| Aviation artist Robert Taylor.
Aviation art print 'D-Day The Airborne Assault' by Robert Taylor depicting
DC Dakotas and P-51 Mustangs over the Normandy beaches.
It began in pitch darkness.
June 6, 1944 was only a few minutes old when the Airborne Pathfinders
drifted silently down from the sky above the fields of Normandy. At first
their seemed nothing untoward about the drone of aircraft in the night
sky. The German garrisons in Northern France were used to the noise of
aircraft overhead after dark, but this night seemed particularly busy.
Looking skyward a German sentry caught sight
of parachutes floating down, clearly visible as the moon fleetingly broke
through the clouds. For an instant he thought it was the crew jumping from
a damaged bomber, but when he saw the mass of canopies floating
earthwards, he knew it was no ordinary event. Within moments of raising
the alarm the crackle of automatic gunfire confirmed his worst fears: The
Invasion of France had begun. The
first assault upon Hitlers Fortress Europe came from the sky. Shortly
after midnight waves of aircraft and gliders delivered three Divisions of
elite airborne troops into Normandy, their crucial objectives to seize
vital bridges, secure strategic positions and clear the way for the coming
aerial armada. As the first
streaks of dawn came over the horizon on that historic day, and with
American and British paratroops already engaged in furious fire fights,
the mighty amphibious armada began landing on the beaches of Normandy.
Above them waves of troop-carrying aircraft towing gliders stretched from
the coast of France all the way back to England. Closely escorted by
fighters, they delivered over 20,000 highly trained men into the
battlefield of Northern France. By
nightfall the first phase of the greatest military invasion in history was
complete. Five Divisions were were ashore and the Allies had established a
toehold in occupied Europe. For the Third Reich it was the beginning of
the end. Without the advanced airborne
assault, and the air supremacy achieved by the escort fighters, the
amphibious landings could have been a disaster. Seen
crossing the Normandy beaches are C-47 Dakotas of the 438th Troop Carrier
Group towing CG-4 Waco gliders, closely escorted by P-51Bs of the 354
Fighter Group. Below, landing craft swarm ashore putting men and equipment
on the beaches, and everything about this spectacular painting brings
alive the events of that historic day a half a century ago.
Signed by Warren Emerson,
Clayton Gross, William King and Maurice Long; C-47 pilot Sid Harwell and
glider pilot Miles Wagner. |
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D-Day The Airborne Assault by Robert Taylor.
It began in pitch darkness. June 6, 1944 was only a few minutes old when the Airborne Pathfinders drifted silently down from the sky above the fields of Normandy. At first their seemed nothing untoward about the drone of aircraft in the night sky. The German garrisons in Northern France were used to the noise of aircraft overhead after dark, but this night seemed particularly busy. Looking skyward a German sentry caught sight of parachutes floating down, clearly visible as the moon fleetingly broke through the clouds. For an instant he thought it was the crew jumping from a damaged bomber, but when he saw the mass of canopies floating earthwards, he knew it was no ordinary event. Within moments of raising the alarm the crackle of automatic gunfire confirmed his worst fears: The Invasion of France had begun. The first assault upon Hitlers Fortress Europe came from the sky. Shortly after midnight waves of aircraft and gliders delivered three Divisions of elite airborne troops into Normandy, their crucial objectives to seize vital bridges, secure strategic positions and clear the way for the coming aerial armada. As the first streaks of dawn came over the horizon on that historic day, and with American and British paratroops already engaged in furious fire fights, the mighty amphibious armada began landing on the beaches of Normandy. Above them waves of troop-carrying aircraft towing gliders stretched from the coast of France all the way back to England. Closely escorted by fighters, they delivered over 20,000 highly trained men into the battlefield of Northern France. By nightfall the first phase of the greatest military invasion in history was complete. Five Divisions were were ashore and the Allies had established a toehold in occupied Europe. For the Third Reich it was the beginning of the end. Without the advanced airborne assault, and the air supremacy achieved by the escort fighters, the amphibious landings could have been a disaster. Seen crossing the Normandy beaches are C-47 Dakotas of the 438th Troop Carrier Group towing CG-4 Waco gliders, closely escorted by P-51Bs of the 354 Fighter Group. Below, landing craft swarm ashore putting men and equipment on the beaches, and everything about this spectacular painting brings alive the events of that historic day a half a century ago.
Signed limited edition of 1000 prints. Paper size 34 inches x 25 inches (86cm x 64cm). Price £ Signed by P-51 pilots Warren Emerson,
Clayton Gross,
William King
and
Maurice Long (deceased); C-47 pilot Sid Harwell and glider pilot Miles Wagner.
ITEM CODE AX0003
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