ARTNER Feldwebel Rudolf. 'Weiss 10' was the personal aircraft of Fw.'Rudi' Artner, a highly skilled pilot who achieved 20 victories in less than a year. His first victory was a Russian BL2 in April 1944, followed by a further 14 Russian aircraft, 3 British aircraft and - curiously enough - 2 Finnish Junkers 88 bombers flying on the Allied side! He served with JG 5 until the end of the war.

BLAKESLEE Colonel Donald, Distinguished Service Cross with Cluster, Silver Star with Cluster, Legion of Merit, DFC with seven Clusters, Air Medal with seven Clusters, DFC (British), Croix de Guerre avec Palme (French). 1938 commissioned; 1940 RCAF; 1942 133 Eagle Squadron; 1942 Fourth Fighter Group based at Debden, Essex; promoted to Commanding Officer in January 1944. Under his brilliant leadership, the Group destroyed over 1000 enemy aircraft. In three and a half years Blakeslee personally flew more than 500 combat missions. When Goering saw Mustangs over Berlin, he said: "We have lost the war!"

BROWNE Squadron Leader J. Danforth, DFC. An American who elected to fight Hitler long before the US entered the war, Danny Browne joined 'Johnnie' Johnson at Kenley in 1943 and went on to cut a dashing and effective figure in the crack Canadian Wing, fighting in France and later in Holland. Post-war he became a distinguished US attorney.

CUNNINGHAM Group Captain John, CBE, DSO**, DFC*, Silver Star (USA), Order of Patriotic War (USSR). He commanded 85 Squadron in a night-fighter role from January 1943. At the beginning of the war, he flew Blenheims; however they lacked the speed necessary to catch enemy bombers and were replaced by Beaufighters and later the high-performance Mosquito which had the guns and radar necessary for effective night interception. By the end of the war, he had destroyed 19 aircraft by night and one by day, having well earned his nickname 'Cats Eyes Cunningham'. He returned to De Havilland Aircraft Co., becoming Chief  Test Pilot in 1946 and went on to break many speed records and win many aviation awards.

DIXON-CHILD Lieutenant Commander Sean, Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm. Flew on 26 May 1941 Swordfish aircraft number 5B from 818 Squadron off the carrier, HMS Ark Royal, in the second striking force attacking the Bismarck. The sortie, number 6, consisted of 15 Swordfish which were armed with torpedoes. They were credited with 2 confirmed hits and 1 probable; these hits were directly responsible for fatally crippling the Bismarck which was later sunk by British battleships.

FALCK Oberst Wolfgang, awarded the Knight's Cross in October 1940. Falck was known as "the Father of Night Fighters", serving first with JG 2, followed by ZG 76. In June 1940 he was given the task of forming NJG I and became its first Kommodore, initially flying MEll0s. He was later responsible for introducing and deploying the Heinkel HE219 which proved superior to any other night fighter of the war.

FISH Flight Sergeant Fred, RAF Bomber Command. Flew Lancasters with 50 Squadron as a mid-upper gunner, completing 19 operational missions of which the most famous was the Wesel raid.

GALLAND Generalleutnant Adolf (deceased), Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds. He joined the Luftwaffe in 1935 and served in Spain. A dedicated and aggressive pilot, Galland commanded JG 26 during the Battle of Britain. He was promoted to General of the Fighter Arm, including night fighters, answerable only to his Chief of Staff and Goering. In January 1945, he took command of JV 44 and ended the war with a total of 103 confirmed victories.

HEUSER Feldwebel Heinrich, Iron Cross (First Class). Scored 5 victories. Started flying in 1938; joined JG 26 in the autumn of 1942. It is Heuser's FW190 which is depicted in the print 'Regensburg - No Place to Hide'. His flying log confirms that, on the morning of 17 August 1943, he was involved in a head-on attack with B-27s over Holland. Heuser was shot down in late 1944 over France.

JABS Oberstleutnant Hans-Joachim, Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves. He began his military career as a pilot in 1936, serving with JG 344, renamed ZG 76 'Shark's Gruppe' and NJG 3. He was promoted to Kommodore of NJG 1 in March 1944 and ended the war with a total of 50 victories.

