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Heaven Can Wait by Nicolas Trudgian. - Cranston Military Prints

Heaven Can Wait by Nicolas Trudgian.


Heaven Can Wait by Nicolas Trudgian.

B-17 Fortresses of the Bloody Hundredth- the Eighth Air Forces 100th Bomb Group - return to Thorpe Abbotts following a raid on enemy oil refineries, September 11, 1944. Nicolas Trudgians moving tribute to the Bloody Hundredth shows the imaginatively named B-17, Heaven Can Wait, on final approach to Thorpe Abbotts after the intense battle on September 11, 1944. Skilfully piloted by Harry Hempy, the seriously damaged B-17G has struggled 500 miles home on two engines to make it back to England. They lost their tail gunner that fateful day. Below the descending bomber stream, an agricultural traction engine peacefully ploughs the wheat stubble in preparation for next year's vital crop, the farm workers oblivious to the unimaginable traumas so recently experienced by the crews of the returning B-17 Fortresses.

Signed by four pilots and crew who flew with the 100th Bomb Group in Europe during World War II.
Published in 1999 - Issue price was £120.
Item Code : DHM2592YHeaven Can Wait by Nicolas Trudgian. - Editions AvailableExtra....



A photograph of one of the editions.

DESCRIPTIONSIZESIGNATURESOFFERSPRICEPURCHASINGPACKS
Signed limited edition of 500 prints.
Great value : Value of signatures exceeds price of item!
Print paper size 30.5 inches x 24 inches (77cm x 61cm)
Cervantes, Henry Hank

Lt Col Henry Hank Cervantes
Lt Col. Henry Cervantes was born in Fresno, California in October 1923. He joined the US Air Force and graduated on the 27th June 1944. Lt Col. Henry Cervantes was one of only a few Mexican American Pilots, of The Bloody100th Bombardment Group flying B-17s. On 18th March 1945 he flew on the last Eighth Air Force mission to Berlin, and on 7th April got home safely after his B-17 E-Z Goin' was badly damaged in a head-on attack by Me109s of Rammkommando Elbe.
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Hempy, Harry M
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE

Died : 2010
Cpt Harry M Hempy (deceased)
The pilot and captain of Heaven Can Wait, Harry Hempy flew his first combat mission on 2nd August 1944. On 11th September he brought the aircraft safely home on three engines after the momentous battle over Ruhrland, a feat he repeated another four times during his tour. His crew destroyed five enemy aircraft. Harry flew to all the big targets, including Berlin, Cologne and Hanover. In total he completed 35 missions. He died on 21st September 2010.
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Keenan, Joseph Joe
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE

Stf Sgt Joseph Joe Keenan
Joe Keenan joined the 100th Bomb Group at Thorpe Abbotts as a ball turret gunner. He flew 35 combat missions in B-17 Andy's Dandy, including five missions to Berlin in May 1944, dropped arms and supplies to the French Resistance, and flew on D-Day, 6th June 1944.
Signature Value : £40
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Mack, James
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE

Tech Sgt James Mack
Pilot James Mack flew the first of his 26 combat missions with the 100th Bomb Group in September 1943. He flew to Berlin three times in March 1944, and also to Schweinfurt, Dresden and a heavy-water plant in Norway. After completing his first tour he signed up to train as a waist-gunner for a further 30 missions, but the war ended before he was needed.
Signature Value : £40
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

+ Artist : Nicolas Trudgian


Signature(s) value alone : £170
£60 Off!
Add any two items on this offer to your basket, and the lower priced item will be half price in the checkout!
Now : £160.00

Quantity:
In 3 Pairs
and 1 Pack
View
Limited edition 25 artist proof editions. Print paper size 30.5 inches x 24 inches (77cm x 61cm)
Cervantes, Henry Hank

Lt Col Henry Hank Cervantes
Lt Col. Henry Cervantes was born in Fresno, California in October 1923. He joined the US Air Force and graduated on the 27th June 1944. Lt Col. Henry Cervantes was one of only a few Mexican American Pilots, of The Bloody100th Bombardment Group flying B-17s. On 18th March 1945 he flew on the last Eighth Air Force mission to Berlin, and on 7th April got home safely after his B-17 E-Z Goin' was badly damaged in a head-on attack by Me109s of Rammkommando Elbe.
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Hempy, Harry M
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE

Died : 2010
Cpt Harry M Hempy (deceased)
The pilot and captain of Heaven Can Wait, Harry Hempy flew his first combat mission on 2nd August 1944. On 11th September he brought the aircraft safely home on three engines after the momentous battle over Ruhrland, a feat he repeated another four times during his tour. His crew destroyed five enemy aircraft. Harry flew to all the big targets, including Berlin, Cologne and Hanover. In total he completed 35 missions. He died on 21st September 2010.
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Keenan, Joseph Joe
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE

