Sailor Malan’s Magic Spitfire
Mixed Media - 19 x 25"
One in a series of images on WWII
David's take on the iconic image of Adolph "Sailor" Malan, the South African-born RAF ace. One can imagine how Malan's life story would seem fascinating to a young boy in the 1940s, when David likely first saw the famous photograph he would re-create decades later. Malan was a former member of the Merchant Marine (thus the nickname) who joined the RAF in 1935. In 1939, Malan led his squadron into action just 15 hours after the formal declaration of war between the UK and Germany. Unfortunately, Malan's fighters mistakenly attacked a returning RAF bomber squadron, and shot down two planes. Malan survived the subsequent court martial to become one of the most decorated and heroic pilots in RAF history, and his influence on air combat (and life in general) continues to this day.
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