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Launch Against the Bismarck by Robert Taylor. Late in the day on May 26, 1941, in deteriorating weather, 15 Fairey Swordfish biplanes launched from the heaving deck of the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal. Each was armed with a single torpedo, its task to halt the escape of the battleship Bismarck. The navy pilots knew they must succeed before dark: by the following morning the German battleship would reach the protection of Luftwaffe aircraft based in France. Contending with turbulence and sea spray, one by one the Swordfish made their attack, running in just feet above the waves. The frail biplanes were met with a barrage of murderous gunfire, Bismarck bringing all possible armament to bear. Attempting to avoid the in-coming attack, the 42,000 ton battleship was in a high-speed turn when a torpedo from a Number 2 subflight Swordfish struck her steering gear. The explosion irreparably jammed her rudder over 12 degrees sealing the fate of the mighty warship. Unable to steer, all she could do was await the dawn and the arrival of the British Home Fleet. AMAZING VALUE! - The value of the signatures on this item is in excess of the price of the print itself! Item Code : RST0029 Launch Against the Bismarck by Robert Taylor. - This Edition TYPE EDITION DETAILS SIZE SIGNATURES OFFERS YOUR PRICE PURCHASING PRINT Signed limited edition of 500 prints. SOLD OUT. Paper size 34 inches x 26 inches (86cm x 66cm) Moffat, John William Jock Bailey, Leslie Bill Jackson, Patrick Bernard Pat Glick, Philip David Percy + Artist : Robert Taylor Signature(s) value alone : £180 SOLD OUT NOT AVAILABLE All prices on our website are displayed in British Pounds Sterling

Since this edition is sold out and no other editions are available, here is a similar item which may be of interest :

Against All Odds - Attack on the Scharnhorst by Ivan Berryman. £95.00

Bismarck by Ivan Berryman. £90.00

Signatures on this item
*The value given for each signature has been calculated by us based on the historical significance and rarity of the signature. Values of many pilot signatures have risen in recent years and will likely continue to rise as they become more and more rare.
Name	Info
Commander Patrick Bernard Pat Jackson RN (deceased) *Signature Value : £40	HMS Victorious - 825 Squadron FAA. Pilot H. Born 25th May 1917, Pat Jackson became a Fleet Air Arm Pilot and on the 6th of August 1940 joined 825 Squadron onbaord HMS Furious until February 1941. He transferred to HMS Victorious where on the 24th of May 1941, Jackson along with his crew A/S-Lt. David Anthony Berrill, RN and LA F. G. Sparkes participated in the attack on the Bismarck in Swordfish 5H:V4337 along with another 8 Swordfish from 825 squadron. On the 5th of July 1941 Jackson transferred to 768 Squadron at HMS Condor (air station at Arbroath) and on the 15th of March 1942, Patrick Bernard Jackson became Commanding Officer of 768 Squadron. He moved to HMS Daedalus (RN air station at Lee-on-Solonet) in February 1943 and again transferred in March 1943 to HMS Saker (as part of the British Admiralty Delegation, Washington, DC) until March 1944. when he became Lieutenant Commander (Flying), HMS Searcher (escort carrier) until July 1945. Sadly Commander Patrick Bernard Jackson passed away on the 2nd of October 2004.
Lieutenant Commander John William Jock Moffat RN (deceased) *Signature Value : £70	John Moffat was born in Kelso in 1919 and at the outbreak of WWII, was sent to Sydenham, Belfast where a training school, set up by Short Brothers, was based. John learnt to fly in a Miles Magister. During 1939, he was sent to No.1 Flying Training School at Netheravon and here he was taught to fly advanced open-cockpit aircraft such as Hawker Hinds and Audaxes. Commissioned into the RNVR as a sub-lieutenant he was moved to Eastlee (now Southampton Airport) to the Naval Fighter School, learning fighter techniques in Blackburn Skuas and Rocs and the well-known Gloster Gladiator. In 1940, John was moved to Sanderling, the Royal Naval air station at Abbotsinch (now known as Glasgow Airport). In 1941, on board HMS Ark Royal stationed at Gibraltar, they were ordered to assist in the hunt for Bismarck and Prinz Eugen. The aircraft headed first to HMS Sheffield who gave them signals by Aldis Lamp on the position of the Bismarck. John Moffat served on HMS Ark Royal, HMS Argus, HMS Furious and HMS Formidable, and served with 759 Sqn, 818 Sqn, 820 Sqn and 824 Sqn. He died on 11th December 2016.
Lieutenant Leslie Bill Bailey RN *Signature Value : £40	HMS Victorious - 825 Squadron FAA Observer
Rear Admiral Philip David Percy Glick CBE OBE DSC *Signature Value : £30	HMS Victorious - 825 Squadron FAA. Pilot F

The Aircraft :
Name	Info
Swordfish	Torpedo bomber and reconnaissance biplane, crewed by three, with a top speed of 154mph, reduced to 136mph as a float plane. Maximum ceiling 19,000 feet, reduced as a float plane. Armed with a .303 Vickers machine gun fixed forward and one in the rear cockpit. One 1610lb torpedo or up to 1500lb bomb load. At the outbreak of world war two the fleet air arm had 13 operational squadrons. The Fairey Swordfish has earned its place in history for major contributions to naval warfare, during the Norwegian campaign, and especially during the raid on Taranto. In November1940, twenty Swordfish took off from HMS Illustrious to attack the Italian fleet in their Harbour of Taranto. At Least nine torpedoes hit their targets. Seven Italian ships were badly damaged including the battleships, Caio Duillio, Littorio and Conte De Cavour. This was followed in February 1942, by a heroic but suicidal attack on German battlecruisers in the English Channel by six Swordfish of 825 squadron from RAF Manston. All aircraft and crews were lost. This resulted in a Victoria Cross for the leader Lieutenant Commander E Esmonde. The next major event was the torpedo attack on the Bismarck by Swordfish from HMS Ark Royal, which badly damaged the steering gear of the Bismarck which helped in the final destruction of the German battleship by Royal Navy battleships. The Fairey Swordfish was also used in anti-submarine and anti-shipping roles. The Swordfish sunk more enemy ships (by tonnage) than any other aircraft acting in the same role. By the end of the war the Fleet Air Arm still had nine active squadrons, but these were finally disbanded in May 1945. A total of 2399 Swordfish were built.

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