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A damaged B-17 Flying Fortress limping homewards after a daylight bombing
raid over Germany in the late summer of 1943. Circling warily overhead are Johnnie Johnson's Spitfire IX and Dolpho Galland's ME109F, each of them very conscious that the other fighters, whether friendly or hostile, could join the party at any time. Signed by: Adolf Galland & 'Johnnie' Johnson
Generalleutnant Adolf Galland (1912 - 1996)
Adolf Galland fought in the great Battles of Poland, France and Britain, leading the famous JG26 'Abbeville Boys'. He flew in combat against the RAF's best including Douglas Bader, Bob Stanford Tuck and Johnnie Johnson. In 1941, at the age of 29, he was promoted to 'Inspector of the Fighter Arm'. In 1942 Hitler personally selected Galland to organize the fighter escort for the 'Channel Dash'. He became the youngest General in the German High Command but open disagreements with Goering led to his dismissal at the end of 1944. He reverted to combat flying, forming the famous JV44 wing flying the Me262 jet fighter, and was the only General in history to lead a squadron into battle. With 104 victories, all in the West, Adolf Galland received the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds.
Air Vice Marshal Johnnie Johnson CB CBE DSO DFC DL
Johnnie Johnson joined 92 Spitfire Squadron in August 1940. Moving to 616 Squadron he scored his first victory while flying with Douglas Bader's Tangmere Wing. In July 1942 he was given command of 610 Squadron which he led on the Dieppe Raid. He took command of the Canadian Spitfire Wing at Kenley in March 1943. He led 144 Wing, again flying Spitfires, and then 127 and 125 Wings, ending the war as the top-scoring Allied fighter pilot with 38 victories. |
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