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Greycap Leader by Robert Taylor.
Leading 433 (Canadian) Squadron, top Allied Fighter Ace Johnnie Johnson -Greycap
Leader - has already bagged an Fw190, and is hauling his MKIX Spitfire around
looking for a second in heavy dog-fighting over the Rhine, September 1944. In
the distance more enemy fighters appear, they too will receive the attention of
the Canadians. |
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Greycap Leader by Robert Taylor.
Leading 433 (Canadian) Squadron, top Allied Fighter Ace Johnnie Johnson -Greycap Leader - has already bagged an Fw190, and is hauling his MKIX Spitfire around looking for a second in heavy dog-fighting over the Rhine, September 1944. In the distance more enemy fighters appear, they too will receive the attention of the Canadians.
Signed limited edition of 850 prints. Paper size 33 inches x 24 inches (84cm x 61cm). Price £200.00 Signed by Squadron Leader Danny Browne, Wing Commander J F Stocky Edwards, Squadron Leader Hartland Finlay, Wing Commander Hugh Godefroy, Air Vice Marshal Johnnie Johnson CB, CBE, DSO**, DFC* (deceased), Lieutenant General Don Laubman, Wing Commander Andy Mackenzie, Wing Commander Robert G Middlemiss, Flight Lieutenant Larry Robillard and Wing Commander Roderick Smith.
Limited edition of artist proofs. Paper size 33 inches x 24 inches (84cm x 61cm). Price £325.00 Signed by Squadron Leader Danny Browne, Wing Commander J F Stocky Edwards, Squadron Leader Hartland Finlay, Wing Commander Hugh Godefroy, Air Vice Marshal Johnnie Johnson CB, CBE, DSO**, DFC* (deceased), Lieutenant General Don Laubman, Wing Commander Andy Mackenzie, Wing Commander Robert G Middlemiss, Flight Lieutenant Larry Robillard and Wing Commander Roderick Smith.
ITEM CODE DHM2151
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Greycap Leader by Robert Taylor
- The Signatures
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 | Squadron Leader Danny Browne DFC
Squadron Commander 441 Sqn RCAF, Squadron Commander 421 Sqn RCAF.
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 | Wing Commander J F Stocky Edwards DFC* DFM
Stocky Edwards became a P40 Ace with 240 Sqn. 94 Sqn RAF, Flight Commander 260 Sqn RAF, 417 Sqn RCAF, Flight Commander 92 Sqn RAF, Squadron Commander 274 Sqn RAF, Wing Leader 127 Wing RCAF. His victory total was 15 with 3 shared.
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 | Squadron Leader Hartland Finlay DFC
416 Sqn RCAF, 403 Sqn RCAF, Squadron Commander 443 Sqn RCAF.
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 | Wing Commander Hugh Godefroy DSO DFC* Croix de Guerre
401 Sqn RCAF, Squadron Commander 403 Sqn RCAF, Wing Leader 127 Wing RCAF.
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 | Air Vice Marshal Johnnie Johnson CB, CBE, DSO**, DFC* (deceased)
Johnnie Johnson joined 92 Spitfire squadron in August 1940, but it was with 616 squadron that he scored his first victory on June 26th 1941 while flying with Douglas Baders Tangmere Wing. He was squadron leader of 610 squadron in July 1942, but it was as Wing Commander of the Kenley Wing in 1943 that his scores really started to mount. He was W/C of 144 wing during D-Day and led 127 and 125 wings until the end of the war when we has the topscoring allied fighter pilot with 38 air victories. Inspired by the great British WW 1 aces like Bishop and Ball, Johnnie Johnson dreamed often as a child of becoming an R.A.F. pilot. The young Johnson enthusiastically joined the Volunteer Reserve at the first opportunity. After completing his initial flight training Johnson was posted to 616 Squadron at Kenley. However, this Squadron had been hit hard with the loss of six pilots and five wounded, and the unit was withdrawn to Coltishall prior to Johnson encountering combat. With only 12 hours of flight time in a Spitfire this was no doubt advantageous. In February 1941 Billy Burton moved the Squadron to Tangmere. Douglas Bader then arrived to take over the Tangmere Wing, and fly with the 616 Squadron. Johnnie, Alan Smith and Cocky Dundas were chosen to fly with Bader. During the summer of 1941 the Battle of Britain was at its peak. Bader took the time to instruct Johnson carefully in both the art of flying and the skills necessary to attain success in aerial combat. Bader's idea of an afternoon off duty, according to Johnson, was to take his section over the Channel in hopes of running into Adolph Galland and his Abbeyville Boys. On August 19, 1941 Bader failed to return from a mission when 616 Squadron was hit hard by a group of Messerschmitt 109s. Johnson flew on in Baders absence, and in the summer of 1942 he was promoted to command of the 610 Squadron. In 1943 he was promoted again to Wing Commander of the Canadian Spitfire Wing in Kenley. By that time Johnson had attained eight confirmed victories. During the spring and summer of 1943 Johnnie led the Canadian unit on more than 140 missions over Northwest Europe. Johnsons squadron attained more than 100 victories during this period, and Johnnies own personal score rose to 25. After a short leave, Johnson was posted to lead the 144 Canadian Spitfire Wing. On D-Day Johnson led his Wing on four missions in support of the Allied invasion. On June 8, Johnsons Wing was the first Spitfire group to land in newly liberated France. Johnson continued fighting in France through September 1944 when he achieved his 38th and final victory. Patrolling the Rhine Johnsons unit jumped nine 109s which were flying beneath them in the opposite direction. Five of the 109s were downed. Early in 1945 Johnson was promoted to Group Captain and put in command of the 125 Wing, which was equipped with the Spitfire XIV. Flying from former Luftwaffe airfields the 125 Wing assisted in the final Allied push to Berlin. Johnson attributed much of his aerial combat success to his ability to make tight turning maneuvers. Johnsons tightest call came on August 19, 1942 when he was unable to dislodge an Me-109 from his tail during the raid on Diepppe. Johnson raced his Spitfire flat out at a group of Royal Navy ships. The usual barrage of flak and tracer fire came right at him, and fortunately for the ace, missed his Spitfire but effectively eliminated the brave pilot on his tail. During the Korean War Johnson flew fighter-bombers with the USAF. Following his retirement from the R.A.F. in 1966 Johnson founded the Johnnie Johnson Housing Trust that has provided homes for more than 4000 disabled and elderly persons, and his sixth book Winged Victory was published in 1995. Johnson flew many of the Spitfire models. His favorite was the beautiful Mark IX, the best of them all. Johnnie passed away in 2001 at the age of 85, in Derbyshire, England.
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Artist Graeme Lothian with Johnnie Johnson. |
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 | Lieutenant General Don Laubman DFC*
Flight Commander 412 Sqn RCAF, Squadron Commander 402 Sqn RCAF.
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 | Wing Commander Andy Mackenzie DFC CD
421 Sqn RCAF, Flight Commander 403 Sqn RCAF
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 | Wing Commander Robert G Middlemiss DFC CD
145 Sqn RAF, 41 Sqn RAF, 249 Sqn RAF, Flight Commander 403 Sqn RCAF
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 | Flight Lieutenant Larry Robillard DFM CD
145 Sqn RAF, 72 Sqn RAF, 402 Sqn RCAF, 443 Sqn RCAF
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Larry Robillard meeting artist Graeme Lothian to sign his prints of Returning from Caen. |
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 | Wing Commander Roderick Smith DFC*
Flight Commander 412 Sqn RCAF, Flight Commander 126 Sqn RAF, Squadron Commander 401 Sqn RCAF
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