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US Air Force aviation art prints by Robert
Taylor. Superb aviation art prints of the United States Air Force
aircraft including B17 bomber, Helldivers, P47 Thunderbolts and P51
Mustangs. Aviation art prints available from Cranston Fine Arts.
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American Eagles by Robert Taylor.
The 357th Fighter Group was thrown into action soon after arriving in England in February 1944. Being the first fighter group equipped with P-51 Mustangs, great things were expected of them, and they did not disappoint; in the final year of the war they achieved a faster rate of victories than any other group in the 8th Air Force, and the record for the highest number of enemy aircraft shot down in a single mission - in excess of 50 - during a great air battle on 14th January 1945.
Eagles Edition: Signed Limited Edition of 450 prints. Image size 24 inches x 16.5 inches (61cm x 42cm). Price £200.00 Signed by Major James McLane, Captain Harvey Mace and Captain Charles E Weaver (deceased).
Victory in Europe Artist Proof Edition. Edition of 25, with 5 signatures. Image size 24 inches x 16.5 inches (61cm x 42cm). Price £ Signed by Major James McLane, Captain Harvey Mace, Captain Charles E Weaver (deceased), Captain William Bee OBrien and Brigadier General Charles E Yeager.
ITEM CODE DHM2580
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Skipper Comes Home by Robert Taylor
From the summer of 1942 until the end of hostilities, the USAAFs Eighth Air Force took the battle to enemy occupied Europe every single day that weather permitted. The largest air unit ever to go to war, the Eighth played a vital role in the ultimate defeat of Hitlers Germany. In the forefront of this awesome fighting force, the crews of the mighty B-17 Flying Fortress will be forever remembered.
Signed Limited Edition of 500 prints. Includes 4 signatures. Image size 23.5 inches x 17 inches (60cm x 43cm). Price £200.00 Signed by Major Paul H Greer, Lieutenant Colonel William P Kincheloe, First Lieutenant Don Nielsen and Captain Robert Paris.
Artist Proof Edition. Edition of 25, with 4 signatures. Image size 23.5 inches x 17 inches (60cm x 43cm) . Price £325.00 Signed by Major Paul H Greer, Lieutenant Colonel William P Kincheloe, First Lieutenant Don Nielsen and Captain Robert Paris.
Limited edition of 25 remarques. Image size 23.5 inches x 17 inches (60cm x 43cm). Price £ Signed by Major Paul H Greer, Lieutenant Colonel William P Kincheloe, First Lieutenant Don Nielsen and Captain Robert Paris.
ITEM CODE DHM2579
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Air Superiority by Robert Taylor.
It had taken almost six years of continual air fighting for the Allied forces to attain complete and total air superiority over the Luftwaffe. At the outbreak of World War II the mighty German Air Force had appeared invincible but the ensuing Battle of Britain gave the Luftwaffe its first taste of what was to come. When America joined the war, bringing with her to Europe ne wtypes of fighters and bombers, the writing must have been clearly chalked on the wall of Hitlers bunker. Unleashing the full power of the Eighth Air Force against the Third Reich by day, and with the RAF Bomber Commands constant attacks by night, production in Germanys aircraft and munitions factories became fatally depleted. In the air the Allied fighter pilots were beginning to dominate the skies, and by the spring on 1945, had achieved complete air superiority. It had been a long and bitter struggle, fought with great courage and sacrifice.
Aces Edition of 450 prints. Image size 16 inches x 29.25 inches (41cm x 75cm). Price £200.00 Signed by Colonel C E Bud Anderson, Brigadier General Frank L. Gailer, Lieutenant Colonel Robert G. Schimanski and Captain Robert P Winks (deceased)
Aces Edition Artist Proofs. Edition of 25. Image size 16 inches x 29.25 inches (41cm x 75cm). Price £320.00 Signed by Colonel C E Bud Anderson, Brigadier General Frank L. Gailer, Lieutenant Colonel Robert G. Schimanski and Captain Robert P Winks (deceased)
Victory in Europe Edition of 400 prints. Includes 12 signatures. Image size 16 inches x 29.25 inches (41cm x 75cm). Price £325.00 Signed by Colonel C E Bud Anderson, Brigadier General Frank L. Gailer, Lieutenant Colonel Robert G. Schimanski, Captain Robert P Winks (deceased), First Lieutenant Joseph Black, First Lieutenant Raymond T Conlin, Lieutenant Colonel William W Foard, First Lieutenant Dale E Karger (deceased), John A. Kirla, Captain William B. Overstreet, Colonel Arval J. Roberson and First Lieutenant John Skara
ITEM CODE DHM2267
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Doolittles D-Day, 6th June 1944 by Robert Taylor.
