Original Item: One-of-a-Kind. This is a striking framed limited edition portrait of Günther Rall, the third highest scoring fighter ace in aviation history, personally signed in pencil by Rall and by artist J.G. Keck. Numbered 310/500, the print depicts Rall in his wartime Luftwaffe uniform and commemorates a combat career that ultimately produced 275 credited aerial victories in 621 combat missions, placing him behind only Erich Hartmann and Gerhard Barkhorn. Rall achieved the overwhelming majority of his victories on the Eastern Front while flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109, survived being shot down on multiple occasions, was seriously wounded several times, and was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. For collectors of Luftwaffe aviation history, the combination of an original Rall signature, limited edition Keck artwork, and attractive period style framing makes this an especially appealing display piece.

The portrait was created by artist:

J.G. Keck

and is signed in pencil by Keck together with the limited edition number:

310/500

Günther Rall has also personally signed the print in pencil at the right side.

Rall was born on March 10, 1918, in Gaggenau, Germany. He entered military service before WWII and transferred into the Luftwaffe, qualifying as a fighter pilot before the outbreak of hostilities.

His early combat career was spent with:

Jagdgeschwader 52
JG 52

Rall flew combat patrols on the Western Front during the relatively quiet period commonly known as the “Phoney War” and subsequently participated in the Battle of France and Battle of Britain.

His first aerial victory came on May 18, 1940, when he claimed a French Curtiss Hawk 75 south of Metz.

It was after Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941 that Rall’s victory total began to rise dramatically.

JG 52 became one of the most famous Luftwaffe fighter wings of WWII and was associated with the three highest scoring fighter pilots in aviation history:

Erich Hartmann - 352 victories
Gerhard Barkhorn - 301 victories
Günther Rall - 275 victories

All three became closely associated with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and the enormous air war fought over the Eastern Front.

Rall was ultimately credited with 275 aerial victories during 621 combat missions. Of these, 272 were claimed against Soviet aircraft on the Eastern Front, while three were scored against Western Allied opponents.

His success came at considerable personal cost. Rall was repeatedly shot down and was wounded on three occasions. One of his most serious crashes occurred in November 1941 after combat over the Soviet Union. He suffered a broken back and spent months recovering before returning to flying status.

Despite those injuries, Rall returned to combat and continued accumulating victories.

He received the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross in September 1942 after reaching 65 victories. The Oak Leaves followed later that year as his score passed 100, and in September 1943 he received the Swords to the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves, by then one of Germany’s highest military decorations.

On November 28, 1943, Rall achieved his 250th aerial victory.

Although the Eastern Front accounted for almost his entire combat record, Rall was later transferred west to participate in the defense of Germany against increasingly powerful American and British air forces.

On May 12, 1944, while fighting U.S. Army Air Forces fighters, Rall was shot down and badly wounded. His left thumb was severed during the engagement, temporarily ending his combat career.

He returned to command later in the war and ultimately served with several Luftwaffe fighter formations, including JG 52, JG 11, and JG 300.

Rall’s story did not end with WWII.

After the creation of the West German Bundeswehr, he returned to military service in the 1950s and became an important figure in rebuilding the postwar German Air Force within NATO.

His later career placed him in a completely different aviation world from the one in which he had first fought. The piston engined Bf 109 had given way to modern jet aircraft, including the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter.

Rall eventually rose to the rank of Generalleutnant and served as Inspector of the Luftwaffe, effectively the professional head of the West German Air Force. His combined wartime and postwar military career therefore spanned nearly four decades and connected two radically different periods of German aviation history.

In later life Rall became well known on the international aviation and veterans circuit. He participated in reunions, lectures, historical events, and meetings with former Allied adversaries, making his autograph particularly familiar to serious aviation collectors.

This print was published by King’s Crown Gallery as a limited edition of only 500 examples. According to the original information associated with the print, the edition was already approximately 80 percent sold by 1989 and has long since sold out.

The complete framed presentation measures approximately:

22 ¼ x 28 ¼”

The frame remains in great overall condition and is fitted with acrylic rather than glass, reducing weight and the risk of breakage while displayed.

The combination of Günther Rall’s original pencil signature, J.G. Keck’s artist signature, low 500-piece edition, individually numbered 310/500 status, and an image depicting one of the most successful fighter pilots in history makes this far more compelling than an unsigned Luftwaffe aviation print. It would make an excellent addition to a Günther Rall, Jagdgeschwader 52, Messerschmitt Bf 109, Luftwaffe fighter ace, Eastern Front aviation, or advanced WWII autograph collection.