“THE LAST RAID” De Havilland Mosquito B MK XVI
SPECIFICATION
Media: Full colour giclée on 280 gsm paper.
Dimensions: Print size A2, 594 x 420 mm (23.4 x 16.5 inches), image size 559 x 362 mm (22.3 x 14.5 inches).
Editions: Standard edition 100 copies, special pilot signed edition 25 copies.
Signed and numbered by the artist.
Certificate of authenticity.
PRICE: Standard edition £40 plus postage and packing. The print is dispatched in a large diameter (101 mm / 4 inch) postal tube.
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SPECIAL EDITION NOW SOLD OUT
SPECIAL EDITION **** PILOT SIGNED ****
25 COPIES – ONLY 5 remaining
Signed by Flt Lt Colin S Bell, DFC, AE, FRICS, signed and numbered by the artist.
PRICE: £60 plus postage and packing
This is a very rare opportunity to purchase this print signed by one of the last surviving 608 Squadron Mosquito pilots, Flt LT Colin S Bell, now aged 98.
Born in 1921, Colin joined the Royal Air Force towards the end of 1940 and his flying training was carried out in the United States of America prior to their entry into the War. On his return to the UK in 1943, he converted to twin engine Mosquito Bombers and joined 608 Squadron (Pathfinder Group) based at Downham Market in Norfolk. During his tour of operations he carried out 50 bombing raids over Germany, 13 of these over Berlin.
The painting depicts a 608 Squadron Mosquito B MK XVI at the moment the crew release their 4,000lb ‘Cookie’ over the city of Kiel on the night of 2/3 May, 1945, on what was to become the last raid over Europe by Bomber Command during WWII. The painting was inspired by a newspaper article that included a picture of the crew in front of their aircraft before the raid, and I thought it would be an interesting idea to project this scene forward to the second when the last bomb was released – a poignant moment in history after such a long and costly campaign for both sides.
A donation will be made from the sales of this print to a UK based Mosquito restoration project.