By any military standards, it is difficult to imagine the Supreme Commander of the largest air force of the day, piloting himself over the battlefront during the early moments of one of historys greatest military operations. But General Jimmy Doollittle was no ordinary commander. Already awarded Americas highest decoration for valour, General Doolittle was, by the summer of 1944, in command of the American 8th Air Force. On the morning of 6 June, D-Day, he dispatched 1350 bombers together with his entire fighter force to attack enemy ground installations near the beachheads. Sitting around waiting for intelligence reports was not Jimmy Doolittles style. He was going to see for himself what was happening! With Pat Partridge as wingman, they took off flying P-38 Lightnings - chosen for their distinctive profile in the hopes they would deter friendly fire - and climbed above the overcast. Having observed the 8th Air Forces operations at first hand, as they turned for home, Doolittle spotted a hole in the clouds, flick-rolled through it and disappeared beneath the cloud layer. Pat Partridge had his head in the cockpit, probably changing his gas tanks, and when he looked up there was no sign of his Supreme Commander, he circled around for a while, then headed for home. Beneath the clouds Doolittle saw - the most impressive and unforgettable sight I could have possibly imagined - . As some 5000 ships of all shapes and sizes landed 176,000 troops on the enemy held beaches of Northern France, Doolittle flew up and down the battlefront assessing how the invasion was progressing, and after a two and a half hour sortie, headed back to base. After landing, Doolittle hurried over to General Eisenhowers headquarters to provide the first report Eisenhower received, beating his own intelligence information by several hours.
Limited edition of 500 prints. Image szie 32 inches x 16 inches 81cm x 41cm). Price £ Signed by Colonel Hubert M. Childress, Lt Colonel Frank D Hurlbut, First Lieutenant Richard Ostronik, First Lieutenant Mel Roasvig and Colonel Richard Willsie.
ITEM CODE RT0313
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America Strikes Back by Robert Taylor
The very first air combat fought by American pilots following the surprise attack upon Pearl Harbor. In less than one hour America struck back in a war that was to end in total victory. As the assault mounted on the Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor, simultaneously the air base at Wheeler Field came under heavy attack. Two young USAAF pilots, Kenneth Taylor and George Walsh, quickly got their P-40 Tomahawks airborne. Winging southwards towards Ewa Field they ripped into a dozen or more enemy planes attacking the marine field. Diving into the formation they each downed Val fighter-bombers. Robert Taylors painting shows Ken Taylor in his P-40 tomahawk, with George Walsh in close company, bringing down his second enemy aircraft on December 7, 1941, an Aichi D-3Al Val dive-bomber. In the background palls of smoke rise from Hangar 6 housing the naval float planes, and the up-turned battleship Oaklahoma.
Signed limited edition of 550 prints. Paper size 31 inches x 24 inches (79cm x 61cm). Price £200.00 Signed by Colonel William Dickman, Colonel David Tex Hill (deceased), Lt General Joe Moore, Brigadier General Kenneth Taylor (deceased) and Colonel Earl Williams.
Limited edition of artist proofs. Paper size 31 inches x 24 inches (79cm x 61cm). Price £325.00 Signed by Colonel William Dickman, Colonel David Tex Hill (deceased), Lt General Joe Moore, Brigadier General Kenneth Taylor (deceased) and Colonel Earl Williams.
ITEM CODE RT0299
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Doolittle Raiders by Robert Taylor.
Doolittle Raiders take their B-25 bombers down to very low level and head for China after delivering their surprise attack on the industrial and military targets in and around Tokyo on April 18, 1942. The sixteen-ship mission, led by volunteer crews, successfully completed one of the most audacious air raids of World War II.
Signed limited edition of 600 prints. Paper size 34 inches x 25 inches (86cm x 64cm). Price £ Signed by Lieutenant Colonel Richard E Cole, Staff Sergeant Rev Jacob DeSchazer, Major Thomas C Griffin, Major Nolan A Herndon (deceased), Major General David M Jones, Lieutenant Colonel Frank A Kappelar, Lieutenant Colonel James H Macia (deceased), Lieutenant Colonel Harry C McCool, Lieutenant Colonel Chase J Nielson, Colonel Henry A Potter, Staff Sergeant David J Thatcher, Brigadier General Everett W Holstrom (deceased), Major Howard A Sessler and Captain J Royden Stork (deceased).
