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P51
Mustang, American, Aircraft The P51 Mustang in aviation art
prints by the worlds leading aviation artists, Ivan Berryman, Graeme
Lothian, Robert Taylor, Anthony Saunders, Nicholas Trudgian, David
Pentland and many others.
The ubiquitous North American P-51 Mustang, which many
consider to be the best all-around fighter of WW II, owes its origins to
the British Air Ministry. Following Britains entry into WW II in 1939,
the RAF was interested in purchasing additional fighter aircraft from
American sources, particularly the Curtiss P-40. Curtiss, which was
busy, was unable to guarantee timely delivery so the British approached
North American Aviation as a possible second source for the P-40. North
American chose to propose its own fighter design which would use the
same Allison engine as the P-40. Utilizing new laminar flow wings, the
North American fighter was expected to have performance better than the
P-40. Developed in record time the new aircraft was designated as a
Mustang I by the Brits, whereas the USAAF ordered two for evaluation
which were designated XP-51 Apaches. Intrigued with the possibility of
using this aircraft also as a dive bomber, North American proposed this
to the USAAF which decided to order 500 of the P-51 aircraft to be
modified for dive bombing use. Designated as the A-36 Invader, this
version of the Mustang utilized dive
flaps, and bomb racks under each wing. Some reinforcing of the
structural members was also required because of the G-forces to be
encountered in dive bombing. A-36s entered combat service with the USAAF
prior to any P-51s. In early 1943 the 86th and 27th
Fighter Bomber Groups of the 12th Air Force began flying
A-36s out of Northern Africa. Despite some early problems with
instability caused by the dive flaps, the A-36 was effective in light
bombing and strafing roles. It was not, however, capable of dog fighting
with German fighters, especially at higher altitudes. Despite these
drawbacks one USAAF pilot, Captain Michael T. Russo, who served with the
16th Bomb Squadron of the 27th Fighter Bomber
Group, was credited with five confirmed aerial victories in the A-36,
thereby becoming the first mustang ace
Mustang Escort by Graeme Lothian
Mustang P51 "Nooky Booky IV"
flown by Captain Leonard " Kit" Carson of the 362nd Fighter Squadron
357th Fighter Group, giving fighter escort top cover protection to the
B17's of 381st Bomb Group, returning after a raid in Germany, January
1944. Kit Carson ended the war as top scorer of the 357th with 18.5
aerial victories in the last 6 months of the war
Dove of Peace by David Pentland P51D of Colonel Glenn Duncan C.O. of the 353rd Fighter Group, along
with "Betty-E" flown by Lt. Colonel Wayne Blickenstaff, taking
off on one of their last missions of the war, April 1945.
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Mustang Escort by Graeme Lothian.
Mustang P51 Nooky Booky IV flown by Captain Leonard Kit Carson of the 362nd Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group, giving fighter escort top cover protection to the B17s of 381st Bomb Group, returning after a raid in Germany, January 1944. Kit Carson ended the war as top scorer of the 357th with 18.5 aerial victories in the last 6 months of the war.
Signed limited edition of 1150 prints. Image size 25 inches x 14 inches (64cm x 36cm). Price £95.00
Limited edition of 50 artist proofs. Image size 25 inches x 14 inches (64cm x 36cm). Price £135.00
Carson Presentation Edition of 5 Artist Proofs, supplied double matted. Image size 25 inches x 14 inches (64cm x 36cm). Price £300.00 Features the mounted original signature of Kit Carson.
Limited edition of 50 giclee canvas prints. Image size 36 inches x 22 inches (91cm x 56cm). Price £480.00
Limited edition of 50 giclee canvas prints. Image size 30 inches x 18 inches (76cm x 46cm). Price £370.00
Original painting by Graeme Lothian. Image size 42 inches x 20 inches (107cm x 51cm). Price £
**Signed limited edition of 1150 prints. (3 reduced to clear) Image size 25 inches x 14 inches (64cm x 36cm). Price £51.00
ITEM CODE DHM1157
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Dove of Peace by David Pentland.
P51D of Colonel Glenn Duncan C.O. of the 353rd Fighter Group, along with Betty-E flown by Lt. Colonel Wayne Blickenstaff, taking off on one of their last missions of the war, April 1945.
Signed limited edition of 1150 prints. Image size 17 inches x 12 inches (43cm x 31cm). Price £51.00
Limited edition of 50 artist proofs. Image size 17 inches x 12 inches (43cm x 31cm). Price £95.00
Peterson Presentation Edition of 3 Artist Proofs, supplied double matted. Image size 17 inches x 12 inches (43cm x 31cm). Price £270.00 Features the mounted original signature of Major Richard Bud Peterson.
Carson Presentation Edition of 3 Artist Proofs, supplied double matted. Image size 17 inches x 12 inches (43cm x 31cm). Price £280.00 Features the mounted original signature of Kit Carson.
Original painting by David Pentland. Image size 30 inches x 15 inches (76cm x 38cm). Price £
**Signed limited edition of 1150 prints. (2 copies reduced to clear) Image size 17 inches x 12 inches (43cm x 31cm). Price £38.00
ITEM CODE DHM0780
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Guardian Angel by Anthony Saunders.
Depicting Mustang aircraft escorting Flying Fortresses on a bombing raid over Germany.
Signed limited edition of 2500 prints. Image size 12 inches x 8 inches (31cm x 20cm). Price £37.00
Limited edition of 50 artist proofs. Image size 12 inches x 8 inches (31cm x 20cm). Price £43.00
Carson Presentation Edition of 5 Artist Proofs, supplied double matted. Image size 12 inches x 8 inches (31cm x 20cm). Price £230.00 Features the mounted original signature of Kit Carson.
Limited edition of 50 giclee canvas prints. Image size 30 inches x 20 inches (76cm x 51cm). Price £370.00
Original painting by Anthony Saunders. Size 30 inches x 20 inches (76cm x 51cm). Price £3600.00
**Signed limited edition of 2500 prints. (1 copy reduced to clear) Guardian Angel by Anthony Saunders.. Price £22.00
ITEM CODE DHM0415
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Little Friends by Simon Smith.
The aircraft in the foreground bears the name Alabama Rammer Jammer, the personal mount of 2/Lt Arthur Cundy ,352nd FS, 353rd FG. The 353rds yellow and black chequered nose bands were one of the most distinctive recognition features of all the Eighths fighter groups.
Signed limited edition of 500 prints. Image size 25 inches x 17 inches (64cm x 43cm). Price £95.00
Limited edition of artist proofs. Image size 25 inches x 17 inches (64cm x 43cm). Price £135.00
Blakeslee Presentation Edition of 5 Artist Proofs, supplied double matted. Image size 25 inches x 17 inches (64cm x 43cm). Price £300.00 Features the mounted original signature of Colonel Don Blakeslee (deceased).
ITEM CODE DHM1464
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Mustang by Geoff Lea.
Open edition print. Special Promotion : This print is HALF PRICE for a limited time only! Image size 16 inches x 10 inches (41cm x 25cm). Price £16.80
Image size 16 inches x 10 inches (41cm x 25cm) . Price £43.00
ITEM CODE DHM0263
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King of the Strafers by Iain Wyllie.
Col. James A (Goody) Goodsons Mustang
Open edition print. Image size 16.5 inches x 11.5 inches (42cm x 29cm). Price £16.00
ITEM CODE IW0006
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Dallas Doll by Philip West.
North American P51D-NA15 Mustang 414495 Dallas Doll 352nd Fighter Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group, 8th Air Force. American designed and built, British inspired and, later, powered, the Mustang turned into arguably the finest WW11 long-range fighter ever constructed. The Mustang, developed from the Prototype NA73X, was manufactured in large quantities, with an impressive final total of 15,586 aircraft. Of these 13,600 were powered by the British, Rolls Royce designed Merlin engine.
Signed limited edition of 850 prints. Paper size 20 inches x 27 inches (51cm x 69cm). Price £95.00
Anderson, Overstreet signature edition of 100 prints from the edition of 850 signed limited edition prints. Paper size 20 inches x 27 inches (51cm x 69cm). Price £140.00 Signed by Colonel C E Bud Anderson and
Captain William B. Overstreet.
ITEM CODE DHM2503
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Escort Service by Keith Woodcock.
In the early morning sun, two North American P51D Mustangs of the 359 FS, 356 FG, take off from their base at Martlesham Heath to escort 8th Air force bombers on another daylight raid.
Signed limited edition of 500 prints. Image size 24 inches x 12 inches (61cm x 31cm). Price £95.00
ITEM CODE DHM2416
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Deadly Duo by Harley Copic.
Captain Don Gentile and Lt John Godfrey, 4th Fighter Group, team up to form one of the most successful Leader-Wingman duos in the 8th Air Force, scoring a combined total of 36 victories.
Signed limited edition of 400 prints. Image size 24 inches x 12 inches (61cm x 31cm). Price £95.00
ITEM CODE DHM2430
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Head for Home by Anthony Saunders. (APB)
When a fighter escort with a bombers range first appeared over Berlin, Goering knew the end of the war was only a matter of time. when that particular fighter escort turned out to be the Mustang, perhaps the most outstanding of all WWII fighters, the time was all too short. Unlike the RAFs Spitfire and Hurricane, that had succeeded in the Battle of Britain, Goerings Luftwaffe failed to protect its own air space, leaving allied air forces unhampered to bomb Germany by both day and night. Two battle weary Mustangs of 357th Fighter Group, with ammunition spent and fuel low, have broken away from the main bomber force to head across the Channel for home.
Small limited edition of 20 artist proofs. Image size 12 inches x 8 inches (31cm x 20cm). Price £60.00
Small signed limited edition of 50 prints. Image size 12 inches x 8 inches (31cm x 20cm). Price £51.00
Limited edition of 50 giclee canvas artist proofs. Image size 30 inches x 20 inches (76cm x 51cm). Price £400.00
Limited edition of 50 giclee canvas prints. Image size 36 inches x 24 inches (91cm x 61cm). Price £480.00
Original painting by Anthony Saunders.Massive Saving - Was £2160 ! Image size 30 inches x 20 inches (76cm x 51cm). Price £1400.00
ITEM CODE AS0006
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Gathering Storm by Anthony Saunders (GL)
Mustangs of 434th Fighter Squadron head across the Channel.
