This painting was a commission for a 1000-piece Falcon jigsaw from Jumbo Group. The jigsaw will be available in September 2026.

It shows the inside of a large factory with several of the iconic Avro Vulcan Bombers under construction. In the 1950s, the bombers were painted anti-flash white with RAF “type D” roundels and were intended for their role as high altitude nuclear bombers. Only later were they camouflaged.

I had to do a significant amount of research and most of the photos I was able to find were black and white. As this painting was intended for publication as a jigsaw, it was necessary to include a significant amount of detail. Whilst the paintings of the bombers and the Rolls-Royce Olympus jet engines are as historically accurate as I could make them, I have used significant artistic licence in the surrounding factory, adding colour where the original items were probably painted in shades of grey. My primarily reference was the main assembly site at Woodford Aerodrome in Greater Manchester but I also obtained references of Chadderton and other places where I could find suitable information.

The painting was a drafting nightmare but I found the commission a most satisfying and enjoyable challenge.

Closeups

Vulcan Bomber Assembly

by Richard Harpum MA

Price of the Original:

• £4,970, US$6,710*, €5,720* (unframed)

Prices of Limited Edition Prints (numbered, signed, unframed):

• Studio Proof** canvas print (full size); Edition size 25: £390; US$645; €527 + shipping
• Giclée print*** on 300 gsm paper (full size): Edition size 50: £210; US$347; €263 + shipping
• Giclée print on 300 gsm paper in 16"x12" (41cm x 30cm) double mount; Edition size 200: £37; US$61; €46 + shipping

Buy the Original or a Limited Edition Print:

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* Prices in US Dollars and Euros are those used by the artist but may vary depending upon the prevailing exchange rates and the method of payment.

** A Studio Proof canvas print is a giclée print on canvas that is hand-embellished by the artist using the same medium as the original painting (usually acrylic), signed, numbered and then coated in 3 layers of UV-resistant varnish. It is then mounted on stretchers ready for framing.

*** Giclée printing is an advanced form of ink jet printing that applies a wide range of coloured inks that are designed to be light-fast for at least 75 years.