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By renowned aviation artist Gerald
Coulson, aviation art prints of the Supermarine Spitfire. Gerald Coulson
brings this top Royal Air Force fighter to life in spitfire prints
Chariots of Fire, Scramble, Magic of Flight, Spitfire Magic, Johnny Comes
Home and Troubleshooters.
Gerald Coulson has been painting
professionally for over 30 years. the Fine Art Guild have placed him
among the top ten best selling UK artists no less than 15 times in 12
years - 3 times at No. 1. Coulson's first love was aircraft,
studying them and drawing them at every opportunity, from an early
age. His apprenticeship as an aircraft engineer then as an RAF
Technician and later an engineer with British Airways, have allowed him an
insight and intimate knowledge of the aircraft he paints. Now a Vice
President, he is a founder member of the Guild of Aviation Artists and
four times winner of the Flight International Trophy for outstanding
aviation painting. He qualified for his pilots licence in 1960 and
is still actively flying today - mostly vintage aircraft and can often be
seen buzzing over the Fens of Cambridgeshire in a Tiger Moth.
Whatever the subject, whether aviation, landscape or portrait, his ability
to capture the realism and mood of the scene is unsurpassed, making him
one of the most collected and highly regarded artists in the world today.
Royal
Air Force fighter aircraft, maximum speed for mark I Supermarine Spitfire, 362mph
up to
The Seafire 47 with a top speed of 452mph. maximum ceiling for Mk I
34,000feet up to 44,500 for the mark XIV. Maximum range for MK I 575
miles . up to 1475 miles for the Seafire 47. Armament for the various
Marks of Spitfire. for MK I, and II . eight fixed .303 browning Machine
guns, for MK's V-IX and XVI two 20mm Hispano cannons and four .303 browning
machine guns. and on later Marks, six to eight Rockets under the wings or
a maximum bomb load of 1,000 lbs. Designed
by R J Mitchell, The proto type Spitfire first flew on the 5th March 1936.
and entered service with the Royal Air Force in August 1938, with 19
squadron based and RAF Duxford. by the outbreak of World war two, there
were twelve squadrons with a total of 187 spitfires, with another 83 in
store. Between 1939 and 1945, a large variety of modifications and
developments produced a variety of MK,s from I to XVI. The mark II
came into service in late 1940, and in March 1941, the Mk,V came into
service. To counter the Improvements in fighters of the Luftwaffe
especially the FW190, the MK,XII was introduced with its Griffin
engine. The Fleet Air Arm used the Mk,I and II and were named
Seafires. By the end of
production in 1948 a total of 20,351 spitfires had been made and 2408
Seafires. The most produced variant was the Spitfire Mark V, with a
total of 6479 spitfires produced. The Royal Air Force kept Spitfires
in front line use until April 1954. |
| Chariots of Fire by Gerald Coulson (P) Chariots of Fire depicts Spitfires of 610 squadron (County of Chester) engaging Messerschmitts 190E of the Luftwaffe over the South Coast of England, August 1940. Original painting by Gerald Coulson. . Price £
ITEM CODE GC0474 |
| Dawn Sortie by Gerald Coulson. With its sleek, graceful design, instantly recognisable by its thin, aerodynamically advanced elliptical wings, the Supermarine Spitfire was the creation of R. J. Mitchell, an aeronautical creative genius. His fighter was to become not only the most important Allied aircraft of World War II, but the most famous British fighter in history. Mitchells design for the Spitfire was so fine that everyone who ever saw it, flew it, or fought in it was captivated for eternity. When American Eagle Squadron ace Jim Goodson transferred from Spitfires to fly his 4th Fighter Group P-47 Thunderbolt, he said it was like moving from a sports car to a truck. I fell in love with her the moment I was introduced. I was captivated by her sheer beauty; she was slimly built with a beautifully proportioned body and graceful curves just where they sohuld be; so said Lord Balfour, Britains under Secreatry of State for War in 1938, not of his wife but of the Spitfire. A sentiment echoed by generations of aviators and enthusiasts ever since. In the hands of an experienced pilot it was nearly invincible, and even legendary Luftwaffe leader Adolf Galland, when asked by Goering what he needed to overcome the RAF, replied: Give me a squadron of Spitfires!. Gerald Coulsons majestic painting captures a pair of Spitfire Mk1s at dawn high above the clouds over southern England in late 1940. An iconic tribute from the artist to the greatest fighter aircraft of all time. Signed limited edition of 350 prints. Paper size 32.5 inches x 15 inches (83cm x 38cm). Price £135.00 Signed by Flight Lieutenant Alan Davis, Squadron Leader Gordon Henderson DFC and Flying Officer Kurt Taussig.
Limited edition of 50 artist proofs. Image size 32.5 inches x 15 inches (83cm x 38cm). Price £195.00 Signed by Flight Lieutenant Alan Davis, Squadron Leader Gordon Henderson DFC, Flying Officer Kurt Taussig, Flight Lieutenant Ken Evans DFC and Flight Lieutenant Darek Nowosielski.
