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. JG52 was home to the only fighter Aces in history to destroy more than 300 enemy aircraft - Erich Hartmann and Gerhard Barkhorn. The wing's top ten scoring Aces amassed a stagering 2286 aerial victories and, by the end of the war, JG52's pilots had recorded over 10,000 aerial victories; sixty-seven of their number were awarded the coveted Knight's 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 JG52 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 omnious backdrop of heavy cumulous clouds.

Securing its position in the annals of aviation art, each print in this fine Luftwaffe Aces edition has been signed by some of the most famous Luftwaffe fighter pilots of World War II. With an astounding 1225 aerial victories between them, these distinguished veterans of air combat proudly represent the famous Luftwaffe fighter wings and the pilots who fought - many of them throughout the entire duration of World War II.

Overall print size: 30 1/2" wide x 26 7/8" high.

Image size: 24" wide x 19 1/8" high.

Horrido! by Robert Taylor
The Luftwaffe Aces Edition
600 s/n prints w/TEN signatures.	US $320

25 Artist Proofs w/TEN signatures.	SOLD OUT
The Knight's Cross Edition
15 s/n prints w/FIFTEEN signatures.	SOLD OUT

"From the Battle of Britain onwards, the Luftwaffe became increasingly over-extended as theatres of operations grew and new Fronts were opened, often cobering vast areas of territory as in the Desert and Russia. Spread over so many Fronts, so much was asked of its pilots....."
Adolf Galland

The Signatures

Rarely have the signatures of so many leading Luftwaffe Aces been issued at one time on a Robert Taylor limited edition print. Now however, each print in this dramatic edition of Horrido! has been individually hand signed in pencil by TEN of the Luftwaffe's top fighter Aces of World War II, holding a total of 1225 victories between them.

Leutnant Hugo Broch
Vital to all fighter units are the pilots who make such superb wingmen that their leaders are loath to part with them. Hugo Broch was one such wingman. Having joined JG-52 in the east in January 1943, Hugo Broch flew Wingman first to Horst Adameit (166 victories) and later to 'Bazi' Sterr (130 victories), but when given the chance he soon demonstrated his own skills in aerial combat. By November of that year he had accounted for 44 enemy aircraft, and by the end of 1944 he had lifted his personal score to 71 victories. Hugo Broch flew 324 combat missions, and scored 81 victories. He was awarded the coveted Knight's Cross.

Major Hans-Ekkehard Bob
Flying with III./JG54 at the beginning of the war, Hans-Ekkehard Bob saw action in the Polish and French Campaigns before being appointed Staffelkapitän (double dots) of the 9th Staffel during the Battle of Britain. In June 1943 he was promoted Kommandeur of IV./JG51 and in May 1944 Kommandeur of II./JG3 until August 1944. In September 1944 he joined EJG2. At the end of the war he was Adutant of JV44, Galland's Squadron of Experts, where he also flew the Fw190D at Ainring airfield. During the war he flew over 700 missions and scored 59 victories. He was awarded the Knight's Cross.

Leutnant Norbet Hannig
Norbet Hannig began operations with JG52 on the Eastern Front near Leningrad in early 1943, flying first the Messerschmitt Bf 109G, later converting to the Fw190. He became a Staffelkapitan with JG52, notching up an impressive 42 victories. Towards the end of the war, in early 1945, he converted to fly the new jet fighter, the Me262, and flew it in combat with III./JG7 from the airfield base at Brandenberg-Briest.

Feldwebel Herbert Koller
Posted to II./JG52 on the Eastern Front, Herbert Koller flew Fw190s with 5./JG52, scoring his first victory on 19 February 1943, over an Il-2. By the end of the year his victory claims had risen to 12, including 8 Il-2 Shturmoviks, and a Boston bomber. The year 1944 saw intense combat for 5./JG52 on an almost daily basis, and month by month Herbert Koller's victories continued to mount, by the end of 1944 his tally had risen to 48. His final, and 49th victory came on 9 April 1945 when he downed a Yak 3.

Generalleutnant Günther Rall
Günther Rall was a young pilot with III./JG-52 at the outbreak of war. He quickly demonstrated his natural ability and leadership qualities, scoring his first air victory early in the Battle of Britain, and by July 1940 was leading 8./JG-52. After transfer to the Eastern Front his air victories mounted at an astonishing rate. A crash hospitalized him but within 9 months he was back in the cockpit, and when commanding III./JG-52, gained the Wing's 500th victory. Günther fought throughout the war to become the 3rd highest Ace in history with 275 victories. He was awarded the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.

Major Erich Rudorffer
When Erich Rudorffer achieved his first victory in May 1940, it was the start of a spectacular career. In November 1942 he transferred to North Africa with II./JG-2 and on one occasion shot down 8 enemy aircraft in 32 minutes. Returning to France he led II./JG-2 and IV./JG-54. Moving to the Eastern Front as Kommandeur of II./JG-54, he acquired a fearsome reputation - achieving more multiple kills than any other fighter pilot. On November 6, 1943 he downed 13 Russian aircraft in a mere 17 minutes! By the end of the war he was flying the Me262 and achieved 12 more victories. Erich Rudorffer flew more than 1000 missions, achieved 222 air victories and was shot down 16 times. He was awarded the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.

Oberleutnant Walter Schuck
After a spell with JG3 in 1940 Walter Schuck was posted to 7./JG5, arriving at Petsamo on the Arctic Front in April 1942. By April 1943 he had collected 54 aerial victories. On 17 March 1944 he brought down 17 bombers and in April of that year was awarded the Knights Cross with his tally standing at 84. On 15 June 1944 he chalked up his 100th victory during a day when he shot down 6 aircraft. Two days later he had his most successful day, achieving 12 victories in twenty-four hours, a feat never surpassed in JG5. On 1 August he assumed command of 10./JG5. December 1944 was a black month for JG5 when the Tirpitz was sunk and their Kommodore, Heinrich Ehrler, was made a scapegoat for the disaster. He later transferred to fly the Me262 as Staffelkapitän of 3./JG7, and achieved 8 further victories flying the new jet. His final tally was 206 air victories and had been awarded the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves.

Leutnant Hermann Schleinhege
Born in 1916 Hermann Schleinhege joined I./JG3 as an Unteroffizier in 1941 before being posted to join II./JG52 'Green Hearts' in May 1942. He then flew continuously with JG52 through to the end of the war, by which time he was Staffelkapitan of 8./JG52. Flying a total of 484 combat missions, by the end of the war Hermann Schleinhege had reached a total of 98 victories, including 38 Soviet I1-2 Shturmoviks. In February 1945 he was awarded the Knight's Cross.

Oberleutnant Günter Seeger
In February 1940, Gunter Seeger was an Unteroffizier with 3./JG-2, scoring his first victory in the early days of the Battle of Britain, He served on the Channel Front until November 1942, including several months with the Geschwaderstabsschwarm. In December he transferred to the Mediterranean theatre with II./JG-2 before joining 6./JG-53. In February 1943 he joined 7./JG-53 becoming Staffekapitan in September 1944. He flew in North Africa, in the Dolomite region and in Sicily. Awarded the Knight's Cross, Gunter Seeger flew over 500 combat missions in the west and scored 56 victories.

Oberleutnant 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 defense 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 Knight's Cross.