|
Aviation art prints of the B24
Liberator. US Air Force Bomber B24 Liberator shown in aviation art prints showing B24
Liberator of 93rd Bomber Group with Flying Fortresses of 92nd Bomb Group. Signed
limited edition prints available from Cranston Fine Arts.
In 1938 Consolidated
Aircraft was asked by the USAAC to join in production of Americas only
long range 4-engine bomber, the Boeing B-17.
However, Mack Laddon, the companys Chief design engineer,
convinced the Army that an alternative design, incorporating the high
aspect ratio wing design of David Davis, would result in a long range
heavy bomber superior to the Boeing B-17. The Army Air Corps contracted
with Consolidated to build seven prototypes and these were delivered in
1940 for service trials. Consolidated Aircraft had substantial
experience in producing long range flying boats, most notable of which
was the PBY Catalina. The B-24 incorporated the distinctive twin tailed
design of Consolidateds flying boats, and relative to the older but
sleeker B-17 was quite an ugly duckling. Despite its deceiving
appearance, the B-24 was produced in greater numbers (18,000) than any
other American aircraft during WW II, and proved through experience to
be one of the most versatile of all Allied aircraft. Nicknamed the
Liberator by the British, the B-24 served in many roles. In addition to
its very effective use as a strategic bomber, the aircraft proved very
successful in anti-submarine activities, and as a long-haul transport
for troops, fuel and supplies. The Liberator was the only American
aircraft capable of non-stop transatlantic crossings during the war.
First utilized by the French and British, the B-24 is credited for
helping the Allies win the war in the Atlantic, where the aircrafts
incredible range was an important asset. Germanys 1,200 U-Boats sank
over 2,600 Allied ships during the War, and in 1942 and 1943 losses were
nearly unsustainable. Until the Liberators arrived, Allied convoys
lacked air cover for a 300 mile stretch of the Atlantic, and it was in
this area that wolfpacks of U-Boats took a devastating toll. The
Liberator was utilized in virtually all theaters of operation during the
war. The B-24 was produced in several variants, of which the B-24D was
the first to be mass produced. The B-24D was powered by four 1200 HP
Pratt and Whitney Twin Wasp 14-cylinder radial engines which
incorporated two-stage superchargers. The aircraft had a maximum speed
of 303 MPH, and a range of 2,850 miles. Most Liberators were manned by a
crew of nine or ten, and typical armament consisted of ten machine guns.
With an official bomb capacity of 8,830 pounds the B-24D could pack
quite a wallop. In his painting, artist Stan Stokes captures a pair of
Liberators returning to base at dusk after a lengthy submarine patrol
mission over the Atlantic in 1942.
End Game by Nicholas Trudgiant :
For bomber crews, any daylight bombing mission almost certainly meant
combat. If it wasn't the attentions of determined Luftwaffe fighter
pilots, it would be an aerial carpet of flak that welcomed the bombers en
route to the target - and again on the journey home. On most
missions the Eighth Air Force aircrews had to contend with both.
Enduring up to ten hours of concentrated flying under cramped conditions,
extreme cold, with the constant noise and vibration produced by four
powerful engines, made every mission uncomfortable enough without being
shot at. But the USAAF aircrews confronted the odds - a one in three
chance of completing a 25 mission tour of operations - cheerfully and with
gallant resolve. Playing a major role in the great raids on Germany
and other targets in occupied Europe from early in 1944, equipped with the
Consolidated B-24 Liberator, the USAAF Second Air Division flew no fewer
than 95,048 sorties. Based in Norfolk, England, the crews also
attacked targets far distant in Norway, Poland, and Rumania, unloading
almost 100,000 tons of bombs and claiming over 1000 enemy fighters shot
down.
