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| CLICK HERE FOR A FULL LIST OF ALL ANTHONY SAUNDERS PRINTS BY TITLE |
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| Typhoon Aviation Prints by Anthony Saunders Aviation Prints |
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| Text for the above items : |
Return of the Hunters by Anthony Saunders. Omaha Beach, June 1944. Throughout the early morning of 6th June 1944, men of the US 29th Infantry Division had fought their way yard by yard across the bloody shingle of Omaha Beach. Thrown off course by worsening weather, they had finally landed near the village of Saint Laurent-sur-Mer, only to run into withering defensive fire - the strong German opposition was unexpected. It was the same on most sectors of 'bloody Omaha' beach that morning. But, showing unparalleled levels of bravery and determination, the US infantrymen finally prevailed and within days the scene on the beach was a hive of activity as 'Mulberry A' - one of two giant artificial harbours that had been towed across the Channel - was erected off this once-deadly beach. The two Mulberries - one American, one British - were a mammoth feat of engineering, each the size of Dover harbour and containing over 334,000 tons of concrete, ballast and steel. And yet they took a mere seven days to assemble. Only one, however, was to survive because, on 19th June, a violent storm swept up the Channel destroying the American Mulberry. The painting shows a pair of RAF Typhoons from No.245 Sqn over the American Mulberry. They race back to their base in Hampshire to refuel and rearm after delivering a blistering rocket attack on German positions behind the ever-widening Normandy beachhead. |
| Known Aces for this aircraft |
| Ace Name | Victories |
| Billy Drake | 24.50 |
| J R Baldwin | 15.00 |
| Hugh Spencer Leslie Dundas | 11.00 |
| Gordon Sinclair | 10.00 |
| Dennis Crowley-Milling | 8.00 |
| James Douglas Lindsay | 7.00 |
| Basil Gerald 'Stapme' Stapleton | 6.00 |
| John Harry Stafford | 5.00 |
| Typhoon Pilot and aircrew signature details |
  Group Captain Billy Drake DSO DFC* Our estimated value of this signature : £55 Died : 2011 | Group Captain Billy Drake DSO DFC* Joined the R.A.F. in 1936. His first posting was to 1 squadron flying Furies then Hurricanes and first saw action over France in the Spring of 1940 and was awarded his first DFC by the end of the year. As a Squadron Leader he was sent to West Africa to command 128 Squadron. 1942 saw his commanding 112 squadron in North Africa, in July saw an immediate BAR to his DFC and in December an immediate DSO. Posted to Malta as Wing Commander he won a US DFC in 1943. Back in the UK he now was flying Typhoons in the lead up to D-Day. With Pete Brothers he was sent to the States to attend the US Staff School at Fort Leavenworth. After the war he continued in the R.A.F. serving in Japan, Malaya, Singapore, Switzerland and his final posting as Group Captain RAF Chivenor, Devon. Retired in July 1963. Going to Portugal where he ran a Bar and Restaurant and dealing in Real Estate. In his flying career he accounted for more than 24 enemy aircraft. Sadly, Billy Drake passed away on 28th August 2011. |
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