Limited edition of 50 giclee canvas artist proofs. Image size 30 inches x 19 inches (76cm x 48cm). Price £400.00
Limited edition of 50 giclee canvas prints. Image size 36 inches x 24 inches (91cm x 61cm). Price £480.00
Original painting by Anthony Saunders. Massive Saving - Was £3120 ! Image size 40 inches x 28 inches (102cm x 71cm). Price £1800.00
ITEM CODE AS0001
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P51D Mustangs, January 1945 by Barry Price.
P51D Mustangs, 363rd Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group USAAF, 8th Air Force, based at Leiston, Suffolk. Aircraft Glamorous Glen III, piloted by Chuck Yeager, and Old Crow, piloted by Bud Anderson, circa 1945.
Open edition prints. Image size 16 inches x 12 inches (41cm x 31cm). Price £13.00
Original Painting by Barry Price. Massive Saving! Was £1800. Size 30 inches x 20 inches (76cm x 51cm). Price £1100.00
ITEM CODE NTR0089
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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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Vintage Mustangs by Stan Stokes.
When War broke out in Europe in 1939 the British Government decided to establish a second source for the Curtis P-40 fighter. The Brits approached North American Aviation of Inglewood, California. North Americans manufacturing division was headed by James Dutch Kindelberger, and the division already was involved with Britain in supplying its AT-6 trainers to the RAF. Kindelberger rejected the British proposal and instead offered a new aircraft to be built using the same engine as the P-40, but with an improved more aerodynamic design. In May of 1940 a contract was signed for 320 of the new aircraft, designated NA-73, and North American put Raymond Rice in charge of the design team. The chief designer was Edgar Schmued who had immigrated to America from Germany in 1930. Incorporating a laminar flow wing, and a streamlined design, the NA-73X took to the air in October of 1940 under the control of Vance Breese, the projects test pilot. As production commenced a pair of aircraft were provided the USAAC for evaluation at Wright-Patterson Field in Ohio. Designated the XP-51 by the USAAC, the Brits coined the name Mustang for this new aircraft. About 1,000 Mustangs were produced utilizing the Allison V- 1710-3 9 engine. The aircrafts performance was somewhat disappointing, and the RAF proposed testing this aircraft with the more powerful Rolls Royce Merlin engine. Testing showed dramatic performance improvements, and the P-51 was some reborn with a Packard-built version of the Merlin. More than 3,700 P-5 1 Bs utilizing the Merlin engine were produced. Equipped with underwing drop tanks these Mustangs were now capable of accompanying US bombers deep into enemy airspace. They also were now the equals of anything the Germans could produce when involved in high altitude dog fighting. A number of Americas top fighter aces of the War flew the Mustang, including Col. Henry W. Brown. Brown, a native of Dallas Texas, flew a P-51B nicknamed the Hun Hunter from Texas. Brown had been assigned to the 355th Fighter Group of the Eighth Air Force in 1943. His first combat tour, flying the P-47 Jug, yielded 4.5 enemy aircraft destroyed on the ground. On his second combat tour Brown began flying the Mustang. He attained 14.2 confirmed aerial victories, and a total of 28.7, prior to being shot down and captured in October of 1944. Following the War, and his release from prisoner of war camp, Brown remained in the Air Force. He commanded a number of fighter units prior to his retirement in 1974. The Ford Mustang was introduced in April 1964 at the New York Worlds Fair. It was the most successful new car of the 1960s with nearly 700,000 sold between mid-1964 and December 1965. Spearheading this incredible success was Lee A. lacocca, a straight-talking former car salesman, who had risen rapidly in the Ford organization. In many ways the Mustang was similar to the first Ford Thunderbirds of 1955-57, yet this automobile had its own unique identity. Powered by either a 101 HP 170 cu. inch six, or a 164 HP V-8, a long list of options allowed consumers to tailor their Mustang to their own tastes. The original Mustang was a brilliant design and much of the credit goes to Joe Oros, Gale Halderman, and L. David Ash of the Ford Division Styling Studio.
Signed limited edition of 950 prints. Print size 26 inches x 22 inches (66cm x 56cm). Price £80.00 Signed by USAAF Col. Henry Brown.
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 45 inches x 30 inches (114cm x 76cm). Price £624.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 36 inches x 24 inches (91cm x 61cm). Price £484.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 27 inches x 18 inches (69cm x 46cm). Price £294.00
ITEM CODE STK0195
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A Pistol Whipping by Stan Stokes.
There were tens of thousands of aerial combat encounters during World War II. One of the most unusual was a dogfight that took place between Captain Arthur C. Fiedler, Jr. and an unidentified German Bf-109 pilot on June 28, 1944. Fiedler was an Illinois native who received his wings in July 1943. He was assigned as a flight instructor in Dover, Delaware, but in May 1944 he was assigned to the 317th Fighter Squadron of the 325th Fighter Group. Flying P-51B Mustangs the 317th was based in Lesina, Italy. Fiedler named his Mustang after his wife Helen. On a combat mission on June 24th Fiedler claimed a probable. Four days later the eventual ace was flying near Polesti, Rumania when a Bf-109 crossed directly in front of his aircraft. Slamming his P-51 into a near vertical bank he trailed the 109 for a few seconds attaining several hits before his guns jammed. As Fiedler rolled out of his bank he found himself flying in formation parallel to the 109, and headed towards Russia. Fiedler was not willing to make himself a target for the 109, and with his Mustang low on fuel and with jammed guns, Fiedler reactively drew his service revolver. As he drew his .45 pistol, the German pilot unexpectedly jettisoned his canopy and bailed out. Fiedler was given the nickname Svengali for this incident. Fiedler continued his combat tour into 1945, and by January he had attained 8 confirmed aerial victories. Fiedler remained in the Air Force following the War. Flying in both Korea and Vietnam, he was promoted to Colonel in 1969, and retired from the Air Force in 1975. The P-51 Mustang and the Messerschmitt Bf-109 were two of the most important aircraft of WW II. More than 15,000 P-51s were produced, the most of any American-built fighter, while the Bf-109 was the most produced fighter aircraft of the war with 35,000 produced. The P-51 was designed by Raymond Rice and Edgar Schmued of North American Aviation, because the President of the company thought he could do better than merely produce Curtiss P-40s under license for the RAF. Initially introduced with an Allison liquid-cooled V-12, the P-51 performed poorly despite its superior airframe. As early Mustangs arrived the British were anxious to see how this aircraft would perform with the powerful Rolls Royce Merlin engine. The aircraft was about 13 percent faster and could climb to combat altitude in 45 percent less time than the Allison-equipped aircraft. Going into production as the P-51B the Brits received about 1000 aircraft while the USAAF took an additional 1000. The first P-51B models were in service with the Eighth Air Force in December 1943. The excellent performance of these aircraft and their excellent range when equipped with external wing tanks, made the P-51 a tremendous asset when accompanying American daylight bombers on their raids into Germany. The 109 was arguably the most advanced fighter aircraft from 1935 until 1940. The 109 was designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Walter Rethel with the goal of packing the most powerful engine available into the smallest possible aircraft structure. During the Spanish Civil War the 109 proved its superiority. Despite numerous technical enhancements as the war progressed, by the end of the War the 109 was both outclassed and outnumbered by its rivals.
Signed limited edition of 4750 prints. Print size 16 inches x 11.5 inches (41cm x 30cm) Supplied with signed and numbered certificate of authenticity.. Price £40.00
Signed limited edition of 225 prints. Size 16 inches x 11.5 inches (41cm x 30cm). Price £94.00 Signed by USAAF Ace Col Arthur C Fiedler Jr.
Limited edition of 100 giclee paper prints. Size 21 inches x 14 inches (53cm x 36cm). Price £109.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 45 inches x 30 inches (114cm x 76cm). Price £624.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 36 inches x 24 inches (91cm x 61cm). Price £484.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 27 inches x 18 inches (69cm x 46cm). Price £294.00
ITEM CODE STK0040
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Fallen Comrades by Stan Stokes.
Fallen Comrades by Stan Stokes is a tribute to all the young men of the 357th Fighter Group, Yoxford Boys,` who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country in training for and during WWII combat. The 357th scored an impressive 595 aerial victories in only 15 months of combat. The group also downed 18.5 Me-262s, the highest of any fighter group during the War. Bud Anderson and Bill Overstreet, the two co-signers of this limited edition, wanted to especially remember two of their friends and fallen squadronmates from the 363rd Fighter Squadron, Jim Browning and Eddie Simpson. Jim Browning was born in Syracuse, Kansas in 1917. In joined the 363rd FS while in training in Tonopah, Nevada in 1943. Browning was officially credited with 7 aerial victories. His regular aircraft was named Gentleman Jim. Jim completed his first tour of duty and was only two missions shy of completing his second when he was reported missing while flying Glen Zarnkes P-5 1, Junior Miss on February 9, 1945. Brownings remains were not recovered and he was listed as Missing in Action despite the best efforts of the Army to resolve its investigation. Merle Olmsted, Historian for the 357th pursued this mystery for fifty years, finally piecing together what apparently happened to Browning on his last mission. During a bomber escort mission the 363rd squadron engaged nine Me-262 jets. Browing and his wingman Captain Bochkay chased a pair of the 262s. At 24,000 feet Bochkay informed Browning that he was cutting him off to pursue the last of the 262s, Browning told Bochkay to keep going as he had him covered. Brownings P-51 collided with one of the 262s piloted by a high-ranking German officer, Oberstleutanant Freiherr Von Riedesel. Baron Von Riedesel was commander of KG(J) 54 a former bomber Gruppe that had been re-equipped with the Me-262 and re-designated as a fighter unit. Edward K. Simpson was from East Orange, New Jersey. Eddies second P-51 was purchased with war bonds sold by the students of East Orange High School and was named The Flying Panther. Simpson joined the 363d squadron at Tonopah, Nevada in the spring of 1943. Eddie was officially credited with 4 1/4 aerial victories. Eddie was a very likable person and a superb pilot and team member. He became a Flight Leader, and on August 10, 1944 Simpson was involved in a inidair collision with his squadron mate Lt. Don Ferron near Sens, France. Ferron was killed, but Eddie survived the collision. He evaded capture by the Germans and was found by the Marquis (French freedom fighters) and taken to their forest camp. Four days later, during a funeral, a German patrol located the Marquis base. Fearing an assault by the Germans the 200-300 freedom fighters boarded a convoy of captured German vehicles to make a run for the approaching Allied forces. They were spotted and pursued by a German column of trucks and armored cars. Simpson and five Marquis jumped out of the last vehicle, set up a machine gun emplacement, and took out the lead German vehicle in the pursuing column. This blocked the road, thereby buying time for the Marquis to escape. All six were killed by the Germans. Eddies bravery is commemorated by a monument in the French village of Ouzouer-sur-Loire.