Stf Sgt Joseph Joe Keenan
Joe Keenan joined the 100th Bomb Group at Thorpe Abbotts as a ball turret gunner. He flew 35 combat missions in B-17 Andy's Dandy, including five missions to Berlin in May 1944, dropped arms and supplies to the French Resistance, and flew on D-Day, 6th June 1944.
Signature Value : £40
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Mack, James
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE

Tech Sgt James Mack
Pilot James Mack flew the first of his 26 combat missions with the 100th Bomb Group in September 1943. He flew to Berlin three times in March 1944, and also to Schweinfurt, Dresden and a heavy-water plant in Norway. After completing his first tour he signed up to train as a waist-gunner for a further 30 missions, but the war ended before he was needed.
Signature Value : £40
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

+ Artist : Nicolas Trudgian


Signature(s) value alone : £170
SOLD
OUT
NOT
AVAILABLE
Promotional Flyer A4 Size Double Sheet 11.5 inches x 8 inches (30m x 21cm)noneAdd any two items on this offer to your basket, and the lower priced item will be half price in the checkout!£2.00

Quantity:
Signed limited edition of 500 prints. Print paper size 30.5 inches x 24 inches (77cm x 61cm)
Cervantes, Henry Hank

Lt Col Henry Hank Cervantes
Lt Col. Henry Cervantes was born in Fresno, California in October 1923. He joined the US Air Force and graduated on the 27th June 1944. Lt Col. Henry Cervantes was one of only a few Mexican American Pilots, of The Bloody100th Bombardment Group flying B-17s. On 18th March 1945 he flew on the last Eighth Air Force mission to Berlin, and on 7th April got home safely after his B-17 E-Z Goin' was badly damaged in a head-on attack by Me109s of Rammkommando Elbe.
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Hempy, Harry M
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE

Died : 2010
Cpt Harry M Hempy (deceased)
The pilot and captain of Heaven Can Wait, Harry Hempy flew his first combat mission on 2nd August 1944. On 11th September he brought the aircraft safely home on three engines after the momentous battle over Ruhrland, a feat he repeated another four times during his tour. His crew destroyed five enemy aircraft. Harry flew to all the big targets, including Berlin, Cologne and Hanover. In total he completed 35 missions. He died on 21st September 2010.
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Keenan, Joseph Joe
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE

Stf Sgt Joseph Joe Keenan
Joe Keenan joined the 100th Bomb Group at Thorpe Abbotts as a ball turret gunner. He flew 35 combat missions in B-17 Andy's Dandy, including five missions to Berlin in May 1944, dropped arms and supplies to the French Resistance, and flew on D-Day, 6th June 1944.
Signature Value : £40
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Mack, James
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE

Tech Sgt James Mack
Pilot James Mack flew the first of his 26 combat missions with the 100th Bomb Group in September 1943. He flew to Berlin three times in March 1944, and also to Schweinfurt, Dresden and a heavy-water plant in Norway. After completing his first tour he signed up to train as a waist-gunner for a further 30 missions, but the war ended before he was needed.
Signature Value : £40
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

+ Artist : Nicolas Trudgian


Signature(s) value alone : £170
SOLD
OUT
NOT
AVAILABLE
** (Ex Display) Signed limited edition of 500 prints. (Three copies reduced to clear)
Great value : Value of signatures exceeds price of item!
Print paper size 30.5 inches x 24 inches (77cm x 61cm)
Cervantes, Henry Hank

Lt Col Henry Hank Cervantes
Lt Col. Henry Cervantes was born in Fresno, California in October 1923. He joined the US Air Force and graduated on the 27th June 1944. Lt Col. Henry Cervantes was one of only a few Mexican American Pilots, of The Bloody100th Bombardment Group flying B-17s. On 18th March 1945 he flew on the last Eighth Air Force mission to Berlin, and on 7th April got home safely after his B-17 E-Z Goin' was badly damaged in a head-on attack by Me109s of Rammkommando Elbe.
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Hempy, Harry M
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE

Died : 2010
Cpt Harry M Hempy (deceased)
The pilot and captain of Heaven Can Wait, Harry Hempy flew his first combat mission on 2nd August 1944. On 11th September he brought the aircraft safely home on three engines after the momentous battle over Ruhrland, a feat he repeated another four times during his tour. His crew destroyed five enemy aircraft. Harry flew to all the big targets, including Berlin, Cologne and Hanover. In total he completed 35 missions. He died on 21st September 2010.
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Keenan, Joseph Joe
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE

