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Escort to the Scharnhorst by Simon Atack. (B) - Direct Art
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Escort to the Scharnhorst by Simon Atack. (B)


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Escort to the Scharnhorst by Simon Atack. (B)

When the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau entered Brest in March, 1941, between them they had sunk a total of 22 ships during their North Atlantic operations. Laying in port however, they became a target for constant air attack, Scharnhorst being damaged by bombs, and in February 1942 the decision was made to break out with the famous Channel Dash. Scharnhorst led the flotilla in a daring passage through the English Channel, heading for the sanctuary of Wilhelmshaven. They all got through but, striking two mines en-route, it was March 1943 before the Scharnhorst was able to resume battle operations when, under heavy escort, she sailed for Norway. Simon Atacks panoramic seascape depicts a scene from Operation Paderborn as Scharnhorst ploughs through a lively swell with Fw190s of I./JG5, based at Oslo Fornebu, providing fighter cover. Steaming in company with destroyers Z-28 and Erich Steinbrinck, the mighty German battleship has departed Gotenhafen and is heading towards Bogen Bay, near Narvik in Norway. But Scharnhorsts days were numbered. On 26 December 1943 the huge battleship attacked a convoy off North Cape, but in the heavy seas Scharnhorst became detached from her destroyer escort. With the British Home Fleet aware of her position, and intentions, she was intercepted, the Britishbattleship Duke of York landing a barrage of 14-inch shells on the mighty German warship. The blows were fatal, the coup-de-grace coming shortly after, when 11 torpedoes sent the magnificent but deadly battleship quickly to the bottom. There were just 36 survivors.
Item Code : SA0002BEscort to the Scharnhorst by Simon Atack. (B) - This EditionAdd any two items on this offer to your basket, and the lower priced item will be half price in the checkout! Buy 1 Get 1 Half Price!
TYPEEDITION DETAILSSIZESIGNATURESOFFERSYOUR PRICEPURCHASING
PRINTRudorffer signature edition of 100 prints (Nos 301 - 400) from the limited edition of 500 prints.

Paper size 30 inches x 22.5 inches (76cm x 57cm) Rudorffer, Erich
Alsen, Wilhelm
+ Artist : Simon Atack


Signature(s) value alone : £100
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Other editions of this item : Escort to the Scharnhorst by Simon AtackSA0002
TYPEEDITION DETAILSSIZESIGNATURESOFFERSYOUR PRICEPURCHASING
PRINT Signed limited edition of 500 prints.

Last 8 copies available of this sold out edition.
Paper size 30 inches x 22.5 inches (76cm x 57cm) Alsen, Wilhelm
+ Artist : Simon Atack


Signature(s) value alone : £40
£40 Off!Add any two items on this offer to your basket, and the lower priced item will be half price in the checkout!Now : £140.00VIEW EDITION...
ARTIST
PROOF
Limited edition of 25 artist proofs.

The last remaining prints in this edition have now been signed by Erich Rudorffer.
Paper size 30 inches x 22.5 inches (76cm x 57cm) Alsen, Wilhelm
Rudorffer, Erich
+ Artist : Simon Atack


Signature(s) value alone : £100
£50 Off!Now : £170.00VIEW EDITION...
SLIGHT
BORDER
DAMAGE
Signed limited edition of 500 prints.

The print has slight damage to the border area, mostly on a corner. Not noticeable once framed.
Paper size 30 inches x 22.5 inches (76cm x 57cm) Rudorffer, Erich
Alsen, Wilhelm
+ Artist : Simon Atack


Signature(s) value alone : £100
Half
Price!
Now : £120.00VIEW EDITION...
General descriptions of types of editions :


Extra Details : Escort to the Scharnhorst by Simon Atack. (B)
About this edition :


Erich Rudorffer signing this edition of the print.