Signed limited edition of 500 prints. Size 22 inches x 18.5 inches (56cm x 47cm). Price £94.00 Signed by Col C.E. Bud Anderson of the Old Crow and Cpt William B Overstreet of the Berlin Express.
ITEM CODE STK0201
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A Big Victory by Stan Stokes.
On September 18, 1944 P-51 pilots of the 375th Fighter Squadron of the 361st Fighter Group, based at Little Walden in Essex, were assigned the mission of escorting B-17s on a shuttle mission to Russia. The Mustangs would accompany the bombers to the south of Sweden where they would be picked up by an escort of Russian fighters. Urban Drew, flying a 51-D named Detroit Miss, was one of the USAAF pilots on this mission. Just before breaking off the escort Drew spotted a twin-engine German aircraft flying very low to the water. He broke off with two wingman and went down after the German plane. It turned out to be an He-111, most likely a courier plane from Scandinavia. He opened fire hitting the top gun position, circled around, and with his second burst set the aircraft afire. It tumbled into the Baltic. As Drew and his two wingman climbed back to altitude to rejoin their flight, he looked off to the right and spotted an enormous flying boat moored at a sea plane base on a lake. Drew called to his wingman and said, get lined astern immediately, and we will make one pass, and one pass only... lets see if we can burn and sink this mother. The three Mustangs commenced their attack with the element of surprise to their advantage. The three Mustangs poured about 1200 rounds of 50 caliber ammo into the behemoth, and as the third aircraft pulled up black smoke and flames were pouring from the target. It was not until that moment that anti-aircraft batteries opened fire, but the P-51s were quickly out of range. During the debriefing it was determined that their target was probably a Blohm and Voss BV-222. Years later, in 1974, while Drew was living in London, he was contacted by the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) which wanted to do a documentary. It was only then that Drew found out that the aircraft he destroyed at the Bug Seaplane Base on Lake Schaal was actually the BV-238, the largest aircraft to see service in WW II. Development work on the Blohm and Voss BV-238 began in 1940. This was planned to be a very large overseas transport aircraft, and was powered by six 1900-HP Daimler-Benz inverted V-12 engines. It would be considerably larger than the BV-222 with a wingspan of nearly 200 feet, a height of nearly 44 feet, and an empty weight of more than 110,000 pounds. Although two other aircraft, the Douglas B-19 and the Soviet ANT.20, had longer wingspans, the BV-238 was the heaviest and most powerful aircraft developed during WW II. It was during the testing phase of this aircraft at Lake Schall in 1944 that the BV-238 was strafed and destroyed by a flight of three P-51s lead by Eighth Air Force ace Urban Drew.
Signed limited edition of 4750 prints. Print size 16 inches x 11.5 inches (41cm x 30cm) Supplied with signed and numbered certificate of authenticity.. Price £40.00
Signed limited edition of 225 prints. Size 16 inches x 11.5 inches (41cm x 30cm). Price £94.00 Signed by USAAF Ace Urban Drew.
Limited edition of 25 giclee paper prints. Size 21 inches x 14 inches (53cm x 36cm). Price £109.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 45 inches x 30 inches (114cm x 76cm). Price £624.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 36 inches x 24 inches (91cm x 61cm). Price £484.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 27 inches x 18 inches (69cm x 46cm). Price £294.00
ITEM CODE STK0027
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Big Beautiful Doll by Stan Stokes.
Col. John D. Landers, the pilot of the Big Beautiful Doll, was born in 1920 in Wilson, Oklahoma. He attended Texas A & M and Arkansas State University before joining the Army Air Corp. In March of 1941 Landers graduated from aviation cadet training and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. With America thrust into WWII following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Landers was assigned to the 49th Fighter Group and set forth to Australia. Flying a Curtis P-40 out of bases in Darwin and Port Moresby, Landers became an ace by downing two Betty bombers and four Mitsubishi Zeros. When his first combat tour ended, Landers returned to the States as a P-38 Lightning instructor. During a second combat tour Landers was assigned to the European Theatre as Commander of the 38th Fighter Squadron of the 55th Fighter Group. On June 25th 1944 Landers downed his first German aircraft, an Fw190. Several days later he would bag three Me110s on a single day. Later in 1944 Landers was made acting Commander of the 357th Fighter Group. Flying a P-51 Mustang for the first time he obtained an aerial victory on November 18th. Landers returned to America for a brief rest following completion of his second combat tour. However, by January of 1945 he was back in action as C.O. of the 78th Fighter Group which flew out of Duxford, England. Landers attained 3 ½ additional confirmed aerial victories and destroyed many additional enemy aircraft on the ground. In fact the 78th Fighter Group destroyed 125 German aircraft on the ground on April 16th 1945, which is a record for one day. After V.E. Day Landers was given command of the 361st Fighter Group which he was preparing to take to the Pacific when the war ended. Officially credited with 14 ½ aerial victories, Landers decorations include the Silver Star with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross with three OLCs, the Purple Heart, the Croix de Guerre, and the Air Medal with twenty-one OLCs. The ace returned to civilian life after the war where he was active in the pipeline business in the Southwest. He retired in 1975, and passed away in 1989 from complications during surgery. The P-51 Mustang played a major role in the Allied victory in WWII. The P-51 was the first fighter with the range to accompany bombers into Germany, and tangle with the best of the Luftwaffes fighters on an equal basis. Many Mustangs carried unique personalized paint schemes. The Big Beautiful Doll is considered by many to be one of the classics with its checker board cowling, black rudder, and red accents.
Limited edition of 950 prints. Print size 26 inches x 22 inches (66cm x 56cm). Price £80.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 36 inches x 24 inches (91cm x 61cm). Price £484.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 27 inches x 18 inches (69cm x 46cm). Price £294.00
ITEM CODE STK0025
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The First Mustang Ace by Stan Stokes.
The ubiquitous North American P-51 Mustang, which many consider to be the best all-around fighter of WW II, owes its origins to the British Air Ministry. Following Britains entry into WW II in 1939, the RAF was interested in purchasing additional fighter aircraft from American sources, particularly the Curtiss P-40. Curtiss, which was busy, was unable to guarantee timely delivery so the British approached North American Aviation as a possible second source for the P-40. North American chose to propose its own fighter design which would use the same Allison engine as the P-40. Utilizing new laminar flow wings, the North American fighter was expected to have performance better than the P-40. Developed in record time the new aircraft was designated as a Mustang I by the Brits, whereas the USAAF ordered two for evaluation which were designated XP-51 Apaches. Intrigued with the possibility of using this aircraft also as a dive bomber, North American proposed this to the USAAF which decided to order 500 of the P-51 aircraft to be modified for dive bombing use. Designated as the A-36 Invader, this version of the Mustang utilized dive flaps, and bomb racks under each wing. Some reinforcing of the structural members was also required because of the G-forces to be encountered in dive bombing. A-36s entered combat service with the USAAF prior to any P-51s. In early 1943 the 86th and 27th Fighter Bomber Groups of the 12th Air Force began flying A-36s out of Northern Africa. Despite some early problems with instability caused by the dive flaps, the A-36 was effective in light bombing and strafing roles. It was not, however, capable of dog fighting with German fighters, especially at higher altitudes. Despite these drawbacks one USAAF pilot, Captain Michael T. Russo, who served with the 16th Bomb Squadron of the 27th Fighter Bomber Group, was credited with five confirmed aerial victories in the A-36, thereby becoming the first mustang ace. In Stan Stokes painting, Russos third victory is depicted over a JU-52 at the Aversano Airfield in Italy. The early USAAF fighter versions of the Mustang were designated as P-51As. About 650 were delivered to the RAF and 350 to the USAAF. With its Allison engine the early P-51s were no match for German Bf-109s or FW-190s. The performance drawbacks of the Mustang were especially apparent at higher altitudes. The RAF equipped some Mustangs with the more powerful Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. This dramatically enhanced the Mustangs high altitude performance. This new engine was utilized in the P-51B, the first effective fighter version of this aircraft. Also developed were inexpensive wing mounted drop tanks which extended the Mustangs range into the heart of Germany, so it could accompany American bombers on daylight raids. Late in 1943, North American redesigned the top of the rear fuselage of the Mustang, and added a bubble canopy. This variant became the P-51D and proved to be an effective dog fighting aircraft against any of the Luftwaffes propeller driven fighters.
Signed limited edition of 4750 prints. Print size 16 inches x 11.5 inches (41cm x 30cm) Supplied with signed and numbered certificate of authenticity.. Price £40.00
Signed limited edition of 225 prints. Size 16 inches x 11.5 inches (41cm x 30cm). Price £94.00 Signed by Cpt Mike Russo - the only A-36 Ace of WWII.
Limited edition of 100 giclee paper prints. Size 21 inches x 14 inches (53cm x 36cm). Price £109.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 45 inches x 30 inches (114cm x 76cm). Price £624.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 36 inches x 24 inches (91cm x 61cm). Price £484.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 27 inches x 18 inches (69cm x 46cm). Price £294.00
ITEM CODE STK0036
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Top Cover by Stan Stokes.
