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A Welcome at the Inn by Nicolas Trudgian. - Cranston Military Prints

A Welcome at the Inn by Nicolas Trudgian.


A Welcome at the Inn by Nicolas Trudgian.

The USAAF bomber bases of WWII were situated in the heart of rural England. Surrounded by countryside and pretty villages, it took the crews little time to become regulars at the nearest village inn, where traditionally there was Open House to American servicemen. A few convivial hours at the pub after a gruelling mission provided a welcome escape from the rigours of combat flying. Today, 50 years on, most of those local pubs are still there, serving up that unique brand of British hospitality which is so cherished in the memories of the USAAF aircrews. Never was the welcome at the inn more warmly appreciated than on Christmas Eve 1944. General Von Rundstedt had launched a massive offensive in the Ardennes, and the situation was critical. The Eight Air Force was called upon to mount its largest single operation of the war, and on that day over 2000 American bombers climbed into the cold air and headed for the battlefields. After fighting their way through to the target, neutralising enemy airfields, and pounding highways and railtracks, the elated crews headed home only to find the gathering mist swirling around their bases. After landing and debriefing, they were in the mood to party down at the village inn. And they did! A wonderfully nostalgic rendering of B-17s returning over a Suffolk village on that memorable Christmas Eve. His painting will bring back nostalgic memories to thousands of American servicemen who spent Christmas away from home, so long ago.
Item Code : DHM2660FLYA Welcome at the Inn by Nicolas Trudgian. - Editions AvailableExtra....

A photograph of the print :

DESCRIPTIONSIZESIGNATURESOFFERSPRICEPURCHASINGPACKS
Signed limited edition of 600 prints. Paper size 30 inches x 23 inches (76cm x 58cm)
Birdsong, George P
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE
Died : 2004
Colonel George P Birdsong (deceased)
George Birdsong was born on the 12th of October 1919 and raised in Clarksdale MS where he earned a football scholarship at Southwest MS Jr. College. Winning his pilot's wings in April, 1942 he was immediately assigned to a B-17 with the 91st BG and sent to Bassingbourn. George Birdsong arrived in England in the fall of 1942, assinged to 323rd Squadron of the 91st Bomber Group 'The Ragged Irregulars', where he was one of the first to fly daylight combat missions over Germany. On 4t
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Grim, Vernon L
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE
Captain Vernon L Grim
After joining the service in 1942, Vernon's operational squadron in England was the 407 Sqn, 92nd Bomb Group, based at Poddington, the oldest group in the ETO. Flying the B17 he participated in many of the major raids over Germany, including 4 missions to Berlin, and in the D-Day operations in occupied Europe. Later, losing an engine over Hamburg, he was glad of the help from two P38s who escorted him all the way back to England.
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Myl, James A
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE
Captain James A Myl
Jim Myl joined the USAAF in 1942. Assigned to the 511th B.S., 351st B.G., he flew his first B17 combat mission in June 1944. On 4th August he brought his badly mauled B17 safely home from Berlin, but three days later, returning from Munich, he was hit again. With his aircraft in flames, he and his crew bailed out into the North Sea, six miles from England. He and six survivors were rescued y an RAF Air Sea Search launch. He completed his tour in just 72 operational days, the fastest tour in
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Simpson, Robert
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE
Major Robert Simpson
Signing up in June 1941, Robert Simpson served both in Europe and the South Pacific. Initially with the 42nd Sqn, 11th B.G., 7th Air Force in the South Pacific, his first landing in a B17 was on a steel strip in a coconut grove. After participating in the bitter battles of the Solomons and at Guadalcanal, he transferred to Europe joining the 8th Air Force in England for the battle against Germany. During World War Two he flew both the B17 and B24.
Signature Value : £40
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