Operation Tidal Wave by Nicholas Trudgian first light on August 1, 1943 a force of 178 B-24 Liberator bombers
lifted off dusty airstrips in the Libyan desert. The target - the oil
refineries at Ploesti. Nicolas Trudgian's detailed painting Operation
Tidal Wave is a moving tribute to the 1700 aircrew who flew the tortuous
Ploesti Raid. Depicted exiting the target at extreme low-level are B-24s
of the 44th and 98th Bomb Groups, with the 98th BG B-24 'Sandman' in the
immediate foreground. In the distance other Liberators lucky enough to
have survived the fiery maelstrom make their escape. Behind them fires
rage among the structures of the refinery as yet more crews enter the
holocaust |
|
|
Motley Crew by Tim Fisher.
Signed limited edition of 1150 prints. Special Promotion : This print is 30% off for a limited time only! Image size 17 inches x 12 inches (43cm x 31cm). Price £37.80
Limited edition of 50 artist proofs. Image size 17 inches x 12 inches (43cm x 31cm). Price £95.00
Limited edition of 50 giclee canvas prints. Image size 36 inches x 24 inches (91cm x 61cm). Price £590.00
Limited edition of 50 giclee canvas prints. Image size 30 inches x 20 inches (76cm x 51cm). Price £460.00
ITEM CODE DHM0773
|
|
|
Safe by Keith Woodcock.
Ground crew rush to the assistance of an 8th Airforce Consolidated B24D Liberator as it slides to a halt after an emergency landing at an English airfield following damage sustained during a mission over Germany.
Signed limited edition of 350 prints. Image size 23 inches x 11 inches (58cm x 28cm). Price £95.00 Signed by Colonel Robert Vickers.
ITEM CODE DHM2406
|
|
|
Tail End Charlie by Stan Stokes.
E.W. Bruce was a B-24 Liberator commander with the 704th Bomb Squadron, of the 446th Bomb Group of the Eighth Air Force. His squadron was based at Bungay in East Anglia. On the morning of January 29, 1944 a hush falls over the bomb crews in Bruces squadron as the intelligence officer unveils the mission map for the days activities. An all out maximum force raid on Frankfurt. When formation positions are assigned the tail-end-charlie spot goes to Bruce piloting the Hula Wahine. Low clouds are expected at 5000 feet, and the bombing run will most likely be made with radar. Hopefully the weather will keep the Lufwaffes fighters on the ground. Bruces group is at the end of the formation, so he is the last plane of several hundred on the bomb run. The group increases air speed and altitude as it approaches Frankfurt. Within minutes of the target Bruces B-24 loses the supercharger on its No.2 engine. They begin to trail the formation and lose altitude. Suddenly the supercharger fails on the B-24s No 3 engine. Shifting to full power on the No 1 and No 4 engines, a condition they can maintain for only a few precious minutes, Bruces crew delivers its payload over the target. Seconds later the turbos give out on the two remaining engines, and Bruce puts his B24 into a fast power dive. He needs to get down to low altitude feet so his engines will function. As the B-24 hurtles towards the earth at 300MPH two Me-210 fighters close in fast. The Liberators right waist gunner, Sgt. McLaughlin opens fire and sets one of the 210s afire, while the other leaves the scene with a P-38 on his tail. The B-24 makes it safely to the relative comfort of cloud cover and a course is set back to England. After several minutes the Liberator leaves the protective cloud cover, and Bruce elects to fly at tree-top level to avoid detection. Sgt. Jones, the left waist gunner yells bandits at 8 oclock! All hell breaks loose for a few moments. Sgt. McGuire, the engineer and top gunner, is injured as well as both waist gunners during the attack. Bruce unsuccessfully attempts to radio for potential friendly fighter support. The B-24 flies on around the outskirts of Liege, and closer to home. Minutes later they have a bandit at 6 oclock. The tail gunners guns are not firing properly, and an Fw-190 opens up with everything its got. The Liberator flies on in a virtual sea of tracers. Time seems to slowdown, as Bruce sees a thatched roof, half-timber farmhouse dead ahead. The B-24 is dead center with the upstairs bedroom window, as the 190s tracers tear across the farmhouse roof. Bruce puts the B-24 into a steep bank, and misses the farmhouse by a few feet. The prop wash blows chickens and chicken feathers everywhere. For a moment it feels more like a pillow fight than a life and death struggle. The 190 breaks off to make another run. Bruce turns directly into him, and the surprised 190 pilot wings over and flies parallel again. On his next pass, Bruce banks steeply and rolls out fast. Its now a free for all - somebodys going to die. The 190 approaches again without firing. Possibly out of ammunition, the 190 appears to be attempting to ram the B-24. Bruces bombardier/nose gunner, Lt. Pretty, opens up on the Jerry. The B-24s bullets tear into the 190s engine, across the fuselage and into the cockpit. The 190 spins out of control and goes down. Bruce manages to get his bird back to England, and puts her down in a belly landing at Depling. The crew is awarded a Silver Star, a DFC, two Air Medals, and four Purple Hearts for the mission; a routine day for a Tail-End Charlie.
