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Cranston Fine Arts Aviation Art and Artists World War Two Veteran Signatures Germany T to Z Wolfrum, Walter

Walter Wolfrum

Walter Wolfrum first saw combat in the Crimea with 5/JG52. He was shot down three times, and wounded twice before scoring his first victory. With his score at 70 he was again wounded, but returned to take command of 1/JG52 in May 1944, taking part in the fiercely fought defence of the Ploesti oilfields. he was again wounded, but returned to command 1/JG52 until the end of the war. he had flown 423 missions, achieved 137 victories, and was awarded the Knights Cross. Sadly, Walter Wolfrum passed away on 26th August 2010.

Knights Cross

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Walter Wolfrum - Signed Aviation Art

Above the Cauldron by David Pentland. 4 editions. One edition features an additional signature. £40.00 - £450.00

The Count by David Pentland. (P) One edition. The edition features an additional signature. £390.00

The Last Eagle, Innsbruck, Austria, May 1945 by David Pentland. 7 editions. 3 of the 7 editions feature up to 5 additional signatures. £2.90 - £600.00

Caucasus Dawn by Graeme Lothian. 2 of 3 editions available. All 3 editions feature up to 4 additional signatures. £115.00 - £180.00

One to One by Ivan Berryman. 9 of 10 editions available. 5 of 6 editions featuring an additional signature are available. £2.90 - £400.00

Black 13 - Gunther Rall by Ivan Berryman. 4 editions. All 4 editions feature up to 4 additional signature(s). £100.00 - £450.00

Jet Ace by Brian Bateman. (P) One edition. The edition features an additional signature. £300.00

Snow Warriors by Ivan Berryman. 4 editions. All 4 editions feature up to 6 additional signature(s). £100.00 - £690.00

Ju87 Stukas by Jason Askew. (P) One edition. The edition features 2 additional signature(s). £300.00

Me109s on the Russian Front by Jason Askew. (P) One edition. The edition features 2 additional signature(s). £300.00

Me109 - Adolf Galland by Jason Askew. (P) One edition. The edition features 2 additional signature(s). £300.00

The Eagles Divide by Robert Taylor. 4 of 6 editions available. All 6 editions feature up to 24 additional signatures. £65.00 - £200.00

Battle of the Bight by David Pentland. (P) One edition. The edition features an additional signature. £390.00

Schweinfurt Thunderbolts by Jason Askew. (P) This single edition is sold out. The edition features 2 additional signatures.

Three Hundred Club by Nicolas Trudgian One of 2 editions available. The edition featuring 3 additional signatures is sold out. £2.00

Horrido! by Robert Taylor. All 4 editions sold out. All editions feature up to 18 additional signatures.

JG-52 by Robert Taylor. All 5 editions sold out. All editions feature up to 10 additional signatures.

Me109 of JG26 by Graeme Lothian. (P) This single edition is sold out. The edition features 5 additional signatures.

The Long Short Days by Robert Taylor. 3 of 6 editions available. All 6 editions feature up to 20 additional signatures. £215.00 - £425.00

Knight of the Reich by Robert Taylor. 2 of 6 editions available. All 6 editions feature up to 15 additional signatures. £215.00 - £430.00

Hunters at Dawn by Robert Taylor. 2 of 5 editions available. All 5 editions feature up to 8 additional signatures. £215.00 - £325.00

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Text for the above items :

Above the Cauldron by David Pentland. Borisov, Russia, 2nd July 1941. The battle for Minsk lasted 12 days, when it ended 300,000 soviet troops had been taken prisoner. In the air fierce battles were fought to smash an escape route to the citys defenders. It was during this chaos that Gerd Barkhorn scored his first victory against a Soviet DB-3 bomber. He had flown 120 missions throughout the Battle of Britain, and only succeeded in being shot down himself. It was only in Russia that his career really took off. By the end of the war he was credited with 301 victories in 1104 missions.

The Count by David Pentland. (P) Leutnant Walter Count Punski Krupinski of 4 Staffel, JG52 downs a Soviet R5 biplane on 25th September 1942. By the end of the day, 4 enemy aircraft would fall prey to his guns. One month later he received the Ritterkreutz having claimed 56 victories.

The Last Eagle, Innsbruck, Austria, May 1945 by David Pentland. Abandoned Me 109G-10, 3rd Staffel JG4.

Caucasus Dawn by Graeme Lothian. Gunther Rall leading 111 JG52 squadron April 1943.

One to One by Ivan Berryman. A Messerschmitt BF109 E of JG27 closes on a 501 squadron Hawker Hurricane during the typical combat in the skies over southern England during the Battle of Britain, in the summer of 1940.

Black 13 - Gunther Rall by Ivan Berryman. Gunther Rall scored almost all of his huge tally of 275 victories on the eastern front. Here, his Me109 Black 13 is shown over the snowy landscape that JG52 often operated in.

