Brian Sanders (B. 1937) “V-1 Bombardment”

Brian Sanders (British, B. 1937) “V-1 Bombardment of England” Oil on Canvas. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation.

This painting originally appeared on the Republic of the Marshall Islands 50¢ V-1 Bombardment of England Begins 1944 stamp issued June 13, 1994.

The first dropped out of the English sky on June 13, 1944, only a week after D-Day. Hitler called the V-1 Flying Bombs and V-2 Rockets Vergeltungs-waffen — “reprisal weapons.” They were intended to create terror among the civilian population rather than destroy military targets. A simple pulse-jet engine powered the V-1s, which the British quickly nicknamed “buzz bombs” or “doodlebugs” because their throbbing buzz was “like a Model T Ford going uphill.” When the sound stopped, the V-1 fell and within 15 seconds its 1,875-pound warhead exploded. The British defense was a concentration of ack-ack guns and straight-shooting fighter pilots. Between June 1944 and March 1945, although nearly 4,000 V-1s were shot down, over 6,000 people died and nearly 18,000 were injured by Hitler’s reprisal weapon.

Image Size: 13.5 x 16.75 in.
Overall Size: 17.5 x 20.75 in.