ITEM CODE DHM1624 |
| Johnny Comes Home by Gerald Coulson. Johnnie Johnson, the RAFs highest-scoring fighter pilot of World War II flies his Spitfire F MkIXE back to base in Kenley. Open edition print. Image size 16 inches x 12 inches (41cm x 31cm) . Price £20.00
ITEM CODE GC0374 |
| Evening Flight by Gerald Coulson.
Open edition print. Image size 16 inches x 12 inches (41cm x 31cm). Price £18.00
ITEM CODE GC0408 |
| Quartet by Gerald Coulson. The inspiration for this subject was principally the setting. A low sun turning the tops of towering cumulus to a soft ochre against a backdrop of azure. Through breaks in these massive clouds can be seen a landscape beginning to fade, greens and yellows changing to liquid blues and mauves. All that is now required to complete the picture are the lines of a beautiful aeroplane, provided here by four Spitfires on No.66 Sqn. The aircraft shown are LZ-M, LZ-N, LZ-K and LZ-X. LZ-X was flown by H R Dizzy Allen throughout the Battle of Britain. Signed limited edition of 850 prints. Image size 16 inches x 12 inches (41cm x 31cm). Price £70.00  Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
Battle of Britain signature edition of 150 prints from the limited edition of 850 prints. Image size 16 inches x 12 inches (41cm x 31cm). Price £95.00 Signed by Wing Commander John Freeborn DFC* (deceased)
and
Group Captain Byron Duckenfield AFC. Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
ITEM CODE LE0261 |
| Scramble by Gerald Coulson. A telephone rings at a typical flight dispersal: a call from Operations sends pilots and ground crew running for aircraft ready fuelled and armed. A mechanic starts the engine of the spitfire in the foreground and it explodes into life, blasting out blue exhaust gases, the slipstream flattening the grass and kicking up dust. A young sergeant pilot with feelings a mixture of fear and excitement, runs for his machine. The painting captures the tense atmosphere of a much repeated action from these crucial events of the Battle of Britain, as Spitfires of No.66 Squadron scramble. Signed limited edition of 850 prints. Image size 27 inches x 20 inches (69cm x 51cm). Price £150.00 Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
Appleford signature edition of 44 prints (Nos 801 - 844) from the signed limited edition of 850 prints. Image size 27 inches x 20 inches (69cm x 51cm). Price £180.00 Signed by Flight Lieutenant Alexander N R L Appleford Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
Freeborn signature edition of 30 prints from the limited edition of 850 prints. Image size 27 inches x 20 inches (69cm x 51cm). Price £180.00 Signed by Wing Commander John Freeborn DFC* (deceased). Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
ITEM CODE GC0189 |
| In the Sunlit Silence by Gerald Coulson. Spitfire Mk1As of 92 Squadron. Open edition print. Image size 16 inches x 12 inches (41cm x 31cm). Price £16.00
ITEM CODE GC0235 |
| Evening Patrol by Gerald Coulson. During the early part of World War II the coastline of Britain was constantly under threat, particularly the busy shipping lanes of the North Sea. As well as carrying out bombing raids on strategic coastal targets and ports such as Luftflotte 5s attack on the north-east in August 1940, allied shipping was regularly attacked at sea as the Luftwaffe tried to disrupt supplies. The RAF played a vital part in protecting these supplies, escorting fishing fleets and shipping convoys, as well as long range patrols over the sea, seeking enemy activity and intercepting high altitude reconnaissance aircraft. These patrols were often long and arduous with pilots running the gauntlet of, if shot down, ditching into the sea. Often pilots would survive being hit and baling out, only to succumb to the freezing and hostile waters of the North Sea. Often fighter squadrons being rested during the Battle of Britain, would be moved to northern locations such as Acklington and Leconfield, and carry out coastal and sea patrols before returning to the more intense fighting in the south. Flying over the Humber Estuary as the sun is setting, pilots of 610 Sqn return their MKII Spitfires to Leconfield after a convoy patrol late in 1940. Signed limited edition of 850 prints. Image size 30 inches x 20 inches (76cm x 51cm). Price £180.00 Signed by Group Captain Desmond Sheen DFC* (deceased), Wing Commander Paddy Barthropp DFC AFC (deceased), Squadron Leader Neville Duke, DSO, OBE, DFC*, AFC, CzMC (deceased), Group Captain Tom Dalton Morgan DSO, DFC*, OBE (deceased), Squadron Leader Basil Stapleton DFC (deceased), Air Commodore Peter Brothers CBE, DSO, DFC* (deceased), Squadron Leader Arthur Leigh DFC, DFM (deceased) and Wing Commander Harbourne Stephen CBE, DSO, DFC (deceased).
