Battle of Britain Giclée Art Print

High-quality art print depicting a scene from the Battle of Britain, featuring a Supermarine Spitfire soaring through the sky, as a Messerschmitt Bf 109 goes down over the English Channel, near the iconic white cliffs of Dover. The Spitfire depicted is P7350, a Mk IIa Spitfire of No. 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force. P7350 was flown by Pilot Officer Ludwik Martel, who, at just 20 years of age, was the youngest Polish pilot to fight in the Battle of Britain and claim a victory.

On 25 October 1940, Martel, flying P7350 from RAF Hornchurch, was injured by a Bf 109's cannon and forced to crash-land. He recovered quickly, returning to service with 603. He went on to serve with No. 317 Squadron. Martel survived the war and settled in Britain, where he lived until his death at the age of 91 in 2010.

P7350, meanwhile, was repaired and remained on the RAF's books until 1947, when it was sold for scrap. The purchasers, John Dale & Sons, preserved the aircraft and presented it to the RAF Museum at Colerne in 1967. Restored to flying condition, P7350 starred in The Battle of Britain (filmed in 1968) and was later gifted to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF), who continue to fly her to this day. P7350 is the oldest Spitfire still flying, and the only one to have served in the Battle of Britain.

This illustration by Rob Wisdom is a high quality Giclée art print on cotton-rich fine art paper.

12x16" art print shown. Cropping and title position (if applicable) may differ slightly on 'A' size art prints. With thanks to Henry Boot and Ray Sturtivant, whose book 'Gifts of War' provides a wealth of information of presentation Spitfires.