The painting depicts a P-51D Mustang (flown by William Bailey of the 353rd Fighter Group) flying escort for B-17 Flying Fortresses of the U.S. Armys Eighth Air Force. The scene is over the French countryside during late 1944, and several more hours of high altitude flying lies ahead of these pilots before the days work is over. Bombing played a major role in the Allies victory in Europe. The RAF relied primarily on night bombing which was also called strategic bombing. Day time bombing was a necessity for hitting specific targets such as munition plants, dams, and submarine pens. The Mighty Eighth took on responsibility for most of the day time bombing missions. The hazards and discomforts of high altitude flying, the perils of enemy flak batteries, and the threat of enemy fighters made these missions exceedingly dangerous until only very late in the war. Fighter escort was critically important in improving the odds of a successful mission, and the P-51 became arguably the premier aircraft for providing that cover. The P-51 is generally acknowledged as Americas top fighter plane of World War II. The first Mustangs were ordered by the British Government in 1940. The USAAF was initially reluctant to order the Mustang, having already committed itself to the P-38 Lightning, the P-47 Thunderbolt, the P-40 Warhawk, and the P-39 Airacobra. In 1944 an improved version of the Mustang, the D, came off North American Aviations assembly line in California. It was dramatically altered from earlier versions, as major changes in fuselage design were incorporated to improve pilot visibility. The P-51D was powered by a Packard-built, Rolls Royce-designed, liquid cooled V-12 engine which generated 1,612 HP. The Mustang had a top speed of 436 MPH, a range of 949 miles, and an operational ceiling in excess of 42,000 feet. Nearly 8,000 P-51Ds were produced. In service with the USAAF Mustangs flew in excess of 200,000 missions, and were credited with destroying nearly 5,000 enemy aircraft. The Mustang was unique in its ability to provide long range fighter escort, and this greatly enhanced the effectiveness of Allied bombing missions. On returning from their escort missions Mustangs would generally split into squadrons and take varying routes home looking for targets of opportunity.
Signed limited edition of 4750 prints. Print size 16 inches x 11.5 inches (41cm x 30cm) Supplied with signed and numbered certificate of authenticity.. Price £40.00
Signed by Colonel William B Bailey - pilot of the Double Trouble Two.Signed limited edition of 225 prints. Size 16 inches x 11.5 inches (41cm x 30cm). Price £80.00
ITEM CODE STK0034
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Triple Dates With Destiny by Stan Stokes.
Chuck Older was born in California in 1914. He graduated from UCLA and entered the U.S. Marine Corps. in 1940. He earned his wings as an aviation cadet, and was assigned to VNIF-1. In mid-1941, anxious to see some action, Chuck resigned his USNIC commission and joined Claire Chennaults American Volunteer Group. He was assigned to the 3rd Pursuit Squadron Hells Angels and experienced his first combat in December of 1941. In the first two combat missions he flew on December 23 and December 25, 1941, Older would be credited with downing five Japanese aircraft becoming one of the first two AVG aces. He bagged four more enemy aircraft prior to mid-1942 when the AVG was disbanded. In mid-1942 Older returned to the States and accepted a commission with the USAAF. He commanded a P-38 squadron for a time, and in 1944, having been promoted to Major, he was sent back to China to serve once again with General Claire Chennault, this time with the 14th Air Force. Chuck served as Deputy Commander and Group Operations Officer for the 23rd Fighter Group. Flying P-5 Is for the first time, he downed as Oscar over Yochow on July 28, 1944. Promoted to Lt. Colonel, Older would down four more aircraft in December including three more Oscars and a Lilly. In January of 1945, Older bagged three different types of enemy aircraft on a single mission, including a Sonia, a Betty, and a Tess on the outskirts of Shanghai. His attack on the Sonia is depicted in Stan Stokes painting entitled Triple Dates With Destiny. Some artistic license has been utilized in the depiction. The artist has chosen to depict in the scene Olders regular aircraft, rather than the borrowed one he actually flew on the mission. Chucks regular mount had actually been destroyed the day before during a ground attack . Later, Older would lead the first attack on Shanghai with a flight of sixteen Mustangs. This successful mission caught the Japanese by surprise, and resulted in the destruction of more than seventy aircraft on the ground and five more in the air. Following the War, with a total of 18.25 aerial victories, Older left the Air Force. He earned a Law Degree from the University of Southern California, and entered the law profession. In 1952 he was recalled for the Korean War, and served with the 352nd Bomb Group based in Japan. He returned home and practiced law for fifteen years before Governor Ronald Reagan appointed him to the bench, as a Judge of the Superior Court in Los Angeles. Judge Older served the court for twenty years hearing both criminal and civil cases. He presided over the highly publicized Charles Manson murder case. Chuck retired from the bench in 1987 and continues to live in Los Angeles. His numerous decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross with one oak leaf cluster, the Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the British Distinguished Flying Cross, the Chinese Air Force Medal and the Order of the Cloud Banner. In 1996, the USAF honored Older and other AVG members, and Chuck received the USAF Distinguished Flying Cross for his service with the AVG.
Signed limited edition of 500 prints. Size 22 inches x 18 inches (56cm x 446cm). Price £94.00 Signed by AVG and WWII Ace Chuck Older (deceased).
ITEM CODE STK0029
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A Perfect Record by Stan Stokes.
At the time of World War II there was still a great deal of prejudice in America, and this extended to all the branches of the military. Although black soldiers and seaman fought with dignity and bravery during WW I, many thought that blacks were incapable of handling difficult assignments. It was therefore with great uncertainty and trepidation that the Army Air Corps authorized the training of black pilots in 1941. The Air Corps proposed that a segregated training program be established. Judge William Hastie, Dean of the Howard University Law School, who was serving as a Civilian Assistant for Negro Affairs to the Secretary of War, protested about the segregated training, but his complaints were ignored. Hastie also proposed that the Army consider affiliating with the Tuskegee Institute which had already established a pilot training program. The Army allocated $1 million for the construction of the Tuskegee Army Air Field. The men sent to Tuskegee had to pass rigorous physical tests and pass nine weeks of ground school. They then received their basic flight instruction from instructors with the Civilian Instructor Corps. Those who passed moved on to more sophisticated military training for another seventy hours of flight time. A third phase of advanced training followed after which pilot cadets received their wings and were appointed to an initial rank of either 2nd Lieutenant or Flight Officer. Only about 60% of the cadets made it through the program, and many were killed or injured in flying accidents during training. Captain Noel Parish who oversaw much of the training at Tuskegee was a vocal supporter of the men under his command. Despite their ability to successfully handle the Air Corps training program, considerable hostility was still evident and the Army was reluctant to assign Tuskegee graduates to combat units. This created a difficult morale problem for those who had earned their wings and were now anxious to see combat. Finally, in the spring of 1943, the 99th Fighter Squadron headed for North Africa. In June of 1943 the 99th finally saw combat flying P-40s. On July 2 Lt. Charles Hall became the first black aviator to record an aerial victory in WW II. The 99th played an important role in preparing for the invasion of Sicily. The 332nd Fighter Group (under the command of then Lt. Col. Benjamin O. Davis, Jr.) consisting of the 100th, 301st, and 302nd fighter squadrons entered combat in Italy flying P-39s in early 1944. By mid-1944 the Group was receiving P-47s, but in another about face the Air Corps quickly substituted P-51s. At this time the 99th FS was folded into the 332nd FG. From mid-1944 until the end of the War in Europe the Tuskegee Airmen of the 332nd FG flew an incredible number of missions. They generally escorted Fifteenth Air Force bombers on their attacks into Germany from bases in Italy. The red-tailed fighters of the 332nd FG had the distinction of having a perfect record – losing no escorted bombers to enemy fighter attack during the entire War. In Stan Stokes painting, the P-51 piloted by Charles E. McGee, who would also go on to fly combat missions in both Korea and Vietnam, is depicted over a Czech airfield on August 24, 1944. On this mission McGee would down an Fw-190.
Signed limited edition of 4750 prints. Print size 16 inches x 11.5 inches (41cm x 30cm) Supplied with signed and numbered certificate of authenticity.. Price £40.00
Signed limited edition of 225 prints. Size 16 inches x 11.5 inches (41cm x 30cm). Price £94.00 Signed by Tuskegee Airman Col. Charles McGee, USAF.
Limited edition of 100 giclee paper prints. Size 21 inches x 14 inches (53cm x 36cm). Price £109.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 45 inches x 30 inches (114cm x 76cm). Price £624.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 36 inches x 24 inches (91cm x 61cm). Price £484.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 27 inches x 18 inches (69cm x 46cm). Price £294.00
ITEM CODE STK0030
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The Yoxford Boys by Simon Atack.
When a radio broadcast by German propagandist Lord Haw Haw sneeringly announced the secret deployment of the 357th Fighter Group to England in 1943 as the arrival of The Yoxford Boys it became the nick-name for one of the most potent air combat groups of WW II. Based at Leiston, East Anglia, P-51B Mustang OLD CROW was the personal aircraft of Captain Clarence E Bud Anderson, 363rd Fighter Squadron/ 357th Fighter Group. On June 29 1944 Bud was leading his Squadron when they engaged enemy fighters on an escort mission to Leipzig. In the ensuing fight that day Anderson shot down three FW190s in a short period of time. Captain Clarence E Bud Anderson flew two tours and 116 combat missions with a total of 16.25 kills in the Old Crow.
Signed limited edition of 300 prints. Paper size 28 inches x 20 inches (71cm x 51cm). Price £95.00
Limited edition of 35 artist proofs. Paper size 28 inches x 20 inches (71cm x 51cm). Price £135.00 Signed by Colonel C E Bud Andrson.
ITEM CODE DHM2619
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Checkertail Clan by Nicolas Trudgian
With their brightly coloured checkertail tails there was no mistaking the P.51 Mustangs of the 325th Fighter Group. Escorting B-24s over Austria in August 1944, tangled with a group of Fw190 fighters. The ensuing dogfight spiraled down below the mountain peaks as Herky Green led the Checkertails in a low-level chase. Herky nails one Fw190. Behind him his pilots will take out the two Fw190. When all is done this day the 325th will be credited with 15 enemy fighters destroyed.
Signed limited edition of 600 prints. Paper size 27 inches x 19 inches (69cm x 48cm). Price £155.00 Signed by Major Robert M Barkey, Colonel Arthur C Fielder and Major Herky Green (deceased), in addition to the artist.
Limited edition of artist proofs. Paper size 27 inches x 19 inches (69cm x 48cm). Price £235.00 Signed by Major Robert M Barkey, Colonel Arthur C Fielder and Major Herky Green (deceased), in addition to the artist.
