Description
Robert Taylor’s painting brings to light the renowned defiance of the U-boat crews. Caught on the surface by a PBY Catalina of the Fleet Air Wing based at Port Lyautey in French Morocco, the gun crews of a type VIIc U-Boat are quickly into action. The 3.7 cm anti-aircraft gun is hurriedly reloaded while on the upper platform the 2cm anti-aircraft twins take chunks out of the Catalina’s tail – enough damage to secure a respite from the attack. Soon they will dive to relative safety beneath the Atlantic swell.
To authenticate this unique edition the prints are personally autographed by submariners of the German Kreigsmarine, all of whom are holders of the Knight’s Cross.
THE FOUR SIGNATURE EDITIONS
Every print in each edition has been personally signed by four brave men who earned the Knights Cross serving in U-Boats during the second World War:
Kapitanleutnant KARL-AUGUST LANDFERMANN Knights Cross
Oberboostmannsmaat RUDOLF MUHLBAUER Knights Cross
Korveitenkapitan HELMUT WITTE Knights Cross
Kapitanleutnant HEINRICH SCHROETELER Knights Cross
THE SEVEN SIGNATURE EDITIONS
Print numbers 1-250 and Artist Proof numbers 1-25 are additionally signed by a further three U-Boat veterans who were all recipients of the Knights Cross:
Kapitanleutnant GERHARD BIELIG Knights Cross
Kapitanleutnant HEINZ FRANKE Knights Cross
Kapitanleutnant SIEGFRIED KOITSCHKA Knights Cross
THE PUBLISHER PROOFS
Just 50 Publisher Proofs were issued with matching numbered companion print, reproduced from Robert Taylor’s final working drawing for this painting. Each of these rare pencil companions is personally signed by two iconic U-Boat captains , including the third highest scoring U-Boat Ace in history, making a total of nine signatures in this two print set:
Fregattankapitan ERICH TOPP Knights Cross with Oak Leaves & Swords – WWII’s third most successful U-Boat ‘Ace’
Kapitanleutnant ROLF THOMSEN Knights Cross with Oak Leaves
Published in 1996 this unique edition is seldom available these days and this powerful image, combined with such outstanding original signatures make this the perfect collector’s item for WWII enthusiasts and autograph hunters alike.
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