Signed limited edition of 500 prints. Size 22 inches x 18 inches (56cm x 46cm). Price £94.00 Signed by Cdr Ernest Bruce.
ITEM CODE STK0104
|
|
|
Too Little Too Late by Stan Stokes.
Heinz Bar joined JG 51 in 1939 as a non-officer pilot. By August of 1940 he had become the highest scoring non-officer pilot in the Luftwaffe. Although shot down once during the Battle of Britain, Bar survived, and was later transferred to the Eastern Front. He received his commission and by the end of 1941 had chalked up 91 victories. By mid-1942, with 113 victories, he was promoted to Hauptman and made Group Commander of I/JG 77. Flying out of Sicily he participated in the siege of Malta, and later was shifted to North Africa where he obtained another 61 victories. With his health suffering, Heinz was reassigned to Germany, where he flew interception missions against the steady onslaught of Eighth Air Force bombers. With his victory total at 202, Bar was put in command of JG 3 and later III/EJG2, a unit equipped with the Me-262 jet fighter. He obtained 16 victories in March and April of 1945 while piloting the 262, making him the top jet ace of WW II. His record for victories in a jet stands until this day, having been equaled in Korea by Capt. Joseph McConnell. Bars final victory count of 220 made him the eighth highest scoring ace of all time. He was killed after the War in a flying accident. The Messerschmitt Me-262 Swallow, a masterpiece of engineering, was the first operational mass-produced jet to see service. Prototype testing of the airframe commenced in 1941 utilizing a piston engine. General Adolf Galland, who was in charge of the German Fighter Forces at that time, pressured both Goring and Hitler to accelerate the Me-262, and stress its use as a fighter to defend Germany from Allied bombers. Hitler, however, envisioned the 262 as the aircraft which might allow him to inflict punishment on Britain. About 1400 Swallows were produced, but fortunately for the Allies, only about 300 saw combat duty. While the original plans for the 262 presumed the use of BMW jet engines, production Swallows were ultimately equipped with Jumo 004B turbojet engines. The wing design of the 262 necessitated the unique triangular hull section of the fuselage, giving the aircraft a shark-like appearance. With an 18 degree swept wing, the 262 was capable of Mach .86. The 262 was totally ineffective in a turning duel with Allied fighters, and was also vulnerable to attack during take off and landings. The landing gear was also suspect, and many 262s were destroyed or damaged due to landing gear failure. Despite its sleek jet-age appearance, the 262 was roughly manufactured, because Germany had lost access to its normal aircraft assembly plants. In spite of these drawbacks the 262 was effective. For example, on April 7, 1945 a force of sixty 262s took on a large force of Allied bombers with escort fighters. Armed with their four nose-mounted cannons, and underwing rockets the Swallows succeeded in downing or damaging 25 Allied B-17s on that single mission. While it is unlikely that the outcome of the War could have been altered by an earlier introduction or greater production totals for this aircraft, it is clear to many historians that the duration of the War might have been drastically lengthened if the Me-262 had not been too little too late.