Limited edition of publishers proofs. Paper size 27 inches x 19 inches (69cm x 48cm). Price £215.00 Signed by Major Robert M Barkey, Colonel Arthur C Fielder and Major Herky Green (deceased), in addition to the artist.
** (Ex Display) Signed limited edition of 600 prints. (Two copies reduced to clear) Paper size 27 inches x 19 inches (69cm x 48cm). Price £120.00 Signed by Major Robert M Barkey, Colonel Arthur C Fielder and Major Herky Green (deceased), in addition to the artist.
ITEM CODE DHM2023
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Winter of 45 by Philip West.
American built, British inspired and once re-engined with the Merlin, the mighty Mustang became a supreme long-range escort fighter and close air support platform. Old Crow was the mount of Clarence E. Anderson based at Leiston, England, with the 357th FG, 363rd FS. Andersons personal victory score during WWII was 16.25 in air combat.
Signed limited edition of 200 prints. Paper size 26.5 inches x 16.5 inches (67cm x 42cm). Price £135.00
Limited edition of 25 artist proofs Paper size 26.5 inches x 16.5 inches (67cm x 42cm). Price £150.00
ITEM CODE DHM2331
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Welcome Respite by Nicolas Trudgian.
Wherever the GIs went they took their Jeeps with them, and before the war was run the little quarter-ton, 4-wheel drive, utility vehicle was as well known around the world as the Model T Ford. Nicolas Trudgian has painted a compelling image, set back in time when the little Jeep was omnipresent on and around the roads and battlefields of a war-torn world. It is Christmas 1944 and, as a gaggle of 339th FG P-51 Mustangs disturb the peace of this ancient English village, a little Jeep waits patiently outside the pub while her occupants sample the local ale. A wonderfully nostalgic painting that will bring back pleasant memories to many.
Signed limited edition of 500 prints. Print paper size 20 inches x 22 inches (51cm x 56cm). Price £95.00
Limited edition of 25 artist proofs. Print paper size 20 inches x 22 inches (51cm x 56cm). Price £150.00
ITEM CODE DHM2591
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Top Cover by Gerald Coulson.
Big Brothers and Little Friends : the enduring bond between the bomber crews and fighter pilots of the USAAF Eighth Air Force in their prolonged and hotly contested air war against Hitlers Nazi Germany, 1942-1945.
Limited edition of 400 prints, with three signatures. Paper size 29 inches x 24 inches (74cm x 61cm). Price £180.00 Signed by Colonel C E Bud Anderson, Lieutenant Colonel Robert A Karr and Lieutenant Colonel Clyde B East.
Limited edition of 25 artist proofs. Image size 29 inches x 24 inches (74cm x 61cm). Price £295.00 Signed by Colonel C E Bud Anderson, Lieutenant Colonel Robert A Karr, Lieutenant Colonel Clyde B East, Captain Jim Brooks and Colonel Bob Goebel.
Limited edition of 250 prints, with five signatures. Image size 29 inches x 24 inches (74cm x 61cm). Price £225.00 Signed by Colonel C E Bud Anderson, Lieutenant Colonel Robert A Karr, Lieutenant Colonel Clyde B East, Captain Jim Brooks and Colonel Bob Goebel.
Limited edition of 100 Generals Portfolio prints. Image size 29 inches x 24 inches (74cm x 61cm) Includes companion print.. Price £395.00
Limited edition of 25 remarques. Paper size 29 inches x 24 inches (74cm x 61cm). Price £525.00
ITEM CODE DHM2303
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Homeward Bound by Philip West.
A combat damaged B-17 of the 91st Bomb Group heads home to Bassingbourn shadowed by P51Ds of the 352nd Fighter Squadron (353rd FG)
Signed limited edition of 500 prints. Paper size 27 inches x 19 inches (69cm x 48cm). Price £75.00
ITEM CODE DHM2194
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Mustangs over the Reich by Stephen Brown.
P51 Mustangs of the 336th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group range deep into the Reich in search for targets of opportunity.
Signed limited edition of 250 prints. Image size 28 inches x 20 inches (71cm x 51cm). Price £80.00
Limited edition of 25 artist proofs. Image size 28 inches x 20 inches (71cm x 51cm). Price £115.00
Limited edition giclee canvas print. . Price £
ITEM CODE DHM2490
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Mustangs on the Prowl by Robert Taylor.
Between 3 and 13 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 descent to low level to strafe enemy airfields on the way home. In that ten day period of intense fighting the 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 dog-fighting at altitude, when escort duty was complete, the Eighths 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. Robert Taylors spectacular new limited edition print, the third in his acclaimed Collector Portfolio commemorating the great Air Commands of World War II, depicts the king of the Eighths ground attack Aces, Colonel Elwyn Righetti. Flying his P-51D Mustang, the 55ths CO of 338 Squadron, already with 20 plus victories to his credit, leads his pilots through the Rhine Gorge, skimming the ancient Castle of Stableck standing above Bacharach, as they seek out enemy targets on their way back to base at Wormingford, England, in the spring of 1945. A classic Robert Taylor edition endorsed with the signatures of Aces who flew and fought the legendary P-51 Mustang in the greatest air war in history.
Signed limited edition of 500 prints. Image size 16 inches x 29 inches (41cm x 74cm) Sold out edition. Just one secondary market print available..ilable. available.. Price £ Signed by Major Bill Allen, Colonel Gerald Brown and Colonel Donald Cummings.
ITEM CODE DHM2265
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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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Final Victory by Simon Atack.
Typical of the aggressive fighter pilots led by the great Hub Zemke was Robin Olds. Having completed his training on the P-38 in America, Olds arrived at RAF Wattisham, England in May 1944, assigned to fly the remarkable twin-boomed fighter with the 434th Squadron. It didnt take long for the novice pilot to make his mark. After flying interdiction missions over France and Germany, with the 479th Olds took part in the D-Day operations, then on August 13 opened his score by jumping two Fw190s at ground level. After a brief but hectic fight, he brought both down. A couple of weeks later he bagged three Me109s – his wingman got another two – when attacking a group of some fifty enemy fighters while escorting bombers high over Muritz Zee. Converting to P-51D Mustangs, Olds completed two combat tours, flying deep penetration missions, engagements with the Luftwaffes new Me262 jet fighter, and strafing attacks on German facilities and airfields. By the end of the war, at 23 years of age with the rank of Major, Robin Olds was in command of 434 Squadron. His final tally was 13 air victories, and he was credited with a further 11.5 enemy aircraft destroyed on the ground. Simon Atacks powerful painting recreates Robin Olds last air victory of WWII. Flying Scat VII he is seen bringing down a Me109 G10 high over Germany in the late spring of 1945 while flying escort to B-17s bombers of the 381st Bomb Group. Remarkably, this P-51 survived the war and in 1958 was sold to a private owner. In 1992 it was returned to its old wartime configuration.
Signed limited edition of 500 prints. Paper size 31 inches x 23 inches (79cm x 58cm). Price £125.00 Signed by Brigadier-General Robin Olds (deceased).
Limited edition of 25 artist proofs. Paper size 31 inches x 23 inches (79cm x 58cm). Price £155.00 Signed by Brigadier-General Robin Olds (deceased).
ITEM CODE DHM2470
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Return to Duxford by Robert Taylor
Flying low over the picturesque village of Thaxted, in the cold winter of 1944-45, the P-51D Mustangs of the 78th Fighter Group return to Duxford after a tiring eight hour escort mission. With dusk approaching, low on fuel, the fighters have about 20 miles to run. Catching the festive mood, the pilots have dropped to tree-top height to take in the spectacular countryside as they scurry back to base and some well-earned celebrations.
Signed limited edition of 950 prints. Paper size 33 inches x 24 inches (84cm x 61cm) . Price £ Signed by Maj Urban L Drew USAF, Colonel Royce W Priest, Colonel Duerr J Schuh, Colonel Donald Cummings , Captain Robert P Winks and Colonel Wilbur R Scheible.
Limited edition of artist proofs. Paper size 33 inches x 24 inches (84cm x 61cm) Only two copies available.. Price £ Signed by Maj Urban L Drew USAF, Colonel Royce W Priest, Colonel Duerr J Schuh, Colonel Donald Cummings , Captain Robert P Winks and Colonel Wilbur R Scheible.
ITEM CODE DHM2164
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Ace of Diamonds by Nicolas Trudgian
From the day they began their aerial campaign against Nazi Germany to the cessation of hostilities in 1945, the USAAF bomber crews plied their hazardous trade in broad daylight. This tactic may have enabled better sighting of targets, and possibly less danger of mid-air collisions, but the grievous penalty of flying daylight missions over enemy territory was the ever presence of enemy fighters. Though heavily armed, the heavy bombers of the American Eighth Air Force were no match against the fast, highly manoeuvrable Me109s, Fw190s and, late in the war, Me 262 jet fighters which the Luftwaffe sent up to intercept them. Without fighter escort they were sitting ducks, and inevitably paid a heavy price. Among others, one fighter group earned particular respect, gratitude, and praise from bomber crews for their escort tactics. The 356th FG stuck rigidly to the principle of tight bomber escort duty, their presence in tight formation with the bombers often being sufficient to deter enemy attack. Repeatedly passing up the opportunity to increase individual scores, the leadership determined it more important to bring the bombers home than claim another enemy fighter victory. As the air war progressed this philosophy brought about an unbreakable bond between heavy bomber crews and escort fighter pilots, and among those held in the highest esteem were the pilots of the 356th. Top scoring ace Donald J Strait, flying his P-51 D Mustang Jersey Jerk, together with pilots of the 356th Fighter Group, are seen in action against Luftwaffe Fw 190s while escorting B-17 bombers returning from a raid on German installations during the late winter of 1944. One minute all is orderly as the mighty bombers thunder their way homeward, the next minute enemy fighters are upon them and all hell breaks loose.
Signed limited edition of 500 prints. Paper size 35 inches x 24 inches (89cm x 61cm). Price £165.00 Signed by Lieutenant Colonel Charles E Beck (deceased), Captain Clinton DeWitt Burdick and Major General Donald J Strait, in addition to the artist.
Limited edition of 25 artist proofs. Paper size 35 inches x 24 inches (89cm x 61cm). Price £215.00 Signed by Lieutenant Colonel Charles E Beck (deceased), Captain Clinton DeWitt Burdick and Major General Donald J Strait, in addition to the artist.
