Douglas Bader Bronze Bust Sculpture

Douglas Bader Bronze Bust

Click Bader bronze Bust images to enlarge then back to return

£275.00

Douglas Bader Bronze Bust sculpture is a limited edition of 250 and is cast in cold-cast bronze.

 Douglas Bader was one of the legendary names of WW2. His legendary bravery and determination have provided an inspiration to many over the years.

On 14 December 1931, while visiting Reading Aero Club, he attempted some low-flying aerobatics at Woodley airfield in a Bulldog Mk. IIA, of 23 Squadron when his aircraft crashed as the tip of the left wing touched the ground. Bader was rushed to the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, where, in the hands of the prominent surgeon J. Leonard Joyce , both his legs were amputated – one above and one below the knee. Bader made the following laconic entry in his logbook after the crash: ‘Crashed slow-rolling near ground. Bad show’.

After many months of painful recuperation learning to walk on artificial legs Bader got his chance to prove that he could still fly when, in June 1932, Air Under-Secretary Philip Sassoon arranged for him to take up an Avro 504 which he piloted competently. A subsequent medical examination proved him fit for active service. However, in April the following year, he received notification that the RAF had decided to reverse the decision on the grounds that this situation was not covered by the King's Regulations. In May, Bader was invalided out of the RAF, took an office job with the Asiatic Petroleum Company (now Shell) and, on 5 October 1933, married Thelma Edwards.

Returning to the RAF at the outbreak of war Bader saw action as a flight commander  with 222 squadron and made his first kill shooting down an Me 109 over Dunkirk. At the end of June 1940 he was promoted to squadron leader and posted to 242 squadron mainly made up of Canadians who had suffered high losses in the Battle of France and had low morale. Despite initial resistance to their new commanding officer, the pilots were soon won over by Bader's strong personality and perseverance, especially in cutting through red tape to make the squadron operational again. Upon the formation of No. 12 Group RAF, No. 242 squadron was assigned to the Group while based at RAF Duxford.

In 1941, Bader was promoted to Wing Commander and became one of the first "Wing Leaders." Stationed at Tangmere with 616 squadron, Bader led his wing of Spitfires on sweeps and "circus operations" (medium bomber escort) over northwestern Europe throughout the summer campaign. It was during one of these missions that Bader was shot down and captured by the Germans. After many daring escape attempts he was finally incarcerated in Colditz until the end of the war.

Free postage and packing within the UK.

Height 12in/32cm

Weight 4kg

£275.00

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Peter Close Sculpture © 2010