Limited edition of artist proofs. Paper size 34 inches x 25 inches (86cm x 64cm). Price £ Signed by Lieutenant Colonel Richard E Cole, Staff Sergeant Rev Jacob DeSchazer, Major Thomas C Griffin, Major Nolan A Herndon (deceased), Major General David M Jones, Lieutenant Colonel Frank A Kappelar, Lieutenant Colonel James H Macia (deceased), Lieutenant Colonel Harry C McCool, Lieutenant Colonel Chase J Nielson, Colonel Henry A Potter, Staff Sergeant David J Thatcher, Brigadier General Everett W Holstrom (deceased), Major Howard A Sessler and Captain J Royden Stork (deceased).
ITEM CODE DHM2146
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Attack on the Hiei by Robert Taylor.
Marine Ace Captain Joe Foss leads a flight of eight F4F Wildcats of VMF121, based at Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, in a diversionary attack on the Imperial Japanese battlecruiser Hiei north of Savo Island, Friday November 13, 1942. In the distance TBF Avenger torpedo bombers of VMSB-131, having already attacked from the starboard side, head for base. That evening, after relentless air attack, the Hiei, disappeared beneath the sea- the first Japanese battleship sunk by American Forces in World War II
Signed limited edition of 475 prints. Image size 34 inches x 24 inches (86cm x 61cm). Price £ Signed by Brigadier General Joseph J Foss (deceased), Lt Colonel Roger Haberman, Lt Colonel William B Freeman and Colonel T W Boot Furlow.
Limited edition of 25 artist proofs. Image size 34 inches x 24 inches (86cm x 61cm). Price £ Signed by Brigadier General Joseph J Foss (deceased), Lt Colonel Roger Haberman, Lt Colonel William B Freeman and Colonel T W Boot Furlow.
Limited edition of 50 millenium proofs. Image size 34 inches x 24 inches (86cm x 61cm). Price £ Signed by Brigadier General Joseph J Foss (deceased), Lt Colonel Roger Haberman, Lt Colonel William B Freeman, Colonel T W Boot Furlow, Lt Colonel Ronnie Hay (deceased) and Commander Don Sheppard.
ITEM CODE DHM2436
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Mission Beyond Darkness by Robert Taylor
Following the attack against Admiral Ozawas Japanese carrier fleet on June 20, 1944, Admiral Mitscher defies all rules of naval engagement: In total darkness, with the ever-present danger of enemy submarines, he orders every ship in his Task Force 58 to switch on lights to guide over 100 returning carrier-borne aircraft, all desperately low on fuel. Amid the confusion, unable to get a landing slot aboard the USS Lexington, and now out of fuel, a pilot and his gunner scramble from their ditched SB2B Curtiss Helldiver, as a Fletcher class destroyer manoeuvres to make the pick up.
Signed limited edition of 750 prints. Image size 34 inches x 23 inches (86cm x 58cm). Price £200.00 Signed by Commander Alex Vraciu USN, Captain Donald Gordon USN, Lieutenant Ralph Yaussi USNR and Air Gunner James Curry.
Limited edition of 50 artist proofs. Image size 34 inches x 23 inches (86cm x 58cm). Price £325.00 Signed by Commander Alex Vraciu USN, Captain Donald Gordon USN, Lieutenant Ralph Yaussi USNR and Air Gunner James Curry.
ITEM CODE DHM2058
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Thunderbolt Strike by Robert Taylor.
A flight of P47 thunderbolts of the 404 Fighter group, 9th Air force, clear the target area after a low-level attack on the airfield inland from Le Havre, Normandy, 1944. Tracer winds up towards them from ground defences and almost all the aircraft have taken hits. Ground-attack pilots went in low, did the job and got our fast!
Signed limited edition of 1250 prints. Paper size 27 inches x 20 inches (69cm x 51cm). Price £165.00 Signed by General Paul Douglas, General James Hill and Colonel Joe Matte.
Limited edition of artist proofs. Image size 27 inches x 20 inches (69cm x 51cm). Price £265.00 Signed by General Paul Douglas, General James Hill and Colonel Joe Matte.
ITEM CODE DHM2073
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Mustang Recce by Robert Taylor.
Russ Berg flies his 10th Recce Group P51s in low and fast, dodging flak and enemy fighters, to get vital photographs for General Patons advancing forces. A superb study of World War IIs most outstanding tactical fighter in action, in the hands of one of the USAAFs most distinguished and highly decorated pilots.