JOHNSON Air Vice-Marshal James Edger, CB, CBE, DSO**, DFC*, Legion d'Honneur (France), Legion of Merit (USA), DFC (USA), Air Medal (USA), Order of Leopold (Belgium), Croix de Guerre (Belgium), DL. He joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve in 1939 as a Sergeant Pilot flying with 616 Squadron during the Battle of Britain. He served in 1941 with Douglas Bader who became his life-long friend. In the early months of 1943, he led his 144 Canadian Wing on more than 140 sorties over northwest Europe, often escorting Flying Fortresses of the Eighth Air Force. He scored a total of 38 victories, making him officially the top-scoring Allied fighter ace of the war in Europe.

KOCH Leutnant Karl Heinz. He joined the Luftwaffe in 1938, became a pilot in 1941 and was shot down on several occasions throughout the war. He flew briefly with JG 3 in Russia and joined JG 5 in May 1944. He ended the war in command of 12/JG 5.

KRAFT Feldwebel Werner, Iron Cross (Second Class). Served with JG 26 only and scored 1 victory against a B-17. On the day of the Regensburg mission, he was flying with 9/JG 26, whose fighters are depicted in the print. Kraft's ME109 delivered the fatal assault on the Flying Fortress known as 'Bay-Be' (95th Bomb Group which was flying in lead position above 100th Bomb Group, depicted). The right waist gunner of 'Bay-Be', William Binnebose, shot down Kraft's plane whilst it was attacking and the 2 men ended up sharing a room in a German naval hospital!

KRUPINSKI Generalleutnant Walter, Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. Known by his friends as 'the Count', he was a swashbuckling fighter pilot who learned his trade as Steinhoff's wingman; in Russia, serving with JG 52, he had Hartmann as his wingman! He fought also with JG 26, flying ME109s and the long-nose FW190D-12 and finally with JV 44, flying ME262s. In total he flew over 1100 missions and achieved 197 victories.

KRUSE Unteroffizier Ottomar, Iron Cross (Second Class). Scored 2 confirmed victories on 1 sortie. He started flying before the war, barely 19, and went on to become a distinguished glider pilot after the war. He was initially appointed as an instructor with the Luftwaffe but was determined to become a fighter pilot; so he turned down the appointment, risking a court martial. His ambition was realised in July 1944 when he started flying with 8/JG 26.

LAWLEY Colonel William. He entered the Army Air Corps in 1942, was commissioned in 1943 and retired finally in 1972. He holds the Legion of Merit, Purple Heart and Air Medal with two Clusters. However, his highest decoration was the Congressional Medal of  Honor, presented to him in August 1944 by General Spaatz, for his heroic action of February 1944 while serving with 305 Bomb Group.

LIVERSAGE Warrant Officer Ron, MBE, RAF Bomber Command. Flew Lancasters with 625 Squadron as an air gunner, completing a full tour of 32 operational missions.

LOPEZ Colonel Donald, Silver Star, DFC with Cluster, Air Medal with two Clusters, Soldiers Medal, Chinese Breast Order of Yun Hui. Lopez served with the famous Flying Tigers under General Chenault in China. In his shark-mouth P-40 Warhawk, he flew more than 100 missions against the advancing Japanese and detroyed several enemy aircraft. He and his comrades of the 75th Fighter Squadron, 23rd Fighter Group, operated from crude airfields in Kwangsi province and it is the distinctive limestone peaks of this area that can be seen in the 'Famous Fighters' print and which give the river its murky yellow waters.

MOFFAT Lieutenant Commander John, Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm. He joined the RN Volunteer Reserve at the start of WWII. He served with many carriers, such as Ark Royal, Argus, Furious and Formidable, and many squadrons (818, 759, 767, 820, 824). As pilot of Swordfish aircraft number 5C flying on the famous sortie attacking the Bismarck, his log shows that his sub-flight of 3 aircraft was accredited with a hit on the Bismarck's rudder (see also Dixon-Child's biography above).