+ Artist : Nicolas Trudgian

Signature(s) value alone : £175		SOLD
OUT		NOT
AVAILABLE
Limited edition of 60 artist proofs. Paper size 30 inches x 23 inches (76cm x 58cm)
Birdsong, George P
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE
Died : 2004
Colonel George P Birdsong (deceased)
George Birdsong was born on the 12th of October 1919 and raised in Clarksdale MS where he earned a football scholarship at Southwest MS Jr. College. Winning his pilot's wings in April, 1942 he was immediately assigned to a B-17 with the 91st BG and sent to Bassingbourn. George Birdsong arrived in England in the fall of 1942, assinged to 323rd Squadron of the 91st Bomber Group 'The Ragged Irregulars', where he was one of the first to fly daylight combat missions over Germany. On 4t
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Grim, Vernon L
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE
Captain Vernon L Grim
After joining the service in 1942, Vernon's operational squadron in England was the 407 Sqn, 92nd Bomb Group, based at Poddington, the oldest group in the ETO. Flying the B17 he participated in many of the major raids over Germany, including 4 missions to Berlin, and in the D-Day operations in occupied Europe. Later, losing an engine over Hamburg, he was glad of the help from two P38s who escorted him all the way back to England.
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Myl, James A
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE
Captain James A Myl
Jim Myl joined the USAAF in 1942. Assigned to the 511th B.S., 351st B.G., he flew his first B17 combat mission in June 1944. On 4th August he brought his badly mauled B17 safely home from Berlin, but three days later, returning from Munich, he was hit again. With his aircraft in flames, he and his crew bailed out into the North Sea, six miles from England. He and six survivors were rescued y an RAF Air Sea Search launch. He completed his tour in just 72 operational days, the fastest tour in
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Simpson, Robert
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE
Major Robert Simpson
Signing up in June 1941, Robert Simpson served both in Europe and the South Pacific. Initially with the 42nd Sqn, 11th B.G., 7th Air Force in the South Pacific, his first landing in a B17 was on a steel strip in a coconut grove. After participating in the bitter battles of the Solomons and at Guadalcanal, he transferred to Europe joining the 8th Air Force in England for the battle against Germany. During World War Two he flew both the B17 and B24.
Signature Value : £40
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

+ Artist : Nicolas Trudgian

Signature(s) value alone : £175		£100 Off!
Add any two items on this offer to your basket, and the lower priced item will be half price in the checkout!		Now : £340.00

Quantity:
Limited edition of 75 publishers proofs. Paper size 30 inches x 23 inches (76cm x 58cm)
Birdsong, George P
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE
Died : 2004
Colonel George P Birdsong (deceased)
George Birdsong was born on the 12th of October 1919 and raised in Clarksdale MS where he earned a football scholarship at Southwest MS Jr. College. Winning his pilot's wings in April, 1942 he was immediately assigned to a B-17 with the 91st BG and sent to Bassingbourn. George Birdsong arrived in England in the fall of 1942, assinged to 323rd Squadron of the 91st Bomber Group 'The Ragged Irregulars', where he was one of the first to fly daylight combat missions over Germany. On 4t
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Grim, Vernon L
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE
Captain Vernon L Grim
After joining the service in 1942, Vernon's operational squadron in England was the 407 Sqn, 92nd Bomb Group, based at Poddington, the oldest group in the ETO. Flying the B17 he participated in many of the major raids over Germany, including 4 missions to Berlin, and in the D-Day operations in occupied Europe. Later, losing an engine over Hamburg, he was glad of the help from two P38s who escorted him all the way back to England.
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Myl, James A
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE
Captain James A Myl
Jim Myl joined the USAAF in 1942. Assigned to the 511th B.S., 351st B.G., he flew his first B17 combat mission in June 1944. On 4th August he brought his badly mauled B17 safely home from Berlin, but three days later, returning from Munich, he was hit again. With his aircraft in flames, he and his crew bailed out into the North Sea, six miles from England. He and six survivors were rescued y an RAF Air Sea Search launch. He completed his tour in just 72 operational days, the fastest tour in
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Simpson, Robert
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE
Major Robert Simpson
Signing up in June 1941, Robert Simpson served both in Europe and the South Pacific. Initially with the 42nd Sqn, 11th B.G., 7th Air Force in the South Pacific, his first landing in a B17 was on a steel strip in a coconut grove. After participating in the bitter battles of the Solomons and at Guadalcanal, he transferred to Europe joining the 8th Air Force in England for the battle against Germany. During World War Two he flew both the B17 and B24.
Signature Value : £40
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

+ Artist : Nicolas Trudgian

Signature(s) value alone : £175		£80 Off!
Add any two items on this offer to your basket, and the lower priced item will be half price in the checkout!		Now : £320.00

Quantity:
Nicolas Trudgian Promotional Flyer. A5 Size Double Sheet 6 inches x 8 inches (15m x 21cm)none£2.00

Quantity:


Some other related items available from this site.

Part of a small print series of six American WW2 aircraft, signed by some of the great American pilots, some no longer with us. Cranston Fine Arts have purchased the last remaining stocks of this aviation series.

