Greenheart Leader by Roy Grinnell August 15th 1940. High in the sun's fading rays Me109E's of 9./JG54 escort Dornier 17s of KG3 heading to attack Rochester. Led by Oblt. Hans Ekkehard Bob in 'Gelbe Eins' (Yellow One), the Messerschmitts peel of to break up the counter-attack of No.151 Sqn Hurricanes at the height of the Battle of Britain. Based at Guines airfield, near Calais for most of the campaign, JG54 'Greenhearts' were assigned on this day to fly escort to the Do17Z-2s, as part of the Luftwaffe's "Adlertag" preparations, which followed on August 18th. On the day depicted the Luftwaffe flew over 2000 sorties and in reply Fighter Command launched 974. Heavy losses were taken by both sides. This sortie was the last of three flown that day by the KG3 'Pencil bombers' and 151 Sqn were scrambled and vectored to intercept from North Weald Airfield, Essex. In the ensuing combat Oblt. Bob raised his victories by one. Flying right through to the "Defense of the Reich" with the "Greenhearts", Hans Ekkehard Bob rose to the rank of Staffelkapitan, going on to fly both the Bf109G-5 and Me 262. He ended the War with forty nine confirmed victories, all on the Western Front. The First Release Major Hans Ekkehard Bob Hans Ekkehard Bob was born in Freilburg, Germany in 1917. He joined the Lutewaffe in 1936 and flew the Arado 68 in the "Czechoslovakian Crisis" with JG21. Converting onto the Bf109 with JG54, he ultimately flew the C,D,E,F & G models, he was awarded the Knights Cross in Nov 1940, for his 19 victories and his pioneering work on the 'Jabo' fighter-bomber missions. This involved converting the Bf109 to carry a 250kg bomb. He saw action on the Eastern Front, but returned to Germany for the "Defense of the Reich". He rammed a B-17 for his 57th victory. Ultimately he flew the ME262 with JV44, under General Adolf Galland, finishing the war with a total of 60 victories. Sqn Ldr Ken Lee DFC "Hawkeye" as he was known in the RAF, joined the Volunteer reserve in 1937, Passing through 11 and 43 Sqn, he was ultimately posted to 501 Sqn at the outbreak of war. Pilot Officer Lee, saw action through the Battle of France, the evacuation of Dunkirk as well as the Battle of Britain. Wounded in action on August 18th flying the Hurricane Lee was returned to service in October. Later postings saw him fly the Hurricane in Crete where he was shot down whilst strafing, and became a POW in Stalagluft III. K.N.T. Lee's tally stands at 7 destroyed, 1 damaged, 3 probables, 6 and 1 shared destroyed. A sample of Roy Grinnell remarque Edition Size: 175 General edition (2 Signatures) 100 Eagle Edition (3 signatures Ekkehard Bob & 2 Battle of Britain Hurricane Pilots), 50 Artists Proofs (2 Signatures) 25 Personally remarqued by Roy Grinnell (3 Signatures) Image Size: 19" x 12" General edition Price: $150.00[Order][Checkout] Eagle Edition Price: $175.00[Order][Checkout] Artists Proof Price: $165.00[Order][Checkout] Remarque Price: $250.00[Order][Checkout] Copyright ©2004 Military Art Gallery