Signed limited edition of 1500 prints. Paper size 24 inches x 20 inches (61cm x 51cm). Price £80.00 Signed by Russ Berg.
ITEM CODE DHM2096
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Marauder Mission by Robert Taylor
B26 Marauders of the 386th Bomb Group 9th Air Force, returning from a strike against VI, rocket sites in the Pas de Calais, January 1944. The 9th Air Force became one of the most effective forces in the destruction of VI rocket sites, railroad yards, bridges and other enemy position in northern France and by May 1944, was despatching more than one thousand aircraft a day against targets in Normandy and the Pas de Calais.
Signed limited edition of 1250 prints. Paper size 27 inches x 20 inches (69cm x 51cm). Price £175.00 Signed by General John Moench, Colonel Roland Scott and Colonel Ashley Woolridge.
Limited edition of artist proofs. Paper size 27 inches x 20 inches (69cm x 51cm). Price £295.00 Signed by General John Moench, Colonel Roland Scott and Colonel Ashley Woolridge.
Multi Signed edition of 100 prints. Paper size 27 inches x 20 inches (69cm x 51cm). Price £275.00 Signed by General John Moench, Colonel Roland Scott, Colonel Ashley Woolridge, Major Carl Oates, Captain Earl Slanker and Colonel Richard Dick Denison.
ITEM CODE DHM2072
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Bogeys Eleven O Clock High by Robert Taylor
Doug Canning breaks radio silence to call the sighting of Admiral Yamamotos flight over the pacific island of Bourganville, 18 April 1943. After a two and a half hour, four hundred mile flight just above the waves, mission leader John Mitchell and his 16 ship raiding party push their P-38s to full power to complete one of the most remarkable ambushes in aviation history.
Signed limited edition of 1250 prints. Paper size 38 inches x 24 inches (97cm x 61cm). Price £200.00 Signed by Colonel John W Mitchell, Lt Colonel Roger J Ames, Colonel Rex Barber (deceased), Lt Colonel Doug Canning, Captain Delton Goerke (deceased), Captain Larry Graebener, Lt Colonel Besby F Holmes, Major Julius Jack Jacobson and Lt Colonel Louis R Kittel.
Limited edition of artist proofs. Paper size 38 inches x 24 inches (97cm x 61cm). Price £325.00 Signed by Colonel John W Mitchell, Lt Colonel Roger J Ames, Colonel Rex Barber (deceased), Lt Colonel Doug Canning, Captain Delton Goerke (deceased), Captain Larry Graebener, Lt Colonel Besby F Holmes, Major Julius Jack Jacobson and Lt Colonel Louis R Kittel.
ITEM CODE DHM2075
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Hostile Sky by Robert Taylor
A B-24 has been hit and is losing touch with the main bomber formation, as Luftwaffe pilots concentrated their attentions on the unfortunate aircraft. Two Fw190s, are zooming up for the kill on the damaged B-24. Seeing the desperate situation, a P-38 escort pilot has made a head-on attack, splitting the pair of Fw190s, and thwarting their attempt to finish off the B-24. Another P-38, aware of the situation, is turning into the path of the Fw190s, and Robert makes it clear in his dramatic portrayal that the action has some way to go before any conclusion will be reached.
Signed limited edition of 1250 prints. Paper size 33 inches x 25 inches (84cm x 64cm) Only one available.. Price £225.00 Signed by Colonel Gerald Brown (deceased), Colonel John Lowell, Hauptmann Alfred Grislawski (deceased) and Captain Gunther Schack (deceased).
Limited edition of 125 artist proofs. Paper size 33 inches x 25 inches (84cm x 64cm). Price £395.00 Signed by Colonel Gerald Brown (deceased), Colonel John Lowell, Hauptmann Alfred Grislawski (deceased) and Captain Gunther Schack (deceased).
ITEM CODE DHM2085
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Valour in the Pacific by Robert Taylor.
Depicted are B-29s of the 499th Bomb Group, 73rd Wing of the 20th Air Force. After a daylight raid on Tokyo, showing all the telltale signs of combat over the target, a Wing of the worlds largest and fastest-ever piston-engined bombers make their long over-water journey home, still many hours away at Saipan Island. At the extremity of their range, little friends, very-long-range P-51 Mustang escort fighters, peel off and head for home - leaving the mighty bombers to fend for themselves.
