"Dodging to avoid 'flack', F/O Fred Guest presses on to
attack a target somewhere over France shortly after
D-Day, 1944".
A
professional, best-selling aviation
artist, Robert Bailey's art is widely collected in five countries
around the world.
He released a new title about every eight weeks for over three years,
traveling across the USA and Germany to obtain original signatures for his
limited edition art projects.
more
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Red Tail Pass
March
31-April 1, 1945. A momentous two-day period in which the Tuskegee
pilots of the 332nd Fighter Group sweep southern Germany, destroying 25
enemy aircraft while incurring only one loss.
Signatures
~1st
Lieutenant Spann Watson
~
1st Lieutenant John H. Leahr
~ Flight Officer Charles A. Lane Jr.
~1st Lieutenant John F. Briggs
~Staff Sergeant James A. Sheppard
~1st Lieutenant Richard D. Macon
~1st Lieutenant Robert L. Martin
~Captain Howard L. Baugh
~1st Lieutenant
William H. Holloman III ~1st Lieutenant George A. Taylor
~Staff Sergeant Levi H. Thornhill
~1st Lieutenant William B. Ellis
~Lieutenant James H. Harvey
~2nd Lieutenant George E. Hardy
~1st Lieutenant Theodore G. Lumpkin
Red
Tail Pass
The Story
by Mike Coenen
By March of
1945, Germany was surrounded and fighting a
purely defensive war. To the east, the
Russian juggernaut, both army and air force,
rushed headlong toward Berlin, crushing any
resistance in its path. In the west, the
Allies had crossed the Rhine River into
Germany and were pushing the battered German
army further east. To the south the Allies
advanced north past Rome and into the Po
Valley of Italy, ever closer to her homeland
beyond the Italian and Austrian Alps.
The Allied
air forces were relentless in their bombing
and destruction of any effort put up by the
beleaguered Luftwaffe in these final days.
Among the fighter squadrons that were
involved in the missions were the Tuskegee
pilots of the 332nd Fighter Group. Flying
out of Ramitelli, Italy, they continued
their escort duties, providing the necessary
protection for the bombers to hit their
targets in central Germany. Many of these
missions still met enemy resistance, and
some of the air battles were fierce.
On some
occasions they battled with the new
Luftwaffe wonder weapons of jet and rocket
design which, though technologically
advanced, were too few in number and
introduced too late to change the course of
the war. Starved of fuel, the German war
machine staggered on when it should have
ended sooner. But Hitler insisted on
battling on to ultimate self-destruction,
both for himself and the German population.
In Robert
Bailey’s air combat painting, RED TAIL PASS,
Tuskegee Mustangs are seen streaking over
southern Germany on April 1, 1945. On this
day and the preceding day, they destroyed 25
enemy aircraft with only 1 lost. It was a
historic two-day period for the Tuskegee, of
which they will always be proud.
Up front are
‘Duchess Arlene’ (1st Lt. Robert W.
Williams) of 100 Fighter Squadron, and
‘Creamer’s Dream’ (1st Lt. Charles White),
301 Fighter Squadron.
March
24, 1945. 1st Lt. Earl R. Lane of the 100th Figher Group destroys a
Messerschmitt-262 jet high over Germany. Also shown: the Luftwaffe were
using a captured P-51 (all black) Mustang during this action.
Signatures
~George
Watson
~
William Holloman III
~ James A. Sheppard
~George Hardy
~Charles A. Lane
~Hiram E. Mann
Companion Prints Included
Signed packages
come with bio cards, showing photos and
biographies of men who signed. Matching print
numbers, except bonus print.
40 Limited
Edition Packages Main print, with SIX co-signatures. Three companion prints
10
Artist’s Proofs Packages of FIVE PRINTS: Main print, with SIX co-signatures;
Three companion prints with FIVE signatures collectively; BONUS pencil
drawing print ‘Tuskegee Airmen’ with FOUR signatures. FIFTEEN SIGNATURES
TOTAL
10
Remarqued Packages of FIVE PRINTS: Main print, with SIX co-signatures; Three
companion prints with FIVE signatures collectively; BONUS pencil drawing
print ‘Tuskegee Airmen’ with FOUR signatures. FIFTEEN SIGNATURES TOTAL.