Jet Ace by Brian Bateman. (P) Walter Schuck claims one of two P-51 Mustangs shot down as his first two victories in his new Me262 jet fighter. Flying with JG7, Walter Schuck claimed his first two victories in the jet on 24th March 1945, and eventually went on to claim eight jet victories, and over 200 enemy aircraft in total.

Snow Warriors by Ivan Berryman. Gunther Rall in his Me109G Black 13 about to set off with the rest of III./JG52 from a snow covered eastern front airstrip in 1943.

Ju87 Stukas by Jason Askew. (P) A formation of Stukas featured alongside a portrait of this aircraft's most prolific pilot, Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

Me109s on the Russian Front by Jason Askew. (P) Gerhard Barkhorn takes off in his Bb109 from an airfield in Russia. The second highest scoring Ace in history, he was one of only two to achieve over 300 victories, an achievement that will likely never be surpassed.

Me109 - Adolf Galland by Jason Askew. (P) From June 1940 on, Adolf Galland flew as a of III./JG 26, fighting in the Battle of britain with 109-Emils from bases in the Pas de Calais. During the Battle of Britain, in a legendary front line General Officer briefing on Luftwaffe tactics, Hermann Goring asked what his pilots needed to win the battle. Galland replied: I should like an outfit of Spitfires for my squadron. Göring was speechless with rage. It is important that this remark is not taken out of context, because Galland also stated (in his autobiography) that of course fundamentally I preferred our Me109 to the Spitfire. This apparent contradiction was due to his view that because the Spitfire was more manoeuvreable he considered it more suitable to the role of defensive fighter than the Bf 109, though he actually thought that fighters should not be used in a defensive role anyway. When Galland made the much quoted comment about the Spitfires to Göring he was unbelievably vexed at the lack of understanding and stubbornness with which the command gave us orders we could not execute and so made the comment as a retort to Göring.

The Eagles Divide by Robert Taylor. P-51 Mustangs of the 357th Fighter Group clash with Me109s in close combat as they struggle for air superiority over the heart of Germany, during the desperate days of 1945. It had begun - the end game was inexorably in play. The final defeat of Germany and the end of Nazi tyranny was almost within sight but in the skies over Germany the defiant remnants of the Luftwaffe fought on with savage determination. Ever since the long-range American P-51 escort fighters had first appeared, the skies over the Reich had witnessed grim encounters with the Mustangs taking on the Luftwaffe as they tried to stop the heavy bombers of the USAAF reaching their targets. By early 1945 it was a losing battle, but still the Luftwaffe fought on and, in the resulting maelstrom of combat, the Mustang pilots still had their work cut out against these battle hardened, expert pilots. Robert Taylor's superb drawing dramatically reconstructs one such clash in early 1945 as P-51 Mustangs of the 357th Fighter Group have spotted a group of Bf109s heading their way. Without hesitation they dive head-on in an attempt to break-up the enemy formation and for the pilots on both sides the explosive encounter of close combat is suddenly upon them. Limited edition prints of this classic Robert Taylor Master Drawing have been signed over the last few years by some of the most respected USAAF P-51 and distinguished Luftwaffe pilots who duelled in those merciless skies over Europe. Since signing the prints some of these legendary names have very sadly passed away, making it one of the most collectible editions of recent years.

Battle of the Bight by David Pentland. (P) Heligoland, German coast, 18th December 1939. Johannes Macky Steinhoff attacking Vickers Wellington bombers of No.37 Sqn. A raiding force of 22 RAF Wellington Ia bombers from 9, 37 and 149 squadrons was intercepted by some 60 Me109 and Me110s. First to engage were 6 Me109Ds from Oberleutnant Johannes Macki Steinhoff 's NG26's experimental night fighter staffel. In the running battle that followed Steinhoff and Feldwebel Szuggar claimed 1 bomber each. It was a disasterous day for the RAF with a total of 12 aircraft being shot down and another 6 crash landing on their return to England.

Schweinfurt Thunderbolts by Jason Askew. (P) Thunderbolts of the 78th Fighter Group based at Duxford (station 357) engage Me109s during the August 17th raid on Schweinfurt. The 78th Fighter Group were assigned the duty of escorting the B-17s from Antwerp to Eupen between the hours of 1353-1410, and the group claimed two confirmed kills and no losses during their engagement.

