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Opening Sky by Robert Taylor.- Philip West Prints .com

Opening Sky by Robert Taylor.


Opening Sky by Robert Taylor.

With the morning sun glinting on their fuselages, P-51 Mustangs of the 78th Fighter Group cross the Dutch coastline far below, as they head back towards their base at Duxford, England at the end of a long sweep east of the Rhine crossing, Spring 1945. The final months of the war in Europe lie ahead, and for the P-51 pilots victory is within sight. Finally, after years of toil, the sky was theirs.
AMAZING VALUE! - The value of the signatures on this item is in excess of the price of the print itself!
Item Code : DHM1845Opening Sky by Robert Taylor. - This Edition
TYPEEDITION DETAILSSIZESIGNATURESOFFERSYOUR PRICEPURCHASING
PRINTLimited edition of 300 prints.


Great value : Value of signatures exceeds price of item!
Paper size 27.5 inches x 17 inches (70cm x 43cm) Image size 21 inches x 8 inches (53cm x 20cm) Anderson, C E Bud
East, Clyde B
Fiedler, Arthur C
+ Artist : Robert Taylor


Signature(s) value alone : £160
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Eagles of the Eighth by Nicolas Trudgian.
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Mustang Aviation Art Prints.

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Titles in this pack :
Opening Sky by Robert Taylor.  (View This Item)
Eagles on the Rampage by Robert Taylor.  (View This Item)
Guardian Angel by Anthony Saunders.  (View This Item)

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Other editions of this item : Opening Sky by Robert Taylor. DHM1845
TYPEEDITION DETAILSSIZESIGNATURESOFFERSYOUR PRICEPURCHASING
ARTIST
PROOF
Limited edition of 75 artist proofs
Great value : Value of signatures exceeds price of item!
Overall matted size 31.5 inches x 19 inches (80cm x 48cm) Image size 21 inches x 8 inches (53cm x 20cm) Mahurin, Walker Bud
Blakeslee, Don (matted)
Olds, Robin (matted)
Pisanos, Steve
Hill, Tex (matted)
Cummings, Donald
Goebel, Bob
Gabreski, Gabby (matted)
Green, Herky (matted)
Steward, Lowell
Peterson, Richard Bud (matted)
McColpin, Carroll W (matted)
Carson, Leonard Kit (matted)
Burdick, Clinton DeWitt
Drew, Urban
Coleman, Wayne L
Johnson, Robert S (matted)
Conlin, Raymond T
Skara, John
Karr, Robert A
Hurlbut, Frank D (matted)
Ilfrey, Jack M (matted)
Bond, Charles R (matted)
Brown, Gerald (matted)
White, Clint
Walsh, Kenneth A (matted)
Allen, Bill
Berg, Russ (matted)
Brooks, Jim
Anderson, C E Bud
East, Clyde B
Fiedler, Arthur C
+ Artist : Robert Taylor


Signature(s) value alone : £1545
£80 Off!Now : £450.00VIEW EDITION...
PRINTP-51 Tribute edition of 175 prints

SOLD OUT
Paper size 27.5 inches x 17 inches (70cm x 43cm) Image size 21 inches x 8 inches (53cm x 20cm) Mahurin, Walker Bud
Pisanos, Steve
Cummings, Donald
Goebel, Bob
Steward, Lowell
Burdick, Clinton DeWitt
Drew, Urban
Coleman, Wayne L
Conlin, Raymond T
Skara, John
Karr, Robert A
White, Clint
Allen, Bill
Brooks, Jim
Anderson, C E Bud
East, Clyde B
Fiedler, Arthur C
+ Artist : Robert Taylor


Signature(s) value alone : £720
SOLD
OUT
VIEW EDITION...
General descriptions of types of editions :


Extra Details : Opening Sky by Robert Taylor.
About all editions :

Detail Images :



Signatures on this item
*The value given for each signature has been calculated by us based on the historical significance and rarity of the signature. Values of many pilot signatures have risen in recent years and will likely continue to rise as they become more and more rare.
NameInfo


The signature of Colonel Arthur C Fiedler (deceased)