Signed limited edition of 4750 prints. Print size 16 inches x 11.5 inches (41cm x 30cm) Supplied with signed and numbered certificate of authenticity.. Price £37.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee paper prints. Size 21 inches x 14 inches (53cm x 36cm). Price £109.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 45 inches x 30 inches (114cm x 76cm). Price £624.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 36 inches x 24 inches (91cm x 61cm). Price £484.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 27 inches x 18 inches (69cm x 46cm) . Price £294.00
ITEM CODE STK0100
|
|
|
Liberators by Stan Stokes.
In 1938 Consolidated Aircraft was asked by the USAAC to join in production of Americas only long range 4-engine bomber, the Boeing B-17. However, Mack Laddon, the companys Chief design engineer, convinced the Army that an alternative design, incorporating the high aspect ratio wing design of David Davis, would result in a long range heavy bomber superior to the Boeing B-17. The Army Air Corps contracted with Consolidated to build seven prototypes and these were delivered in 1940 for service trials. Consolidated Aircraft had substantial experience in producing long range flying boats, most notable of which was the PBY Catalina. The B-24 incorporated the distinctive twin tailed design of Consolidateds flying boats, and relative to the older but sleeker B-17 was quite an ugly duckling. Despite its deceiving appearance, the B-24 was produced in greater numbers (18,000) than any other American aircraft during WW II, and proved through experience to be one of the most versatile of all Allied aircraft. Nicknamed the Liberator by the British, the B-24 served in many roles. In addition to its very effective use as a strategic bomber, the aircraft proved very successful in anti-submarine activities, and as a long-haul transport for troops, fuel and supplies. The Liberator was the only American aircraft capable of non-stop transatlantic crossings during the war. First utilized by the French and British, the B-24 is credited for helping the Allies win the war in the Atlantic, where the aircrafts incredible range was an important asset. Germanys 1,200 U-Boats sank over 2,600 Allied ships during the War, and in 1942 and 1943 losses were nearly unsustainable. Until the Liberators arrived, Allied convoys lacked air cover for a 300 mile stretch of the Atlantic, and it was in this area that wolfpacks of U-Boats took a devastating toll. The Liberator was utilized in virtually all theaters of operation during the war. The B-24 was produced in several variants, of which the B-24D was the first to be mass produced. The B-24D was powered by four 1200 HP Pratt and Whitney Twin Wasp 14-cylinder radial engines which incorporated two-stage superchargers. The aircraft had a maximum speed of 303 MPH, and a range of 2,850 miles. Most Liberators were manned by a crew of nine or ten, and typical armament consisted of ten machine guns. With an official bomb capacity of 8,830 pounds the B-24D could pack quite a wallop. In his painting, artist Stan Stokes captures a pair of Liberators returning to base at dusk after a lengthy submarine patrol mission over the Atlantic in 1942.
Signed limited edition of 4750 prints. Print size 16 inches x 11.5 inches (41cm x 30cm) Supplied with signed and numbered certificate of authenticity.. Price £37.00
ITEM CODE STK0091
|
|
|
The Dragon and his Tail by Stan Stokes.