MOLGE Obergefreiter Werner. Scored 2 victories, flying 35 combat missions. At the age of 19, he was one of the youngest flying members of JG 26. He served with the unit from October 1944 until May 1945. His most memorable mission was 'Bodenplatte' during which he attacked 'Johnnie' Johnson's 127 Canadian Wing at its base at Brussels-Evere on 31 December 1944; many aircraft on the ground were destroyed.

PRAGER Leutnant Hans, German Cross in Gold. Scored 23 confirmed victories of which 2 were on the Eastern Front and the remainder in the West. Served with JG 26 and JG 54. In 1942 he was wingman to Adolf  'Addi' Glunz in JG 26. He left 7/JG 26 in 1944 to join the 3rd Gruppe of JG 54, rising to the rank equivalent to Squadron Leader. He ended the war flying FW190 D-9s, again with JG 26.

RALL General Günther, Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. He flew a total of 800 missions and was credited with 275 victories, making him the third highest scoring fighter ace in history. He mainly flew ME109s, serving for several years with the famous JG 52. He went on to fly the high-altitude version with JG 11and commanded JG 300 in the final stages of the war. Post-war he became Chief of Staff of the German Air Force.

REID Flight Lieutenant William 'Bill', VC, RAF Volunteer Reserve. Flew Lancaster bombers with 61 and 617 Squadrons. His citation for the Victoria Cross ('The London Gazette', 14 December 1943) reads:

"On the night of November 3rd, 1943. Flight Lieutenant Reid was pilot and captain of a Lancaster aircraft detailed to attack Düsseldorf. Shortly after crossing the Dutch coast, the Pilot's windscreen was shattered by fire from a Messerschmitt 110. Owing to a failure in the heating circuit, the rear gunner's hands were too cold for him to open fire immediately or to operate his microphone and so give warning of danger: but after a brief delay he managed to return the Messerschmitt's fire and it was driven off.
During the fight with the Messerschmitt, Flight Lieutenant Reid was wounded in the head, shoulders and hands. The elevator trimming tabs of the aircraft were damaged and it became difficult to control. The rear turret, too, was badly damaged and the communications system and compasses were put out of action. Flight Lieutenant Reid ascertained that his crew were unscathed, and saying nothing about his own injuries, he continued his mission.
Soon afterwards, the Lancaster was attacked by a Focke Wulf 190. This time, the enemy's fire raked the bomber from stem to stern. The rear gunner replied with his only serviceable gun, but the state of his turret made accurate aiming impossible. The navigator was killed and the wireless operator fatally injured. The mid-upper turret was hit and the oxygen system put out of action. Flight Lieutenant Reid was again wounded and the flight engineer, though hit in the forearm, supplied him with oxygen from a portable supply.
Flight Lieutenant Reid refused to be turned from his objective and Düsseldorf was reached some 50 minutes later. He had memorised his course to the target and had continued in such a normal manner that the bomb-aimer, who was cut off by the failure of the communications system, knew nothing of his captain's injuries or of the casualties to his comrades. Photographs show that, when the bombs were released, the aircraft was right over the centre of the the target.
Steering by the pole star and the moon, Flight Lieutenant Reid then set course for home. He was growing weak from loss of blood. The emergency oxygen supply had given out. With the windscreen shattered, the cold was intense. He lapsed into semi- consciousness. The flight engineer, with some help from the bomb-aimer, kept the Lancaster in the air despite heavy anti-aircraft fire over the Dutch coast.
The North Sea crossing was accomplished. An airfield was sighted. The captain revived, resumed control and made ready to land. Ground mist partially obscured the runway lights. The captain was also much bothered by blood from his head wound getting into his eyes, But he made a safe landing although one leg of the damaged undercarriage collapsed when the load came on.
Wounded in two attacks, without oxygen, suffering severely from cold, his navigator dead, his wireless operator fatally wounded, his aircraft crippled and defenceless, Flight Lieutenant Reid showed superb courage and leadership in penetrating a further 200 miles into enemy territory to attack one of the most strongly defended targets in Germany, every additional mile increasing the hazards of the long and perilous journey home. His tenacity and devotion to duty were beyond praise."

