Pencil portraits, WWII and movie prints
The Dambusters - “Operation Chastise : The Dams Await”
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“Operation Chastise : The Dams Await” - This piece of World War 2 art depicts how
I imagined the interior of Wing Commander Guy Gibson’s personal barracks may have
looked prior to the famous ‘Dambusters’ mission in May 1943.
Price above is for delivery within the UK. A delivery charge of £8 will be added
to your total order at the PayPal checkout for delivery within the UK. For delivery
to other countries within the *EU, please see the bottom of this page for further
information.
Operation Chastise : The “Dambusters” Legend
On the evening of Sunday 16th May 1943 at 9.28pm during World War 2, 19 modified
Lancaster bombers of 617 squadron of RAF Bomber Command, took off from RAF Scampton
in Lincolnshire. Their mission, codenamed “Operation Chastise”, was to destroy a
number of dams in the heart of the industrial Ruhr Valley in Western Germany, known
as the Eder, Mohne and Sorpe.
The squadron was led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson in his Lancaster, AJ-G. The aircraft
carried a revolutionary new weapon in the ‘bouncing bomb’, the brainchild of Dr.Barnes
N Wallace. These bombs had to be dropped from the Lancaster bomber at a height of
just 60 feet at a speed of 230mph. It took five attempts to successfully destroy
the Mohne dam, the Eder followed, but the Sorpe could not be breached.
Guy Gibson was subsequently awarded the Victoria Cross as a result of the mission
and 34 airmen of 617 squadron were decorated with varying honours. Of the 19 Lancaster
bombers that set off for Germany, only 11 returned. 53 airmen were killed and 3 were
captured and spent the rest of World War 2 in prisoner of war camps. Guy Gibson and
the men of 617 squadron would go down in history, forever remembered as the ‘Dambusters’.
The Dambusters - “Operation Chastise : The Dams Await”
In this new World War 2 picture above, I have depicted how I imagined the interior
of Wing Commander Guy Gibson’s personal barracks may have looked prior to the famous
‘Dambusters’ mission in May 1943.
I have attempted to capture the scene from the window onto the runway, where stands
Guy Gibson’s Lancaster bomber (AJ-G) along with the ‘bouncing bomb’ being readied
by its groundcrew amid the early evening light of spring.
The items in the interior aim to relate to the RAF of the time, depicting actual
RAF issue equipment from pilots wings insignia, canteen, aircraft recognition poster
and playing cards to help identify enemy aircraft, tins of tea and powdered milk
to other typically British items and personal effects, down to Guy Gibson’s very
own faithful black Labrador. I’ve tried to pay particular attention to detail in
every aspect of the drawing.
Fine Art Giclee print on Hahnemuhle 310gsm paper. Limited edition of 200
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“Operation Chastise : The Dams Await”
“Night of Nights”
The Dambusters and the Band of Brothers pictures above show the many differences
between the British and American supplies during World War 2, showing how much more
the Americans had in comparison to the British. At the same time I’ve also tried
to capture a number of similarities in their basic surroundings and living conditions
in the two pencil drawings of their barracks’ interiors.
Click on the images above or scroll below to view larger versions and for further
information about the operations and purchasing the Giclee prints.
Print size and details for purchasing the Giclee print for delivery within the UK
are found below the images. I’m using PayPal for all online transactions for ease
of use and security.
*I also deliver to most other countries within the EU. For delivery of Giclee prints
outside the UK, please email your order to orders@daveharrisart.co.uk. Payments can
still be made via PayPal via email. Higher delivery costs will apply. The countries
I deliver to and the delivery costs are set out in the Terms and Conditions.
All the images above are low resolution for use on the Internet. A much higher resolution
is used for the Giclee prints. All prints are sold unframed.
The Band of Brothers - “Night of Nights”
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“Night of Nights” - This piece of World War 2 art depicts how I imagined Lieutenant
Dick Winters’ barracks on Upottery airfield may have looked prior to Easy Company’s
departure for the Normandy coast in the early hours of D-Day.
Fine Art Giclee print on Hahnemuhle 310gsm paper. Limited edition of 200
Price above is for delivery within the UK. A delivery charge of £8 will be added
to your total order at the PayPal checkout for delivery within the UK. For delivery
to other countries within the *EU, please see the bottom of this page for further
information.
The Band of Brothers - “Night of Nights”
On the evening of Monday 5th June 1944, during World War 2, Lieutenant Dick Winters
and the men of Easy Company, a crack U.S. army rifle unit of the 506th regiment 101st
Airborne division, prepared themselves for their part in the Normandy Invasion on
D-Day.
They set off from their barracks on Upottery airfield in England on-board a squadron
of American Douglas C-47 ‘skytrain’ aircraft. Their mission was to parachute in behind
enemy lines covering the Normandy coastline of Northern France and to take out a
series of four 105mm cannons that were firing down on to the American troops landing
on Utah beach in the early hours of D-Day.
Although initially a large majority of Easy Company paratroopers failed to land in
the correct area or ‘Drop Zone’, enough men were able to assemble and successfully
take out the German guns at Brecourt Manor.
As a result of the battle, Dick Winters received the *Distinguished Service Cross
and 11 Easy Company members received *Silver and *Bronze Stars.
The capture of the German battery on D-Day by Easy Company became a textbook case
of an assault on a fixed position and is still demonstrated at the United States
Military Academy at West Point today. Repeatedly sent on the toughest missions of
World War 2, Dick Winters and the brave men of Easy Company, these ‘Band of Brothers’,
fought, went hungry, froze and died in the service of their country.
