Aircraft - Me 109 Greetings Card

Last combat of Paul Boche Big Greeting Card During a patrol on the morning of the 8th October 1940, JG52 was attacked from behind by Spitfires of 603 Squadron. During the ensuing scrap Bf 109E-1, ‘White 2’ flown by Fw. Paul Boche, the Staffel’s Technical NCO, fell victim to Pilot Officer R. Berry of 603 Squadron during a moments lack of concentration watching a falling comrade. Boche’s aircraft was hit in the radiator and the engine overheated and failed. At 09.30hrs Boche made a forced landing at Little Grange Farm, Hazeleigh near Maldon, Essex, during which the aircraft struck a haystack and broke its back and he was taken prisoner. I wanted to paint a scene of a typical scrap between the Luftwaffe and the RAF and having read many accounts, mostly of combat over the Kent and Sussex countryside I chose this because of its relationship with East Anglia.