{"id":10316597559577,"title":"QE2: 1969 - Famed \"Best of Britain\" poster signed by QE2 crew","handle":"qe2-1969-famed-best-of-britain-poster-signed-by-qe2-crew","description":"\u003cp\u003eCunard Line - A famous image taken in 1985 showing the QE2, Concorde, and the Red Arrows, signed by the ship's executive crew.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 17\" by 22\" poster is mounted on cardboard backing. At top is the Cunard 150th anniversary logo from 1990. Embossed in the upper left margin is \"Purchased on Board QUEEN ELIZABETH 2\". A nice addition are five original signatures of the executive crew including Captain Robin Woodall, Medical Director Nigel Roberts, Staff Captain Ron Bolton, plus the Chief Engineer and Hotel Manager whose signatures are as inscrutable as my own.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough used for this famous 150th anniversary poster, the photo was taken in 1985 by famed British aerial photographer Arthur Gibson (1926-1992) who worked closely with the Royal Air Force's Red Arrows aerobatic team. Today the image would be created by some dork in his underwear messing around with A.I.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccording to the \"A Flying History\" website, \"The image Arthur was most proud of was the Internationally acclaimed \"The Best of British\" which caught the Red Arrows formatting with Concorde and QE2 on 18 May 1985. Arthur would explain that this image did not happen by chance. It was several months in the making, coordinating 'the Reds', the British Airways Concorde and Cunard's QE2. There was a tight window where all three were in the same location at the same time and the weather had to play its part (which it did). The image we know today was taken from 'Red 11', flown by former Reds manager Ray Thilthorpe, inverted over the best of British trio below. 'Red 10', flown by former Reds leader Brian Hoskins, was carrying a BBC camera. The shot had been thought up after a jokey comment from Concorde pilot, Captain Jock Lowe, who suggested 'throwing in' QE2 alongside the Reds and Concorde. However impossible the idea seemed it gained pace, got approval from all parties, and history was made.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVery good condition.\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2026-04-04T15:06:53-04:00","created_at":"2026-04-04T15:06:52-04:00","vendor":"BM","type":"- Artwork","tags":["- Artwork","Cunard"],"price":25000,"price_min":25000,"price_max":25000,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":52198032408857,"title":"Default Title","option1":"Default Title","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"2235","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"QE2: 1969 - Famed \"Best of Britain\" poster signed by QE2 crew","public_title":null,"options":["Default Title"],"price":25000,"weight":1814,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_quantity":1,"inventory_management":"shopify","inventory_policy":"deny","barcode":"","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[],"quantity_rule":{"min":1,"max":null,"increment":1}}],"images":["\/\/nautiques.net\/cdn\/shop\/files\/2235.jpg?v=1775329503","\/\/nautiques.net\/cdn\/shop\/files\/2235-1.jpg?v=1775329503"],"featured_image":"\/\/nautiques.net\/cdn\/shop\/files\/2235.jpg?v=1775329503","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":43359853019417,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":1.348,"height":1854,"width":2500,"src":"\/\/nautiques.net\/cdn\/shop\/files\/2235.jpg?v=1775329503"},"aspect_ratio":1.348,"height":1854,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/nautiques.net\/cdn\/shop\/files\/2235.jpg?v=1775329503","width":2500},{"alt":null,"id":43359853052185,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":8.418,"height":297,"width":2500,"src":"\/\/nautiques.net\/cdn\/shop\/files\/2235-1.jpg?v=1775329503"},"aspect_ratio":8.418,"height":297,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/nautiques.net\/cdn\/shop\/files\/2235-1.jpg?v=1775329503","width":2500}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003eCunard Line - A famous image taken in 1985 showing the QE2, Concorde, and the Red Arrows, signed by the ship's executive crew.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 17\" by 22\" poster is mounted on cardboard backing. At top is the Cunard 150th anniversary logo from 1990. Embossed in the upper left margin is \"Purchased on Board QUEEN ELIZABETH 2\". A nice addition are five original signatures of the executive crew including Captain Robin Woodall, Medical Director Nigel Roberts, Staff Captain Ron Bolton, plus the Chief Engineer and Hotel Manager whose signatures are as inscrutable as my own.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough used for this famous 150th anniversary poster, the photo was taken in 1985 by famed British aerial photographer Arthur Gibson (1926-1992) who worked closely with the Royal Air Force's Red Arrows aerobatic team. Today the image would be created by some dork in his underwear messing around with A.I.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccording to the \"A Flying History\" website, \"The image Arthur was most proud of was the Internationally acclaimed \"The Best of British\" which caught the Red Arrows formatting with Concorde and QE2 on 18 May 1985. Arthur would explain that this image did not happen by chance. It was several months in the making, coordinating 'the Reds', the British Airways Concorde and Cunard's QE2. There was a tight window where all three were in the same location at the same time and the weather had to play its part (which it did). The image we know today was taken from 'Red 11', flown by former Reds manager Ray Thilthorpe, inverted over the best of British trio below. 'Red 10', flown by former Reds leader Brian Hoskins, was carrying a BBC camera. The shot had been thought up after a jokey comment from Concorde pilot, Captain Jock Lowe, who suggested 'throwing in' QE2 alongside the Reds and Concorde. However impossible the idea seemed it gained pace, got approval from all parties, and history was made.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVery good condition.\u003c\/p\u003e"}