Hyland's Bookshop

We would like to offer a special one off sale to our valued clients.

We have been contacted by the publisher of this lovely print who has offered our customers this fantastic deal. Naturally we are pleased to convey to our customers this great offer, as we at Hyland's have very fond memories of Tony Gaze.

Saturday 14^th February, 2015 marks the 70^th anniversary to the day of Tony Gaze’s historic achievement during the final stages of WWII. 

The late Squadron Leader F.A.O. “Tony” Gaze DFC**, OAM, in his Spitfire Mk XIV, of 610 Squadron RAF, intercepting and ‘Downing the Messerschmitt’ Me262A-2 jet of Rudolf Hoffmann, high above the border of Holland and Germany on the 14th February 1945.  “Tony” became the first Australian to ‘Down’ a jet in combat and later the first Australian to go on and fly one.

This remarkable feat has been immortalised in a limited edition print, of which each has been hand signed and numbered by the artist Jiri Strouhal and Tony, and is from a limited edition of 1,000. 

Print size 70 wide x 50cm and printed on 300 gram premium stock

WE WOULD LIKE TO OFFER THIS PRINT AT THE SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY PRICE OF $110

THIS OFFER RUNS FOR 7 DAYS ONLY, ENDING 21th FEBUARY 2015.

Jiri Strouhal and Tony Gaze during the signing 

Photo from Tony’s camera gun as he shoot down the Me262 

“Downing the Messerschmitt” features Tony Gaze in his Spitfire Mk XIV of 610 Squadron RAF, intercepting Fw. Rudolf Hoffmann flying Messerschmitt Me262A-2 of I./KG51 Luftwaffe, high above the border of Holland and Germany, on the 14^th February, 1945.  Tony’s combat report from that fateful day reads; 

“On 14/2/45 I was leading Wavey Black section of two aircraft on standing patrol over NIJMEGEN. At about 1630 hours I sighted an Arado 234 (a jet fighter bomber) pulling up from attacking the CLEVE area. I dropped my tank and attempted to intercept but despite the fact that I cut the corner it pulled away easily at 7,000 ft. After this we continually chased Arado’s over this area. I fired at two without result. At about 1700 hours when it was apparent that the jets were diving down through the cloud which was from 9 - 11,000 ft. I climbed up through it, leaving Black 2 below, hoping to warn him when they dived. Then I did an orbit at 13,000 ft. to clear off the ice on the windscreen and sighted 3 M.E. 262's in Vic formation passing below me at cloud top level. I dived down behind them and closed in, crossing behind the formation and attacked the port aircraft which was lagging slightly. I could not see my sight properly as we were flying straight into the sun, but fired from dead astern, at a range of 350 yards, hitting it in the starboard jet with the second burst; at which the other 2 aircraft immediately dived into cloud. It pulled up slowly and turned to starboard and I fired obtaining more strikes on fuselage and jet which caught fire. The enemy rolled over on to its back and dived through cloud. I turned 180 and dived after it, calling on the R/T to warn my no.2; on breaking cloud I saw an aircraft hit the ground and explode about a mile ahead of me, at E.9859. I claim this M.E.262 destroyed. Black 2 also witnessed this explosion.”