The only flyable B-24 Liberator aircraft in the world, serial no. 44-44052 is the aircraft owned and operated by the Collings Foundation, and named after The Dragon and His Tail, a lavishly decorated B-24 that flew in the Pacific during WW II. The B-24 did not get the attention or fame of the B-17 either during or after the War. With longer range and bigger bomb loads than the B-17 the B-24s were generally based far from London. As a result, most war correspondents looked for stories at the B-17 fields and avoided the long treks to the B-24 fields. The B-17 also looked more modern and more powerful, although this was not an accurate assessment. The B-24 that has been restored by the Collings Foundation was built in August 1944 by Consolidated Aircraft at the companys huge Ft. Worth assembly plant. Originally delivered to the USAAF the aircraft was shortly transferred to the Royal Air Force. Under British Flag the plane saw combat service in the Pacific in operations ranging from anti-shipping to bombing, to re-supply. At Wars end she was abandoned to an aircraft graveyard in Khanpur, India. In 1948 the aircraft was restored by the Indian Air Force and it saw service until 1968. She sat abandoned in India until 1981 when famed British aircraft collector, Doug Arnold, purchased her and had her disassembled for shipment back to England. She was sold in 1984 in “as is” condition to the Collings Foundation and was returned to America in 1984. Restoration commenced in 1985 with General Dynamics acting as a major sponsor of the restoration. More than 420,000 rivets were replaced during the restoration that involved rebuilding more than 80% of the aircraft’s parts. The completed B-24 was originally named “All American” in honor of an Army Air Force B-24 of the same name. The original All American shot down fourteen enemy fighters in a raid over Germany on July 25, 1944. That aircraft was lost on a combat mission when it was shot down over Yugoslavia in October of 1944. In 1998 the Collings Foundation renamed its B-24 The Dragon and its Tail to honor an aircraft than served with the 64th Bomb Squadron of the 43rd Bomb Group in the Pacific. The original Dragon survived the War, and was the last B-24 scrapped in Arizona. In Stan Stokes marvelous painting the original Dragon is depicted during a typical anti-shipping mission.
Signed limited edition of 4750 prints. Print size 16 inches x 11.5 inches (41cm x 30cm) Supplied with signed and numbered certificate of authenticity.. Price £37.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee paper prints. Size 21 inches x 14 inches (53cm x 36cm). Price £109.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 45 inches x 30 inches (114cm x 76cm). Price £624.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 36 inches x 24 inches (91cm x 61cm). Price £484.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 27 inches x 18 inches (69cm x 46cm). Price £294.00
ITEM CODE STK0085
|
|
|
Safe Haven by Nicolas Trudgian.
Returning from a dogfight raid over Germany, B-24s of 93rd Bomb Group fly low over an East Anglian fishing village on Britains east coast.
Signed limited edition of 1000 prints. Paper size 36 inches x 24 inches (91cm x 61cm). Price £130.00 Signed by Philip Ardrey, John Brooks, Bill Cameron and Al Shower, B-24 Aircrew, in addition to the artist.
Limited edition of artist proofs. Paper size 36 inches x 24 inches (91cm x 61cm). Price £160.00 Signed by Philip Ardrey, John Brooks, Bill Cameron and Al Shower, B-24 Aircrew, in addition to the artist.
ITEM CODE DHM2030
|
|
|
End Game by Nicolas Trudgian.
For bomber crews, any daylight-bombing mission almost certainly meant combat. If it werent the attentions of determined Luftwaffe fighter pilots, it would be an aerial carpet of flak that welcomed the bombers en route to the target - and again on the journey home. On most missions the Eighth Air Force aircrews had to contend with both. Enduring up to ten hours of concentrated flying under cramped conditions, extreme cold, with the constant noise and vibration produced by four powerful engines, made every mission uncomfortable enough without being shot at. But the USAAF aircrews confronted the odds - a one in three chance of completing a 25-mission tour of operations - cheerfully and with gallant resolve. Playing a major role in the great raids on Germany and other targets in occupied Europe from early in 1944, equipped with the Consolidated B-24 Liberator, the USAAF Second Air Division flew no fewer than 95,048 sorties. Based in Norfolk, England, the crews also attacked targets far distant in Norway, Poland and Rumania, unloading almost 100,000 tons of bombs and claiming over 1000 enemy fighters shot down.
