After John Young, Royal Air Force Fighter Command

RAF Fighter Command was formed in 1936 to defend Britain from the air. It fought the Battle of Britain in 1940 and was merged into Strike Command in 1968. The print covers the whole span of its service.

At the centre is a formation drawn from across the Command’s history. Biplanes, a Hurricane and a Spitfire fly low over the clouds. Above them come the early jets, including the Meteor, Hunter and Javelin. An English Electric Lightning in red and white chequered markings leads the group. The Fighter Command badge, with its motto ‘Offence Defence’, sits at the top. Around the picture runs a border of several hundred squadron and unit badges from the regular RAF, the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Royal Auxiliary Air Force.

Colour offset print, signed in the plate ‘John Young’ lower right. This is probably the aviation artist John Young (1930-2015), a founder member of the Guild of Aviation Artists. The backboard carries the label of Inn Fillers, Great Milton, Oxford. In a dark wood frame with a gilt slip.