ITEM CODE GC0101 |
| First Light by Gerald Coulson. In Gerald Coulsons fine study First Light, Mk Vb Spitfires of 92 Squadron climb out of Biggin Hill at the outset of an early morning patrol on a cold winters morning in February 1941. Leaving the mist behind as the first beams of light streak across the heavens, they will turn to the east and steel themselves to meet the enemy, high in the dawn sky. Signed limited edition of 300 prints. Print paper size 27 inches x 21 inches (69cm x 53cm). Price £135.00 Signatories: Sqn Ldr Geoffrey Wellum DFC; Sqn Ldr Neville Duke DSO OBE DFC (deceased).
ITEM CODE DHM2588 |
| High Spirits 1940 by Gerald Coulson. The new boy follows the more experienced squadron pilot, learning the manoeuvres which will be so important in the months to come. The two Spitfires fly over the southern coast which will soon become the air battlefield on which the face the German bomber and fighter squadrons during the Battle of Britain. Signed limited edition of 850 prints. Image size 16 inches x 12 inches (41cm x 31cm). Price £70.00
Signed limited edition of 850 prints. Image size 16 inches x 12 inches (41cm x 31cm). Price £70.00
ITEM CODE LE0253 |
| Troubleshooters by Gerald Coulson. Sold out at publisher. We have the last 120 remaining prints. Open edition print. Image size 24 inches x 12 inches (61cm x 31cm). Price £40.00 Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
ITEM CODE GC0772 |
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First Light by Gerald Coulson.
In Gerald Coulsons
fine study First Light, Mk Vb Spitfires of 92 Squadron climb out of
Biggin Hill at the outset of an early morning patrol on a cold winters
morning in February 1941. Leaving the mist behind as the first beams of
light streak across the heavens, they will turn to the east and steel
themselves to meet the enemy, high in the dawn sky.
Signatories: Sqn Ldr Geoffrey Wellum DFC; Sqn
Ldr Neville Duke DSO OBE DFC.
Evening Patrol by Gerald Coulson Flying over the Humber Estuary as the sun is
settin
g, pilots of 610
Sqn return their MKII Spitfires to Leconfield after a convoy patrol late
in 1940. Print is signed by Group Captain Desmond Sheen, Wing Commander Paddy
Barthropp, Squadron LEader Neville Duke, Group Captain Tom Dalton-Morgan,
Squadron LEader B G Stapme Stapleton, Air Commodore Peter Brothers,
Squadron Leader A C Leigh and Wing Commander H M Stephen.
During the early part of WWII the coastline
of Britain was constantly under threat, particularly the busy shipping
lanes of the North Sea. As well as carrying out bombing raids on strategic
coastal targets and ports such as Luftflotte 5's attack on the north-east
in August 1940, allied shipping was regularly attacked at sea as the
Luftwaffe tried to disrupt supplies.
The RAF played a vital part in protecting these supplies, escorting
fishing fleets and shipping convoys, as well as long range patrols over
the sea, seeking enemy activity and intercepting high altitude
reconnaissance aircraft. These patrols were often long and arduous with
pilots running the gauntlet of, if shot down, ditching into the sea. Often
pilots would survive being hit and baling out, only to succumb to the
freezing and hostile waters of the North Sea.
Often fighter squadrons being rested during the Battle of Britain,
would be moved to northern locations such as Acklington and Leconfield,
and carry out coastal and sea patrols before returning to the more intense
fighting in the south.
Scramble by Gerald Coulson
A telephone rings at a typical flight dispersal: a call from Operations
sends pilots and ground crew running for aircraft ready fuelled and armed.
A mechanic starts the engine of the spitfire in the foreground and it
explodes into life, blasting our blue exhaust gases, the slipstream
flattening the grass and kicking up dust. A young sergeant pilot with
feelings a mixture of fear and excitement, runs for his machine. The
painting captures the tense atmosphere of a much repeated action from
these crucial events of over fifty years ago.
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| July 10th to October 31st 1940 - The Battle of
Britain, a monumental event in British history and a major turning point
of WWII. During those few summer months the RAF and Luftwaffe fought what
was to become the most crucial and decisive aerial conflict in history.
Never before or since has air combat been so intensive over such a short
period of time.
The Luftwaffe had over 3000 aircraft at its disposal and the RAF were
outnumbered more than five to one with less than 600 Spitfire and
Hurricane fighters. During this intense battle fighter pilots of the RAF
were pushed to the limits of exhaustion, very often flying five or six
sorties in a single day. A day would begin at 3 and 4 o'clock in the
morning when they would prepare to be transported to their dispersal
points and it was common for them to fly and fight until dusk, only
returning to base to refuel and rearm.
The pilots of the Luftwaffe also had many disadvantages to contend with
whilst providing escorts for bombing raids over the British mainland.
Crossing the Channel from their bases in Northern France, they were at the
limits of their range and often only had ten minutes of fuel available for
actual combat. Pilots often found that in the right hands the Spitfire and
Me109 fighters were equally matched with each aircraft having certain
advantages over the other. Often intense duels developed, making pilots on
both sides respectful of the others skill. |
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