Cranston Military Prints .com Home Page
Customer Helpline (UK) : 01436 820269
Subscribe to our Newsletter!

You currently have no items in your basket

Payment Options Display
Buy with confidence and security!
Publishing historical art since 1985


Navigation Menus
Military
Art Index
Aviation
Art Index
Naval
Art Index
Artists
Index
Product Search         
Aviation
History Archive
Naval
History Archive
HALF PRICE AND FREE PRINT SPECIAL OFFERS
ALWAYS GREAT OFFERS :
20% FURTHER PRICE REDUCTIONS ON HUNDREDS OF LIMITED EDITION ART PRINTS
BUY ONE GET ONE HALF PRICE ON THOUSANDS OF PAINTINGS AND PRINTS
FOR MORE OFFERS SIGN UP TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Closing the Gap by Robert Taylor. (AP) - Cranston Military Prints

Closing the Gap by Robert Taylor. (AP)


Closing the Gap by Robert Taylor. (AP)

As Typhoon Mk1b fighter-bombers of 247 Squadron exit the target area near Falaise at full throttle, the havoc wreaked in their wake bears witness to the devastation of their powerful rockets. Fuel and ammunition from the retreating German column explode with shattering detonations, the savagery of the attack demoralising the enemy into stunned oblivion. The Typhoons will hurtle back to base to re-arm and hastily re-fuel, ready for yet another withering strike on the encircled Wehrmacht columns. This stunning rendition from the the worlds premier aviation artist pays tribute to the brave young RAF fighter pilots of the twenty squadrons of rocket-firing Hawker Typhoons who flew those perilous ground attacks during the Battle of Normandy.
Item Code : DHM2711APClosing the Gap by Robert Taylor. (AP) - Editions Available
DESCRIPTIONSIZESIGNATURESOFFERSPRICEPURCHASINGPACKS
Typhoon edition of 25 artist proofs. Paper size 35 inches x 25 inches (89cm x 64cm) Image size 28.5 inches x 17 inches (72cm x 43cm)
Wheeler, Frank
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE

Died : 2013
Flying Officer Frank Wheeler DFC (deceased)
Frank Wheeler joined the RAF in 1941, training in England as a pilot after which he completed a period of instructing. In January 1944 he was posted to join 174 Typhoon Fighter Squadron at Westhampnett, his first operation being as an escort to the Mosquitos taking part in Operation Jericho, the Amiens Jailbreak. He stayed with 174 Squadron for the remainder of the War, serving throughout occupied Europe, and in 1945, at the end of his tour of operations, he was awarded the DFC. We have learn
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Stapleton, Basil

Died : 2010
Squadron Leader Basil Stapleton DFC (deceased)
Born in South Africa, Basil Gerald Stapleton joined the RAF in Jan 1939, being posted to 603 Sqn flying Spitfires. He first saw action off Scotland, sharing in the destruction of two bombers, before the Squadron was posted south to Hornchurch during the height of the Battle of Britain. By Nov 1940 his tally had risen to 6 and 2 shared victories and 8 probables. In March 1942 he was posted to 257 Sqn as flight commander. In August 1944 he commanded 247 Sqn flying Typhoons, taking part in the
Signature Value : £65
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Oram, Douglas
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE

Warrant Officer Douglas Oram
Doug Oram joined the RAF in 1942 and went out to America to train as a pilot. In 1944 he joined 174 Typhoon Fighter Squadron at Westhampnett, and spent a year on operations serving throughout occupied Europe. In 1945 he became a Flying Instructor and left the RAF in 1946. However he rejoined in 1947 and stayed in the service until retirement in 1967.
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Townsend, Rusty
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE
Pilot Officer Rusty Townsend
Australian Rusty Townsend joined the RAF in 1941, trained in the USA, before returning to join 175 Squadron on rocket firing Typhoons at Warmwell. Being in the thick of the action over France against retreating German Forces, he was shot down and taken prisoner of war.
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Lewis, C D Kit North

Died : 2008
Air Commodore Christopher Davis Kit North Lewis DSO DFC (deceased)
After joining the Army in 1939, Kit North Lewis transferred to the RAF in 1940. In Aug 1941, after pilot training, he was posted to 13 Squadron, flying Blenheims, where he took part in the first 1000 bomber raids. After a spell with 26 Squadron, flying P-51 Mustangs, in Feb 1944 he joined 182 Squadron on Typhoons, as a Flight Commander. A few months later he was posted to command 181 Squadron. He led this squadron into France where it became part of 124 Typhoon Wing. In Aug 1944 he was prom
Signature Value : £60
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Kneen, Kenneth
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE

