STORM CHASERS by Nicolas Trudgian - Multi-Signed RARE Triple Remarque Edition

STORM CHASERS By Nicolas Trudgian MULTI-SIGNED TRIPLE REMARQUE

Nick Trudgian pays tribute to one of the greatest fighter planes in history - the Fw190. Designed by Kurt Tank to be a more robust companion to the famed Messerschmitt Bf109, the Fw190 was the complete opposite of the 109's philosophy. The fighter was to be powered by an air-cooled radial engine, thus making it less vulnerable to combat damage. It had a wide-track landing gear ensuring that it could cope with heavier landings, a superb clear canopy that allowed the pilot excellent vision. The Fw190 was small, compact and very well armed - FOUR 20mm cannon made it lethal in combat against ALL allied aircraft. It also possessed the highest 'rate of roll' of any WW2 fighter, thus allowing it's pilots to perform rapid roll-overs and dives. When it entered service in 1941 on the Channel coast it quickly proved superior to the Spitfire V. 

The Fw190A served on all fronts during WW2 and many great 'Aces' preferred it to the Me109 - Nowotny and Kittel in the east, Rudorffer and Glunz in the West - all flew Kurt Tank's fighter with great success. Later versions were the match of any Allied fighter, the Fw190D-9 or 'Dora' and the final iteration - the Ta152H flown at wars end by JG301. Indeed, so sound was the design that it became the Luftwaffe's main 'ground-attack' aircraft after 1943 in the 'F & G' variants.

In a tribute to the Fw190, Nicolas Trudgian chose to portray the colourful Fw190A's of JG1 'scrambling' from a snow-covered Dortmund airfield on 10 February 1944. There is another inbound raid by the US 8th Air Force and the Luftwaffe are mounting a robust defence. As the Fw190A's of JG1 get away, below waiting to taxi out are Fw190A's of the newly formed 'Sturmstaffel 1' with their distinctive 'black & white' 'Defence of the Reich' bands. This small Unit is a dedicated 'anti-bomber' Test Unit that will pave the way for the creation of the later 'Sturmbocke' Units that will also be equipped with the Fw190. Despite the bad weather, the defenders will claim 29 bombers and 8 escort fighters shot down.

In a magnificent tribute to the Fw190 in WW2 this unique print has been Signed by the following TWELVE Luftwaffe veterans:-

MAJOR GUNTHER RALL - Knights Cross with Oak Leaves & Swords - JG52/JG300 - 275 Victories

Gunther Rall led JG300 during the last months of WW2 and flew the Fw190D-9

OBERST HAJO HERRMANN - Knights Cross with Oak Leaves & Swords - JG300 - 9 Victories

Led JG300 'Wilde Sau' or 'Wild Boar' Unit at night. He flew both the Fw190 and Me109

OBERFELDWEBEL WILLI RESCHKE - Knights Cross - JG301/JG302 - 27 Victories

Flew both the Fw190A and the very rare Ta152H

FELDWEBEL HUGO BROCH - Knights Cross - JG54 - 81 Victories

Flew the Fw190A on the Eastern Front

OBERLEUTNANT WALTER WOLFRUM - Knights Cross - JG52 - 137 Victories

FELDWEBEL HEINZ RADLAUER - JG51 - 15 Victories

Flew the Fw190D-9 in the last weeks of the war.

LEUTNANT ALFRED AMBS - JG7 - 8 Victories

Flew the Me262 jet fighter & claimed all of his victories in it.

UNTEROFFIZIER GUSTAV DREES - JG54 - 4 Victories

FELDWEBEL ERNST GIEFING - JG2/JG7 - 4 Victories

OBERLEUTNANT ERNST SCHEUFFLE - JG5 - 18 Victories

UNTEROFFIZIER GUNTHER KOLB - JG5

FAHNRICH MANFRED LEISEBEIN - JG52 - 5 Victories 

This Print is an EXTREMELY RARE TRIPLE REMARQUE FEATURING THE THREE MAIN VARIANTS OF THE Fw190 in WW2 - Fw190A/Fw190D-9 & Ta152H

The Print is in MINT condition and measures 36x24 Inches.