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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. |
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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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A Time For Heroes by Robert Taylor
- The Signatures
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 | Major Bill Allen
Commissioned in November 1943, Bill Allen was posted to England, joining the 55th Fighter Group based at Wormingford, on May 15th 1944. Posted into the 343rd Fighter Squadron the following day, Bill flew his first combat mission on 14th June 1944. He flew both P38 Lightnings and P51 Mustangs through his tour, becoming an Ace in one day on 5th September 1944, when he shot down 5 German aircraft whilst flying his P51 'Pretty Patty II'
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 | Colonel Gerald Brown
Gerald Brown arrived in Europe in August 1943, completing his first tour with the 38th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group, becoming the first P38 Ace in the 8th Air Force. Volunteering for a second tour, this time flying P-51 Mustangs with the 334th FG, 4th Flying Group at Debden. In September 1944 he was forced to bail out of his burning P-51 over enemy territory, but escaped to return to his squadron, and completed his second tour in November 1944. Gerry Brown later flew in Korea, but was shot down, spending three years in captivity.
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 | Colonel Donald Cummings
Joining the USAAF in 1941, Don Cummings saw action in England, Africa and Italy, taking part in the Battle of Anzio. Flying first with the 12th Air Force and then posted to the 8th Air Force in England, flying with the 39th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group out of Wormingford. Don Cummings flew a total of 150 combat missions and on 25th February, 1945, became one of only two fighter Aces to shoot down two Me262 jet fighters on a single mission. he then served in occupied Germany after the war ended.
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