Flying Officer Kenneth Junior Kneen
Training overseas, on arriving back in the UK Ken was posted to Holland joining 175 Squadron flying Typhoons. The squadron at the time being heavily engaged in low level bombing strikes against rail and armoured targets along the Dutch German border region. He remained with the squadron until the end of the war, then joined the RAFVR.
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Atkinson, John
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE
Flight Lieutenant Sir John Atkinson KCB DFC
John Atkinson joined the RAF from Oxford University in 1938 and completed his pilot training in England. His first operational posting was in 1940 to 234 Squadron at St Eval, Cornwall, flying Spitfires, before moving on to 609 Squadron at Warwell, Dorchester. In 1942 he converted to Typhoons with 609 Squadron at Duxford, and from there to Biggin Hill and Manston, launching fighter operations over France. When his tour of operations ended in 1943 he was awarded the DFC and went on to become a
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Beake, Percival H
Died : 2016
Squadron Leader Percival H. Beake DFC (deceased)
Joining the RAFVR in April 1939, Percival Beake was mobilised at the outbreak of war. Posted to 64 Squadron on Spitfires in the summer of 1940 at the height of the Battle of Britain, he flew with them until June 1941 when he was posted first to 92 Squadron at Biggin Hill, and then 601 Squadron at Duxford. After a spell instructing he returned for his second tour in December 1942, joining 193 Squadron as a Flight Commander. In May 1944 he took command of 164 Squadron at Thorney Island flying T
Signature Value : £50
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Hodges, Jack
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE

Warrant Officer Jack Hodges DFC
Jack Hodges joined the RAF in late 1940, and after completing his pilot training in Canada he returned to England and was then briefly sent to a Photo Reconnaissance Unit flying Spitfires. He moved to a OTU in Annan, Scotland on Hurricanes before finally moving to a holding unit in Redhill, flying Typhoons. In 1944 he was posted to join 175 Squadron. Shortly after this he moved to 174 Squadron at Westhampnett. He served on operations throughout occupied Europe until the end of the war, being
Signature Value : £40
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Lincoln, John Abe
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE
Warrant Officer John Abe Lincoln
Born in 1923, Abe Lincoln joined the RAF in August 1942, spending two years training in India and Rhodesia. After training he was posted back to the UK, flying first Spitfires and then on Typhoons with 175 Squadron. The squadron was by then heavily involved with softening up targets with rockets ahead of the armies advance and close support duties at the front as the allies advanced through France into Germany. He remained with the squadron until the end of the war.
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

+ Artist : Robert Taylor


Signature(s) value alone : £485
SOLD
OUT
NOT
AVAILABLE


Some other related items available from this site.

 Wing Commander J R Baldwin is depicted flying Typhoon MN934 whilst commanding 146 Wing, 84 Group operating from Needs Oar Point in 1944, en route to a bombing raid on 20th June with other Typhoons of 257 Sqn in which both ends of a railway tunnel full of German supplies were successfully sealed.

Typhoons Over Normandy by Ivan Berryman.
 Britain's highest scoring Typhoon ace, Wing Commander J R Baldwin climbs from the cockpit of his personalised Typhoon at a makeshift airfield in northern France after a sortie in support of the Allied forces' drive into mainland Europe following D-Day in June 1944.  Baldwin was instrumental in the capture of a German General's Mercedes, a prize which he employed as his personal transport for the duration of his time in France.

Wing Commander J R Baldwin - The Spoils of War by Ivan Berryman.
 Typhoons of 3 Squadron were in action during Operation ELLAMY in Libya in the Spring of 2011, helping to suppress the attacks on rebel forces by soldiers loyal to Colonel Gadaffi, working alongside RAF Tornadoes and other aircraft of the UN coalition.  The Typhoons carry the codes QO as an homage to 3 Sqn's Hawker Typhoons of WW2.

3 Squadron Typhoon, Operation ELLAMY, Libya 2011 by Ivan Berryman.
 As Typhoon Mk1b fighter-bombers of 247 Squadron exit the target area near Falaise at full throttle, the havoc wreaked in their wake bears witness to the devastation of their powerful rockets. Fuel and ammunition from the retreating German column explode with shattering detonations, the savagery of the attack demoralising the enemy into stunned oblivion. The Typhoons will hurtle back to base to re-arm and hastily re-fuel, ready for yet another withering strike on the encircled Wehrmacht columns. This stunning rendition from the the worlds premier aviation artist pays tribute to the brave young RAF fighter pilots of the twenty squadrons of rocket-firing Hawker Typhoons who flew those perilous ground attacks during the Battle of Normandy.

Closing the Gap by Robert Taylor.
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


Flying Officer Frank Wheeler DFC (deceased)
Died : 2013
*Signature Value : £45

Editions signed :

Typhoon edition of 25 artist proofs.