Stf Sgt Joseph Joe Keenan
Joe Keenan joined the 100th Bomb Group at Thorpe Abbotts as a ball turret gunner. He flew 35 combat missions in B-17 Andy's Dandy, including five missions to Berlin in May 1944, dropped arms and supplies to the French Resistance, and flew on D-Day, 6th June 1944.
Signature Value : £40
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Mack, James
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE

Tech Sgt James Mack
Pilot James Mack flew the first of his 26 combat missions with the 100th Bomb Group in September 1943. He flew to Berlin three times in March 1944, and also to Schweinfurt, Dresden and a heavy-water plant in Norway. After completing his first tour he signed up to train as a waist-gunner for a further 30 missions, but the war ended before he was needed.
Signature Value : £40
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

+ Artist : Nicolas Trudgian


Signature(s) value alone : £170
£90 Off!Now : £130.00

Quantity:


Some other related items available from this site.

 Like many other missions they had undertaken in the summer of 1944, this one had been particularly cold, tough and dangerous for pilot Harry Seip and the crew of B17G <i>Silver Meteor</i>.  The First Lieutenant and his men had set out on that morning, 11th July 1944, from a peaceful Framlingham, on another arduous mission to Munich.  With their bomb load dropped the crew headed for home, but the battle-scarred Fortress had been hit more than once, leaving the inner port engine shot out and <i>Silver Meteor</i> had steadily dropped behind the fast-disappearing bomber stream.  Things were not looking good for Harry and his crew as the Luftwaffe fighters circled like sharks, closing in for an easy kill.  Luckily the enemy pilots were not the only ones that had spotted the ailing Fortress.  The P-51s of two of the best Aces in the Eighth Air Force - Bud Anderson and Kit Carson - had also seen the danger and came tearing out of the blue sky into the action.  Within minutes the German pilots had fled and the crew of <i>Silver Meteor</i> could breathe a sigh of relief.  With these two legendary Aces guiding them home, Harry and his men would survive to fight another day.  Harry Seip is now the last surviving member of the crew of <i>Silver Meteor</i>.  This remarkable event has lived vividly in his memory since the war and he has always been thankful to Bud Anderson for saving his life and those of his men.  Unfortunately, these two outstanding heroes have never been able to meet, but thanks to this new edition both can finally come together to add authenticity to this remarkable story by personally signing this poignant edition.
Wounded Warrior by Richard Taylor.
 It was in 1941 that the remarkable Focke-Wulfe FW190 first appeared in the skies of Europe, quickly establishing itself as a most formidable adversary. It proved to be the supreme weapon against all allied bomber forces. Here FW190A-8 of 1 Gruppe, Jagdgeschwader 1 is shown attacking a B17G of 381st Bomb Group during a critical defence of the Reich in 1944.

Cat Among the Pigeons (FW190) by Ivan Berryman.
 The B-17 Flying Fortress, was one of the most acclaimed aircraft of WW II. It is also one of those uniquely popular warbirds which has attracted more than its fair share of romance and nostalgia over the years. Nearly 13,000 of these aircraft were produced. The origins of the B-17 dates to 1934 when the Boeing company was authorized to build a prototype of a long-range, metal, monoplane, medium bomber which was designated Model 299. During the first public exposure of the prototype a reporter from the Seattle Daily Times coined the term flying fortress in his description of the new sleek, heavily armed aircraft. Boeings public relations department liked this reference, and shortly thereafter the aircraft became known as the Flying Fortress. Boeing received an initial order for 13 aircraft, designated the YB-17, and these aircraft were delivered in 1937. Later that year Boeing obtained orders for several enhanced models, which were designated B-17Bs. These aircraft had supercharged engines permitting higher ceilings, redesigned nose sections, hydraulic brakes, and larger rudders. With the outbreak of WWII the first Flying Fortresses were used by the RAF. Early experience by the RAF underscored the need for increased defensive firepower. Boeing responded by redesigning the entire rear fuselage on the aircraft, and incorporating a rear gun and a remotely controlled under belly turret gun. The resulting B-17E was only slightly slower than its predecessor at 317 MPH, and in mid-1942 the USAAF began moving B-17 units to the United Kingdom.  These were primarily B-17Fs. Flying Fortresses had the ability to take a lot of punishment. The aircrafts flying characteristics were excellent, and it was not unusual for  B-17s to return to base with large sections of wing surface or tail fin missing. The first B-17G  models began to see action late in 1943, and were, along with the B-24 Liberators, carried the brunt of the USAAF daylight bombing campaign against targets of strategic significance. Such missions were exceedingly dangerous until only very late in the War. Luftwaffe pilots learned to attack B-17s head-on from the 12 oclock position, as this was the most vulnerable area to attack, and one in which crew injury was the most likely. Aviation artist Stan Stokes, in his painting entitled Rubys Fortress, shows a B-17G of the 8th Air Forces 385th Bomber Group over Germany in 1945. The aircraft in the foreground was named for Cpl. Ruby Newell of Long Beach, California. Ms. Newell was voted the most attractive WAC in England in 1944. The nose art painted by Cpl. Ploss was a fitting tribute, and such nose art was a great morale booster for bomber crews and ground support staff. Many B-17s were named after women, appropriate considering the fact that during wartime the majority of the people which built these planes were women.