Late 1944 over S.E. Germany.
Focker Wulf 190's of the famed 'Sturm' or 'Rammjager' attack incoming
B-24's. Featured is 'Black 3' flown by Rammjager pilot Unteroffizier
Gerhard Kott, (8 victories: 4 B-17's, 1 B-24, 1 P-2, 2 Yak 9's) who flew
with 4/JG-3 and 3/JG-4 Sturmgruppe during this time period. P-51
Mustangs of the Tuskegee Airmen swoop inward to a crossfire position to
defend the bombers.
Signatures
~ Unteroffizier Gerhard Kott (a Rammjager
pilot)
~ Colonel Bill Holloman (of the Tuskegee Airmen)
~ Rammjager pilot Feldwebel Oscar Boesch (18 victories)
Collectors note: this is the first time that Kott has signed an
aviation print!!!
In a scene
repeated on scores of missions in 1944 and
1945, often over German air space, the
pilots of the 332nd Fighter Group answer the
distress call of a crippled bomber crew of
the 15th Air Force. As they are being
pursued by a determined Luftwaffe pilot in a
Focke Wulf D-9, bent on bringing down the
Fortress, the red tailed Tuskegee pilots
arrive in the nick of time to break up the
attack and escort the grateful bomber crew
back home to friendlier skies.
The harrowing
encounter for the crew of Jeze Belle is over
now, thanks to the dedication and courage of
the Tuskegee Airmen, who built an unmatched
legacy in the war torn skies over Europe, of
never having lost a bomber that they were
escorting. Depicted here is 1st Lt Spurgeon
Ellington in ‘Lollipoop’, nicknamed after
his wife. Ellington was later killed and his
widow married singer Nat King Cole. In the
background is 2nd Lt George E Hardy in ‘Tall
in the Saddle’, of the 99th Fighter
Squadron.
Signatures
~
2nd Lt. Leo R. Gray
~ 1st Lt. George A. Taylor
80 Limited
Edition signed by TWO Tuskegee Airmen (Gray, Taylor)
April 12,
1945. The P-51 Mustang ‘Creamer’s Dream’
flown by Lt. Charles L. White of the 301st
Fighter Squadron, Tuskegee Airmen, shoots
down an Me-109 in Austria
"We
were honoured and privileged to have THIRTEEN of the Tuskegee Airmen
sign our Group Editions, making this a valuable collector’s piece for
years to come. Please note the NEW airmen who have not signed with us
before. Three of the editions have a companion print, depicting the
sinking of a German warship by Tuskegee P47 Thunderbolts in the
Adriatic Sea on June 25, 1944" —
Robert and Michelle Bailey
During the
final months of World War II, the Tuskegee
Airmen were extremely active escorting
bombers, knocking down German fighters and
strafing important ground targets. Here we
see P-51 Mustangs of the 99th. Squadron,
332nd. Fighter Group, destroying a convoy of
German heavy armor and trucks. In the lead
is F/O Charles A. Lane, flying ‘Meatball Rap
II.’
Third and final release in the Little
Friends trilogy.
Signatures
~
Flight Officer Charles A. Lane Jr
~ Staff Sergeant James A. Sheppard
~ 1st Lieutenant Robert L. Martin
~ 2nd Lieutenant Leo R. Gray
~ 1st Lieutenant Richard D. Macon
~ Captain Robert W. Lawrence
~ F/O James C. Warren
~ 1st Lieutenant William H. Holloman III
~ 1st Lieutenant George A. Taylor
~ 1st Lieutenant William B. Ellis
~1st Lieutenant Alexander Jefferson
~ 2nd Lieutenant George E. Hardy
~1st Lieutenant Theodore G. Lumpkin
Tuskegee Titans
The Story
by Mike Coenen
As the Allied
juggernaut rolled on toward the final
collapse of the Third Reich in the spring of
1945, fighter aircraft of the 8th, 9th, 12th
and 14th Air Forces fanned out in all
directions, seeking targets of opportunity.
