B-17 Prints - Part 2

B-17

            lithograph honors the 2001 inductees into the American Combat Airman Hall of Fame of the Confederate Air Force: Col. Clarence E. Anderson; Commander Harold Buell; President George H.W. Bush; ATC Wayne C. Colley; Lt. Gen. Keith K. Compton; 1st Lt. Ray Halloran; Col. Ralph Parr; Lt. Gen. Jay T. Robbins, and the 19th Bombardment Group.
   In early 1942 a lone B-17E of the 19th Bombardment Group, on a reconnaissance mission near Buin, New Ireland, is forced down to the deck by weather. Popping out of the overcast sky, Pilot John Wallace Fields and crew found themselves flying directly down the centerline of a Japanese man-o-war, which immediadey opened fire. This print, showing the Flying Fortress narrowly evading both the enemy fire and the resulting water geysers, evokes the desperate circumstances into which American airmen were repeatedly thrust in the dark, early days of WWII.
   Holders of twelve presedential unit citations for gallant performance from the earliest days of WWII through the Korean Conflict, the 19th Bombardment Group was the first line of air defense against the Japanese onslaught in the Pacific theatre. Capt. Colin Kelly, of the 19th B.G. emerged as the first popular American hero of the Second World War. The 19th's struggles were immortalized by pilot Frank Kurtz in the war-time classic "Queens Die Proudly."

A SAMPLING OF

P R I N T S
P A R T I I

The B-17F Flying Fortress known as the Memphis Belle is one of the most celebrated aircraft of WWII. The Memphis Belle and her crew, part of the 324th squadron, one of four that made up the 91st Bomb Group based at Bassingbourn, became immortalized in history by overcoming seemingly impossible odds and successfully completing the required 25 mission tour of duty. The Belle and her crew became symbols of hope to all of the allied aircrews of a war that would claim nearly 25,000 aircraft and 200,000 airmen from both sides.
The Belle Of Bassingbourn depicts the moment on May 17, 1943 when Capt. Morgan made his victory pass over the airfield and pulled the Belle up as he passed the control tower.

Signed by Col. Robert Morgan, pilot of the Memphis Belle

The B-17 is one of the most illustrated aircraft. These are just a few of the B-17 prints available. For more, visit:
B-17 prints - Part 1
B-17 Prints - Part II
B-17 prints - Part III
and browse the Riveting Images on-line catalog . If you can't find what you're looking for, inquire.

Close Call!
by Roy Grinnell

12 Signatures!

Image: 22" x 30"
50 A/Ps - $200.00

Note: Colored border not included on the print.

The Belle of
Bassingbourn
by Russell Smith

L/E 500 - $95.00
50 A/Ps - $125.00
22.5" x 33.5"

The 19th was called upon to rescue General MacArthur, his wife, and son and their staff from the Philippine island of Mindanao on March 17, 1942. A subsequent rescue mission delivered Philippine President Manuel Quezon, his Chief of Staff (and future Philippine President) Carlos Romulo,and the Philippine General Staff from the clutches of the Japanese as Mindanao fell.
    During the Battle of the Coral Sea, aircraft of the 19th Bomb Group, located, shadowed and bombed the invading Japanese fleet, reporting its position to the U. S. Navy and enabling the first naval battle in history where the opposing warships never saw each other, all blows being delivered by air.
    The 19th Bombardment Group, refitted with B-29 Superfortresses re-entered combat in the Pacific, flying its first mission against the Japanese home islands by striking Tokyo on February 25, 1945. The 9th thus had the satisfaction of enduring and surviving the disastrous early days of WWII and finishing their foe over Tokyo.
    After the war, the 19th remained overseas as part of the Far East Air Forces. Within fourty-eight hours of the Communist invasion of South Korea, the 19th was flying B-29 air strikes out of Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, in support of the United Naitons Ground Forces. By the time the war drew to a close in 1953, the 19th Bombardment Group had dropped more than 52,000 tons of bombs on enemy targets and earned the Republic of Korea Presedential Unit Citation.

This

Including pilot John Wallace Fields, navigator Hulet
Hornbeck (whose mission is depicted), members of the 19th BG, and 6 of the 8 inductees into the American Combat Airman Hall of Fame: Bud Anderson, Ralph
Parr, Hap Halloran, Keith K. Compton, Harold Buell, and Wayne C. Colley.

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