Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 56 works by Charles David Cobb in our catalogue
In short
Taranto Harbour, Swordfish from 'Illustrious' Cripple the Italian Fleet, 11 November 1940 is the Charles David Cobb painting that draws the most eyes. After it, the eye goes to Operation Loyalty and Sword Beach, Ouistreham, D Day, 6 June 1944. Among the 56 works of Charles David Cobb in our catalog, these 55 are the most famous, each a unique original presented with its year, its museum and the reason it endures.
The oil on canvas titled Taranto Harbour, Swordfish from 'Illustrious' Cripple the Italian Fleet, 11 November 1940 captures a specific moment of naval conflict. It was painted by Charles David Cobb, an artist born in 1921 who lived until 2014. The work fixes the date of 11 November 1940 within its layers of pigment.
The Charles David Cobb painting, The Barge Race, is a stunning oil on canvas artwork that showcases the artist's exceptional skill in capturing the essence of a thrilling sailing event. Created in 1955, this masterpiece measures 75 x 101 cm and is currently housed at the Ipswich County Library in Ipswich, United Kingdom. Artistic Composition and Style The painting depicts a group of sailboats with vibrant red sails, sailing together…
The Tanker 'Ohio'
12
The Loss of HMS 'Eagle'
13
Battle of the Java Sea, 27 February 1942
14
Bombardment of Port Stanley Airstrip, 1 May 1982
15
The Last Moments of the 'Hood'
16
HMS 'Submarine Trenchant' Sinks the Cruiser 'Ashigara', 8 June 1945
17
HMT 'Ayrshire' and Ships from 'PQ17' in the Ice Pack, 5–7 July 1942
18
Torpedo Planes Sink 'Repulse' and 'Prince of Wales', 10 December 1941
19
HMS 'Dianthus' and Convoy in Winter Atlantic Gale
20
Bomb Attack Sinks 'Cornwall' and 'Dorsetshire'
21
‘Coventry's’ Lynx Attack on 'MV Smollera'
22
Gibraltar Based Force H
23
The Surrender of Italy
24
Pedestal Convoy to Malta
25
Japanese Kamikaze Suicide Attacks on Ships
26
The Yacht 'Mercury'National Maritime Museum
27
Japanese Surrender, Tokyo Bay
28
A Sea Harrier
29
Malta under Air Attack by Junkers 87 Dive Bombers
30
Fleet Air Arm Corsair Landing on
31
The 1943 Climax of the Atlantic Convoy War No.1
32
Allied Landings in North Africa, November 1942
33
Carrier Aircraft Attack, Sabang, 19 April 1944
34
North African Inshore Squadron, 1940–1943
35
Fast Carrier Task Group Operating off the Japanese Mainland, July 1945
36
Yomping
37
HMS 'Brazen' Replenishing Stores from RFA Fort Grange
38
Artillery at Mount Kent
39
Operation 'Excess', 'Illustrious' under Air Attack, 19 January 1941
40
Admiral Ramsay Reviewing the Fleet before D Day
41
San Carlos Water (sketch)
42
The Sinking of the 'Scharnhorst', 26 December 1943
43
A Convoy Arrives in Liverpool
44
Harpoon Convoy
45
Defence of a Russian Convoy
46
St Nazaire Raid, 27–28 March 1942
47
HMS 'Gloucester' on the Armilla Patrol Escorting a Convoy of Container Ships through the Strait of Hormuz
48
The Evacuation of Crete
49
Formation of the British Pacific Fleet, 1944
50
The Capture of the 'Madagascar'
51
The 1943 Climax of the Atlantic Convoy War No.2
52
The Battle of Cape Matapan, 29 March 1941
53
Motor Torpedo Boats
54
Liverpool, Nerve Centre for the Battle of the Atlantic
55
Scrubbing the Yacht 'Golden Vanity'
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The 2 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Charles David Cobb | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Ipswich County Library |
Ipswich | 1 | The Barge Race |
 National Maritime Museum |
London | 1 | The Yacht 'Mercury' |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
The Charles David Cobb painting, The Barge Race, is a stunning oil on canvas artwork that showcases the artist's exceptional skill in capturing the essence of a thrilling sailing event. Created in 1955, this masterpiece measures 75 x 101 cm and is currently housed at the Ipswich County Library in Ipswich, United Kingdom. Artistic Composition and Style The painting depicts a group of sailboats with vibrant red sails, sailing together…
Taranto Harbour, Swordfish from 'Illustrious' Cripple the Italian Fleet, 11 November 1940. Operation Loyalty and Sword Beach, Ouistreham, D Day, 6 June 1944 come next.
Taranto Harbour, Swordfish from 'Illustrious' Cripple the Italian Fleet, 11 November 1940, Operation Loyalty, Sword Beach, Ouistreham, D Day, 6 June 1944, Dunkirk Operation 'Dynamo', 26 May–4 June 1940, Invasion of Sicily, Biscay Anti U Boat Patrol, HM Torpedo Boat '2015', Gulf War, H Hour Twelve Royal Navy Minesweepers Complete Their Task, The Barge Race and The Dieppe Raid. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 56 works by Charles David Cobb, dated from 1940 to 1991.
Mostly in Ipswich County Library (Ipswich) and National Maritime Museum (London). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1940s: 2 of the 55 works on this page were made then, Biscay Anti U Boat Patrol among them.
On this page, the earliest is Biscay Anti U Boat Patrol (1940) and the latest Gulf War, H Hour Twelve Royal Navy Minesweepers Complete Their Task (1991).
Historical scene (4), Naval battle (3) and Atmospheric painting (2), across the 55 works on this page.
Contemporary realism, judging by the originals on this page.