Ruby's Fortress by Stan Stokes.
 December 10th 1941, Just three days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, captain Colin Kellys 19th BG B-17C is heavily outnumbered by Zeros as it returns to Clark Field after completing a successful bombing attack. With his aircraft on fire. Kelly remained at the controls whilst his crew bailed out. Seconds later the B-17 exploded. Colin Kelly gave his life and was posthumously awarded the DFC. A legend was born.

Legend of Colin Kelly by Robert Taylor.
Signatures on these products
*The value given for each signature has been calculated by us based on the historical significance and rarity of the signature and is for the unmatted version where available. Values of many pilot signatures have risen in recent years and will likely continue to rise as they become more and more rare.
NameInfo




Lt Col Henry Hank Cervantes
*Signature Value : £45

Editions signed :

Signed limited edition of 500 prints.
Limited edition 25 artist proof editions.
Signed limited edition of 500 prints.
** (Ex Display) Signed limited edition of 500 prints. (Three copies reduced to clear)


Cervantes, Henry Hank
(Lt Col Henry Hank Cervantes)

Lt Col. Henry Cervantes was born in Fresno, California in October 1923. He joined the US Air Force and graduated on the 27th June 1944. Lt Col. Henry Cervantes was one of only a few Mexican American Pilots, of The Bloody100th Bombardment Group flying B-17s. On 18th March 1945 he flew on the last Eighth Air Force mission to Berlin, and on 7th April got home safely after his B-17 E-Z Goin' was badly damaged in a head-on attack by Me109s of Rammkommando Elbe.


Cpt Harry M Hempy (deceased)
Died : 2010
*Signature Value : £45

Editions signed :

Signed limited edition of 500 prints.
Limited edition 25 artist proof editions.
Signed limited edition of 500 prints.
** (Ex Display) Signed limited edition of 500 prints. (Three copies reduced to clear)


Hempy, Harry M
(Cpt Harry M Hempy (deceased))

The pilot and captain of Heaven Can Wait, Harry Hempy flew his first combat mission on 2nd August 1944. On 11th September he brought the aircraft safely home on three engines after the momentous battle over Ruhrland, a feat he repeated another four times during his tour. His crew destroyed five enemy aircraft. Harry flew to all the big targets, including Berlin, Cologne and Hanover. In total he completed 35 missions. He died on 21st September 2010.


Stf Sgt Joseph Joe Keenan
*Signature Value : £40

Editions signed :

Signed limited edition of 500 prints.
Limited edition 25 artist proof editions.
Signed limited edition of 500 prints.
** (Ex Display) Signed limited edition of 500 prints. (Three copies reduced to clear)


Keenan, Joseph Joe
(Stf Sgt Joseph Joe Keenan)

Joe Keenan joined the 100th Bomb Group at Thorpe Abbotts as a ball turret gunner. He flew 35 combat missions in B-17 Andy's Dandy, including five missions to Berlin in May 1944, dropped arms and supplies to the French Resistance, and flew on D-Day, 6th June 1944.


Tech Sgt James Mack
*Signature Value : £40

Editions signed :

Signed limited edition of 500 prints.
Limited edition 25 artist proof editions.
Signed limited edition of 500 prints.
** (Ex Display) Signed limited edition of 500 prints. (Three copies reduced to clear)


Mack, James
(Tech Sgt James Mack)

Pilot James Mack flew the first of his 26 combat missions with the 100th Bomb Group in September 1943. He flew to Berlin three times in March 1944, and also to Schweinfurt, Dresden and a heavy-water plant in Norway. After completing his first tour he signed up to train as a waist-gunner for a further 30 missions, but the war ended before he was needed.
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100th Bomb Group
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