site just beyond a railway line and decided to try and land there. He aimed to hit the fence to reduce the plane's speed, as the site was not very big and there were houses at the far end. I don't recall much about the impact except that it was very much more violent than a normal 'wheels up' forced landing, which I had previously experienced. I was very confused and found myself in almost complete darkness and realised that the Spit was upside down and there was only a little light through the windscreen as it was buried in soil through into which it had ploughed. He recalled the stench of petrol and thought he was about to be barbecued. The canopy had slammed shut but two men who had been working nearby came to his rescue. A hob-nailed boot smashed the canopy. I was never so pleased to see a hob-nailed boot and I was pulled out after I released my straps.Brown was believed to be the last survivor of No.41 Squadron, based at RAF Hornchurch, Essex, which lost 16 pilots in action during the three-month Battle of Britain but claimed more than 100 'kills' of enemy planes. In a separate article for the Scottish Saltire branch of the ACA, Brown wrote: The autumn of 1940, what memories! So very hectic, exhausting and frightening. The dangers, fears, excitement, the sadness and the fun, shared with some of the best people one could ever hope to meet. Waiting! Time is passed dozing, reading, listening to music or playing cards. The telephone rings: '41 Squadron scramble!' A dash for the dispersed Spits. Climbing at maximum rate, oxygen on at about 13,000ft, getting colder - probably about minus 30 degrees Centigrade … a gaggle of Messerschmitt Me109s dive on us out of the sun, their trails concealed by a drift of high cloud … gun button on to 'fire' … violent turns to meet the attack head on …chin pressed down on to chest and vision …darkening as G force increases … orange streaks of cannon fire pass too close … aircraft everywhere … a glimpse of an enemy fighter … a quick burst … more tight turns … a Spitfire dives past on fire and below, an Me109 with a Spitfire on its tail disintegrates … more evasive action, dive and tight turns and then level off. Back on base, we thankfully retire to the local hostelry for the odd pint … there is no mention of absentees. So ends another day. Having left the RAF in 1941, Brown returned to Scotland and forestry. As a result, he volunteered after the war to assist RAF 317 Squadron, on the ground in the western-controlled zone of Germany, in Operation Woodpecker, a reparations scheme to get badly-needed timber to the UK where wood had been rationed for civilians during the war in favour of the military effort. In 1947, the operation also provided timber and peat for heating to Germans civilians, who had survived the war only to face displacement and freezing temperatures. Norman Brown died in the Borders General Hospital in Melrose on the 17th December 2013 aged 94. |
  Lieutenant General Avi Baron Mike Donnet CVO DFC FRAeS (deceased) Died : 2013 *Signature Value : £45 Editions signed : Donnet signature edition of 100 prints (No.s 751 - 850) from the signed limited edition of 1150 prints. | Donnet, Mike (Lieutenant General Avi Baron Mike Donnet CVO DFC FRAeS (deceased)) One of Belgiums most distinguished fighter pilots, Mike Donnet led 350 (Belgian) Squadron Spitfires over the D-Day beaches just before dawn, as the invasion was going in. He returned to the beachhead during the day and then finally at sunset. In all he flew 30 sorties over the beaches during the Normandy campaign. Originally a member of the Belgian Air Force, Donnet was captured by the Germans in May 1940 but subsequently made a daring escape to England by air in July 1941. Flying with 69 Squadron he scored three victories before taking command of 350 Squadron. After Normandy Donnet was in action against the V1s and the retreating German ground forces, as well as providing air cover for the Arnhem operation. In October 1944 he took command of the Hawkinge Wing of Spitfires. He rose to high command in the postwar Belgian Air Force. Mike Donnett died on 31st July 2013. |
