General Information

Serial #

39/150

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

paper print; matte & backing; glass; wood frame; steel hanging hardware

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

95.8 cm

Width

66.8 cm

Height

N/A

Thickness

2.5 cm

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Aviation

Category

Commemorative

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Davis

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

Period

WWII (1939-1945)

Canada

Unknown

Function

display/ to commemorate the role of the Royal Air Force Bomber Command in achieving victory in Europe

Technical

Unknown

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

lettering painted on canvas at lower right reads: "JIM DAVIS/EX FLT/SGT. REAR GUNNER"; lettering printed on the border below the image reads: "In the Battle of Britain, Fighter Command has given us salvation, but only Bomber Command can give us Victory over Germany/(SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL, 1940)/THE BOMBER CREWS 1939-1945/Air crews were all volunteers, men who believed the bombing of Germany would eventually bring victory. A bomber crew's target was to/complete thirty raids. the vast majority never survived the first five raids. The huge casualty rate made this the most dangerous job of the war./only one crew in twenty crews completed thirty raids. The courage and dedication of aircrew were demonstrated by the fact that the crews who/completed thirty raids then tried to complete thirty more raids. The few who survived this second tour even then did not stop flying bur carried/on with raids over Germany. The Pathfinder force flew ahead of the main bomber force marking the targets for them. The enemy concentrated/all his efforts to try to intercept and prevent the Pathfinders marking the targets. This job held more dangers and responsibilities, there was no/room for any errors. Pathfinder squadrons were made out of experienced volunteer crews from the main Bomber Command force./When one appreciates that a raid was as dangerous as being in a major land battle, or sea battle one only begins to get an idea of the huge/sacrifice made by bomber crews (AIR VICE MARSHAL BENNETT/ In tribute to all who served, and to all who fell in the non-stop six year Bomber Command offensive against Germany 1939-1945/WINGED VICTORY/By JIM DAVIS/EX FLT/SGT READ GUNNER 90 SQUADRON & 7 PATHFINDER SQUADRON/Marshal of the R.A.F. [signature] Arthur T. Harris Commander I/C Bomber Command/Air Chief Marshal [singature] Gus Walker Gus Walker of 50 & 61 Squadrons/Air Vice Marshal [illegible signature] Commander of Pathfinders/The nights were long, as endless as the sky. Like children in the night, the'd laugh and talk, though nerves were tightly drawn and quietly they prayed He'd guide their homeward/flight, that they may live, to see again the quiet beauty - of another dawn. JIM DAVIS/Painting commissioned by E. Cummings DFM EX F/O FLT ENG 83 Pathfinder Squadron on behalf of RAFA Horsham Branch./Print commissioned by E. Cummings on behalf of the Bomber Command Association./THE BOMBER COMMAND 1939-1945/Throughout the war Bomber Command took the war to Germany bombing all the cities and industries including the industries of the occupies/countries. This constant attack seriously damaged Germany's output which was so essential to her war effort. The German output gradually/weakened under the intensity of Bomber Command's attacks (OFFICIAL HISTORIANS)/ During this time the bomber attacks prevented Germany from perfecting the atom-bomb. Had Germany been allowed to perfect this bomb/there is no doubt Hitler would have dropped it on Britain (SIR ARTHUR HARRIS)/Though casualties were heavy, air supremacy was finally won over German skies, by this supremacy Bomber Command and the 8th Air Force/greatly helped the allied armies to push with all speed from the Normandy landings acrosss France and Germany to Berlin and victory in such a/short time (OFFICIAL HISTORIANS)/The intensity of Bomber Command's six year battle to defeat Germany was shown by the casualties she suffered, more air crew were killed/than were killed in the British and American armies from Normandy landings to entry into Berlin (OFFICIAL HISTORIANS)/Bomber Command became the most powerful strike force in all British history (AIR VICE MARSHAL BENNETT)/The fearsome damage and devastation caused by Bomber Command indeed played a major role in achieving the Final Victory in 1945./(OFFICIAL HISTORIANS)/Copyright Jim Davis (C) 1981 [signature] Jim Davis"; lettering printed on adhesive label on back reads: "THE/FRAMING/EXPERIENCE/Paper art often will not lie flat because:/1. the paper has absorbed colour/design/applications at time of creation;/2. paper fibre will expand or contract as/it reacts to temperature/humidity changes./Valuable paper art should not be mounted/as mounting will diminish its value./THE FRAMING EXPERIENCE"

Missing

N/A

Finish

colour image; white border with dark blue lettering; dark blue inner matte; light blue outer matte; brown frame

Decoration

colour picture of Royal Air Force heavy bomber airplane during night bombing raid over Germany