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By August, 1940, the Battle of Britain had reached its most crucial stage. The all-powerful Luftwaffe was inflicting huge losses on RAF Fighter Command. Many of the young, inexperienced RAF pilots became easy victims of the battle-hardened German Aces. Air supremacy was vital and the contest desperate.

Each day, weather permitting, armadas of German fighers and bombers set forth across the English Channel, the great aerial battles sometimes continuing from dawn to dusk. By September, 1./JG2 Richtofen wing was under the command of Helmut Wick, who would become a top-scoring Luftwaffe ace in the Battle of Britain and eventually attain 56 aerial victories.

Nicolas Trudgian's dramatic new limited edition depicts Wick, with Gunther Seeger off his starboard wing, leading the ME-109s of 1./JG2 out on a mission in September, 1940. Heinkel 111 bombers of the Kampfgeschwadern are assembling for another raid on England. A Blenheim of No. 2 Group has crash-landed on the beach, testimony to the British Bomber Command's contribution to the battle.

THE SIGNATORIES

Oberleutnant Gunther Seeger
In February 1940, Gunrther Seeger was an Unteroffizier with 3./JG-2, scoring his first victory in the early days of the Battle of Britain. He served in the Channel Front until December, 1942, including several months with the Geschwaderschwarm. He transferred to the Mediterranean theater with II./JG2 before joining 6./JG-53. In Febuary 1943 he joined 7./JG-53, becoming Staffelkapitan in September, 1944. Awarded the Knight's Cross, Seeger scored 56 victories.

Oberleutnant Siegfried Bethke
Bethke joined the Luftwaffe in 1935 and was posted to II./JG2 shortly before the Battle of France. During the Battle of Britain he was Staffelkapitan of 2.Staffel JG2, and by the end of 1940, his tally of aerial vistories had reached 10. He flew on the "Channel Dash" mission. Later, a serious flying accident halted his flying career. Awarded the Iron Cross I and II class, he had a total of 14 victories.