Limited edition of 25 remarques. Paper size 35 inches x 24 inches (89cm x 61cm). Price £325.00 Signed by Lieutenant Colonel Charles E Beck (deceased), Captain Clinton DeWitt Burdick and Major General Donald J Strait, in addition to the artist.
** (Ex Display) Signed limited edition of 500 prints. (Two copies reduced to clear) Paper size 35 inches x 24 inches (89cm x 61cm). Price £110.00 Signed by Lieutenant Colonel Charles E Beck (deceased), Captain Clinton DeWitt Burdick and Major General Donald J Strait, in addition to the artist.
ITEM CODE NT0008
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Warm Winters Welcome by Nicolas Trudgian.
As the Autumn of 1944 turned to winter, the USAAF Eighth Air Force bombers were penetrating ever deeper into enemy territory, attacking distant targets in central and south-east Germany. Large formations of seven or eight hundred bombers, escorted by as many fighters, darkened the skies over the Reich. Central to the massive daylight raids was the long-range capabilities of the P-51 Mustang, the most versatile fighter of the war. Despite incessant pounding from the air, the Luftwaffe were putting up determined resistance, particularly in the south, often sending up several hundred fighters to meet the challenge. Huge aerial battles were fought between the opposing groups of fighters, and though the Allied pilots usually gained the upper hand in these encounters, the air fighting was prolonged and furious. Typical of those encounters, on a single mission in November the Allied estimate of Luftwaffe sorties flown against them exceeded 750, but often the German fighters were handicapped by poor direction from the ground, hampering their effectiveness - on the 27th, several Gruppen were vectored directly towards the P-51s of the 357th and 353rd Groups believing them to be in-coming bombers. They paid the price, the Leiston based pilots of the 357th bagging 30 enemy fighters before they knew what hit them. Successful as they were, the long-range escort missions flown by the P-51s were both hazardous and grueling. The weather, particularly in winter, was often appalling, and even an experienced pilot could become disoriented after hectic combat, and lost in the far reaches of the Reich. The return to base in England after combat over distant enemy territory was always exhilarating, and the pilots often hedgehopped gleefully over towns and villages on their way home after crossing the English coast. Nicolas Trudgians painting depicts such a scene, with P-51 Mustangs of the 357th Fighter Group racing over a typical English village as they head for Leiston and home. As the evening light fades, the peace and tranquillity of the snowy village, broken momentarily by the roar of Merlin engines, seems to bid the returning fighter boys a warm winters welcome.
Signed limited edition of 500 prints. Image size 23 inches x 17 inches (58cm x 43cm). Price £160.00 Signed by Colonel C E Bud Anderson, Captain Robert P Winks, First Lieutenant John Skara and First Lieutenant Raymond T Conlin.
Limited edition of 25 artist proofs. Image size 23 inches x 17 inches (58cm x 43cm). Price £215.00 Signed by Colonel C E Bud Anderson, Captain Robert P Winks, First Lieutenant John Skara and First Lieutenant Raymond T Conlin.
ITEM CODE NT0005
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Eagles of the Eighth by Nicolas Trudgian.
Major Jim Goodson taxies his 4th (The Eagles) Fighter Group P-51 D Mustang at Debden following a mission to supply air support over the Normandy beaches soon after D-Day, June 1944. Having previously flown Spitfires and Hurricanes with the RAF, Spitfires with 133 Eagle Squadron, and P-47 Thunderbolts with the Fourth fighter group, Jim Goodson became one of the USAAFs top fighter pilots of WWII.
Limited edition of 400 prints. Special Promotion : This print is 30% off for a limited time only! Paper size 12 inches x 9.5 inches (31cm x 24cm). Price £42.00 Signed by Jim Goodson.
ITEM CODE NT0001
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D-Day Armada by Nicolas Trudgian.
There was never a greater concentration of air power deployed in an active theater of war as over the English Channel in May and June 1944. As D-Day approached, the USAAFs Ninth Air Force had assembled over 3500 aircraft a day, they were pounding enemy positions all the way from Pas de Calais to the coast of Normandy. 6 June 1944, arguably the most decisive single day in modern military history, saw the sky filled with waves of troop carrying aircraft towing gliders, dropping over 20,000 highly trained men in support of the massed sea-borne landings on the beaches below. Grabbing all the airspace they could find, the combat wings of the Ninth Air Force were creating havoc among the German ground forces as they scrambled to get troops and armor to the battlefront.
Limited edition of 350 prints. Print size 35 inches x 23.5 inches (89cm x 60cm). Price £160.00 Signed by Captain Clayton Gross, Colonel Maurice Long, Major General Donald Strait, in addition to the artist.
Limited edition of 25 artist proofs, with eight signatures. Paper size 35 inches x 23.5 inches (89cm x 60cm). Price £220.00 Signed by Captain Clayton Gross, Colonel Maurice Long, Major General Donald Strait, Colonel Ricahrd Dick Denison, First Lieutenant Wayne E Downing, Captain John L Minech, Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Milow and Lieutenant Colonel William Bill D Mitchell, in addition to the artist.
Limited edition of 150 prints. Paper size 35 inches x 23.5 inches (89cm x 60cm). Price £170.00 Signed by Captain Clayton Gross, Colonel Maurice Long, Major General Donald Strait, Colonel Ricahrd Dick Denison, First Lieutenant Wayne E Downing, Captain John L Minech, Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Milow and Lieutenant Colonel William Bill D Mitchell, in addition to the artist.
Limited edition of 50 remarques, with eight signatures. Inscribed with original pencil drawing by Nicolas Trudgian. Paper size 35 inches x 23.5 inches (89cm x 60m). Price £ Signed by Captain Clayton Gross, Colonel Maurice Long, Major General Donald Strait, Colonel Ricahrd Dick Denison, First Lieutenant Wayne E Downing, Captain John L Minech, Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Milow and Lieutenant Colonel William Bill D Mitchell, in addition to the artist.
Nicolas Trudgian Promotional Flyer. A4 Size Double Sheet 11.5 inches x 8 inches (30m x 21cm) . Price £1.50
ITEM CODE DHM2275
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Duxford Eagles by Nicolas Trudgian
Base to the legendary Douglas Bader Fighter Wing during the Battle of Britain, Duxford became home to the 78th Fighter Group in April 1943. Today it appropriately houses the American Air Museum, and hosts the many summer air-shows where crowds thrill to the sight and sound of the glorious WWII warbirds. First equipped with P-47 Thunderbolts then P-51Ds, the 78th Fighter Group was credited with 688 enemy aircraft destroyed, 474 in the air, and another 406 destroyed on the ground during low-level strafing missions. Charles London of the 78th became the 8th Air Forces first fighter ace of the war and a 78th pilot, Quince Brown, was the first to down a Me262 jet in August 1944. It is March 1945. Led by Colonel John Landers flying Big Beautiful Doll, one of the 8th Air Forces most flamboyant fighters, the 78th P-51D Mustangs roar off the field to begin an escort mission taking B-17 Fortresses already airborne in the background all the way to Hamburg.
Signed limited edition print. . Price £
Limited edition of artist proofs. Paper size 38 inches x 24 inches (97cm x 61cm). Price £280.00 Signed by Lt Colonel Clark W Clemons and Captain Wayne L Coleman, in addition to the artist.
Limited edition of 50 publishers proofs. Paper size 38 inches x 24 inches (97cm x 61cm). Price £390.00 Signed by Lt Colonel Clark W Clemons and Captain Wayne L Coleman, in addition to the artist.
ITEM CODE NT0316
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Mustang Mayhem by Nicolas Trudgian.
As Red Dog Norleys P-51D screams across the field at hangar height with his squadrons Mustangs fanned out behind him, the 4th Fighter Group pilots jink through the intense groundfire wreaking havoc on the ground. In this, its final major mission of the war, the group destroyed no fewer than 105 enemy aircraft in two blishtering airfield attacks.
Signed limited edition of 600 prints. Paper size 34 inches x 23 inches (86cm x 58cm). Price £160.00 Signed by Captain Richard Braley, Major General Carroll W McColpin and Colonel Steve N Pisanos, in addition to the artist.
Limited edition of 50 artist proofs. Paper size 34 inches x 23 inches (86cm x 58cm). Price £200.00 Signed by Captain Richard Braley, Major General Carroll W McColpin and Colonel Steve N Pisanos, in addition to the artist.
Limited edition of 100 artists special reserve edition prints. Paper size 34 inches x 23 inches (86cm x 58cm). Price £115.00
ITEM CODE DHM2053
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Mustangs Over the Mediterranean by Nicolas Trudgian.
Mustangs of the 31st Fighter Group pass low over an Italian fishing village, heading out on another combat patrol.
Signed limited edition of 1250 prints. Paper size 34 inches x 24 inches (86cm x 61cm). Price £125.00 Signed by Captain Jim Brooks, Bob Curtis, Colonel Bob Goebel, and George Loving.
Limited edition of artist proofs. Paper size 34 inches x 24 inches (86cm x 61cm). Price £185.00 Signed by Captain Jim Brooks, Bob Curtis, Colonel Bob Goebel, and George Loving.
Limited edition of 125 publishers proofs. Paper size 34 inches x 24 inches (86cm x 61cm). Price £140.00 Signed by Captain Jim Brooks, Bob Curtis, Colonel Bob Goebel, and George Loving.
** (Ex Display) Signed limited edition of 1250 prints. (Three copies reduced to clear) Paper size 34 inches x 24 inches (86cm x 61cm). Price £95.00 Signed by Captain Jim Brooks, Bob Curtis, Colonel Bob Goebel, and George Loving.
ITEM CODE DHM2027
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Last Man Home by Nicolas Trudgian.
In a scene that was repeated almost daily throughout the long war years, the pilots of the 357th Fighter Group have returned from a gruelling mission to their base in Leiston, Suffolk. As they clamber out of their aircraft, all eyes are turned anxiously skyward, awaiting the return of the last man home.
Signed limited edition of 1000 prints. Paper size 36 inches x 24 inches (91cm x 61cm). Price £145.00 Signed by Colonel C E Bud Anderson, Brigadier General Thomas L Hayes (deceased), Captain William R OBrien and Major Richard Bud Peterson, in addition to the artist.
