 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
* * *
* *
A
flight of P-51 Mustangs from the 8th Air Force's 361st Fighter Group "Yellow Jackets" are seen over England returning from
a combat mission in early August 1944. The Mustangs are descending to penetrate the thick overcast blanketing the area of
their home base of Bottisham, Cambridgeshire. Typically, only the flight leader flew instruments in the clouds - his 'chicks'
kept him in sight by flying close formation. 'Daydream'
was one callsign of the 375th Fighter Squadron, which displayed the "E2" fuselage code. A 3-ship from a sister squadron can be seen in the distance veering off slightly to make their own
penetration. In my scenario the fourth man is missing - he was hit by flak over enemy territory and a few minutes later the
pilot was seen to bail out. He got a good chute, so let's hope he can connect with the Underground or make it 'OK' to a POW
camp ...
* * *
* *
The client's father,
Lt. William J. "Smitty" Smith, a 5th Air Force B-25 pilot with the 71st Bomb Squadron "Wolfpack", a squadron of the 38th Bomb
Group "Sunsetters", drops desperately needed supplies to Australian coastwatchers on New Britain in Jan 1944. Due to bad weather
several previous drop attempts had failed with other crews. The Smith crew volunteered to go in low level and do all they
could to find the DZ. The coastwatchers built several signal fires to help mark their location - the release was to take place
on the third one, where the men were gathered. The drop was successful and the grateful coastwatchers could be seen madly
waving their arms by their fire. While discussing possible painting scenarios with the artist to honor
his father's service, "Smitty" told his son that he regarded this as the most important mission of his combat tour. No
further discussion was necessary, and the choice of title was obvious.
* * *
* *
Limping along
in a crippled Flying Fortress over the North Sea and still within reach of enemy fighters, 94th Bomb Group pilot 2Lt. C. Arliss
Watts and his crew breathe a sigh of relief at the arrival of an escort of P-51s. Their B-17G, nicknamed "Roll Me Over", had
received flak damage while on the bomb run over Kiel, Germany, on 4th April 1945, resulting in the failure of the no. 2 engine
and a dangerously windmilling propeller. The suspense was not over yet, for soon after they had passed the island fortress
of Heligoland, the Mustangs would depart and the no. 3 engine, seen here trailing an ominous mist, would also fail, forcing
Lt. Watts to feather that propeller. However, the crew did return safely to the 94th's home base of Rougham, near Bury St.
Edmunds. Juried
into the American Society of Aviation Artists 2nd Place, Military Category
* * *
* *
Having returned from the first 8th Air Force Russia Shuttle mission (Operation FRANTIC) less than
two weeks earlier, 4th Fighter Group pilot Capt. Neil "Dutch" Van Wyk steals a quick glance at his dog "Colonel" as he prepares
to depart from Debden on an escort mission circa mid-July 1944. Van Wyk's P-51B was appropriately named FLYING DUTCHMAN.
"Dutch" flew with the 4th from October 1943 until February 1945. Though not an ace, Van Wyk was regarded as a solid
troop and promoted to squadron operations officer, leading many missions. Juried into the American Society of Aviation Artists Boeing "Spirit of Flight" Award
* * *
* *
This painting depicts VF-17 Jolly Rogers commanding officer LCDR Tommy Blackburn
in his "Big Hog" F4U Corsair, circa late November 1943. Sporting beards in many cases, and known for their aggressiveness, "Blackburn's Irregulars", as
the pilots of VF-17 were known in certain quarters, actually played a large role during their own training
period in preparing the Corsair for fleet-wide use. Eliminating the F4U's tendency to "bounce" during carrier landings
and taming the plane's nasty stall characteristics were two important VF-17 technical innovations. Juried into the American Society of Aviation Artists
* * *
* *
* * *
* *
* * *
* *
Chittagong, India-based 459th Fighter Squadron "Twin-Tailed Dragons" P-38J Lightnings zoom above the
clouds in spring 1944. The main role of the 459th, at least at this time, was to make life "interesting" for Japanese
pilots and aircraft. To accomplish this task, the squadron often attacked the enemy airfields themselves - a dangerous
mission at best. The lead ship is Irish Lassie,
flown by 2Lt. William
G. 'Bill' Baumeister Jr. Lt. Baumeister was credited with an "Oscar" damaged on May 23, 1944. When the
459th upgraded to the J-model in April 1944, they painted distinctive green dragon motifs on both booms, the big open oil
cooler and intercooler ducts below the spinner making a natural "mouth". As a pilot, by far my favorite type of flying is done above the clouds when the weather is miserable below.
Flying in the brilliant sunshine above an endless carpet of clouds is very inspirational, and I tried to capture that feeling
here.
* * *
* *
This painting depicts two Netherlands-based (Deelen) JG 1 Würgers as they roll in on 8th
Air Force The "checkerboard" nose markings were worn by I./JG 1 machines during 1943 for quick recognition in the
air. The "checks" first appeared in the summer, and lasted into late 1943/very early 1944. In early 1944 JG
1 introduced a new "Flying 1" emblem for the noses of their aircraft, and at that time I. Gruppe reintroduced a cowling
marking previously worn by their Stab (Headquarters) flight from April to approximately June 1943 - broad horizontal
black and white stripes. As observed by one German fighter pilot, "To go over a group of seventy Flying Fortresses makes you see
your whole life in front of you . . ." For the young airmen on both sides who fought in the cold
air high over Europe this was indeed the Most Dangerous Game.
* * *
* *
* * *
* *
* * *
* *
* * *
* *
* * *
* *
* * *
* *
* * *
* *
* * *
* *
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|