It was
evident to all that the last days of the
global struggle to end tyranny was near. It
had taken four and a half years to arrive at
this stage of the world war at great cost in
human lives, both civilian and military
against Germany, Italy and Japan. For the
Germans, it had finally come down to this: a
retreat back to its own borders, and a
collapse into anarchy and foreign
occupation. Faced with the Russians
approaching the outskirts of Berlin in the
east and the Allied armies crossing the
Rhine in the west, the German army began its
final retreat in disarray. By now, it was
short of motivated foot soldiers and was
desperate for supplies ranging from food and
ammunition, to petrol.
Challenged
with all this, they still had to face the ‘Jabos,’
which roamed the countryside, looking for
anything and everything that moved and which
could be interpreted as a target. It was at
these times that the Germans paid their
dearest price. Tanks, ground troops and
armored personnel carriers were hit almost
daily. These encounters were no piece of
cake for the pilots either. It was serious
business, often at very low altitudes and
more dangerous than air to air combat.
In Robert
Bailey’s action drama, TUSKEGEE TITANS,
P-51′s of 99 Fighter Squadron , 322nd
Fighter Group, have set upon an unfortunate
armored column headed back to Germany in
broad daylight.
Flight Officer Charles Brantley, Tuskegee
pilot of the 100th. Fighter Squadron, guns
down a German Me 262 jet on March 24, 1945,
en route to Berlin. Below, German troops and
a Luftwaffe anti-aircraft detachment are in
confusion.
Signatures
~ 1st. Lt. Leo R. Gray
~ F/O Charles A Lane Jr.
~1st Lt. George A. Taylor
Note: signatures are separate, ready for matting
and framing.
Tuskegee
P-51 Mustangs of the 301 Fighter Squadron defend an RAF photo
reconnaissance Mosquito above Germany during early 1945. Featured
aircraft is one of the most famous Mustangs of the Tuskegee: Creamer’s
Dream, flown by Captain Charles L. White.
Signatures
Premier Edition ~Captain Charles L. White of Creamer’s
Dream ~Also signed by: James Sheppard,
Alexander Jefferson, George Taylor, Richard
Macon, Hiram Mann, Leo Gray, Robert Martin,
Howard L. Baugh, James Harvey and Bill Holloman
Limited Edition ~#1 to #75 signed by: John Briggs,
James A. Sheppard, Alexander Jefferson, Lewis L.
Lynch, James Warren, Howard L. Baugh and Hiram
Mann ~#76 to #150 signed by: James
Sheppard, Robert L. Martin, James Harvey, Leo
Gray, Richard Macon, George A. Taylor and Howard
L. Baugh
Artist’s Proofs ~Signed by: J. Briggs, Alexander
Jefferson, James Sheppard, George Taylor,
Yenworth Whitney, Theodore Lumpkin, Charles
Hill, Hiram Mann, L. Lynch, Robert Martin,
George Hardy, James Warren, James Harvey,
Charles Lane and Leo Gray
Remarqued Edition ~Signed by: Yenworth Whitney, J.
Briggs, Charles Hill Jr., Hiram Mann, L. Lynch,
James Sheppard, Alexander Jefferson, J. Warren,
Theodore Lumpkin, George Taylor, James Harvey,
Leo Gray, Robert Martin, George Hardy and
Charles Lane
Red
Tail Edition ~Signed by: Charles Hill, Theodore
Lumpkin, Robert Martin, George Taylor, James
Harvey, Yenworth Whitney and Leo R. Gray
Free
disc with editions: A CD-ROM with images and
text of the paintings as it develops on the
easel, with shots of the artist in his studio
and Tuskegee pilots signing the prints at a
hotel in Orlando Florida. Comments on how the
project came into being. Take a look behind the
scenes! This disc fits into a 5″ mailing tube,
along with the print.