Limited edition of artist proofs. Paper size 36 inches x 24 inches (91cm x 61cm). Price £155.00 Signed by Colonel C E Bud Anderson, Brigadier General Thomas L Hayes (deceased), Captain William R OBrien and Major Richard Bud Peterson, in addition to the artist.
ITEM CODE DHM2025
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Checkertail Clan by Nicolas Trudgian
With their brightly coloured checkertail tails there was no mistaking the P.51 Mustangs of the 325th Fighter Group. Escorting B-24s over Austria in August 1944, tangled with a group of Fw190 fighters. The ensuing dogfight spiraled down below the mountain peaks as Herky Green led the Checkertails in a low-level chase. Herky nails one Fw190. Behind him his pilots will take out the two Fw190. When all is done this day the 325th will be credited with 15 enemy fighters destroyed.
Signed limited edition of 600 prints. Paper size 27 inches x 19 inches (69cm x 48cm). Price £155.00 Signed by Major Robert M Barkey, Colonel Arthur C Fielder and Major Herky Green (deceased), in addition to the artist.
Limited edition of artist proofs. Paper size 27 inches x 19 inches (69cm x 48cm). Price £235.00 Signed by Major Robert M Barkey, Colonel Arthur C Fielder and Major Herky Green (deceased), in addition to the artist.
Limited edition of publishers proofs. Paper size 27 inches x 19 inches (69cm x 48cm). Price £215.00 Signed by Major Robert M Barkey, Colonel Arthur C Fielder and Major Herky Green (deceased), in addition to the artist.
** (Ex Display) Signed limited edition of 600 prints. (Two copies reduced to clear) Paper size 27 inches x 19 inches (69cm x 48cm). Price £120.00 Signed by Major Robert M Barkey, Colonel Arthur C Fielder and Major Herky Green (deceased), in addition to the artist.
ITEM CODE DHM2023
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F-51 Mustang Units Over Korea by Warren Thompson.
When the Korean War erupted in late June 1950, the USAFs standard fighter in the Far East was the F-80 Shooting Star. Although the aircraft soon proved the master of the North Korean Air Force, its lack of endurance resulted in the USAF rushing 145 obsolescent F-51 Mustangs to the theatre - these aircraft quickly commenced operations against the troop columns moving south. The 8th, 18th and 35th Fighter-Bomber Wings were the primary operators of the Mustang, along with the South African Air Forces No 2 Squadron, the Royal Australian Air Forces No 77 Squadron and the embryonic Republic of Korea Air Force - photo-recce RF-51Ds also served in-theatre, and by the time the war ended in 1953, some 194 Mustangs had been lost - ten to enemy fighters, twelve in operational accidents and the rest to anti-aircraft fire. This volume illustrates all the users of the F-51/RF-51 during the Korean War in contemporary colour. These aircraft were some of the most colourful Mustangs ever to see action, and the author has used his extensive contacts to accumulate the largest private collection of Korean colour material in the world. Accompanying the photographs are detailed captions, quotes from pilots in action and a full appendices listing of the various units, plus specifications and cutaways of the aircraft flown.
Paperback book with 128 pages. . Price £12.99
ITEM CODE NMP8727
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King of the Strafers by Iain Wyllie Col. James A (Goody) Goodson's P47 Mustang
Dallas Doll by Philip West American designed and built, British inspired and later powered,
the Mustang turned into arguably the finest WWII long-range fighter ever
constructed. The Mustang, developed from the Prototype NA73X, was
manufactured in large quantities with an impressive final total of
15,586 aircraft. Of these, 13,600 were powered by the British Rolls
Royce designed Merlin engine. Reichsmarschall Herman Goering is reported to have said: "When I
saw those Mustangs over Berlin, I knew that the war was lost.";
testimony indeed to the mighty Mustang and those who flew and fought in
them.
Escort Service by Keith Woodcock In the early morning sun, two North American P51D Mustangs of the 359
FS, 356 FG, take off from their base at Martlesham Heath to escort 8th Air
force bombers on another daylight raid
Deadly Duo by Harley Copic Captain Don Gentile and Lt John Godfrey, 4th Fighter Group, team up to
form one of the most successful Leader-Wingman duos in the 8th
Air Force, scoring a combined total of 36 victories.
Head for Home by Anthony Saunders When a fighter escort with a bomber's range first appeared over Berlin,
Goering knew the end of the war was only a matter of time. when that
particular fighter escort turned out to be the Mustang, perhaps the most
outstanding of all WWII fighters, the time was all too short. Unlike the
RAF's Spitfire and Hurricane, that had succeeded in the Battle of Britain,
Goering's Luftwaffe failed to protect it's own air space, leaving allied
air forces unhampered to bomb Germany by both day and night. Two battle weary Mustangs of 357th Fighter Group, with ammunition spent
and fuel low, have broken away from the main bomber force to head across
the Channel for home.
Vintage Mustangs by Stan Stokes.
The P-51B and
the Ford Mustang make quite a pair in Stans depiction. The P-51 Mustang
was arguably the most effective
American
fighter
aircraft of WW II.
North American proposed this design in response to the RAFs
desire to find a second production source for the P-40. Early
models were equipped with an Allison engine and had marginal
performance. With the addition of the Packard-built Merlin engine
beginning with the B variant, the Mustang had the power to earn its
place in history. One of the top scoring Mustang aces of the War was
USAAF Col. Henry Brown. Browns P-51B, The
Hun Hunter from Texas, is
depicted in Stans painting.
A Pistol Whipping by Stan Stokes.
There
were tens of thousands of aerial combat encounters during World War II.
One of the most unusual was a dogfight that took place between Captain
Arthur C. Fiedler, Jr. and an unidentified German Bf-109 pilot on June
28, 1944. Fiedler was an Illinois native who received his wings in July
1943. He was assigned as a flight instructor in Dover, Delaware, but in
May 1944 he was assigned to the 317th Fighter Squadron of the
325th Fighter Group. Flying P-51B Mustangs the 317th
was based in Lesina, Italy. Fiedler named his Mustang after his wife
Helen. On a combat mission on June 24th Fiedler claimed a
probable. Four days later the eventual ace was flying near Polesti,
Rumania when a Bf-109 crossed directly in front of his aircraft.
Slamming his P-51 into a near vertical bank he trailed the 109 for a few
seconds attaining several hits before his guns jammed. As Fiedler rolled
out of his bank he found himself flying in formation parallel to the
109, and headed towards Russia. Fiedler was not willing to make himself
a target for the 109, and with his Mustang low on fuel and with jammed
guns, Fiedler reactively drew his service revolver. As he drew his .45
pistol, the German pilot unexpectedly jettisoned his canopy and bailed
out. Fiedler was given the nickname Svengali for this incident. Fiedler
continued his combat tour into 1945, and by January he had attained 8
confirmed aerial victories. Fiedler remained in the Air Force following
the War. Flying in both Korea and Vietnam, he was promoted to Colonel in
1969, and retired from the Air Force in 1975. The P-51 Mustang and the
Messerschmitt Bf-109 were two of the most important aircraft of WW II.
More than 15,000 P-51s were produced, the most of any American-built
fighter, while the Bf-109 was the most produced fighter aircraft of the
war with 35,000 produced. The P-51 was designed by Raymond Rice and
Edgar Schmued of North American Aviation, because the President of the
company thought he could do better than merely produce Curtiss P-40s
under license for the RAF.
Initially introduced with an Allison liquid-cooled V-12, the P-51
performed poorly despite its superior airframe. As early Mustangs
arrived the British were anxious to see how this aircraft would perform
with the powerful Rolls Royce Merlin engine. The aircraft was about 13
percent faster and could climb to combat altitude in 45 percent less
time than the Allison-equipped aircraft. Going into production as the
P-51B the Brits received about 1000 aircraft while the USAAF took an
additional 1000. The first P-51B models were in service with the Eighth
Air Force in December 1943. The excellent performance of these aircraft
and their excellent range when equipped with external wing tanks, made
the P-51 a tremendous asset when accompanying American daylight bombers
on their raids into Germany. The 109 was arguably the most advanced
fighter aircraft from 1935 until 1940. The 109 was designed by Willy
Messerschmitt and Walter Rethel with the goal of packing the most
powerful engine available into the smallest possible aircraft structure.
During the Spanish Civil War the 109 proved its superiority. Despite
numerous technical enhancements as the war progressed, by the end of the
War the 109 was both outclassed and outnumbered by its rivals.
A Big Victory by Stan Stokes.
On
September 18, 1944 P-51 pilots of the 375th Fighter Squadron
of the 361st Fighter Group, based at Little Walden in Essex,
were assigned the mission of escorting B-17s on a shuttle mission to
Russia. The Mustangs would accompany the bombers to the south of Sweden
where they would be picked up by an escort of Russian fighters. Urban
Drew, flying
a 51-D named Detroit Miss,
was one of the USAAF pilots on this mission. Just before breaking off
the escort Drew spotted a twin-engine German aircraft flying very low to
the water. He broke off with two wingman and went down after the German
plane. It turned out to be an He-111, most likely a courier plane from
Scandinavia. He opened fire hitting the top gun position, circled
around, and with his second burst set the aircraft afire. It tumbled
into the Baltic. As Drew and his two wingman climbed back to altitude to
rejoin their flight, he looked off to the right and spotted an enormous
flying boat moored at a sea plane base on a lake. Drew called to his
wingman and said, get lined astern immediately, and we will make one
pass, and one pass only... lets see if we can burn and sink this mother.