Signed limited edition of 600 prints. Image size 28 inches x 16 inches (71cm x 41cm). Price £130.00 Signed by S/Sgt Vernon R Swain, Captain George E Hammond, T/Sgt Perry Morse, Lt Col James P Dyke, Colonel Charles H Booth, Lt Col Robert Dubowsky, S/Sgt C W Will Lundy, Captain Everett R Jones, Captain J Richard Butler and Lt Col Elmo W Geppelt, in addition to the artist.
Limited edition of 25 artist proofs. Image size 28 inches x 16 inches (71cm x 41cm). Price £180.00 Signed by S/Sgt Vernon R Swain, Captain George E Hammond, T/Sgt Perry Morse, Lt Col James P Dyke, Colonel Charles H Booth, Lt Col Robert Dubowsky, S/Sgt C W Will Lundy, Captain Everett R Jones, Captain J Richard Butler and Lt Col Elmo W Geppelt, in addition to the artist.
Limited edition of 25 remarques. Image size 28 inches x 16 inches (71cm x 41cm). Price £265.00 Signed by S/Sgt Vernon R Swain, Captain George E Hammond, T/Sgt Perry Morse, Lt Col James P Dyke, Colonel Charles H Booth, Lt Col Robert Dubowsky, S/Sgt C W Will Lundy, Captain Everett R Jones, Captain J Richard Butler and Lt Col Elmo W Geppelt, in addition to the artist.
Limited edition of 75 publishers proofs. Image size 28 inches x 16 inches (71cm x 41cm). Price £180.00 Signed by S/Sgt Vernon R Swain, Captain George E Hammond, T/Sgt Perry Morse, Lt Col James P Dyke, Colonel Charles H Booth, Lt Col Robert Dubowsky, S/Sgt C W Will Lundy, Captain Everett R Jones, Captain J Richard Butler and Lt Col Elmo W Geppelt, in addition to the artist.
ITEM CODE DHM2261
|
|
|
Operation Tidal Wave by Nicolas Trudgian.
At first light on August 1, 1943 a force of 178 B-24 Liberator bombers lifted off dusty airstrips in the Libyan desert. The target - the oil refineries at Ploesti. Depicted exiting the target at extreme low-level are B-24s of the 44th and 98th Bomb Groups, with the 98th BG B-24 Sandman in the immediate foreground. In the distance other Liberators lucky enough to have survived the fiery maelstrom make their escape. Behind them fires rage among the structures of the refinery as yet more crews enter the holocaust.
Signed limited edition of 600 prints. Paper size 30 inches x 23 inches (76cm x 58cm). Price £130.00 Signed by Major General William H Brandon, Major General Richard D Dick Butler, Colonel William R Cameron and Colonel Charles E Hughes, in addition to the aritist.
Limited edition of artist proofs. Paper size 30 inches x 23 inches (76cm x 58cm). Price £180.00 Signed by Major General William H Brandon, Major General Richard D Dick Butler, Colonel William R Cameron and Colonel Charles E Hughes, in addition to the aritist.
Limited edition of 125 publishers proofs. Paper size 30 inches x 23 inches (76cm x 58cm). Price £180.00 Signed by Major General William H Brandon, Major General Richard D Dick Butler, Colonel William R Cameron and Colonel Charles E Hughes, in addition to the aritist.
ITEM CODE DHM2449
|
Motley Crew by Tim
Fisher Depicting two B17's from 92nd bomb group having joined a lone B24
from 93rd. In the background, the distinctive triangles on the tails of
the two aircraft denote membership to the 303rd BG. Hence the title of
the painting.
Safe by Keith Woodcock Ground crew rush to the assistance of an 8th Airforce Consolidated B24D
Liberator as it slides to a halt after an emergency landing at an English
airfield following damage sustained during a mission over Germany.
Tail End Charlie by Stan Stokes.
Depicts a spectacular mission flown during wwII by a
B-24 Named the Hula Wahine under the command of Ernest Bruce.
Too Little Too Late by Stan Stokes.