Signed limited edition of 1250 prints. Paper size 34 inches x 25 inches (86cm x 64cm). Price £200.00 Signed by Colonel Ray Brashear (deceased), Brigadier General Henry Huglin (deceased), Lieutenant Chester Marshall and Colonel Bob Morgan (deceased).
Limited edition of artist proofs. Paper size 34 inches x 25 inches (86cm x 64cm). Price £325.00 Signed by Colonel Ray Brashear (deceased), Brigadier General Henry Huglin (deceased), Lieutenant Chester Marshall and Colonel Bob Morgan (deceased).
ITEM CODE DHM2226
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Legend of Colin Kelly by Robert Taylor.
December 10th 1941, Just three days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, captain Colin Kellys 19th BG B-17C is heavily outnumbered by Zeros as it returns to Clark Field after completing a successful bombing attack. With his aircraft on fire. Kelly remained at the controls whilst his crew bailed out. Seconds later the B-17 exploded. Colin Kelly gave his life and was posthumously awarded the DFC. A legend was born.
Signed limited edition of 750 prints. Paper size 33 inches x 23 inches (84cm x 58cm). Price £200.00 Signed by Master Sergeant James E Halkyard, Staff Sergeant Robert E Altman and Saburo Sakai (deceased).
Limited edition of artist proofs. Paper size 33 inches x 23 inches (84cm x 58cm). Price £325.00 Signed by Master Sergeant James E Halkyard, Staff Sergeant Robert E Altman and Saburo Sakai (deceased).
ITEM CODE DHM2154
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Fighting Tigers by Robert Taylor.
On August 5, 1944, following a successful attack on Japanese forces just north of Changsha, P-40 Warhawks of the75th and 16th Fighter Squadrons, 23rd F.G., are attacked by enemy Nakajima fighters and a massive dog-fight has developed over the Hsiang Chiang river with aircraft wheeling and turning in all directions. The action is set against the distinctive, haunting landscape of Southern China, Roberts panoramic canvas capturing all the atmosphere of a crucial aerial campaign fought in the skies above a distant land so many years ago.
Signed limited edition of 500 prints. Paper size 32 inches x 23 inches (81cm x 58cm). Price £240.00 Signed by Major General John Alison, Colonel Tex Hill (deceased), Lt Colonel Don Lopez, Colonel Charles Older (deceased), Colonel Ed Rector (deceased) and Brigadier General Wiltz Segura (deceased).
ITEM CODE DHM2465
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Skipper Comes Home by
Robert Taylor From the summer of 1942 until the end of hostilities,
the USAAFs Eighth Air Force took the battle to enemy occupied Europe every
single day that weather permitted. The largest air unit ever to go
to war, the Eighth played a vital role in the ultimate defeat of Hitlers
Germany. In the forefront of this awesome fighting force, the crews
of the mighty B-17 Flying Fortress will be forever remembered.
American Eagles by
Robert TaylorThe 357th Fighter Group was thrown into action soon
after arriving in England in February 1944. Being the first fighter
group equipped with P-51 Mustangs, great things were expected of them, and
they did not disappoint; in the final year of the war they achieved a
faster rate of victories than any other group in the 8th Air Force, and
the record for the highest number of enemy aircraft shot down in a single
mission - in excess of 50 - during a great air battle on 14th January
1945.
Air Superiority by
Robert TaylorIt had taken almost six years of
continual air fighting for the Allied forces to attain complete and total
air superiority over the Luftwaffe. At the outbreak of World War II
the mighty German Air Force had appeared invincible but the ensuing Battle
of Britain gave the Luftwaffe its first taste of what was to come.
When America joined the war, bringing with her to Europe ne wtypes of
fighters and bombers, the writing must have been clearly chalked on the
wall of Hitlers bunker. Unleashing the full power of the Eighth Air
Force against the Third Reich by day, and with the RAF Bomber Commands
constant attacks by night, production in Germanys aircraft and munitions
factories became fatally depleted. In the air the Allied fighter
pilots were beginning to dominate the skies, and by the spring on 1945,
had achieved complete air superiority. It had been a long and bitter
struggle, fought with great courage and sacrifice.