About all editions :

A photograph of an edition of the print :

Signatures on this item
*The value given for each signature has been calculated by us based on the historical significance and rarity of the signature. Values of many pilot signatures have risen in recent years and will likely continue to rise as they become more and more rare.
NameInfo


The signature of Major Erich Rudorffer (deceased)

Major Erich Rudorffer (deceased)
*Signature Value : £60

Erich Rudorffer was born on November 1st 1917 in the town of Zwickau in Saxony. Erich Rudorffer joined the Luftwaffes I./JG2 Richthofen in November 1939, and was soon flying combat patrols in January 1940 and was assigned to I/JG 2 Richthofen with the rank of Oberfeldwebel. He took part in the Battle of France, scoring the first of his many victories over a French Hawk 75 on May 14th, 1940. He went on to score eight additional victories during the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain. Rudorffer recalled an incident in August 1940 when he escorted a badly damaged Hurricane across the Channel - ditching in the English Channel was greatly feared by pilots on both sides. As fate often does, Rudorffer found the roles reversed two weeks later, when he was escorted by an RAF fighter after receiving battle damage. By May 1st 1941 Rudorffer had achieved 19 victories, which led to the award of the Knights Cross. In June 1941 Rodorffer became an Adjutant of II./JG2. In 1942 Rudorffer participated in Operation Cerberus (known as the Channel Dash) and flew over the Allied landings at Dieppe. Erich Rudorffer along with JG2 was transferred to North Africa in December 1942. It was in North Africa that Rudorffer showed his propensity for multiple-victory sorties. He shot down eight British aircraft in 32 minutes on February 9th 1943 and seven more in 20 minutes six days later. After scoring a total of 26 victories in Tunisia, Rudorffer returned to France in April 1943 and was posted to command II./JG54 in Russia, after Hauptmann Heinrich Jung, its Kommodore, failed to return from a mission on July 30th 1943. On August 24th 1943 he shot down 5 Russian aircraft on the first mission of the day and followed that up with three more victories on the second mission. He scored seven victories in seven minutes on October 11th but his finest achievement occurred on November 6th when in the course of 17 minutes, he shot down thirteen Russian aircraft. Rudorffer became known to Russian pilots as the fighter of Libau. On October 28th 1944 while about to land, Rudorffer spotted a large formation of Il-2 Sturmoviks. He quickly aborted the landing and moved to engage the Russian aircraft. In under ten minutes, nine of the of the II-2 Sturmoviks were shot down causing the rest to disperse. Rudorffer would later that day go on and shoot down a further two Russian aircraft. These victories took his total to 113 and he was awarded the Oak Leaves on April 11th 1944. Rudorffer would on the 26th January 1945 on his 210th victory receive the addition of the Swords. In February 1945 Rudorffer took command of I./JG7 flying the Me262. He was one of the first jet fighter aces of the war, scoring 12 victories in the Me262. He shot down ten 4-engine bombers during the 'Defense of the Reich missions'. He was the master of multiple scoring - achieving more multiple victories than any other pilot. Erich Rudorffer never took leave, was shot down 16 times having to bail out 9 times, and ended the war with 222 victories from over 1000 missions. He was awarded the Knights Cross, with Oak Leaves and Swords. Erich Rudorffer died on 8th April 2016.

Erich Rudorffer signing the print - Fighter General - by Graeme Lothian

Erich Rudorffer with artist Graeme Lothian and the original painting of Fighter General.



The signature of Matrosen Obgefreiter Wilhelm Alsen (deceased)

Matrosen Obgefreiter Wilhelm Alsen (deceased)
*Signature Value : £40

Willi Alsen joined the Kriegsmarine on 1 October 1940, his first ship was the cruiser Koln. On 1 March 1941 he was posted to join the battleship Scharnhorst and as a Seaman 1st class he was one of the ship's starboard gunners, serving a 2cm four-barrel anti-aircraft gun. He was also trained as an aircraft recognition specialist. During his service he was awarded the Iron Cross II class. Willi Alsen was the last of the thirty-six men who survived the sinking of the Scharnhorst to be rescued. He served the remainder of the war as a Prisoner of War. Any photos of him signing our prints etc were taken in April 2010 during a signing session when a representative of Cranston Fine Arts went to meet him. Alsen died on 22nd July 2012.



Wilhelm Alsen during an art print signing session in April 2010.

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