Heinz Bar joined JG 51 in 1939 as a non-officer pilot.
By August of 1940 he had become the highest scoring non-officer pilot in
the Luftwaffe. Although shot down once during the Battle of Britain, Bar
survived, and was later transferred to the Eastern Front. He received
his commission and by the end of 1941 had chalked up 91 victories. By
mid-1942, with 113 victories, he was promoted to Hauptman and made Group
Commander of I/JG 77. Flying out of Sicily he participated in the siege
of Malta, and later was shifted to North Africa where he obtained
another 61 victories. With his health suffering, Heinz was reassigned to
Germany, where he flew interception missions against the steady
onslaught of Eighth Air Force bombers. With his victory total at 202,
Bar was put in command of JG 3 and later III/EJG2, a unit equipped with
the Me-262 jet fighter. He obtained 16 victories in March and April of
1945 while piloting the 262, making him the top jet ace of WW II. His
record for victories in a jet stands until this day, having been equaled
in Korea by Capt. Joseph McConnell. Bars final victory count of 220 made
him the eighth highest scoring ace of all time. He was killed after the
War in a flying accident. The Messerschmitt Me-262 Swallow, a
masterpiece of engineering, was the first operational mass-produced jet
to see service. Prototype testing of the airframe commenced in 1941
utilizing a piston engine.
General Adolf Galland, who was in charge of the German Fighter Forces at
that time, pressured both Goring and Hitler to accelerate the Me-262,
and stress its use as a fighter to defend Germany from Allied bombers.
Hitler, however, envisioned the 262 as the aircraft which might allow
him to inflict punishment on Britain. About 1400 Swallows were produced,
but fortunately for the Allies, only about 300 saw combat duty. While
the original plans for the 262 presumed the use of BMW jet engines,
production Swallows were ultimately equipped with Jumo 004B turbojet
engines. The wing design of the 262 necessitated the unique triangular
hull section of the fuselage, giving the aircraft a shark-like
appearance. With an 18 degree swept wing, the 262 was capable of Mach
.86. The 262 was totally ineffective in a turning duel with Allied
fighters, and was also vulnerable to attack during take off and
landings. The landing gear was also suspect, and many 262s were
destroyed or damaged due to landing gear failure. Despite its sleek
jet-age appearance, the 262 was roughly manufactured, because Germany
had lost access to its normal aircraft assembly plants. In spite of
these drawbacks the 262 was effective. For example, on April 7, 1945 a
force of sixty 262s took on a large force of Allied bombers with escort
fighters. Armed with their four nose-mounted cannons, and underwing
rockets the Swallows succeeded in downing or damaging 25 Allied B-17s on
that single mission. While it is unlikely that the outcome of the War
could have been altered by an earlier introduction or greater production
totals for this aircraft, it is clear to many historians that the
duration of the War might have been drastically lengthened if the Me-262
had not been too little too late.
Liberators by Stan Stokes.
In 1938 Consolidated
Aircraft was asked by the USAAC to join in production of Americas only
long range 4-engine bomber, the Boeing B-17.
However, Mack Laddon, the companys Chief design engineer,
convinced the Army that an alternative design, incorporating the high
aspect ratio wing design of David Davis, would result in a long range
heavy bomber superior to the Boeing B-17. The Army Air Corps contracted
with Consolidated to build seven prototypes and these were delivered in
1940 for service trials. Consolidated Aircraft had substantial
experience in producing long range flying boats, most notable of which
was the PBY Catalina. The B-24 incorporated the distinctive twin tailed
design of Consolidateds flying boats, and relative to the older but
sleeker B-17 was quite an ugly duckling. Despite its deceiving
appearance, the B-24 was produced in greater numbers (18,000) than any
other American aircraft during WW II, and proved through experience to
be one of the most versatile of all Allied aircraft. Nicknamed the
Liberator by the British, the B-24 served in many roles. In addition to
its very effective use as a strategic bomber, the aircraft proved very
successful in anti-submarine activities, and as a long-haul transport
for troops, fuel and supplies. The Liberator was the only American
aircraft capable of non-stop transatlantic crossings during the war.
