By Robert Taylor

During the early part of 1943 the B-17s of the American Eighth Air Force were paying regular visits to the occupied ports of the West coast of France. It was here at the Brest, St. Nazaire and Lorient that the U-Boats were serviced and made ready for their deadly trade in the Atlantic. The area was heavily defended by flak batteries, but it was the notorious fighter interceptors of JG-2 that the bomber crews feared most.

Equipped with the outstanding and still comparatively new Focke-Wulf 190, the Luftwaffe pilots achieved startling success against the still inexperienced D.S.A.A.F. units. As the allied bomber offensive got properly under way in 1943 the Fw190 quickly established a fearsome reputation, and became the mainstay at the German defense.

Robert Taylor’s painting highlights the elegant lethality that exude from the Fw190, as a group of A-3 and A-4s climb over Theville to intercept an in-coming armada of B-17 Fortresses enroute to bomb the submarine pens at Lorient. Pilots in their high visibility cockpits gun their massive B.M.W. radial engines as they power upwards through the turbulent air. Within minutes drop tanks will be jettisoned and battle joined. Spoiling for a fight, they presented the B-17 crews with an awesome reception committee.

Each print is individually signed by four distinguished Focke-Wulf 190 Aces, having between them almost 2500 combat missions, and no fewer than 393 aerial victories.

Major Heinz Lange

Major Fritz Losigkeit

Captain Gunther Schack

Lieutenant Hugo Broch