Wheeler, Frank
(Flying Officer Frank Wheeler DFC (deceased))

Frank Wheeler joined the RAF in 1941, training in England as a pilot after which he completed a period of instructing. In January 1944 he was posted to join 174 Typhoon Fighter Squadron at Westhampnett, his first operation being as an escort to the Mosquitos taking part in Operation Jericho, the Amiens Jailbreak. He stayed with 174 Squadron for the remainder of the War, serving throughout occupied Europe, and in 1945, at the end of his tour of operations, he was awarded the DFC. We have learned that Frank Wheeler sadly passed away in early 2013.




Squadron Leader Basil Stapleton DFC (deceased)
Died : 2010
*Signature Value : £65

Editions signed :

Typhoon edition of 25 artist proofs.


Stapleton, Basil
(Squadron Leader Basil Stapleton DFC (deceased))

Born in South Africa, Basil Gerald Stapleton joined the RAF in Jan 1939, being posted to 603 Sqn flying Spitfires. He first saw action off Scotland, sharing in the destruction of two bombers, before the Squadron was posted south to Hornchurch during the height of the Battle of Britain. By Nov 1940 his tally had risen to 6 and 2 shared victories and 8 probables. In March 1942 he was posted to 257 Sqn as flight commander. In August 1944 he commanded 247 Sqn flying Typhoons, taking part in the Arnhem operations. In December 1944, whilst attacking a train, debris hit his aircraft forcing him to land behind enemy lines where he was taken prisoner of war. Stapme Stapleton had scored 6 victories, plus 2 shared, 5 probable and 2 damaged. Sadly, we have learned that Basil Stapleton passed away on 13th April 2010.


Warrant Officer Douglas Oram
*Signature Value : £45

Editions signed :

Typhoon edition of 25 artist proofs.


Oram, Douglas
(Warrant Officer Douglas Oram)

Doug Oram joined the RAF in 1942 and went out to America to train as a pilot. In 1944 he joined 174 Typhoon Fighter Squadron at Westhampnett, and spent a year on operations serving throughout occupied Europe. In 1945 he became a Flying Instructor and left the RAF in 1946. However he rejoined in 1947 and stayed in the service until retirement in 1967.
Pilot Officer Rusty Townsend
*Signature Value : £45

Editions signed :

Typhoon edition of 25 artist proofs.


Townsend, Rusty
(Pilot Officer Rusty Townsend)

Australian Rusty Townsend joined the RAF in 1941, trained in the USA, before returning to join 175 Squadron on rocket firing Typhoons at Warmwell. Being in the thick of the action over France against retreating German Forces, he was shot down and taken prisoner of war.




Air Commodore Christopher Davis Kit North Lewis DSO DFC (deceased)
Died : 2008
*Signature Value : £60

Editions signed :

Typhoon edition of 25 artist proofs.


Lewis, C D Kit North
(Air Commodore Christopher Davis Kit North Lewis DSO DFC (deceased))

After joining the Army in 1939, Kit North Lewis transferred to the RAF in 1940. In Aug 1941, after pilot training, he was posted to 13 Squadron, flying Blenheims, where he took part in the first 1000 bomber raids. After a spell with 26 Squadron, flying P-51 Mustangs, in Feb 1944 he joined 182 Squadron on Typhoons, as a Flight Commander. A few months later he was posted to command 181 Squadron. He led this squadron into France where it became part of 124 Typhoon Wing. In Aug 1944 he was promoted Wing Leader 124 Wing, where he remained until the end of the war. He died on 25th March 2008. 'Unfortunately my active participation in the Falaise operations was limited as I had a mild form of dysentery from 8th to 14th and I was sent home for a weeks recuperation from 16th to 24th August. However, I was very much involved on the 7th in the German attack at Mortain. I was leading 181 Squadron on an armed reconnaissance when Charles Green who was then the Wing Leader of 121 Wing reported large German tank concentrations at Mortain. Although this was inside the bomb line I accepted his verification and I immediately diverted to Mortain. There we found German tanks strung out along the road. We claimed 10 flamers. I followed this up with two more sorties in which we claimed another 7. There was very little flak, the main danger being the number of allied aircraft around the honey pot. During the period 6th to 21st August the Wing lost 9 pilots killed including Group Captain Charles Appleton and 4 taken POW.'


Flying Officer Kenneth Junior Kneen
*Signature Value : £45

Editions signed :

Typhoon edition of 25 artist proofs.


