Philip West's painting was inspired by attending a special reunion at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton, on 27th October 2006 to commemorate the Royal Navy’s Skua aircrew who flew from HMS Ark Royal. Depicted is a Skua getting airborne in typically grey North Sea weather off the deck of HMS Ark Royal. The Blackburn Skua had many remarkable “firsts” to its credit; the first all-metal monoplane built for the Fleet Air Arm (FAA); the first dive bomber in British air services; the first enemy aircraft shot down in WW2 fell to a Skua; the first fighter ace in the FAA (Lt. Bill Lucy DSO) flew Skuas and the first warship (Konigsberg) destroyed by dive bombing was sunk by Skuas. 50 Artist Proof Editions Each edition has been signed by the artist along with Fleet Air Arm veterans who flew in the Skua and crew who served on HMS Ark Royal; Squadron Leader Douglas J.G. Harcourt DFC (Pilot) Captain Eric "Winkle" Brown CBE, DSC, AFC, KCVSA, FRAeS, R.N. (Pilot) Lieutenant Commander George R. Blackburn VRD, RNR (Pilot) CPO (A) Eric Bond LS/GCM & BAR RNVR (Telegraphist Air Gunner / TAG) Lieutenant Commander Derek T.R. Martin RN (Pilot) Naval Airman Lloyd Richards (Telegraphist Air Gunner / TAG) CPO Ron Skinner (Ship’s Writer) Overall Size : 17¾ x 27¾ 45cm x 70cm