First utilized by the French and British, the B-24 is credited for
helping the Allies win the war in the Atlantic, where the aircrafts
incredible range was an important asset. Germanys 1,200 U-Boats sank
over 2,600 Allied ships during the War, and in 1942 and 1943 losses were
nearly unsustainable. Until the Liberators arrived, Allied convoys
lacked air cover for a 300 mile stretch of the Atlantic, and it was in
this area that wolfpacks of U-Boats took a devastating toll. The
Liberator was utilized in virtually all theaters of operation during the
war. The B-24 was produced in several variants, of which the B-24D was
the first to be mass produced. The B-24D was powered by four 1200 HP
Pratt and Whitney Twin Wasp 14-cylinder radial engines which
incorporated two-stage superchargers. The aircraft had a maximum speed
of 303 MPH, and a range of 2,850 miles. Most Liberators were manned by a
crew of nine or ten, and typical armament consisted of ten machine guns.
With an official bomb capacity of 8,830 pounds the B-24D could pack
quite a wallop. In his painting, artist Stan Stokes captures a pair of
Liberators returning to base at dusk after a lengthy submarine patrol
mission over the Atlantic in 1942.
The Dragon and his Tail by Stan Stokes.
The only
flyable B-24 Liberator aircraft in the world, serial no. 44-44052 is the
aircraft owned and operated by the Collings Foundation, and named after
The Dragon and His Tail, a lavishly decorated B-24 that flew in the
Pacific during WW II. The B-24 did not get the attention or fame of the
B-17 either during or after the War. With longer range and bigger bomb
loads than the B-17 the B-24s were generally based far from London. As a
result, most war correspondents looked for stories at the B-17 fields
and avoided the long treks to the B-24 fields. The B-17 also looked more
modern and more powerful, although this was not an accurate assessment.
The B-24 that has been restored by the Collings Foundation was
built in August 1944 by Consolidated Aircraft at the companys huge Ft.
Worth assembly plant. Originally delivered to the USAAF the aircraft was
shortly transferred to the Royal Air Force. Under British Flag the plane
saw combat service in the Pacific in operations ranging from
anti-shipping to bombing, to re-supply. At Wars end she was abandoned to
an aircraft graveyard in Khanpur, India. In 1948 the aircraft was
restored by the Indian Air Force and it saw service until 1968. She sat
abandoned in India until 1981 when famed British aircraft collector,
Doug Arnold, purchased her and had her disassembled for shipment back to
England. She was sold in 1984 in “as is” condition to the Collings
Foundation and was returned to America in 1984. Restoration commenced in
1985 with General Dynamics acting as a major sponsor of the restoration.
More than 420,000 rivets were replaced during the restoration that
involved rebuilding more than 80% of the aircraft’s parts. The
completed B-24 was originally named “All American” in honor of an
Army Air Force B-24 of the same name. The original All American shot
down fourteen enemy fighters in a raid over Germany on July 25, 1944.
That aircraft was lost on a combat mission when it was shot down over
Yugoslavia in October of 1944. In 1998 the Collings Foundation renamed
its B-24 The Dragon and its Tail to honor an aircraft than served with
the 64th Bomb Squadron of the 43rd Bomb Group in
the Pacific. The original Dragon survived the War, and was the last B-24
scrapped in Arizona. In Stan Stokes marvelous painting the original
Dragon is depicted during a typical anti-shipping mission.
Safe Haven by Nicholas Trudgian Returning from a dogfight raid over Germany, B-24s of 93rd Bomb Group
fly low over an East Anglian fishing village on Britains east coast. Signed by Philip
Ardrey, John Brooks, William Cameron, Albert Shower. |
|