RIEGEL Hauptmann Manfred, Iron Cross (First Class). He served initially with JG 132 'Richthofen', then JG 141. He went on to become Adjutant of ZG 76 Zerstörerstaffel which was equipped with the ME110 'Destroyer'. He later flew Junkers 88s with KG 30 and was awarded the Narvik Badge. He also served with NJG 2 and as Adjutant with NJG 1.

ROBILLARD Flight Leutnant Larry. Among 'Johnnie' Johnson's keen and skillful Canadian pilots was this small, wiry French-Canadian from Ottawa. He was shot down over France in 1943. However, with his fluent French and the help of the Resistance, he managed to get back to England, He received a hero's welcome when he returned to France to continue the fight, leading a section of 443 Squadron of Johnnie's 144 Wing following the Liberation.

SCHILD Leutnant Heinrich 'Jan', Iron Cross (First Class). Scored 13 confirmed victories; wounded 3 times. Took up flying as a sport in 1934; private pilot's licence 1937. Flew mainly with JG 26, but also served with JG 5 'Eismeer' in Norway and JG 54 'Green Hearts' in Russia. After the war he joined the German Air Force and reached the rank of Oberstleutnant (Wing Commander).

SETZER Leutnant Fritz. Flew Focke-Wulf 190 A5-U8 of II/SKG 10, werk number 2719 coded 'white A', on a bombing raid over London on the night of 16/17 April 1943. With his aircraft damaged by the flak barrage, he crash landed at West Malling and was personally taken into custody by the famous British pilot, Peter Townsend (see biography). The black and white photo on the border of the print is an authentic wartime photo showing Setzer in conversation with his senior officers from SKG 10, including his Commanding Officer.

SMITH Wing Commander Roderick. A Canadian lawyer from Vancouver, he was 19 when he joined the newly formed 412 Canadian Spitfire Squadron late in 1941. He made his mark as a flight commander in the Battle of Malta in 1942 and from 1944 until the end of the war, as the twice-decorated CO of 401 Squadron, he played his part in the drive through France and into Germany.

STAHL Oberstleutnant Wilhelm 'Peter', German Cross in Gold. He flew Junkers 88s with KG 30 'Diving Eagle' and served also with KG 200, deployed on clandestine operations, flying over France, Britain, the Atlantic, Russia, the Mediterranean and North Africa. Author of several books including "The Diving Eagle", "KG 200 - The True Story" and a book on gliding which was to become his passion in the post-war years.

STEINHOFF General Johannes (deceased), Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. He flew over 930 combat missions with 176 confirmed victories. His first victory came in 1939 with JG 26. He went on to serve with JG 52 during the Battle of Britain, was then transferred to the Eastern Front and also served in North Africa and Sicily. He finally joined Galland's JV 44, flying the ME262 in which he scored 6 victories before being very seriously burned in a crash. After the war, he went on to become Chief of Staff of the German Air Force and later Chairman of NATO's Military Committee.

TOWNSEND Group Captain Peter (deceased), CVO, DSO, DFC*, Legion d'Honneur. He took command of 85 Squadron at the end of May 1940; he led the Squadron's Hurricanes in the Battle of Britain and on 18 August 1940, he claimed 3 of his many aerial victories, destroying an ME110 and two ME109s. After 2 weeks of the fiercest fighting, the Squadron had to be withdrawn from the front line, more or less decimated. It then converted to night-fighting during the night blitz, evolving from Hurricanes to radar-equipped Havocs. Peter Townsend was appointed Equerry to HM King George VI in early 1944 and continued in this position until the King's death in 1952.

TRAUTLOFT General Hannes (deceased), Knight's Cross, Spanish Cross in Gold. He flew over 550 missions with 57 aerial victories. He was Kommodore of the famed JG 54 'Green Hearts' from 1940-43. The unit as a whole claimed over 9000 air and ground victories and is featured in the 'Famous Fighters' print operating over the Russian front. He joined Galland's staff in 1943 and towards the end of that year was promoted to Inspector of Day Fighters.

WHEELER Flight Lieutenant Eddie, DFC, RAF Bomber Command. Flew Lancasters with 97 Squadron (Pathfinder Force) as a wireless operator/air gunner, completing 28 operational missions including the famous raids on Peenemunde and Friedrichshaven. Author of "Just to get a bed" (Square One Publications ISBN 1 872017 207).

