Piece Together History: The Limited-Edition Hurricane Force Puzzle
Introducing the Hurricane Force Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle – a uniquely crafted tribute to Britain’s wartime spirit and engineering brilliance, designed by one of the world’s most renowned military artists: Nicolas Trudgian.
This is the very first edition in a brand-new series of limited-edition wooden jigsaw puzzles, each one designed to honour and preserve the stories and aircraft that shaped Britain.
And with only 2,500 puzzles being produced worldwide, this is your opportunity to secure an exclusive first-edition collectable.
Read on to learn more about the meticulous process behind the puzzle, the inspiration for the Hurricane Force artwork, and exclusive insights from our in‑depth interview with Nicolas himself, revealing the stories, research, and passion that bring this remarkable scene to life.
At the centre of this remarkable puzzle is a striking depiction of the legendary Hawker Hurricane, shown taking off from the historic RAF Tangmere airfield: a vital base during the Battle of Britain. The artwork captures a pivotal moment in WWII aviation history, a scene alive with motion, atmosphere, and spirit.
And you don’t just admire the image, you build it. Piece by piece, you’ll reconstruct a scene steeped in meaning, connecting with a legacy of bravery and resilience in an entirely new way.
The Artist Behind the Puzzle: Nicolas Trudgian
No ordinary image could do justice to a British aircraft so iconic. That’s why the artwork has been created by Nicolas Trudgian, one of the world’s foremost aviation and military artists.
Here at The Westminster Collection, we were granted exclusive access to speak with Nicolas about the inspiration behind this piece, his creative process, and the stories woven into every detail. Below, you’ll discover some fascinating highlights from our conversation — and if you’d like to dive deeper, you can click here to read the full interview >>
Raised in Plymouth, “a city steeped in naval and military history”, Trudgian grew up surrounded by Dartmoor’s wild landscapes, the dramatic coastline, and the constant hum of trains, ships, and aircraft overhead. “I couldn’t get away from noisy machinery even if I’d wanted to,” he recalled. Childhood days spent building Airfix kits, attending Navy Days, and watching the 1969 Battle of Britain film on the big screen left an impression he still draws on today.
“I was born in a house in the middle of a railway junction and close to the river Plym,” he remembers, “being a big military base there always seemed to be aircraft overhead as well.” Those early sights and sounds became the building blocks of his fascination with landscape, machinery, and aviation— a fascination later deepened when he lived in the Cotswolds, on what was once a Battle of Britain fighter base.
Trudgian’s father and uncle both served in the RAF during WWII, and the stories they shared- alongside the bomb‑scarred streets of post‑blitz Plymouth- gave him a lasting respect for those who lived through those times. “In the 1960s and ‘70s,” he says, “the evidence of the bombing was still clear to see in the ruins I cycled past on my way to school. In one classroom, the ceiling was still stained brown where an incendiary bomb had burnt through the plaster.”
Known for combining historical accuracy with emotional depth, Trudgian says, “Collectors like to see detail, even count the rivets… I have to find ways to show accuracy while also creating speed and atmosphere.”
His process is both traditional and modern: designing compositions digitally in Photoshop before transferring them to canvas, building up layers from undercoat to final highlights, and refining with a “fresh‑eye” review, sometimes by looking at the painting in a mirror to catch errors. “I’m never 100% happy with anything I paint,” he admits, “but that’s fine. It gives good reason to start the next one — which will be better. Or so I hope!”
Crafted to Perfection: A Puzzle Like No Other
The Hurricane Force puzzle isn’t made of flimsy cardboard. Instead, it’s precision-cut from 5mm-thick solid wood, designed to withstand time and repeated handling. Each piece fits together smoothly with a satisfying ‘click,’ thanks to laser-cutting technology honed over more than a century by Victory Puzzles, a British manufacturer with a legacy dating back over 100 years.
Even the presentation is top-tier. Your puzzle comes in a beautiful collector’s box with an official Certificate of Authenticity alongside – a testament to its rarity and value.
When asked about the specific scene in the Hurricane Force classic jigsaw, Trudgian explains: “I’ve always been fascinated by the contrast between the life‑or‑death struggle in the skies and the relatively normal life on the ground. A Battle of Britain Spitfire pilot once looked at a background in one of my paintings and said, ‘That’s the Britain we were battling for.’”
Historically, the Hurricane played a bigger part in winning the Battle of Britain than the Spitfire- something Trudgian wanted to spotlight. He explained that these particular aircraft belonged to the famed “Millionaires’ Squadron,” known for the story that when fuel ran low, a couple of wealthy pilots bought out the local petrol station.
Trudgian is equally proud of the landscapes in his paintings as he is of the aircraft. “I like to think of my paintings as ‘landscapes with aeroplanes’, take the planes away and there should still be plenty to see.”
Wherever possible, he bases his landscapes on real locations. In this case, the scene was inspired by a mirrored view of east Devon, but with painstaking alterations: “I had to change the architecture of the station from ‘Great Western Railway’ to that of the ‘London Brighton and South Coast’, and the train became a Southern Railway N Class. Even the type of trees and field patterns needed to be changed to better capture a sense of place. And the finishing touch was the ‘Southdown’ bus.”
Trudgian sees works like Hurricane Force as part of a legacy: “An artist can recreate those days in full colour, and put the viewer in the midst of action and places impossible to record back then. For veterans and their families, the art is like a window on the past – something to help keep those stories alive.”
Discover the Hidden Details – Whimsy Pieces with Meaning
Perhaps the most delightful feature of this puzzle is the fact it contains over 20 specially shaped “whimsy” pieces hidden throughout. These are no ordinary shapes. Each one is a tiny story in itself: symbols that reflect the scene and spirit of wartime Britain.
These are called “whimsy” pieces — a tradition over 100 years old. In the early 1900s, craftsmen hand-cut jigsaws and often added playful shapes “on a whim” to give each puzzle character and meaning.
Look closely and you’ll find:
- Spitfires and Hurricanes in miniature form
- Military medals and insignias
- A silhouetted Winston Churchill, symbolising wartime leadership
- And most memorably, a “V for Victory” hand gesture – a powerful nod to unity, strength, and triumph.
A Rare Introductory Opportunity — JUST £9.99 (+p&p)
To mark the launch of this exciting new collectable, the Hurricane Force jigsaw puzzle is now available for just £9.99 — a full £30 off the regular price. And by securing yours, you gain priority access to the World War Two Aircraft Wooden Jigsaw Collection, guaranteeing you a brand-new classic puzzle every month.
But don’t wait. With only 2,500 puzzles ever to be made, demand is high, and once they’re gone, they’ll never be reproduced. Remember, this is your chance to own an exclusive collectable, one that bridges history, art, and craftsmanship.