The three Mustangs commenced their attack with the element of surprise
to their advantage. The three Mustangs poured about 1200 rounds of 50
caliber ammo into the behemoth, and as the third aircraft pulled up
black smoke and flames were pouring from the target. It was not until
that moment that anti-aircraft batteries opened fire, but the P-51s were
quickly out of range. During the debriefing it was determined that their
target was probably a Blohm and Voss BV-222. Years later, in 1974, while
Drew was living in London, he was contacted by the British Broadcasting
Company (BBC) which wanted to do a documentary. It was only then that
Drew found out that the aircraft he destroyed at the Bug Seaplane Base
on Lake Schaal was actually the BV-238, the largest aircraft to see
service in WW II. Development work on the Blohm and Voss BV-238 began in
1940. This was planned to be a very large overseas transport aircraft,
and was powered by six 1900-HP Daimler-Benz inverted V-12 engines. It
would be considerably larger than the BV-222 with a wingspan of nearly
200 feet, a height of nearly 44 feet, and an empty weight of more than
110,000 pounds. Although two other aircraft, the Douglas B-19 and the
Soviet ANT.20, had longer wingspans, the BV-238 was the heaviest and
most powerful aircraft developed during WW II. It was during the testing
phase of this aircraft at Lake Schall in 1944 that the BV-238 was
strafed and destroyed by a flight of three P-51s lead by Eighth Air
Force ace Urban Drew.
The First Mustang Ace by Stan Stokes.
The ubiquitous North American P-51 Mustang, which many
consider to be the best all-around fighter of WW II, owes its origins to
the British Air Ministry. Following Britains entry into WW II in 1939,
the RAF was interested in purchasing additional fighter aircraft from
American sources, particularly the Curtiss P-40. Curtiss, which was
busy, was unable to guarantee timely delivery so the British approached
North American Aviation as a possible second source for the P-40. North
American chose to propose its own fighter design which would use the
same Allison engine as the P-40. Utilizing new laminar flow wings, the
North American fighter was expected to have performance better than the
P-40. Developed in record time the new aircraft was designated as a
Mustang I by the Brits, whereas the USAAF ordered two for evaluation
which were designated XP-51 Apaches. Intrigued with the possibility of
using this aircraft also as a dive bomber, North American proposed this
to the USAAF which decided to order 500 of the P-51 aircraft to be
modified for dive bombing use. Designated as the A-36 Invader, this
version of the Mustang utilized dive
flaps, and bomb racks under each wing. Some reinforcing of the
structural members was also required because of the G-forces to be
encountered in dive bombing. A-36s entered combat service with the USAAF
prior to any P-51s. In early 1943 the 86th and 27th
Fighter Bomber Groups of the 12th Air Force began flying
A-36s out of Northern Africa. Despite some early problems with
instability caused by the dive flaps, the A-36 was effective in light
bombing and strafing roles. It was not, however, capable of dog fighting
with German fighters, especially at higher altitudes. Despite these
drawbacks one USAAF pilot, Captain Michael T. Russo, who served with the
16th Bomb Squadron of the 27th Fighter Bomber
Group, was credited with five confirmed aerial victories in the A-36,
thereby becoming the first mustang ace. In Stan Stokes painting, Russos
third victory is depicted over a JU-52 at the Aversano Airfield in
Italy. The early USAAF fighter versions of the Mustang were designated
as P-51As. About 650 were delivered to the RAF and 350 to the USAAF.
With its Allison engine the early P-51s were no match for German Bf-109s
or FW-190s. The performance drawbacks of the Mustang were especially
apparent at higher altitudes. The RAF equipped some Mustangs with the
more powerful Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. This dramatically enhanced the
Mustangs high altitude performance. This new engine was utilized in the
P-51B, the first effective fighter version of this aircraft. Also
developed were inexpensive wing mounted drop tanks which extended the
Mustangs range into the heart of Germany, so it could accompany American
bombers on daylight raids. Late in 1943, North American redesigned the
top of the rear fuselage of the Mustang, and added a bubble canopy. This
variant became the P-51D and proved to be an effective dog fighting
aircraft against any of the Luftwaffes propeller driven fighters.
Top Cover by Stan Stokes. The painting depicts a P-51D Mustang (flown by William
Bailey of the 353rd Fighter Group) flying escort for B-17 Flying
Fortresses of the U.S. Armys Eighth Air Force. The scene is over the
French countryside during late 1944, and several more hours of high
altitude flying lies ahead of these pilots before the days work is over.
Bombing played a major role in the Allies victory in Europe. The RAF
relied primarily on night bombing which was also called strategic
bombing. Day time bombing was a necessity for hitting specific targets
such as munition plants, dams, and submarine pens. The Mighty Eighth
took on responsibility for most of the day time bombing missions. The
hazards and discomforts of high altitude flying, the perils of enemy
flak batteries, and the threat of enemy fighters made these missions
exceedingly dangerous until only very late in the war. Fighter escort
was critically important in improving the odds of a successful mission,
and the P-51 became arguably the premier aircraft for providing that
cover. The P-51 is generally acknowledged as Americas top fighter plane
of World War II. The first Mustangs were ordered by the British
Government in 1940. The USAAF was initially reluctant to order the
Mustang, having already committed itself to the P-38 Lightning, the P-47
Thunderbolt, the P-40 Warhawk, and the P-39 Airacobra. In 1944 an
improved version of the Mustang, the D, came off North American
Aviations assembly line in California. It was dramatically altered from
earlier versions, as major changes in fuselage design were incorporated
to improve pilot visibility. The P-51D was powered by a Packard-built,
Rolls Royce-designed, liquid cooled V-12 engine which generated 1,612
HP. The Mustang had a top speed of 436 MPH, a range of 949 miles, and an
operational ceiling in excess of 42,000 feet. Nearly 8,000 P-51Ds were
produced. In service with the USAAF Mustangs flew in excess of 200,000
missions, and were credited with destroying nearly 5,000 enemy aircraft.
The Mustang was unique in its ability to provide long range fighter
escort, and this greatly enhanced the effectiveness of Allied bombing
missions. On returning from their escort missions Mustangs would
generally split into squadrons and take varying routes home looking for
targets of opportunity.
Triple Dates With Destiny by Stan Stokes.
Lt. Col. Chuck Older was one of the first AVG aces. He
rejoined the USAAF and eventually returned to China where he served as
Deputy Commander of the 23rd FG. Older ended the War with
18.25 confirmed aerial victories. Stans painting depicts a mission
during which Older bagged a Betty, a Tess, and a Sonia (depicted) near
the outskirts of Shanghai in January of 1945. Following the War Older
earned a Law Degree. He was the presiding judge on the highly publicized
Charles Manson murder case.
A Perfect Record by Stan Stokes.
At
the time of World War II there was still a great deal of prejudice in
America, and this extended to all the branches of the military. Although
black soldiers and seaman fought with dignity and bravery during WW I,
many thought that blacks were incapable of handling difficult
assignments. It was therefore with great uncertainty and trepidation
that the Army Air Corps authorized the training of black pilots in 1941.
The Air Corps proposed that a segregated training program be
established. Judge William Hastie, Dean of the Howard University Law
School, who was serving as a Civilian Assistant for Negro Affairs to the
Secretary of War, protested about the segregated training, but his
complaints were ignored. Hastie also proposed that the Army consider
affiliating with the Tuskegee Institute which had already established a
pilot training program. The Army allocated $1 million for the
construction of the Tuskegee Army Air Field. The men sent to Tuskegee
had to pass rigorous physical tests and pass nine weeks of ground
school. They then received their basic flight instruction from
instructors with the Civilian Instructor Corps. Those who passed moved
on to more sophisticated military training for another seventy hours of
flight time. A third phase of advanced training followed after which
pilot cadets received their wings and were appointed to an initial rank
of either 2nd Lieutenant or Flight Officer. Only about 60%
of the cadets made it through the program, and many were killed or
injured in flying accidents during training. Captain Noel Parish who
oversaw much of the training at Tuskegee was a vocal supporter of the
men under his command. Despite their ability to successfully handle the
Air Corps training program, considerable hostility was still evident and
the Army was reluctant to assign Tuskegee graduates to combat units.
This created a difficult morale problem for those who had earned their
wings and were now anxious to see combat. Finally, in the spring of
1943, the 99th
Fighter Squadron headed for North Africa. In June of 1943 the 99th
finally saw combat flying P-40s. On July 2 Lt. Charles Hall became the
first black aviator to record an aerial victory in WW II. The 99th
played an important role in preparing for the invasion of Sicily. The
332nd Fighter Group (under the command of then Lt. Col.
Benjamin O. Davis, Jr.) consisting of the 100th, 301st,
and 302nd fighter squadrons entered combat in Italy flying
P-39s in early 1944. By mid-1944 the Group was receiving P-47s, but in
another about face the Air Corps quickly substituted P-51s. At this time
the 99th FS was folded into the 332nd FG. From
mid-1944 until the end of the War in Europe the Tuskegee Airmen of the
332nd FG flew an incredible number of missions. They
generally escorted Fifteenth Air Force bombers on their attacks into
Germany from bases in Italy. The red-tailed fighters of the 332nd
FG had the distinction of having a perfect record – losing no escorted
bombers to enemy fighter attack during the entire War. In Stan Stokes
painting, the P-51 piloted by Charles E. McGee, who would also go on to
fly combat missions in both Korea and Vietnam, is depicted over a Czech
airfield on August 24, 1944. On this mission McGee would down an Fw-190.
Winter of 45 by Philip West.
American built, British inspired and once re-engined with the Merlin,
the mighty Mustang became a supreme long-range escort fighter and close
air support platform. Old Crow was the mount of Clarence E. Anderson
based at Leiston, England, with the 357th FG, 363rd FS. Andersons
personal victory score during WWII was 16.25 in air combat.
Homeward Bound by Philip West
A combat damaged B-17 of the 91st Bomb Group heads home to Bassingbourn
shadowed by P51Ds of the 352nd Fighter Squadron (353rd FG).
Top Cover by Gerald Coulson Big Brother and Little Friends - the enduring bond between the
bomber crews and fighter pilots of the USAAF Eighth Air Force in their
prolonged and hotly contested air war against Hitler's Nazi Germany, 1942
- 1945.
Mustangs Over The Reich by Stephen Brown P51 Mustangs of the 336th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group range
deep into the Reich in search for targets of opportunity. The 4th played a pivotal role in achieving air supremacy for the Allies
in Europe and by VE-Day had become the top scoring Fighter Group with over
1,000 victories against the Luftwaffe.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
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D-Day The Airborne Assault by
Robert Taylor
Escorted by P-51 Mustangs of
the 354th Fighter Group[. C - 47 Dakota's towing Gliders over the
Normandy Beaches June1 944
signed by 6 crew members One secondary market print being sold on behalf of
a major collector's estate. No. 145/1000 Price
£350 Order Code AX 3 |
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