top of page
Vieux Charles

Vieux Charles

 

This painting is a tribute to the french aviation legend, Georges Guynemer and to his plane "Vieux Charles".

He joined the Escadrille MS.3 on June 08, 1915, where he remained for his entire service life, until the fatal day...

 

Georges Guynemer already had a succesfull career as the great war was progressing. 

In August 1916, the first three Spad S.VII.C1s were allotted to: Lt. Armand Pinsard of Escadrille N26 (s/n S.122), Sgt. Paul Sauvage (s/n S.112) and Lt. Georges Guynemer (s/n S.113), the latter two of Escadrille N315.

 

Afterwards he fought in the vicinity of the Somme from June 1916 till February 1917. Flying his SPAD VII, Guynemer became the first allied pilot to down a heavy bomber Gotha G.III on February 8, 1917. During the month of May 1917; he shot down seven German aircraft. As the Eastern campaign ended, Guynemer joined the field of Bonnemaison and dedicated himself to fine tune his Spad-Canon.

 

At his death, Georges Guynemer totaled 53 homologated victories and survived being shot down seven times. The various testimonies and the disappearance of every material traces, put a doubt on the real circumstances of his death: killed in mid-air by an enemy bullet, killed when his aircraft crashed or finally jilted by the artillery in the no man's land...

 

Will we ever know what exactly happened to this exceptional man with the motto "Faire Face" ?

Given the circumstances, doubting is allowed, but he forever will stay a French "Ace" fallen for freedom on our Belgian soil.

  • by Kostas Kavvathias

    Type: Print

    Dimensions: 50x70cm

    Materials: Acrylics on canvas (originally)

    Available: For sale

    Ordered from: Merit model kits

    Signed: Yes, front

    Certificate of Authenticity: Yes

  • The SPAD of Georges Guynemer:

    SPAD S.VII n° 115: coded 2 (red) with on the fuselage the tricoloured stretch of the aces and a red stork "Vieux Charles" - September 1916.

     

    SPAD S.VII n° 254, coded 2 (red) with on the fuselage a red stork "Vieux Charles" from February till July 1917 with which he won 19 homologated victories and 11 presumptive.

     

    SPAD S.XII Canon n° 382, coded 2 (black) with on the fuselage a white stork "Vieux Charles" - the "magical aircraft" - July 1917

     

    SPAD S.XIII n° 504, coded 2 (red) with on the fuselage a white stork in a tricoloured stretch "Vieux Charles" - September 1917

  • Picture source:

    http://www.sbap.be/events/2017/049guynemer2017/049guynemer2017.htm

£300.00Price
bottom of page