Three Hundred Club by Nicolas Trudgian Although the true qualities of a fighter pilot cannot be measured simply by tallying his number of air victories - some of the greatest fighter leaders do not feature in the top score sheets -there can be no question that any fighter pilot whose victory tally is counted in 100s has got to be exceptional. That two of them achieved more than 300 air-to-air victories is pure phenomena. In paying tribute to Erich Hartmann and Gerhard Barkhorn, the only two fighter pilots ever to top the 300 victory mark, Nicolas Trudgian has painted a gripping combat scene being played out in the typically harsh environment where these two remarkable fighter aces achieved immortality. Both 300 Club members flew the majority of their combat missions with JG-52, the most successful fighter wing of WWII, where, on the Eastern Front they encountered and conquered every type of fighter including British built Spitfires and Hurricanes, the American Airacobra, and all the best Russian built fighters, including the Yak-9. Nicolas Trudgians quite stunning rendition brings to life the harsh reality of the air war on the Eastern Front in a scene from November 1944. Heading back from the Front, a German armoured column has come under attack from Russian LA7s as it files past a frozen Lake Balaton, in Hungary. Luftwaffe fighters from JG-52 have been called in, and the Me109s of Erich Hartman and Gerhard Barkhorn are seen engaging the attacking aircraft. Typical of this popular artists style, the picture is filled with detail authentic to the period, and with prints signed by leading fighter aces, all of whom fought alongside Hartmann and Barkhorn in JG-52, this new limited edition print provides a fitting tribute to historys two highest scoring fighter aces for enthusiasts of the era to add to their collections.

Horrido! by Robert Taylor. Of the many outstanding Luftwaffe fighter Wings of World War II, JG52 became the most successful. Many of the most famous Aces flew with this legendary wing, including one-time Squadron Commander Adolf Galland. JG-52 was home to the only fighter Aces in history to destroy more than 300 enemy aircraft - Erich Hartmann and Gerhard Barkhorn. The wings top ten scoring Aces amassed a staggering 2286 aerial victories and, by the end of the war, JG-52s pilots had recorded over 10,000 aerial victories; sixty-seven of their number were awarded the coveted Knights Cross or higher decorations, but the cost to the Wing was high: 678 of its aircrew perished in combat, while many others were taken prisoner following combat. Appropriately, Robert Taylor has chosen the Me109s of JG52 as his subject to represent the fighter pilots of the Luftwaffe in his tribute to these courageous flyers, with his breathtaking painting Horrido! With the traditional battle cry ringing in their ears, Squadron Commander Hptm Wolfgang Ewald leads pilots of I./JG52 into combat. Based at Coquelles/Calais in September 1940, the JG-52 Me109s hurtle down in a high-speed dive to engage the enemy during the ferociously fought Battle of Britain. Robert eloquently depicts these sleek and deadly fighters high over the Channel, glinting and menacing against an ominous backdrop of heavy cumulous clouds.

JG-52 by Robert Taylor. It was the foundation upon which the Luftwaffe was built and flew throughout WWII. It was flown by some of the greatest fighter Aces of all time, and credited with more air victories than any other fighter in history. It was the Messerschmitt Bf109. One of the finest fighter aircraft ever to take to the skies, the Bf109 was flown by the Luftwaffe's greatest Aces - men like Hartmann, Galland, Rall, Reinert and Krupinski.

Me109 of JG26 by Graeme Lothian. (P) An Me109 makes a low flight over the English countryside during the Battle of Britain. This painting was a preliminary painting by Graeme in preparation for the larger painting entitled Fighter General. When Graeme traveled to Germany to have prints of Fighter General signed by some of the top German Aces, he took this painting with him, and they have signed it on the back of the canvas.

The Long Short Days by Robert Taylor. It was known as the Jagdverbande, the fighter arm of the Luftwaffe, and by June 1940 it boasted some of the world's greatest fighter pilots. With tactics honed to perfection, these battle-seasoned veterans dominated the skies of Europe. But as the war progressed, the Luftwaffe fighter pilots faced another battle, the increasingly desperate war of attrition as the Allied air forces slowly, but inevitably, ground the German war machine into defeat. By early 1945 Allied air supremacy was overwhelming. And yet despite overwhelming odds, from within their ranks came the most successful air Aces ever to fly in combat - names such as Hans-Joachim Marseille, the top-scoring fighter pilot in the West, the legendary Erich Rudorffer who scored more multiple victories than any other pilot and of course the Fighter General, Adolf Galland, who achieved all of his 104 victories in the West. In total more than 100 Luftwaffe fighter pilots are known to have scored 100 or more victories, and 568 Jagdverbande flyers were holders of the Knight's Cross, Germany's highest awarded military honor. Robert Taylor's stunning painting, beautifully captures a group of Bf109Gs from III./JG26, as they return to their forward base after a long fighter sweep along the Channel coast in early 1944. In his unmistakable style, and with inordinate skill, Robert deftly evokes a moment of rare tranquility amidst the carnage of war as the lengthening sun glints across the frozen landscape during the short days of winter.

