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Enemy Coast Ahead - The Dambusters by Philip West. - Cranston Military Prints

Enemy Coast Ahead - The Dambusters by Philip West.


Enemy Coast Ahead - The Dambusters by Philip West.

Lancasters of 617 Squadron, led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson begin their low level cross channel dash towards the enemy coast on the way to the heart of the Ruhr. The aircraft were arranged in three waves. The first wave comprised three groups of three aircraft at 10 minute intervals and headed towards the Mohne, Sorpe and Eder dams. The second wave of five Lancasters headed direct to the Sorpe whilst the third wave of five, would act as backup. Eight Lancasters failed to return from the raids, a high cost indeed, but the courage and determination displayed by the crews were in the best tradition of the RAF.
Item Code : DHM2643DEnemy Coast Ahead - The Dambusters by Philip West. - Editions AvailableExtra....

A photograph of an edition of the print :

DESCRIPTIONSIZESIGNATURESOFFERSPRICEPURCHASINGPACKS
Signed limited edition of 125 prints. (Last 2 remaining of this sold out edition.) Paper size 28 inches x 19 inches (71cm x 48cm)

Extras....


George Johnson signing this edition.


Johnson, George L

Died : 2022
Squadron Leader George L. Johnson DFM (deceased)
Joining the RAF in 1940, George Johnson served with 97 Squadron before joining 617 Squadron. Bomb aimer on American Joe McCarthys Lancaster AJ-T, they attacked the Sorpe Dam, for which he was awarded the DFM. Commissioned a few months later, George retired from the RAF in 1962. The last surviving Dambuster, he died aged 101 on 7th December 2022.
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
+ Artist : Philip West

Signature(s) value alone : £45		£60 Off!
Add any two items on this offer to your basket, and the lower priced item will be half price in the checkout!		Now : £195.00

Quantity:
In 2 Pairs
and 1 Pack
View
Limited edition of 50 artist proofs. Paper size 28 inches x 19 inches (71cm x 48cm)

Extras....


George Johnson signing this edition.


Ray Grayston signing this edition.


Johnson, George L

Died : 2022
Squadron Leader George L. Johnson DFM (deceased)
Joining the RAF in 1940, George Johnson served with 97 Squadron before joining 617 Squadron. Bomb aimer on American Joe McCarthys Lancaster AJ-T, they attacked the Sorpe Dam, for which he was awarded the DFM. Commissioned a few months later, George retired from the RAF in 1962. The last surviving Dambuster, he died aged 101 on 7th December 2022.
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Grayston, Raymond E

Died : 2010
Sergeant Raymond E. Grayston (deceased)
Ray Grayston had been serving in 50 Squadron when he was posted to 617 Squadron in March 1943. The flight engineer of Les Knights Lancaster AJ-N, they attacked and successfully breached the Eder Dam, Ray was shot down on 16th September 1943, and was taken to Stalag Luft III as a POW. Sadly, we have learned that Ray Grayston passed away on 15th April 2010.
Signature Value : £65
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
+ Artist : Philip West

Signature(s) value alone : £110		SOLD
OUT		NOT
AVAILABLE
Small limited edition of 75 artist proofs. Paper size 19 inches x 13 inches (48cm x 33cm)
Johnson, George L

Died : 2022
Squadron Leader George L. Johnson DFM (deceased)
Joining the RAF in 1940, George Johnson served with 97 Squadron before joining 617 Squadron. Bomb aimer on American Joe McCarthys Lancaster AJ-T, they attacked the Sorpe Dam, for which he was awarded the DFM. Commissioned a few months later, George retired from the RAF in 1962. The last surviving Dambuster, he died aged 101 on 7th December 2022.
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Grayston, Raymond E

Died : 2010
Sergeant Raymond E. Grayston (deceased)
Ray Grayston had been serving in 50 Squadron when he was posted to 617 Squadron in March 1943. The flight engineer of Les Knights Lancaster AJ-N, they attacked and successfully breached the Eder Dam, Ray was shot down on 16th September 1943, and was taken to Stalag Luft III as a POW. Sadly, we have learned that Ray Grayston passed away on 15th April 2010.
Signature Value : £65
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
+ Artist : Philip West

Signature(s) value alone : £110		£10 Off!Now : £150.00

Quantity:
Small signed limited edition of 750 prints. Paper size 19 inches x 13 inches (48cm x 33cm)
Johnson, George L

Died : 2022
Squadron Leader George L. Johnson DFM (deceased)
Joining the RAF in 1940, George Johnson served with 97 Squadron before joining 617 Squadron. Bomb aimer on American Joe McCarthys Lancaster AJ-T, they attacked the Sorpe Dam, for which he was awarded the DFM. Commissioned a few months later, George retired from the RAF in 1962. The last surviving Dambuster, he died aged 101 on 7th December 2022.
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
+ Artist : Philip West

Signature(s) value alone : £45		£10 Off!Now : £110.00

Quantity:


Some other related items available from this site.