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Doolittle's D-Day, 6th June 1944 by Robert
TaylorBy any military standards, it is difficult to imagine
the Supreme Commander of the largest air force of the day, piloting
himself over the battlefront during the early moments of one of history's
greatest military operations. But General Jimmy Doollittle was no
ordinary commander. Already awarded America's highest decoration for
valour, General Doolittle was, by the summer of 1944, in command of the
American 8th Air Force. On the morning of 6 June, D-Day, he
dispatched 1350 bombers together with his entire fighter force to attack
enemy ground installations near the beachheads. Sitting around
waiting for intelligence reports was not Jimmy Doolittle's style. He
was going to see for himself what was happening! With Pat Partridge
as wingman, they took off flyinh P-38 Lightnings - chosen for their
distinctive profile in the hopes they would deter friendly fire - and
climbed above the overcast. Having observed the 8th Air Force's
operations at first hand, as they turned for home, Doolittle spotted a
hole in the clouds, flick-rolled through it and disappeared beneath the
cloud layer. Pat Partridge had his head in the cockpit, probably
changing his gas tanks, and when he looked up there was no sign of his
Supreme Commander. He circled around for a while, then headed for
home. Beneath the clouds Doolittle saw "the most impressive and
unforgettable sight I could have possibly imagined". As some
5000 ships of all shapes and sizes landed 176,000 troops on the enemy held
beaches of Northern France, Doolittle flew up and down the battlefront
assessing how the invasion was progressing, and after a two and a half
hour sortie, headed back to base. After landing, Doolittle hurried
over to General Eisenhower's headquarters to provide the first report
Eisenhower received, beating his own intelligence information by several
hours. |
| Mustangs on the Prowl. by Robert TaylorMustangs on the prowl; Between 3
and 13th september 1944, the 55th Fighter group flew eight arduous, highly
successful, bomber escort missions to Germany for which the group received
a Distinguished Unit Citation. like those the group had flown before and
would fly again and again until the end of hostilities each mission took
them deep into enemy airspace, involved desperate combat with Luftwaffe
fighters, and culminated in rapid decent to low level to strafe enemy
airfields on the way home. In that ten day period of intense fighting 55th
covered themselves in glory, destroying large numbers of enemy fighters in
the air and on the ground, one of their pilots becoming the top scoring
ground attack pilot of the campaign.
Long range combat missions were typical of the assignments flown by
the fighters of the 8th Air Force during that period of the air war. not
content with the dog fighting at altitude, when escort duty was complete,
the eighth's aggressive fighter pilots relished the opportunity to hurtle
down to tree top height and ignoring the inevitable barrage of
anti-aircraft fire, shoot up any target of opportunity upon which they
could bring their guns to bear. |
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In Gallant Company by Robert Taylor
Signed by Jefferson de Blanc, Joe Foss, Bob Galer, Jim Swett, Ken
Walsh
Print serial number DHM2153. Signed limited edition of 1,250 prints.
Paper size 36" x 25". Print price £220 SOLD OUT.
Artists proof price £300.
Publishers proof £395.
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Company of Heroes by Robert Taylor
B-17 bombers.
Collectors signed limited edition of 500 prints. Signed by the artist
and Robert Dees and Roland Whited. Paper size 33" x 24". Print
price £130 ($225). sold out
Artists proof price £250 ($480). Print serial number
RT301. sold out
Generals signed limited edition of 400 prints with pencil print of
Bader's Bus Company. Signed by the above and Adolf Galland. Print price
£195 ($370). sold out
Artists proof price £315 ($570). Serial number RT301B sold
out
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| Text for the above print :
Returning to base following the ordeal of a gruelling daylight raid,
when barrages of flak and the persistent attendance of enemy fighters were
an accepted feature of the mission were, for the weary aircrews, moments
of pure exhilaration. The entire airfield suddenly transformed into
a cacophony of noise and activity as, one after another, the mighty
bombers landed and came to rest. Jeeps scurried about collecting
crews, whisking them away for debriefing and well-earned nourishment while
groundcrews, after their anxious wait, milled around their
charges.
The 34th Bomb Group's Queenie, first home to Mendlesham today, has come
to a standstill, the co-pilot already briefing the crew chief on the state
of the aircraft. Another B-17 taxies while a jeep scurries across
the tarmac to collect the crew of a third aircraft. Other B-17s are
already parked as the last man home makes his final approach, streaming
vapour from a badly overheating engine. It is April 1945. The
fickle English weather greets the returning airmen with a mixture of
brilliant spring sunshine and passing April showers. |
| Bringing the Peacemaker Home by Robert TaylorBy 1944 the USAAF were despatching bombers deep
into Germany on a grand scale. In June alone no fewer than 28,800 aircraft
were despatched into hostile air space, the scale of operations such that
enabled hitting a dozen or more different targets on a single day.