150
Limited Edition with SEVEN co-signatures. Includes free CD.
During
August of 1944, the now famous Tuskegee Airmen deliver a serious message
to the German army in Austria by blowing up an ammo dump. Leading the
attack is P-51 Mustang ‘Travelin Lite’ of the 100th Fighter Squadron.
Signatures
~2nd. Lt. Christopher W. Newman 100th
Fighter Squadron
~2nd Lt.
George E. Hardy of
the 99th Fight
Squadron
~S/Sgt James
A. Sheppard of the
100th Fighter
Squadron
~Tech
Sergeant Wilfred R.
DeFour of the 366
Air Service Squadron
~Tech
Sergeant George
Watson Sr. of the
366 Air Service
Squadron
Dodging to avoid 'flack', F/O Fred Guest presses on to attack a target
somewhere over France shortly after D-Day, 1944. This 'D' version of the
Mitchel bomber was modified by the R.A.F. One of the changes to the type was
removal of the nose guns. Fred Guest was based at this time in Dunsfold,
England, with 180 Squadron. While R.C.A.F. officer, he was on loan to the
R.A.F. and completed 50 operational trips on Mitchells. He currently resides
in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Limited Edition Prints
Signed and Numbered by the artist
#311 C130E Lochheed Hercules of 435 of 435 Transport Squadron, Namao
Alberta, turns gracefully somewhere over northern Canada. 435 conducts
long - range (tactical) airlifts, short range (tactical) airlifts, and
Search and Rescue (SAR) missions, using both the E and H models. The
squadron provided strategic airlift support during the Golf War to
Canadian personnel stationed in Qatar and Bahrain. These aircraft have
also been to assist the United nations in providing relief to Ethiopia
Limited Edition Prints
Signed and Numbered by the artist
In July1944, P 51D Mustangs of the 364th. Fighter squadron lead B17's of the
323rd. Bomber Squadron to targets of strategic importance3 in central
Germany. Prominent B 17's in this picture are 'Outhouse Mouse" and
'Nine-O-Nine'.
Limited Edition Prints
Signed and Numbered by the artist
'Beware of the Hun in the Sun!' The Spitfire pilot twists his head around to
catch a glimpse of 'bogies' at 7 o clock high!
This version of the famous
World War II fighter is one of the best loved by aviation enthusiasts. Its
classical elliptical design and clean lines, give it a thoroughbred
appearance that makes it unique. This particular aircraft if from 317 (Wilenski)
Squadron. Royal Air Force, 1941. this group of Polish aircrew were formerly
of 152 Squadron, Polish Air Force.
Limited Edition Prints
Signed and Numbered by the artist
Book is 17-3/4" wide x 11-1/2"
high, with 126 pages.
Individual Book Packages
Only 300 available Includes
CD Rom of 10 minute slide show with music!
A Brush With History
An exciting collection of
paintings by one of the world's premier aviation artists, splendidly
exhibited in this high quality, hardcover book with glossy dust jacket.
-----------------------------------------------------
This is Robert Bailey's
long-awaited first book of combat aviation paintings. Consisting of 70
colour images and 57 pencil drawings, it is sure to be highly
collectable by aviation art connoisseurs around the world. Anecdotes of
print signings, text on Robert's circuitous route to becoming an
aviation artist, background stories of how all the pictures came into
being, and insights into World War II written by veterans from both
sides!
Foreword is by Colonel 'Bud' Anderson of the 357th FG, with Introduction
by Mike Coenen.
A selection of print titles also include 'work in progress' images,
showing how various paintings were developed, stage by stage.
Never-before-seen pencil drawings include aircraft of all types, naval
scenes, historical figures (Roosevelt, Churchill), and individual
aircrew in flight gear, revealing a new talent by this artist.