ZEMKE Colonel Hubert (deceased), Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star with Cluster, DFC with six Clusters, DFC (British), Purple Heart, Legion of Merit, Air Medal with three Clusters, Croix de Guerre (French & Belgian). In September 1942, 'Hub' Zemke took over the 56th Fighter Group, the first unit to receive the P-47 Thunderbolt. The 56th flew its first combat mission in April 1943 and that summer escorted bombers of the 'Mighty Eighth' to Germany. Zemke proved himself to be such an outstanding leader and tactician that, by the end of the war, his 'Wolf Pack' was the top-scoring Fighter Group in Europe and its gallant leader was credited with 19 victories before he was brought down in October 1943.

BABERG Kurt, German Cross in Gold. Active service: Captain U-Boat 618 type VIIc (subsequently sunk by a Liberator aircraft from G/53 and HMSs 'Duckworth' and 'Essington' on 15 August 1944 some 60 miles west of Belle Ile in the Bay of Biscay with the loss of all hands) and U-Boat 827 (scuttled). Final rank: 'Korvettenkapitän' (Reserve- 1965).

BREDOW Horst, German Cross in Gold. Active service: wounded whilst on U-Boat 288 (during hospitalisation, the boat was destroyed with the loss of all hands); Captain (Minesweeper); Watchofficer type XXI U-Boat. Final rank: First Lieutenant. After the war he founded the U-Boat 'Archiv' (Archive and Museum) for which he received the Federal German Distinguished Service Cross.

EICK Alfred, Knight's Cross. Active Service: Destroyer 'Richard Beitzen'; U-Boat 176; Captain U-510 which is credited, under his command, as being the most successful German submarine operating in the Indian Ocean. Final rank: Lieutenant Commander.

GELHAUS Harald, Knight's Cross. Active service: Cruiser 'Karlsruhe'; Battleship 'Gneisenaü'; Watchofficer U-Boat 103 (Atlantic and east coast of United States); Captain U-Boat 143 (West of Scotland); Captain U-Boat 107 (Atlantic, Caribbean and west coast of Africa). Subsequently the vessel was sunk (18 August 1944) by Allied aircraft in the Bay of Biscay with the loss of the entire crew. Staff Officer (Berlin); Commanding Officer, Baltic U-Boat operations (Libau). Final rank: Lieutenant Commander,

KELBLING Gerd, Knight's Cross. Secretly trained as a Naval pilot (1933). Active service: Captain M89 (Minesweeper - sunk July 1940); Captain M6 (Korvett); Captain U-Boat 593 ('Thistle'). Final rank: Lieutenant Commander. Author of "The Chronicle of U-593"

OESTEN Jürgen, Knight's Cross. Active service: Captain U-Boats 61, 106 and 861. Final rank: 'Korvettenkapitan'.

POHL Wolfgang, Iron Cross. Active service: Watchkeeper U-Boat 581, seriously damaged by HMSs 'Westcott', 'Croome' and 'Exmoor' on 2 February 1942, south of the Azores (mid Atlantic) which led to the vessel being scuttled by the crew. POW - Gibraltar, Canada and at Saffron Walden in the UK. Final rank: First Lieutenant. After the war, he was awarded the Federal German Distinguished Service Cross for work in the Nuclear Energy Industry.

SCHROETELER Heinrich, Knight's Cross. Active service: Captain M1405 (Minesweeper); Captain U-Boat 667 (Atlantic). Subsequently the vessel was sunk in combat off the French coast (La Pallice) in August 1944 with the loss of all hands. Officer on Admiral Dönitz's staff (Berlin); Captain U-Boat 1023, a type 21 (Norway, English Channel and Atlantic). Final rank: Lieutenant Commander.

HELLWIG Hans. Joined up in 1940. Assigned Eastern Sea as a machinist/fitter. Served on Bismarck in Division III maintaining main armament (Caesar gun turret) and port side 15 and 10 centimetre guns. Rescued by HMS Dorsetshire after Bismarck was sunk.

