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Gathering Storm by Robert Taylor.
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Gathering Storm by Robert Taylor.
During the early part of 1943 the B-17s of the American Eighth Air Force were paying regular visits to the occupied ports on the west coast of France. It was here at Brest, St Nazaire and Lorient that the U-boats were serviced and made ready for their deadly trade in the Atlantic. The area was heavily defended by flak batteries, but it was the notorious fighter interceptors of JG-2 that the bomber crews feared most. Equipped with the outstanding and still comparatively new Fw190, the Luftwaffe pilots achieved startling successes against the still inexperienced USAAF units. As the Allied bomber offensive got properly underway in 1943 the Fw190 quickly established a fearsome reputation, and became the mainstay of the German defence. This beautifully proportioned, aesthetically appealing single seat fighter immediately displayed the hallmarks of a thoroughbred, and within six months of its operational debut in 1941 was causing consternation amongst the RAF fighter squadrons based in southern England. The Fw190 could outperform the Spitfire in every manoeuvre except the turn, and could even leave the new MkIX Spitfires standing in a half-roll and dive. It came close to perfection by the fighter aircraft standards of the day. The painting depicts a group of Fw190A-3 and Fw190A-4 fighters as they climb out over Theville to intercept an incoming armada of B-17 Fortresses en-route to bomb the submarine pens at Lorient. Pilots in their high visibility cockpits gun their massive BMW radial engines as they power upwards through the turbulent air. Within minutes drop tanks will be jettisoned and battle joined. Spoiling for a fight, they present the B-17s with an awesome reception committee.
Signed limited edition of 1250 prints. Paper size 33 inches x 25 inches (84cm x 64cm). Price £350.00 Signed by :
Captain Gunther Schack (deceased),
Major Fritz Losigkeit (deceased),
Leutnant Hugo Broch
and
Major Heinz Lange (deceased).
ITEM CODE RST0035
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Gathering Storm by Robert Taylor
- The Signatures
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 | Captain Gunther Schack (deceased)
Major Günther Schack was born in Bartenstein, a small town in Eastern Prussia, on 12 November 1917 as the son of Dr. Willy Schack and his wife, Dorothea (maiden name: Nietzki). He studied at the University of Stuttgart and at the Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule. In 1937, when he first tried to join the Luftwaffe, he was categorised as wehruntauglich (unsuited for military service) because of a sports injury earlier in his life.
Günther Schack resubmitted an application as a volunteer and was accepted into the Luftwaffe on 2 September 1939. After being trained as a fighter pilot, Schack was posted to 7th Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51.
Schack claimed first aerial victory in combat on 23 July 1941 on the Eastern front. Meanwhile, he had been promoted to the rank of Unteroffizier. After his 48th aerial victory, he was ordered back to Germany to serve as a flight instructor and was promoted to Leutnant on 1 January 1943.
In mid 1943 he returned back to the Eastern front, now serving in the 9th Staffel of JG 51. He claimed his century mark in aerial combat on 3 September 1943. On 8 December 1943 he was made Staffelkapitän of 9./JG 51. Leutnant Günther Schack was awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 20 April 1944 for 133 aerial victories.[2] Schack was then promoted to Hauptmann on 1 July 1944. In December 1944, now a Gruppenkommandeur, in charge of I./JG 51. After this Gruppe was disbanded on 1 May 1945 he briefly was named commander of the 4th Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3. By the end of the war, he had scored 174 victories in 780 aerial combats, and was shot down 15 times.
Günther Schack died 14 June 2003 in Schmidt near Nideggen he was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1939 until the end of World War II in 1945. He claimed 174 enemy aircraft shot down, all of them on the Russian front. He survived being shot down 15 times during his 780 combat missions. After the war he lived secluded in the Eifel Mountains, and devoted himself to philosophical research.
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 | Major Heinz Lange (deceased)
At the outbreak of war Heinz Lange was with I./JG21 scoring his first victory in October 1939. He flew 76 missions in the Battle of Britain with 8./JG54, and never lost a wingman. After flying in the Balkan campaign he took part in the invasion of Russia, scoring 7 victories during the first week. In October 1941 he was given command of 1./JG54 and in 1942 command of 3./JG51. In January 1944 Heinz Lange returned to JG54 to command 1.Gruppe and then back to JG51 where he was appointed Kommodore of JG51 Molders, leading IV./JG51 at the same time. Heinz Lange flew over 628 missions and achieved 70 victories. He was awarded the Knight's Cross. Born 2nd October 1917, died 26th February 2006.
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Heinz Lange signing the print - Fighter General - by Graeme Lothian |
Heinz Lange with a model of his favourite aircraft. |
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