During the years of the German occupation of Holland in World War II, more than 20,000 Dutch civilians perished through starvation and lack of basic provisions. Operation Manna was set in motion on Sunday, 29th April 1945 when Lancasters of the Royal Air Force began the first of 2,835 sorties, dropping 6,672 tons of food, to relieve the crisis in the Netherlands. These humanitarian missions continued until 8th May, saving many thousands of civilians from certain death by starvation and malnutrition. Here, Lancaster 4K765, LS-Z of 15 Sqn piloted by Flying Officer Jack Darlow, releases its precious cargo over a sports field north of The Hague. Also in the crew was Alistair Lamb the Rear Gunner.

Operation Manna by Ivan Berryman. 		Lancasters of 617 Sqn <i>Dambusters</i> get airborne from their Scampton base at the start of their journey to the Ruhr Valley on the night of 16th May 1943 under the codename <i>Operation Chastise</i>. These are aircraft of the First Wave, led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson, the Second Wave having already departed some ten minutes earlier to negotiate a more northerly route to their targets. On this momentous night, both the Möhne and Eder dams were successfully breached, whilst the Sorpe was also hit, but without serious damage. Of the nineteen aircraft that took part in the mission, eleven returned safely.

The Dambusters by Ivan Berryman.

Moonlit Lancaster by Gerald Coulson.		Up to 1942 Bomber Command operations were beset by many problems. The means they had to accurately pinpoint the target and assault it were totally lacking, in fact their Commander in Chief, Air Marshall Arthur Harris later wrote : It was glaringly obvious that the average crew in average weather could not find their way to the target. Between February and August 1942 an effort was made to rectify this through the development of a specialised target finding and target marking force, which became known as the Pathfinders. Activated on August 15 this new group was formed under the leadership of their AOC Air Commodore Don Bennett, himself a very experienced pre war pilot with exceptional navigational skills. The aircrews of No. 8 (PFF) Group were tasked with marking out the designated targets but the formation of this group was initially opposed by Harris. He felt that the ranks of his Main Force could be weakened if a high number of experienced and highly skilled crews were taken by this specialist unit, leading to a lessening of skills within the other bomber groups. He agreed however for an alternative scheme whereby complete units were assigned to the Pathfinder Force and the stage was then set for what was to become the Main Offensive of Bomber Command. The first four Squadrons - Nos. 7 (Stirlings) 35 (Halifax) 83 (Lancaster) and 156 (Wellingtons) - were based at a clutch of airfields between Cambridge and Huntingdon. In the absence of any specialist Target Markers the crews were initially forced to operate using standard flares and the early raids produced variable results, with cloud cover often proving the main obstacle in accurate marking. However during the winter of 1942 the introduction of the ground guided marking system, OBOE, marked a quantum leap in accurate target marking and by mid 1943 Pathfinder techniques had been developed for all forms of weather conditions, including nights when complete overcast existed.Pathfinder crews used a combination of personal skill and technical equipment such as H2S to locate their targets. Often flying against overwhelming odds and in appalling conditions they transformed the performance of a bomber force that in 1941 was dropping almost half its bombs on open countryside. This third and final painting in Gerald Coulsons Tribute to Bomber Command depicts Lancaster Bombers of No.8 (PFF) Group returning late after a gruelling operation over Berlin. It is Christmas 1943 and the winter landscape reflects the early morning sunrise as the weary crews approach the safety of their Cambridgeshire base.

Winter Ops by Gerald Coulson
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.
NameInfo




Squadron Leader George L. Johnson DFM (deceased)
Died : 2022
*Signature Value : £45

Editions signed :

Signed limited edition of 125 prints. (Last 2 remaining of this sold out edition.)
Limited edition of 50 artist proofs.
Small limited edition of 75 artist proofs.
Small signed limited edition of 750 prints.


Johnson, George L
(Squadron Leader George L. Johnson DFM (deceased))

Joining the RAF in 1940, George Johnson served with 97 Squadron before joining 617 Squadron. Bomb aimer on American Joe McCarthys Lancaster AJ-T, they attacked the Sorpe Dam, for which he was awarded the DFM. Commissioned a few months later, George retired from the RAF in 1962. The last surviving Dambuster, he died aged 101 on 7th December 2022.




Sergeant Raymond E. Grayston (deceased)
Died : 2010
*Signature Value : £65

Editions signed :

Limited edition of 50 artist proofs.
Small limited edition of 75 artist proofs.


Grayston, Raymond E
(Sergeant Raymond E. Grayston (deceased))

Ray Grayston had been serving in 50 Squadron when he was posted to 617 Squadron in March 1943. The flight engineer of Les Knights Lancaster AJ-N, they attacked and successfully breached the Eder Dam, Ray was shot down on 16th September 1943, and was taken to Stalag Luft III as a POW. Sadly, we have learned that Ray Grayston passed away on 15th April 2010.
Squadrons Related to This Print
No.617 Sqn
Aircraft Related to This Print
Lancaster

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