JAHN Herbert. Joined up in 1939. Assigned Eastern Sea as an engineer. Served on Bismarck in Division XII maintaining turbines. Sustained injuries to head, leg and hand during the sinking by gunfire from British battleships, HMS Rodney and King George V, on 27 May 1941. Rescued by HMS Dorsetshire.

MATHES Fritz, German Spanish Cross in Bronze with Swords. Joined 1935. Assigned Eastern Sea as a seaman. Served on Admiral Scheer winning decoration during Spanish engagement in May 1937. Joined Bismarck in Division V as a Corporal responsible for determining ranges to hostile ships and aircraft, by using optical instrumentation. Rescued by HMS Maori after Bismarck's sinking. Only survivor from Division V/VI Corporal/Sergeants' Mess, which had a total of 36 non-commissioned officers as members.

STATZ Josef. Joined 1940. Assigned Eastern Sea as a technician. Served on Bismarck in Division XII in the ship's Control Room reporting to the First Officer. Rescued by HMS Dorsetshire. Author of "Schlachtschiff Bismarck" (publisher: Verlag Tebbert KG. ISBN 3929207 133).

Gil COHEN, member of the American Society of Aviation Artists and twice winner of the Society's prestigious 'Best of Show' award, ranks among the world's leading aviation artists. While Gil's paintings reflect his profound interest in history, it is his sensitive portrayal of the human element - the nuances of facial expression and body posture - set against the background of wartime airfield activity, which brings each canvas to life.

Alan HOLT possesses a rare credential among aviation artists today: having served in the the RAF from 1940 to 1945, he has first-hand knowledge of what it was like to pilot an aircraft in the combat conditions of WWII. In fact he landed his own Spitfire IX in southern France just a few weeks after the historic event he so accurately depicts in "Return to France". After the war, Alan returned to art as his first love. He has studied, taught and refined his techniques ever since and has become a much respected UK aviation artist.

Graeme LOTHIAN is based in the heart of 'Battle of Britain' countryside which has often provided the inspiration for the beautiful landscapes and cloudscapes he has been painting for the past 20 years. Having served in the British Army and airborne forces, Graeme has built up an extensive knowledge of military and historic aircraft which he decided to incorporate into his paintings some years ago after a chance meeting with 'Skyscapes' at the Biggin Hill airshow. The hallmark of his work is his tremendous attention to fine detail, both in his aircraft and in his compositions as a whole.

Michael SWANSON, member of the American Society of Aviation Artists and the Society of Illustrators, although of European origin, has lived and worked in the USA and Canada for the past 40 years where he is well known for his landscape, portrait, wildlife and aviation art. He has been an illustrator, an art director and an art teacher and has won a number of international awards for his art work.

Tiro VORSTER, South Africa's best known aviation artist, joined the South African Air Force in 1963. His early art work led to his appointment as official artist for the internationally respected Air Force Safety Magazine, which later earned him the Gold Aviation Safety Award. The original painting of "The Sailor 1940" hangs in the South African Embassy in London. Tiro has also exhibited his work in the USA and is an artist member of the American Society of Aviation Artists.

Frank WOOTTON (deceased), Founding President of the Guild of Aviation Artists, is one of the most celebrated names in aviation art. He was appointed Official War Artist to the RAF during WWII and visited stations throughout the Battle of Britain; in the same official capacity, he went on to serve in Normandy, India and Burma. His work is highly sought after by private collectors throughout the world and his originals hang in national air force museums in Britain, Canada and USA, including the National Air and Space Museum in the Smithsonian Institution, Washington.

IMPORTANT NOTE

On Print Code 002 "Kameraden" by Mark Postlethwaite, the following signature variations are available:

Print Code 002-A .... 4 signatures on complete edition: Kelbling, Oesten, Riegel, Stahl

Print Code 002-B .... 7 signatures (100 only available, numbered between 101 - 300 in the edition): 4 listed in 002-A plus Baberg, Bredow, Eick

Print Code 002-C .... 7 signatures (100 only available, numbered between 101 - 300 in the edition): 4 listed in 002-A plus Gelhaus, Pohl, Schroeteler

Print Code 002-D .... 10 signatures (numbers 1 - 100 of the edition): 4 listed in 002-A plus the 6 additional signatures listed in 002-B and 002-C.