CLASH OF TITANS - Original Oil on Canvas

Colonel ‘Hub’ Zemke and a flight of P-47s from his ‘Wolfpack’, the 56th Fighter Group, are engaged by the Bf109s of Major Günther Rall’s II./JG11 high above northern Germany, 12 May 1944.

It was rare that famous Aces met face-to-face in combat but on 12 May 1944 it happened high over northern Germany. It wasn’t often that Colonel Hub Zemke found himself bounced; a master tactician and superlative fighter Ace, it was normally Zemke the attacker but today was different. He’d been trying out a new tactic – the ‘Zemke Fan’ – that involved splitting his squadrons into four-ship flights spreading out ahead of the bomber stream in the hope of seeking out and engaging enemy fighters before they could pounce on the bombers, a tactic that would prove successful – but not today. It just happened that Major Günther Rall, Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG11 and one of the Luftwaffe’s most deadly Aces, was also up that day leading the Stabschwarm Bf109Gs out on the prowl. He spotted Zemke, leading a reduced flight of just three P-47s below and instinctively dived into attack. Neither Ace expected what happened next.

In a dazzling display of aggressive deflection shooting, Rall rapidly downed Zemke’s wingmen. Now isolated and surrounded by nimble Bf109s Zemke had one thing in his favour – no Bf109 could catch a P-47 in a dive, so banking hard Zemke powered into a near vertical dive as Rall gave chase, but as he did so other P-47s arrived on the scene and it was Rall’s turn to become the hunted. The chasing P-47s lined up to pummel Rall and his Messerschmitt. Bullets tore through his engine, radiator and fuselage, a random shot blasting into Rall’s left hand. With only one hand working there was little chance of escape. He decided to bale out but landing  awkwardly found himself confined to a hospital for months. He’d also lost his thumb. 

The events of 12 May did, however, have a happy ending. Zemke escaped the attack to re-enter the fray whilst Rall always maintained that being out of action for so long saved his life. Both survived the war, would re-establish contact, and became life-long friends.

Considered as one of the world’s foremost aviation artists, we’re delighted to offer Anthony’s unique oil on canvas which measures an impressive 36 inches wide x 24 inches high.

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