Colonel Arthur C Fiedler (deceased)
*Signature Value : £50

Arthur Charles Fiedler was born in Oak Park, Illinois on August 1, 1923. In April of 1942, five months after America entered WW 11, Fiedler enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He was sent to Avon Park, Florida for primary training, followed by basic training at Macon, Georgia, and advanced training at Marianna, Florida. He graduated with Class 43G in July of 1943, and was assigned as a flight instructor, flying Republic P-47 Thunderbolts at Dover, Delaware. In April of 1944 Second Lieutenant Feidler was assigned to combat duty, and was assigned to the 317th Fighter Squadron of the 325th Fighter Group (the 'Checkertails'), based in Lesina, Italy. He transitioned to the North American P-51 Mustang, naming his assigned aircraft after his wife 'Helen' whom he had married in 1943. On June 24, Fiedler claimed a probable. On June 28 he attained his first two aerial victories. At that morning's briefing Fiedler was elated to learn that his squadron's mission would be a fighter sweep over Polesti, Rumania, in advance of a bombing mission targeting the massive oil refining operations in that area.. When flying fighter escort for bombers the fighters were prohibited from flying below 15,000-feet. This gave the Germans a dog fighting advantage, as the early Allison-powered Mustangs were good performers at low altitudes but relatively poor performers at higher altitudes. Forty P-5 Is from the 325th 17G took off at 0725 hours for the fighter sweep. Sweeping the target area at 25,000-29,000 feet for about 45 minutes a total of 47 enemy aircraft were encountered. During this mission Fiedler would earn his first two victories. Fiedler became an ace on July 26 when he downed his fourth and fifth aircraft, a Fw- 190, south of Vienna, and a 109 several minutes later. Promoted to Captain, Fiedler attained his eighth and final victory on January 20, 1945 while escorting B-17s to Regerisbuurg. His flight of four P-51s broke-up an attacking force of 40 German fighters. Following the War Fiedler left the military and attended the University of Illinois, earning a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. He was recalled for active duty during the Korean War, and decided to make a career in the Air Force. In addition to his 66 combat missions flown in WW 11, Fiedler would fly 247 combat missions in C-130s during the Vietnam War Col. Fiedler retired from the USAF in 1975, and currently resides in Southern California. His decorations include the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross with one OLC, the Air Medal with 22 OLCs, and the Partisan Star. He died on 11th May 2016.


The signature of Colonel C E Bud Anderson

Colonel C E Bud Anderson
*Signature Value : £55

Bud Anderson went to England with the 357th Fighter Group in 1943, the first Eighth Air Force Group to be equipped with the P-51 Mustang. He got himself on the score sheet on one of the first Berlin missions, dog fighting with a bunch of Me109s who had set upon a straggling B-17. On 29th June 1944, leading his squadron on a mission to Leipzig, they ran into a formation of Fw190s. In the ensuing battle Anderson shot down the leader, and two more Fw190s. After a short rest in the U.S., Bud returned for a second tour, just in time for the 357th's big day on 27th November 1944. With the 353rd they took on a huge formation of some 200 enemy fighters, Anderson adding three more to his score. He finished the war with 16 air victories and many more probables.


The signature of Lieutenant Colonel Clyde B East (deceased)

Lieutenant Colonel Clyde B East (deceased)
*Signature Value : £55

Born in Pittsylvania County, Virginia on July 19, 1921, raised on a rural family farm. At 19, Clyde East traveled to Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and enlisted into the Royal Canadian Air Force. Soon after, East was admitted to pilot training and completed his training in 1942. Clyde East went on active servcie to England, where he flew interdiction missions in the P-51A Mustang, attacking ground targets in France, Belgium, and Holland. He also searched for U-boats over the water. Clyde East flew P51 Mustangs with 414 Fighter / Reconnaissance Squadron RCAF in England, before transferring to the USAAF in January 1944. He joined the 15th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 2nd February flying F-6C Mustangs. On June 6, 1944, East participated in the D-Day invasion of Normandy in the Mustang. It was during this mission that East and his wingman stumbled upon several FW-190s landing and promptly dispatched them with their .50 caliber machine guns, claiming the first aerial victories of the invasion. During one mission East claimed three aerial victories and, on another, was able to jump a German Messerschmitt 109 flying low. In late 1944, East fought against a German counteroffensive in what is now known as the Battle of the Bulge. Becoming a confirmed ace in March 1945, East would go on to claim a total of 13 aerial kills against the German Luftwaffe and flew over 200 combat missions with them during the war. He later served in Korea, flying 100 missions in RF-51s and RF-80s. After his return from Korea East was given command of several different tactical recon squadrons, one of which flew an additional 100 visual and photo missions over Cuba. He retired from the Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel in February 1965. Clyde East died on 30th July 2014 aged 93.
The Aircraft :
NameInfo
MustangThe 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.

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