The Big Guns - by Nicolas Trudgian

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WWII Luftwaffe officer's cap badge

Included in the mount is an authentic original WWII Luftwaffe officer's visor cap badge.

This particular example is made of pressed zinc and shows feint remnants of the silver wash that once covered the entire piece.

(click image to enlarge)

Unique serial number

We were fortunate enough to obtain print number 87 for this presentation. Given the subject of the painting it is ideal, and to recognize the significance of this, artist Nicolas Trudgian added the prefix 'Ju' when numbering the print.

The signatures
Hans-Ulrich Rudel Rudel joined the Luftwaffe in 1936 and began his military career as an air reconnaissance pilot. He flew on long-range reconnaissance missions over Poland. During 1940, and served as a regimental adjutant for the 43rd Aviators Training Regiment, based at Vienna. In early 1941, he underwent training as a Stuka pilot and was posted to 1 Staffel Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 (StG 2), which was moved to occupied Poland in preparation for Operation Barbarossa in June 1941. On 21 September 1941, Rudel took part in an attack on the Soviet battleship Marat of the Baltic Fleet. Marat was sunk at her moorings on 23 September 1941 after being hit by one 1,000-kilogram (2,200 lb) bomb near the forward superstructure. Her sinking is commonly credited to Rudel alone, but Rudel dropped only one of the two bombs that sank her. From May 1941 to January 1942, Rudel flew 500 missions. In February 1943, he flew his 1,000th combat mission, earning him the status of national hero. He then participated in the experiments with using the Ju 87-G in the anti-tank role. Rudel participated in the Battle of Kursk and on 12 July 1943 he claimed 12 Soviet tanks in one day. In October 1943, he was credited with the destruction of his 100th tank and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. Rudel was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of III. Gruppe on 22 February 1944. On 20 March, Rudel performed a forced landing behind Soviet lines and he and his gunner escaped to the German lines. The men attempted to swim across the Dniester River but Hentschel (his gunner) drowned in the attempt. Rudel was promoted to Oberstleutnant on 1 September 1944, and appointed leader of SG 2 on 1 October 1944. On 22 December 1944, Rudel completed his 2,400th combat mission, and the next day, he reported his 463rd tank destroyed. On 29 December 1944, Rudel was promoted to Oberst, and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds, the only person to receive this decoration. On 8 February 1945, Rudel was badly wounded in the right foot, and landed inside German lines as his radio operator shouted flight instructions. Rudel's leg was amputated below the knee but he returned to flying on 25 March 1945 and claimed 26 more tanks destroyed by the end of the war. Rudel was shot down 30 times during his 2,530 missions. He destroyed one battleship, one cruiser, one destroyer, 70 landing craft, 800 vehicles, 150 gun positions, 519 tanks and nine aircraft. He was the most highly decorated German serviceman of WWII.

Erich Hartmann In October 1942 Hartmann joined 7./JG52 on the Eastern Front and in August 1943, a month when he scored 48 victories, was shot down and taken prisoner, later escaping. In August 1944 he reached 300 victories after downing 11 aircraft in one day, taking command of 9./JG52. Promoted to Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG52 he trained on the Me262 before returning to JG52. Flying over 1400 combat missions he was forced to crash land 14 times and achieved 352 victories to become the highest scoring Ace in history (matted signature)

Gerhard Barkhorn Flying with II./JG52 during the Battle of France and Battle of Britain, he moved to the Eastern Front in early 1941 becoming the Group Kommandeur in June 1943. As his score rose steadily he became the first fighter pilot to complete 1000 combat missions on January 23rd 1944 and after briefly commanding JG6 he joined Adolf Galland’s JV44 flying the Me262. In 1104 Combat missions he was shot down 9 times, wounded twice and scored 301 victories making him the second highest scoring Ace in history. (matted signature)

Günther Rall Günther Rall was a young pilot with III./JG52 at the outbreak of war, and quickly demonstrated his natural ability and leadership qualities. He scored his first victory early in the Battle of France, and by July 1940 was leading 8./JG52. After transferring to the Eastern Front his victories soon mounted but he was hospitalized following a crash. Returning to combat as Kommandeur of III./JG52, he gained the Wing's 500th victory, before being posted Kommandeur of II./JG11 on the Western Front, flying high altitude intercepts in Me109Gs. He was later Kommandeur of JG300, and finished the war as the 3rd highest Ace in history with 275 victories. He was awarded the Knight ’s Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.

Walter Wolfrum KC JG52 Walter Wolfrum was born on 23rd May 1923 and entered the Luftwaffe as a volunteer in October 1940. After his military training at the the Military School in Berlin he was trained on the Focke Wulf Fw 44 and the Messerschmitt Bf 109B. He was placed in a training unit at St.Jean d’Angely in France in November 1942 and there flew with the Messerschmitt Me 109F-2 and F-4. In February 1943 he was transferred to the Crimea with the 5./JG 52. After approx. 60 missions he claimed his first victory in June 1943. By April 1944 he had scored 70 victories. He continued increasing his score, being shot down himself several times and being wounded and hospitalized in July 1944. He returned to the front in February 1945 as Oberleutnant and resumed command of 1. / JG 52. When the war ended he had achieved 137 victories in 423 operational sorties. Over 119 of the victories were fighter planes and he scored one gunboat. In total he had been wounded four times and had to carry out 12 emergency landings. On 8th May 1945, his unit was on Brod Airfield in Czechoslowakia, where they surrenderd to the American forces. After three weeks of imprisonment with the Americans, all JG 52 prisoners were handed over to the Soviets.

Hans Krohn Krohn served as a gunner / radio operator on Ju87 Stukas with SG2 "Immelmann" and completed 965 combat missions, including approximately 200 sorties over Stalingrad. He was awarded the Knight's Cross