This book will give endless hours of pleasure to military history buffs
and is a 'must' for the history section of any library.
Package #2
30 Artist's Proofs books
With distinctively coloured dust jacket, all signed and numbered by
the artist, with the same items as included in Package 1 (above),
excepting these enhancements:
Full-sized limited edition print
RAMITELLI RUMBLE, individually signed by NINE Tuskegee Airmen.
Package #3
20 Double Remarqued Edition books
With distinctively coloured
dust jacket, all signed and numbered by the artist, with the same items as
included in Package 1 (above), excepting these enhancements:
Full-sized limited edition print RAMITELLI
RUMBLE, individually signed by THIRTEEN Tuskegee Airmen.
One of the artist's brushes used to paint 'Ramitelli Rumble'.
A remarque on the included Ramitelli Rumble print, plus a second
remarque in the book.
A Brush with History is filled with
anecdotes and recountings of how the canvases came into being and the
tales they depict. The following example comes from Robert's description
of SHOCK AT SHADOW VALLEY:
"This particular canvas ran
into overtime, taking five weeks to complete and thus affecting my time
schedule for 'Tuskegee Trigger Time.'
"I added a few extra touches, like the crashed FW-190 and rescue crew on
the low left segment, and men running around in confusion beside the
fireball cause by the attacking Mosquitoes. There must have been a sort
of grim satisfaction amongst aircrews, realizing the havoc they had
caused on a raid such as this."
Ramitelli Rumble
This special release is made available almost
exclusively with the release of Robert's book,
A Brush with History. A finite
number of prints are available separately as Studio Edition. (see right)
Life for the Fighter Squadrons of the
332nd Fighter Group, at the former farm field in Ramitelli, Italy in
1945, was about disciplined routine. Like other Fighter Groups in the
15th Air Force based nearby, it would start as it ended with the ground
crews. With a mission planned and communicated they worked feverishly,
many times without enough sleep, coaxing and prodding “their planes” to
be ready in the morning to “loan out to the pilots.”
As the sun began to rise the air crews
would awaken and begin preparation for the next mission. For some sleep
did not come easy and did little to refresh their tired minds, a
byproduct of aerial combat flown high above the hostile skies of Nazi
Germany and Austria, locked in the deadly business of defending bomber
streams they were tasked to escort against a resilient foe.
The tension would begin to build early as
the air crews prepared for the coming mission. After a quick but subdued
meal at the mess hall it was off to the briefing where the target for
the day was announced and escort assignments were given. There they
would be made aware of what defenses they could expect, the flak
corridors they would navigate around and the anticipated reception from
the Luftwaffe entering and exiting the target area; all the while they
defended the bombers against a persistent enemy bent on bringing the
four-engined ‘big friends’ down.
With the briefing concluded it was a
short hop to the parachute shack to collect the necessities including
escape kits before they were driven out to their dispersal areas. There
they would confer with their crew chiefs, while being strapped in, about
any issues the aircraft had since the last mission. The tension was now
palpable as the pilots waited like coiled springs for the signal to
start engines.
As the predetermined time arrived,
magneto switches were turned on and engine generators whined and dozens
of Merlin engines roared to life. The popping of hot gases exiting
exhaust ports rose in harmony building to a low rumble, as chock blocks
were pulled by ground crew attempting to stand against the prop wash.
The high-powered planes assembled each in order of take off at the end
of the respective runway.
With a shot from a Berry Pistol arching
overhead signaling that the departure time had arrived, Flight Leaders
and Wingmen would push their engine throttles foreword and the Rumble at Ramitelli would build. From a soft growl it would grow into a loud
crescendo rising in unison with the other engines announcing that
another Tuskegee Mission was about to commence.
