George Beurling - Spitfire IX
Signed on plate by Richard Beurling - Brother of George Beurling
George Beurling was Canada’s highest scoring ace of WWII and one of the top scoring Allied aces of the war. He was known for taking independent action in combat, but was certainly one of the finest pilots and marksmen of the time and a true Canadian hero. In this scene he is depicted just as he delivers the final burst that sent his FW190 opponent to the waves below. This was his 31st victory. He would go on to score one more for a total of 32. In this scene he is shown swooping out of formation after seeing the enemy fighter in his mirror, and without telling his comrades! As his formation flew on, oblivious to his actions, he proceeded to shoot down the opponent and return to formation with none of his flight mates realizing it. Later, on landing, George casually mentioned the victory to everyone’s disbelief. Gun camera footage later proved his story to be true!

George Beurling is shown here in the colors of RCAF 403 Squadron in his personal Spitfire IX.

In this image it is easy to see how the Spitfire got its name. Armed with four .303” machine guns and two powerful 20mm cannon, it could deliver a devastating blast of firepower upon its enemies. The Spitfire Mark IX was considered to be one of the finest “Marks” by many as it achieved a very high power-to-weight ratio while maintaining superb handling. The Rolls-Royce Merlin engine powered the Spitfire IX and was quit possibly one of the greatest piston engines ever developed. A huge liquid cooled V12 displacing 1647ci (27L) with advanced materials and 4 valves per cylinder it was supercharged to over 32psi of boost and inter-cooled. It produced some 1,700 horsepower at 3000 rpm. This was enough to propel the Spitfire IX to 403 mph at 27,400 feet and provide an astounding rate of climb and sustained turning ability. It had a service ceiling of 41,000 feet. The Spitfire will always be remembered as a pilots’ airplane and have a special place in many aviation enthusiasts’ hearts.

Special 8x10 Certificates Include signature of Richard Beurling - Brother of George Beurling! Also includes never before released picture of George Beurling Signed by George during his service.