Against All Odds

Robert Taylor's painting portrays the renowned defiance of the U-Boat crews. Caught on the surface by a PBY Catalina the gun crews of a type VIIc U-Boat are quickly into action. The 3.7cm anti-aircraft gun is hurriedly reloaded while on the upper platform the two 2cm anti-aircraft twins take chunks out of the Catalina's tail - enough damage to secure a respite from the attack. Soon they will dive to relative safety beneath the Atlantic swell.

Complete Edition signed by:

Kapitänleutnant Karl-August Landfermann
Knight's Cross 27th October, 1943. Landfermann was one of the leading engineering officers on U-Boats. Serving on U-181 he made the second longest patrol in U-Boat history - 206 days.

Oberbootsmaat Rudolf Mühlbauer
Knight's Cross 10th December, 1944. Mühlbauer was perhaps the most outstanding bridge watch look-out of World War II. He served on both U-123 and later on U-170. He was taken POW in England at the close of hostilities.

Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Schroeteler
Capitain of U-667 and U-1023. Knight's Cross 2nd May, 1945. Heinrich Schroeteler served continuously at sea in U-Boats from 1942 when he took command on U-667 until May 1945 when, in U-1023, he was ordered to surrender whilst at sea.

Korveitenkapitän Helmut Witte
Captain of U-159. Knight's Cross 22nd October, 1942. After serving on destroyers, Witte joined the U-Boat service with U-107; taking part in the most successful patrol ever by a German U-Boat. In 1941 he took command of U-159.