Knight of the Reich by Robert Taylor. On the morning of 15th October 1943, as Bf109G's from III./JG52 dive into attack a group of Russian fighters high over Zaporozhye in south-east Ukraine, their Kommandeur Hauptmann Gunther Rall pounces on a Soviet La-5 to claim his 222nd victory. During this astonishing one month period Rall shot down 40 aircraft and at the end of November 1943 achieved 250 victories - at the time only the second Ace to do so after Walter Nowotny. By the time he was posted back to the West, he was well on the way to his final score of 275 victories, making him the third highest-scoring Ace in history. Had he not been wounded in action numerous times and forced to spend months in hospital, he might well have been the highest-scoring Ace of them all.

Hunters at Dawn by Robert Taylor. Those Aces with over 100 victories were exceptional. To reach 200 victories was a spectacular achievement. Yet two men went even further and accomplished a feat that will never be repeated - both of them shot down more than 300 enemy aircraft which placed them in a league of their own. They were the elite of the elite, and their names are legendary - Erich Hartmann and Gerhard Barkhorn. It is no surprise that these iconic Aces scored their victories whilst flying with the legendary fighter wing JG52. Active from the beginning of the war, the unit fought in the Battle of France, but suffered terrible losses during the Battle of Britain before transferring to the Eastern Front at the outset of Operation Barbarossa, and it was here that it solidified its fearsome reputation. Operating the Bf109 throughout the war, the Geschwader boasted some of the greatest Luftwaffe pilots of world war two among its ranks - including the top three Aces of all time. Such renowned pilots as Gunther Rall (275 victories), Wilhelm Batz (237 victories), Hermann Graf (212 victories) and Helmut Lipfert (203 victories) helped this formidable unit notch up more than 10,000 victories, making it the most successful fighter wing in history. Hunters at Dawn features Hptm. Gerhard Barkhorn, Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG52. The great Ace, flying his Bf109 G-6, leads the Stab as they climb out from their base near the Black Sea, early November 1943. The crisp air of day break is temporarily punctuated by the roar of Daimler-Benz engines as the deadly Messerschmitt fighters set off on their daily hunt for Soviet aircraft over the front line.

Walter Wolfrum signs the print - Eagles Over the Steppes - by Graeme Lothian.

Me109 Manufacturer : Messerschmitt Built : 33984

Me109 Willy Messerschmitt designed the BF109 during the early 1930s. The Bf109 was one of the first all metal monocoque construction fighters with a closed canopy and retractable undercarriage. The engine of the Me109 was a V12 aero engine which was liquid-cooled. The Bf109 first saw operational service during the Spanish Civil War and flew to the end of World War II, during which time it was the backbone of the Luftwaffe fighter squadrons. During the Battle of Britian the Bf109 was used in the role of an escort fighter, a role for which it was not designed for, and it was also used as a fighter bomber. During the last days of May 1940 Robert Stanford-Tuck, the RAF ace, got the chance to fly an Me109 which they had rebuilt after it had crash landed. Stanford-Tuck found out that the Me109 was a wonderful little plane, it was slightly faster than the Spitfire, but lacked the Spitfire manoeuvrability. By testing the Me109, Tuck could put himself inside the Me109 when fighting them, knowing its weak and strong points. With the introduction of the improved Bf109F in the spring of 1941, the type again proved to be an effective fighter during the invasion of Yugoslavia and during the Battle of Crete and the invasion of Russia and it was used during the Siege of the Mediteranean island of Malta. The Bf109 was the main fighter for the Luftwaffe until 1942 when the Fw190 entered service and shared this position, and was partially replaced in Western Europe, but the Me109 continued to serve on the Eastern Front and during the defence of the Reich against the allied bombers. It was also used to good effect in the Mediterranean and North Africa in support of The Africa Korps. The Me109 was also supplied to several German allies, including Finland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Slovakia. The Bf109 scored more kills than any other fighter of any country during the war and was built in greater numbers with a total of over 31,000 aircraft being built. The Bf109 was flown by the three top German aces of the war war. Erich Hartmann with 352 victories, Gerhard Barkhorn with 301 victories and Gunther Rall with 275 kills. Bf109 pilots were credited with the destruction of 100 or more enemy aircraft. Thirteen Luftwaffe Aces scored more than 200 kills. Altogether this group of pilots were credited with a total of nearly 15,000 kills, of which the Messerschmitt Bf109 was credited with over 10,000 of these victories. The Bf109 was the most produced warplane during World War II, with 30,573 examples built during the war, and the most produced fighter aircraft in history, with a total of 33,984 units produced up to April 1945. Bf109s remained in foreign service for many years after World War II. The Swiss used their Bf109Gs well into the 1950s. The Finnish Air Force did not retire their Bf109Gs until March 1954. Romania used its Bf109s until 1955. The Spanish Hispanos flew even longer. Some were still in service in the late 1960s.

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Walter Wolfrum Squadron details

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