Even with the benefit of long-range fighter escort, the bomber
formations had to run the gauntlet of the Luftwaffe's fighter defenses as
they approached and departed the target area. With plenty of practice
during the previous 12 months, the German fighter pilots had developed
highly successful techniques of attack against the American four-engined
bombers, and whenever they engaged in numbers, USAAF losses were heavy -
37 bombers failed to return from raids against synthetic oil plants and
aircraft factories at Leipzig on June 29.
On July 20 it was the turn of the 91st Bomb Group to attack an airfield
near Leipzig, suspected of harboring the new menace - the Luftwaffe's
revolutionary Messerschmitt Me262 jet. As the formation spread out for the
bomb run, the 401st squadron took the low position - the most vulnerable
to fighter attack.
Just as the crew of The Peacemaker steadied the ship to sight the
target, the squadron was set upon by Focke-Wulf 190s. The formation leader
was set on fire wingtip to wingtip, almost colliding with Peacemaker as
the stricken aircraft slid into the void below. At that moment, cannon
shells ripped into Peacemaker as a Fw190 flashed past within 200 feet, its
guns blazing. Hit in the wing and tail, the bucking B-17 began to slip
below the rest of the formation. She was a long way from home.
Robert Taylor's dramatic portrayal of events picks up the story as the
injured bird limps towards the sanctuary of the English coast. That she
has got this far is a miracle, due in no small part to the close
attentions of escorting P-51B Mustangs of the 361st Fighter Group.
To keep her flying, the crew are jettisoning everything that can be
safely bundled out of the aircraft. The front hatch is open and bombardier
Marion Havelaar has reluctantly despatched his 20lb bomb sight to the
ocean below - for him, an act of total sacrilege. The Peacemaker made it
back to Bassingbourne that day; eight others did not. |
| Mission Beyond Darkness by Robert TaylorAfter a three day sea search for Admiral
Ozawa's carrier fleet it was 3.30pm on June 20, 1944, when a spotter plane
reported the enemy position to Admiral Mitscher's Task Force 58. Mitscher
knew the risks of despatching a large force on such a long-range mission
so late in the day, but he also knew his task was to get the carriers. By
4.30pm over 200 fighters, dive-bombers, and torpedo strike planes were in
the air and heading for the target.
In the short but intense battle that followed late in that day, the
Japanese carrier Hiyo was sunk, four more Japanese carriers were damaged,
two oilers sunk, the battleship Haruna hit, and some 40 enemy aircraft
reported destroyed. Fierce, and seemingly successful though the encounter
was, for most of the American aircrews the worst part of the mission was
yet to come. As 209 aircraft turned and headed east into the growing dark,
most of the pilots knew they had barely enough fuel to get back on board
their carriers, some 270 miles distant. Many of the aircraft had received
battle damage, and some of the crews were wounded.
It was 8pm and pitch dark as the first of the returning aircraft neared
the carriers. Admiral Mitscher knew that without some form of guidance it
was going to be all but impossible to recover his aircraft and, ignoring
the submarine threat, boldly ordered the fleet to turn on lights. But the
arriving Helldiver and Avenger pilots were all but out of fuel, and in the
confusion of trying to pick out a carrier, find a landing slot, compounded
by a number of deck crashes, some 70 planes went into the water that
night. For Mitscher's aircrews, the long return to TF-58 went into history
as the 'mission beyond darkness'
In recreating the awesome scene, Robert Taylor has painted a
masterpiece of naval aviation warfare in the Pacific. In the foreground
the SB2C Helldiver of Lieutenant Ralph Yaussi, its tanks dry, has ditched
near the carrier USS Lexington. As Yaussi and his gunner James Curry
clamber out of the sinking aircraft, the Fletcher class destroyer USS
Anthony, her 24 inch searchlight ablaze, is moving in to make the pick-up.
The chaos and confusion of that infamous night during the Battle of the
Philippine Sea, springs back to life in this stunning painting. With
prints signed by four aircrew who survived Admiral Mitscher's historic
operation, including Yaussi and Curry, Robert Taylor's Mission Beyond
Darkness will become one of the great collector's prints from the era.
Marauder Mission by Robert Taylor Tribute to B-26 Marauder and the Ninth Air force. B-26's return from an
attack on enemy positions in Northern France. Features "Yankee
Guerrilla" of the 386th Bomb Group.
Hostile Sky by Robert Taylor
Damaged B24 in danger from Fw190, is rescued by P-38
Lightnings, who
thwart the German attack.
Signatories: Alfred Grislawski, John Lowell, Gunther
Schack.