  Flying Officer Kurt Taussig (deceased) Died : 2019 *Signature Value : £45 Editions signed : Taussig / Duckenfield signature edition of 300 prints from the signed limited edition of 1150 prints. | Taussig, Kurt (Flying Officer Kurt Taussig (deceased)) Czech Kurt was sent, age 15, by his parents on the Kindertrnsport to England from Czechoslovakia in June 1939 to escape the Nazi persecution of the Jews. Determined to fight the Germans he joined the RAF at eighteen in late 1942, and after training was posted to the Middle East to join 225 Squadron flying Spitfires on photo-reconnaissance duties in Tunisia, the Sicily landings, and in Italy. He died on 19th September 2019. |
  Group Captain Billy Drake DSO DFC* (deceased) Died : 2011 *Signature Value : £55 Editions signed : Billy Drake Signature Edition of 100 prints (Nos 851 - 950) from the signed limited edition of 1150 prints. | Drake, Billy (Group Captain Billy Drake DSO DFC* (deceased)) Joined the R.A.F. in 1936. His first posting was to 1 squadron flying Furies then Hurricanes and first saw action over France in the Spring of 1940 and was awarded his first DFC by the end of the year. As a Squadron Leader he was sent to West Africa to command 128 Squadron. 1942 saw his commanding 112 squadron in North Africa, in July saw an immediate BAR to his DFC and in December an immediate DSO. Posted to Malta as Wing Commander he won a US DFC in 1943. Back in the UK he now was flying Typhoons in the lead up to D-Day. With Pete Brothers he was sent to the States to attend the US Staff School at Fort Leavenworth. After the war he continued in the R.A.F. serving in Japan, Malaya, Singapore, Switzerland and his final posting as Group Captain RAF Chivenor, Devon. Retired in July 1963. Going to Portugal where he ran a Bar and Restaurant and dealing in Real Estate. In his flying career he accounted for more than 24 enemy aircraft. Sadly, Billy Drake passed away on 28th August 2011. |
  Wing Commander Peter V Ayerst DFC (deceased) Died : 2014 *Signature Value : £45 Editions signed : Ayerst Signature edition of 100 prints from the signed limited edition of 1150 prints. | Ayerst, Peter V (Wing Commander Peter V Ayerst DFC (deceased)) Peter Ayerst joined the RAF in 1938, and was posted to 73 Squadron in August 1939, flying Hurricanes. He went to France with the squadron, scoring his first victory in April 1940. After a spell instructing, when he shared in the destruction of a He111 with two other instructors, he had postings with both 145 and 243 Squadrons. In July 1942 he went to 33 Squadron, before promotion to flight commander with 238 Squadron, both postings with further combat success. After a period in South Africa, he returned to the UK, joining 124 Squadron flying Spitfire MkVIIs in defence of the invasion ports, where he scored his final victory; then flew Spitfire MkIXs on bomber escorts to Germany. He later became a Spitfire test pilot at Castle Bromwich. Peter finished the war not only a brilliant fighter Ace, but also one of the most highly regarded wartime instructors in the RAF. His final victory tally stood at 5 destroyed, 1 probable, 3 damaged and 2 further destroyed on the ground. Peter Ayerst died on 15th May 2014. |
  Flight Lieutenant Richard L Jones (deceased) Died : 2012 *Signature Value : £45 Editions signed : Jones signature edition of 300 prints from the signed limited edition of 1150 prints. | Jones, Richard L (Flight Lieutenant Richard L Jones (deceased)) Richard Jones was born in 1918 and in July 1940 Richard Jones was posted to 64 Squadron at Kenley, flying Spitfires. He was involved in heavy fighting over the Channel during the Battle of Britain, with the squadron suffering many losses during July and August. Towards the end of the Battle of Britain, in October, he moved to 19 Squadron flying Spitfires from Fowlmere, and was heavily involved in the fighter sweeps taking place at that time. Near the end of the Battle of Britain, Pilot Officer Richard Jones was shot down during a dogfight over Kent with Me 109s. Jones crash landed his Spitfire in a field, colliding with a flock of sheep - he would go on to write in his log book 'Crashed into a load of sheep. What a bloody mess!' After the Battle of Britain, Richard Jones became a test pilot for De Havilland at Witney in Oxfordshire, and test flew thousands of Hawker Hurricanes and other types, including civil types. After the war Richard Jones joined the RAFVR and started a long career in the motor industry. Sadly Richard Jones passed away on 7th March 2012. |
| Squadrons Related to This Print |
| No.611 Sqn |
| Aircraft Related to This Print |
| Spitfire |
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Signature(s) value alone : £160
Signature(s) value alone : £45