*Distinguished Service Cross – A bronze cross awarded for heroism in combat
*Silver Star – A bronze star with a small silver star in the centre, awarded for
gallantry in action
*Bronze Star – A bronze star awarded for valour in military operations
“Night of Nights”
My latest pencil drawing, is this new World War 2 picture, “Night of Nights”, paying
homage to the Band of Brothers television series. In “Night of Nights”, I have depicted
how I imagined the interior of Lieutenant Dick Winters’ barracks on Upottery airfield
may have looked prior to Easy Company’s departure for the Normandy coast in the early
hours of D-Day during World War 2.
This picture captures the view out of the window onto the runway, where a Douglas
C-47 ‘skytrain’ troop carrying aircraft stands amid the fading afternoon light of
early summer 1944.
The items and personal effects in the pencil drawing relate to the U.S. army of the
era, from the iconic Lucky Strike cigarettes and Zippo lighter, aircraft recognition
poster and playing cards (to aid the soldiers familiarity with enemy aircraft) ,
to the standard issue dog-tags, K-rations, M1–Garand carbine rifle, boots and helmets.
“Rats Against The Fox”
El Alamein - “Rats Against The Fox”
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“Rats Against The Fox” - The second battle of El Alamein was a battle that lasted
from October 23rd to November 3rd 1942 during World War II. Following the first battle
which had stalled the Axis advance, British General Bernard Montgomery took command
of the 8th Army, the “Desert Rats” and led them into battle against the Afrika Korps
of General Rommel, known as the “Desert Fox”, and to ultimate victory in the North
African campaign.
Fine Art Giclee print on Hahnemuhle 310gsm paper. Limited edition of 200
Price above is for delivery within the UK. A delivery charge of £8 will be added
to your total order at the PayPal checkout for delivery within the UK. For delivery
to other countries within the *EU, please see the bottom of this page for further
information.
By July 1942 Rommel’s Afrika Korps had advanced deep into Egypt, posing a great threat
to the vital Allied supply route along the Suez Canal. However, facing a lack of
reinforcements while being aware of large scale Allied reinforcements arriving, Rommel
sought to hit the British while their build-up was incomplete. This attack on 30th
August 1942 at Alam Halfa failed and so fearing a counter-attack by the British 8th
Army, the Afrika Korps dug in.
It took a further six weeks until the 8th Army were ready to attack with a force
of 200,000 men and 1,000 tanks, against the 100,000 men and 500 tanks at Rommel’s
disposal. They were holed-up along two lines, known by the Allies as the Oxallic
and Pierson lines and they had laid around 500,000 mines along these.
Following the first battle of El Alamein which had stalled the Axis advance, British
General Bernard Montgomery had taken over command of the 8th Army in August 1942.
With ‘Operation Lightfoot’ Montgomery expected to slice two corridors through the
Axis minefields in the North. The 8th Army would then pass through and defeat the
German armour. Diversionary attacks in the South would hope to keep the rest of the
Axis forces from moving North.
The second battle of El Alamein lasted from October 23rd to November 3rd 1942. Montgomery
ultimately led the Desert Rats and the rest of the 8th Army to victory as German
forces withdrew on November 3rd. By November 6th the Axis forces were in full retreat
and over 300,000 troops had surrendered.
El Alamein - “Rats Against The Fox”
In this new World War 2 picture, I have captured the opposing forces of the British
8th Army’s famous division the “Desert Rats” and Germany’s Afrika Korps and each
forces’ commanding officer, General Bernard Montgomery and Field Marshall Erwin Rommel.
I have also incorporated each army’s military vehicles, such as the Grant and Tiger
tanks and the planes that assisted each side, the British Hawker Hurricane of the
RAF and the Messerschmitt Bf 109G of the German Luftwaffe.
I have aimed to show a sense of British characteristics of tea drinking and stopping
for a smoke. With the Germans I have shown their vehicles in motion and the British
standing their ground, so as to portray how the British stalled the Axis advance
in the battle of El Alamein.
I also wanted to portray the unique terrain of the harsh desert battlefield and show
the subsequent uniforms of the soldiers as they fought beneath the searing heat of
the North African desert.
The Second Battle of El Alamein
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I hope you enjoy this series of World War 2 pictures below, focusing on each year
of the conflict. The first three World War 2 pictures seen here relate to the momentous
battle between Montgomery’s Desert Rats and Rommel’s Afrika Korps, the famous Dambusters
squadron of RAF Bomber Command, and Easy Company of the 506th Regiment of the 101st
Airborne Division of the US Army.
In my younger days, the world of the services was a constant influence on me, with
my father in the Royal Air Force his whole working life, regular visits to RAF bases
were the norm, as we spent many years going to air shows and social events. It was
probably no surprise then that this childhood background, an almost fanatical following
of World War 2 movies and a passion for art would result in my own series of World
War 2 art.
I want to focus not only on the machinery of the war, the tanks, the planes and the
vehicles, but above all else, the people, forces and civilians. I aim to portray
both the highs and lows of one of the darkest periods of the twentieth century, from
the despair of the outbreak of World War 2, to the joyous celebrations of V.E. Day
and some of the most important and heroic missions in between. I also want to provide
some of the history that goes with each of the pictures.
If you have any questions relating to these pencil drawings