Seventy years ago Europe was gripped by the deepening crisis with Nazi Germany and war seemed inevitable. With the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of hostilities occuring in September there will inevitably be an upsurge in the media, publishing and elsewhere of all things World War 2 related. 69 years ago the Battle of Britain was about to begin. Dreweatts in Godalming have this limited edition print for sale in their auction on 8 July (the actual battle started 2 days earlier)
Entitled, First Combat it's by Robert Taylor, and was published in an edition of 990 in 1985 showing Don Kingaby flying a 266 Squadron spitfire over the Spithead on his first combat on 12th. August 1940, during which he severely damaged a JU88. Kingaby, plus some seventy-five other Battle of Britain pilots sign the margin. Included are Johnnie Johnson; George Darley; `Ras` Berry; `Stapme` Stapleton; `Killy` Kilmartin; Tony Bartley; Geoffrey Page; Allan Wright; Brian Kingcombe; H. Bird-Wilson; Roland Beaumont; Ben Bennions et al. The print was damaged in a flood, when it was torn and creased, although the pencil signatures were mainly not affected. Professional conservation has been carried out including laying the print to card and the application of a surface gloss.
A price of £500-800 is estimated. Undamaged it would fetch a lot more.