In Robert Bailey’s latest action canvas,
entitled RAMITELLI RUMBLE, ‘Little
Freddio’ and ‘Lady Emmo’ of the 332 Squadron are the first to launch
from the airfield and begin the process to assemble before turning to a
northern heading that will take them to the rendezvous point where they
will meet the bombers they are to escort to the heartland of Germany.
They will need to be vigilant today if their record of never losing a
bomber they escorted in combat, is to remain intact
click on the image to
enlarge
Tuskegee
Trigger Time
A special Tuskegee
Scholarship Fund Release, with proceeds from 100 prints going to the
Tuskegee Scholarship fund.
In the summer of 1972,
A-4 Skyhawks and A-6 Intruders complete an Alpha Strike, laying MK 2 and DST
Destructor mines in the approach to Haiphong Harbor, North Vietnam. U.S.
Navy aircraft launched from several carriers in the Northern Gulf of Tonkin
laid thousand of mines in the harbor during this period.
The international
shipping at Haiphong were unloading tons of munitions which were going down
the Ho Chi Min Trail to be used against U.S. Forces in the south. These
mining strikes put an effective stop to such enemy activity.
Signatures
~Liutenant Commander
Fred Ferrazzano USN
~Commander Bob Arnold USN
~Commander T.R. Swartz USN
Sunrise on May 31, 1942 near El
Adem in Libya, North Africa. Wing Commander H.A. 'Jimmy' Fenton, leading 274
Squadron, RAF, attacks a Ju 87B Stuka of 1./StG3 in his Hawker Hurricane.
Top cover Spitfires descend into the intense battle as Allied tanks appear
from the northwest to attack the German base.
It
is 1934, and Charles Lindbergh had flown the Atlantic just six years
previously. Some lucky individuals owned planes that flew in the First World
War, and used them for shows and joyrides. One such adventurer has used his
private airplane to meet his fiancé. Flying into a remote farmer's field
during springtime, they meet under the Lover's Tree for an hour of magic.
April 28th. 1944. Lt. Bob 'Punchy' Powell in
"THE WEST BY GAWD VIRGINIAN" and squadron mates, attack a German airfield at
Herbeville, France. His wingman, Lt. Jamie Laing, was shot down and taken
prisoner.
Robert Bailey's "Full Throttle" was released
on June 25th, 1999. Shown are Spitfires of 412 Squadron, R.C.A.F., attacking
targets of opportunity in France just after D-Day, 1944. Lead strike pilot
and print signee is Don Laubman, with 15 victories. Also signing are Gordon
Ockenden (10 victories,) Douglas Gaudin and Don Murchie. All are Spitfire
pilots of note
This inspirational picture is about the
journey of life. As young people disembark from the background train, an
elderly couple enter the near train on 'Omega Track.' There are other
symbols within the scene which make this a unique and fascinating scenario.
It seems to conceal as much as it discloses. Life's journey takes us to many
places along the way; some good, some difficult. Many people have eyes only
for the destination, while others savor the journey itself.
A Dornier 217 of KG-2 overflies
a railway station somewhere in southern England during the early part of
WWII. A British officer's wife is seeing him off at the station as they
take their dog for a stroll. Troops wait on the platform for the train,
which is just pulling in. A group of airmen jump off a truck and head
across the line to entrain. Suddenly, the German bomber screams
overhead, racing for home after having bombed a target earlier in the
night. The ground trembles with it's engines, and you can imagine the
shock and surprise of the people on the ground. Another dramatic,
fleeting moment in the titanic struggle of war.
By
4:00 on the morning of October 8th., 1943, the departments of Group Photo,
Armament, Signals, Ordnance, Navigation, Transportation, Weather, and Flying
Control had been notified of the impending mission. This was 'Our Babe',
depicted crossing the field at about fifteen hundred feet in Robert Bailey's
painting "Men of 7he Century". With her is a no-name B-17. As men stand
anxiously on the Thorpe Abbotts control tower, 'Holy Terror,' (right), Queen
Bee and Marie Helena taxi past. 'Marie Helena' was to collide with an FW-1
90 on this mission.
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