Viper Venom by Robert Taylor
On May 31, 1999, F-16s from the 31st and 52nd Air Expeditionary Wings
ascended from the Aviano air base in northern Italy and headed toward the
Serbian forces that were on the move in Southern Kosovo. The F-16s were to
stop the Serbs in their ground offensive against the Kosovo Liberation
Army. It was a good day to be a NATO airman and a bad day to be a Serbian
soldier.
Signed by Mike
Boera, Dave Goldfein.
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all editions are sold out
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Battle of the Coral Sea by Robert Taylor
Print serial number DHM2128. 5 Signatures: Harold Buell, Ben Preston, Joe Riley, Arthur Schultz,
Lawrence Traynor. Limited edition of 500 prints. Paper size 33" x
24". Print price £180. sold out
Artists proof price £320 ONE COPY LEFT sold
10 Signatures: Above plus Dick Best, Bill Christie, Robert Elder, Harry
Fredrickson, Stanley Vejtasa. Limited edition of 350 prints. Paper size
33" x 24". Print price £285. sold out
Artists proof price £420. sold out |
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Rolling Thunder by Robert Taylor Signatures: Harold
Bingaman, Max Brestel, Jackson Broughton, Leo Thorsness. The date : March 12, 1967. The target: The large thermal power
plant at Viet Tri, on the Red River, a short distance to the northwest of
Hanoi. Heavily defended by 100 and 85 mm gun positions, missile
sites and the usual barrage of ground fire encountered on any mission
"downtown", the task of the leading flight was to hammer the
guns and clear the way for the closely following strike force to lay their
bombs squarely on the power plant. They would all have to contend
with the ever present likelihood of MiG interception on the way out.
Leading the 355th TFW F-105 Thunderchiefs out of Takhli Royal Thai Air
Base, Colonel Jack Broughton took the familiar route, approaching the
target area flying down Thud Ridge. As the high ground fell away he
pushed his flight of four ships down to the deck and, "going like
hell", Broughton swung the leading Thuds southwest, just enough to
give those on the ground the impression they were headed south of Viet
Tri.
Not quite abreast of the target, Broughton called the 'pop' and as the
Thuds passed vertical they rolled to inverted going over the top,
completing a giant wifferdill, attacking the guns from the opposite
direction. Beneath them the big gun pits were lined up, their
gunners confused by the maneuver, and before they could work out what was
happening the F-105 pilots emptied their loads of CBUs into the middle of
them. Behind the Thuds came the strike force and, with the air cleared of the
usual flak barrage, unloaded their bombs right into the thermal power
plant. The facility was destroyed in one of the best planned and
executed raids of the war.
Legend of Colin Kelly by Robert Taylor
December 10th 1941, Just three days after the Japanese attack on
Pearl harbor, captain Colin Kelly's 19th BG B-17C is heavily outnumbered
by Zeros as it returns to Clark Field after completing a successful
bombing attack. With his aircraft on fire. Kelly remained at the controls
whilst his crew bailed out. Seconds later the B-17 exploded. Colin Kelly
gave his life and was posthumously awarded the DFC. A legend was born.
Signed by Robert Altman, James Halkyard |
| Fighting Tigers by Robert Taylor
A reconstruction of action fought over the Hsiang Chiang river on
August 5, 1944. Following a successful attack on Japanese forces just
north of Changsha, P-40 Warhawks of the 75th and 16th Fighter Squadrons,
23rd FG, are attacked by enemy Nakajima fighters and a massive dogfight
has developed with aircraft wheeling and turning in all directions set against
the landscape of Southern China.
"Greetings you American bandits of the Flying Tigers, and
especially you young American kids of the USAAF who have come to take
their place. The invincible Japanese Air Force will utterly destroy you
on your first day of activation - the fourth of July - your Independence
Day!"
Tokyo Rose was screeching her propoganda over the shortwave radio
out of Shanghai as the 23rd Fighter Group prepared to assume the mantle
of Chennault's American Volunteer Group - the Flying Tigers. Her
rantings served only to fill the new pilots with greater determination,
and to provoke Chennault into immediate action: "We will not wait
until the 4th. We'll hit them on the 3rd!" vowed General Chennault
on hearing the broadcast, and that is precisely what the young American
kids did. Flying their P-40 Warhawks, 29 rookie fighter pilots ripped
into a force of 48 Zeros over Kweilin, chopping down 34 enemy aircraft
without loss on their first day in combat - a full day before the 23rd
FG officially came into being. Tokyo Rose fell silent the following day. |
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