Raising Havoc in the Ardennes by Nicolas Trudgian.
It is January 1945, and its cold. The German advance in the Ardennes is nearly over, but the Panzer Army is desperately throwing more troops into the breach who try to keep their momentum going in The Battle of the Bulge. Tasked with preventing German reinforcements from reaching the battle front, the Ninth Air Force launched a series of low-level attacks on enemy ground forces as they wind their way through the Ardennes. Flying conditions were not easy, cloud bases were low, and snow was in the air. Nicolas Trudgians new painting recreates an attack on January 23, 1945, by Douglas A-20 Havocs of the 410th Bomb Group. Locating an enemy convoy in open space near the German town of Blankenheim, the Havoc pilots make a swift attack diving from 8000 feet, catching the German force by surprise: Hurtling down the line of vehicles at 320mph they release their parafrag bombs from 300 feet then, dropping just above the roofs of the army trucks continue down the column blasting everything in sight with their forward-firing .50mm caliber machine guns. In the space of a few minutes the attack is completed and the convoy decimated. With ammunition expended and fuel running low the A-20 Havocs climb out of the zone and head for base in France. A 20mm shell has hit the lead aircraft wounding the Bombardier/Navigator Gordon Jones, which will seriously hamper their return through a blizzard, but all aircraft make it safely home - the lead aircraft, on landing, counting over 100 holes of various sizes. For their part in leading the successful attack the Lead Pilot Russell Fellers and Bombardier/Navigator Gordon G. Jones received the Silver Star.
Published 2001.
Signed by A-20 Havoc combat aircrews, including two Silver Star recipients, from World War Two.
Collectors edition of 500 prints. 26 inches x 21 inches (64cm x 53cm). Price £110.00
Signed by Major Howard B Aines,
Staff Sergeant Donald Bjornson,
Captain Jerome M Coe,
Captain Narval F Davis,
Staff Sergeant Karl Haeuser,
Captain John L Minech,
Major James R Nicols
and
Lt Colonel J Duane Wethe, in addition to the artist.
Collectors edition of 25 artist proofs. Paper size 26 inches x 21 inches (64cm x 53cm). Price £150.00
Signed by Major Howard B Aines,
Staff Sergeant Donald Bjornson,
Captain Jerome M Coe,
Captain Narval F Davis,
Staff Sergeant Karl Haeuser,
Captain John L Minech,
Major James R Nicols,
Lt Colonel James F Barkalow (deceased),
Lt Colonel Gordon Jones,
Major Charles D LaMond
and
Lt Colonel J Duane Wethe, in addition to the artist.
Portfolio edition of 100 prints. Paper size 26 inches x 21 inches (64cm x 53cm). Price £150.00
Signed by Major Howard B Aines,
Staff Sergeant Donald Bjornson,
Captain Jerome M Coe,
Captain Narval F Davis,
Staff Sergeant Karl Haeuser,
Captain John L Minech,
Major James R Nicols,
Lt Colonel James F Barkalow (deceased),
Lt Colonel Gordon Jones,
Major Charles D LaMond
and
Lt Colonel J Duane Wethe, in addition to the artist.
Signed limited edition of 100 portfolio edition print, supplied with companion print. Paper size 26 inches x 21 inches (64cm x 53cm). Price £230.00
Signed by Major Howard B Aines,
Staff Sergeant Donald Bjornson,
Captain Jerome M Coe,
Captain Narval F Davis,
Staff Sergeant Karl Haeuser,
Captain John L Minech,
Major James R Nicols,
Lt Colonel James F Barkalow (deceased),
Lt Colonel Gordon Jones,
Major Charles D LaMond
and
Lt Colonel J Duane Wethe, in addition to the artist,
with the additional companion print signatures of :
Flight Officer J Frank Bell,
Captain Ralph F Conte,
First Lt Wayne E Downing,
Lt Colonel Arthur R Milow,
First Lt Leonard R McBride,
First Lt Arthur J Schuler,
Colonel Daniel F Shea
and
Colonel Dick Wheeler.
Nicolas Trudgian Promotional Flyer. A4 Size Double Sheet 11.5 inches x 8 inches (30m x 21cm) . Price £1.50
** (Ex Display) Signed limited edition of 500 prints. (Two copies reduced to clear) 26 inches x 21 inches (64cm x 53cm). Price £80.00
Signed by Major Howard B Aines,
Staff Sergeant Donald Bjornson,
Captain Jerome M Coe,
Captain Narval F Davis,
Staff Sergeant Karl Haeuser,
Captain John L Minech,
Major James R Nicols
and
Lt Colonel J Duane Wethe, in addition to the artist.
ITEM CODE NT0322
