'THE WHITE EAGLE' By Nicolas Trudgian - A Tribute to Gerhard Barkhorn
The 'Adler' Edition - Signed by 16 Knights Cross Holders
By the early months of 1943, the situation for the Germans on the Eastern Front was becoming desperate. Von Paulus' 6th Army at Stalingrad was doomed after a hastily conceived offensive to relieve them had failed to break through to the City. Instead, Field Marshal Erich Von Manstein was forced onto the defensive by a huge Soviet counter-attack that now threatened to destroy the whole German campaign in the Soviet Union. The savage winter weather made it all the more difficult for the Germans. In the air, the Luftwaffe found themselves flying in appalling conditions, and heavy snow blizzards and ice on airfields made operations treacherous. Luftwaffe Fighter Units were ordered to assist the hard=pressed German Army by flying ground-attack sorties, missions not really suited to their Me109 fighters. To enhance their firepower, extra gun-packs were fitted beneath the wings of the Messerschmitts and JG52 went in search of any enemy ground targets they could find. Many of the leading Luftwaffe aces were involved in this new tactic including one of the finest, Gerhard Barkhorn, who had flown with JG52 since the Battle of Britain.
In Nicolas Trudgian's atmospheric painting set in January 1943, the Me109G's of 4./JG52, led by Staffelkapitan Gerhard Barkhorn, have encountered Russian Il-2 ground attack aircraft intent on attacking any Panzers in the path of the advance. The Me109G's have pounced and dispersed the Russian attack while, below, elements of a badly outnumbered 6th Panzer Division, which include obsolete Panzer II's, engage T-34 tanks of the Red Army in an attempt to halt the Soviet offensive.
Already awarded the coveted Knights Cross, Barkhorn was awarded the Oak Leaves after scoring his 105th victory during this bitter winter struggle. He would later be appointed to lead II/JG52 and would be the first German pilot to reach 1000 sorties. In May 1944, Barkhorn was badly wounded and while convalescing, his rival, Erich Hartmann, surpassed him in the victory count. On his return to combat, Barkhorn flew missions with Hartmann over Hungary but was never able to regain his title as the highest scoring ace. As the war drew to a close, Gerhard Barkhorn left JG52 to join Adolf Galland's famout 'JV44', flying the renown Me262 jet fighter, rounding off a remarkable flying career.
His final score of 301 victories made him, after Erich Hartmann, the second-highest scoring ace in aviation history.
This example is one of the 'ADLER' Edition of only 235 Prints which have been Signed by Artist Nicolas Trudgian and no less than 16 Fighter Aces who hold the Knights Cross:-
Leutnant FRANZ-JOSEF BEERENBROCK - JG51 - Knights Cross with Oak Leaves (117 Victories)
Major HANS-EKKEHARD BOB - JG54 - Knights Cross (60 Victories)
Leutnant Hugo BROCH - JG54 - Knights Cross - (81 victories)
Oberleutnant Hugo DAHMER - JG5 - Knights Cross - (57 victories)
Oberst Adolf DICKFELD - JG52 - Knights Cross with Oak Leaves - (132 Victories)
Hauptmann WOLF-DIETER HUY - JG77 - Knights Cross with Oak Leaves - (40 victories)
MAJOR HEINZ LANGE - JG54 - Knights Cross - (70 victories)
Oberfeldwebel HEINZ MARQUARDT - JG51 - Knights Cross - (121 victories)
Leutnant HERMANN NEUHOFF - JG53 - Knights Cross - (40 victories)
Major GUNTHER RALL - JG52 - Knights Cross, Oak Leaves & Swords - (275 victories)
Leutnant EDMUND ROSSMANN - JG52 - Knights Cross - (93 victories)
Major ERICH RUDORFFER - JG54 - Knights Cross, Oak Leaves & Swords - (222 victories)
Oberleutnant WALTER SCHUCK - JG5 - Knights Cross with Oak Leaves - (206 Victories)
Hauptmann OTTO SCHULTZ - JG51 - Knights Cross - (73 victories)
Oberleutnant FRANZ WOIDICH - JG52 - Knights Cross - (110 victories)
Oberleutnant WALTER WOLFRUM - JG52 - Knights Cross - (137 victories)
These 16 Luftwaffe 'Aces' downed no fewer than 1834 aircraft between them!
The Print measures 34.5 x 25.5 Inches and comes with a detailed Certificate of Authenticity.