Kneen, Kenneth
(Flying Officer Kenneth Junior Kneen)

Training overseas, on arriving back in the UK Ken was posted to Holland joining 175 Squadron flying Typhoons. The squadron at the time being heavily engaged in low level bombing strikes against rail and armoured targets along the Dutch German border region. He remained with the squadron until the end of the war, then joined the RAFVR.
Flight Lieutenant Sir John Atkinson KCB DFC
*Signature Value : £45

Editions signed :

Typhoon edition of 25 artist proofs.


Atkinson, John
(Flight Lieutenant Sir John Atkinson KCB DFC)

John Atkinson joined the RAF from Oxford University in 1938 and completed his pilot training in England. His first operational posting was in 1940 to 234 Squadron at St Eval, Cornwall, flying Spitfires, before moving on to 609 Squadron at Warwell, Dorchester. In 1942 he converted to Typhoons with 609 Squadron at Duxford, and from there to Biggin Hill and Manston, launching fighter operations over France. When his tour of operations ended in 1943 he was awarded the DFC and went on to become a Flying Instructor until the war was over. Released from the RAF in 1945, he went on to have a successful career in the civil service, and was knighted in 1979.


Squadron Leader Percival H. Beake DFC (deceased)
Died : 2016
*Signature Value : £50

Editions signed :

Typhoon edition of 25 artist proofs.


Beake, Percival H
(Squadron Leader Percival H. Beake DFC (deceased))

Joining the RAFVR in April 1939, Percival Beake was mobilised at the outbreak of war. Posted to 64 Squadron on Spitfires in the summer of 1940 at the height of the Battle of Britain, he flew with them until June 1941 when he was posted first to 92 Squadron at Biggin Hill, and then 601 Squadron at Duxford. After a spell instructing he returned for his second tour in December 1942, joining 193 Squadron as a Flight Commander. In May 1944 he took command of 164 Squadron at Thorney Island flying Typhoons, moving to France shortly after the Normandy Invasion. With two victories to his credit he was awarded the DFC in September 1944.

Starting with 6th August 1944 my log book records that a successful attack was carried out on an enemy strong point in a quarry and that on the following morning I flew home on a very rare 48 hour leave. For a few days after my return we had only one specific target - an enemy dump which we effectively bombarded with rockets on 11th August - so we were deployed on armed reconnaissances. After landing from one of these on 13th August my Wing Commander, Walter Dring, called me to his caravan and said - Beaky, you have just done your last op. You are not to fly again and that is an order, until returning to the UK. I am arranging for your relief as soon as possible. - I was absolutely stunned and my lasting memory of that period is not of carnage but of acute embarrassment at having been grounded. I just hated sending the squadron up without myself leading and remember making frequent calls to the met office hoping to get forecasts of filthy weather that would make operational flying impossible. In the event, my relief, Squadron Leader Ian Waddy, was shot down by flak within two or three days of taking over command, so maybe Wally Dring had some sort of premonition that prompted my grounding.
Percival Beake died on 25th June 2016.


Warrant Officer Jack Hodges DFC
*Signature Value : £40

Editions signed :

Typhoon edition of 25 artist proofs.


Hodges, Jack
(Warrant Officer Jack Hodges DFC)

Jack Hodges joined the RAF in late 1940, and after completing his pilot training in Canada he returned to England and was then briefly sent to a Photo Reconnaissance Unit flying Spitfires. He moved to a OTU in Annan, Scotland on Hurricanes before finally moving to a holding unit in Redhill, flying Typhoons. In 1944 he was posted to join 175 Squadron. Shortly after this he moved to 174 Squadron at Westhampnett. He served on operations throughout occupied Europe until the end of the war, being awarded the DFC in 1945 for successfully leading a group of Typhoons against a German Armoured Division.
Warrant Officer John Abe Lincoln
*Signature Value : £45

Editions signed :

Typhoon edition of 25 artist proofs.


Lincoln, John Abe
(Warrant Officer John Abe Lincoln)

Born in 1923, Abe Lincoln joined the RAF in August 1942, spending two years training in India and Rhodesia. After training he was posted back to the UK, flying first Spitfires and then on Typhoons with 175 Squadron. The squadron was by then heavily involved with softening up targets with rockets ahead of the armies advance and close support duties at the front as the allies advanced through France into Germany. He remained with the squadron until the end of the war.
Squadrons Related to This Print
No.247 Sqn
Aircraft Related to This Print

Contact Details
Shipping Info
Terms and Conditions
Cookie Policy
Privacy Policy

Sign Up To Our Newsletter!

Stay up to date with all our latest offers, deals and events as well as new releases and exclusive subscriber content!

This website is owned by Cranston Fine Arts.  Torwood House, Torwoodhill Road, Rhu, Helensburgh, Scotland, G848LE

Contact: Tel: (+44) (0) 1436 820269.  Email: cranstonorders -at- outlook.com

Return to Home Page