B-17 Flying Fortress by Nicolas Trudgian. 		The relieved but weary crew members of Ol Gappy of the 379th Bomb Group, as they nurse their battle scarred B-17G back to their base at Kimbolton. Close behind them, the remainder of the group, relieved to see familiar territory, makes its final approach after the grueling mission to Meresburg on 11 September 1944.

A Welcome Return by Anthony Saunders. 		The relieved but weary crew members of Ol Gappy of the 379th Bomb Group, as they nurse their battle scarred B-17G back to their base at Kimbolton. Close behind them, the remainder of the group, relieved to see familiar territory, makes its final approach after the grueling mission to Meresburg on 11 September 1944.

A Welcome Return by Anthony Saunders.		It required more than a little nerve to fly a fighter into the barrage of fire sprayed out by the gunners of a box of B17 bombers; it took even greater courage to do so in the rocket propelled Me163 Komet. With rocket science still in its infancy, these small aircraft were still in the experimental stage, and piloting what amounted to a flying bomb was in itself a perilous business, let alone flying them into combat. But these were desperate times. The day and night bombing assault on Germany was bringing the mighty war machine to its knees, and aything that might help stem the tide was thrown into battle. Powered by a mixture of two highly volatile chemicals, the slightest leak, or heavy landing could cause a huge explosion, and the mix was so corrosive that in the event of even a minor accident, the pilot could literally be dissolved. Sitting in a cramped cockpit, surrounded by dangerous chemicals and ammunition, the intrepid aviator would be launched into the sky on what was, at best, a four minute mission. After, hopefully, engaing the enemy, he would glide powerlessly back to the nearest airfield to be refuelled so as to attempt the hazardous operation all over again. Though limited to a handful of victories, the Komet did make the Allied crews wonder what else the Luftwaffe had hidden up its sleeve, and had the distinction of being the forerunner of aircraft technology that eventually took aircraft into space. Capable of nearly 600mph and climbing to 30,000ft in less than two minutes, this tiny rocket propelled Me163 Komet was typical of Germanys ingenuity in its desperate attempts to stem the havoc being wreaked by the USAAFs daylight bombers.

Rocket Attack by Nicolas Trudgian
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


Colonel George P Birdsong (deceased)
Died : 2004
*Signature Value : £45

Editions signed :

Signed limited edition of 600 prints.
Limited edition of 60 artist proofs.
Limited edition of 75 publishers proofs.


Birdsong, George P
(Colonel George P Birdsong (deceased))

George Birdsong was born on the 12th of October 1919 and raised in Clarksdale MS where he earned a football scholarship at Southwest MS Jr. College. Winning his pilot's wings in April, 1942 he was immediately assigned to a B-17 with the 91st BG and sent to Bassingbourn. George Birdsong arrived in England in the fall of 1942, assinged to 323rd Squadron of the 91st Bomber Group 'The Ragged Irregulars', where he was one of the first to fly daylight combat missions over Germany. On 4th March 1942, George took part in the famous raid on Hamm, the 91st being the first group to attack a target on the Ruhr. His aircraft - Delta Rebel #2 - made claim to being the first US bomber in World War II to complete 25 combat sorties. George Birdsong remained in the US Air Force experiencing four wars, flying a combat tour in B/17s and B-19s, B-47s, B-52s and B-58s during the Korean and Cold Wars. He was a Wing Commander of the 633rd Special Operations wings, Piciku Airbase in the Central Highlands of Vietnam where he flew A-1 Skyraiders. He survived over 245 combat missions including 220 in Vietnam and his combined military service was 32 years. Sadly Colonel George Purnell Birdsong Jr passed away on the 9th of July 2004 at the age of 84. Colonel Birdsong was buried with full military honors at Arlington Cemetery VA.


Captain Vernon L Grim
*Signature Value : £45

Editions signed :

Signed limited edition of 600 prints.
Limited edition of 60 artist proofs.
Limited edition of 75 publishers proofs.


Grim, Vernon L
(Captain Vernon L Grim)

After joining the service in 1942, Vernon's operational squadron in England was the 407 Sqn, 92nd Bomb Group, based at Poddington, the oldest group in the ETO. Flying the B17 he participated in many of the major raids over Germany, including 4 missions to Berlin, and in the D-Day operations in occupied Europe. Later, losing an engine over Hamburg, he was glad of the help from two P38s who escorted him all the way back to England.


Captain James A Myl
*Signature Value : £45

Editions signed :

Signed limited edition of 600 prints.
Limited edition of 60 artist proofs.
Limited edition of 75 publishers proofs.


Myl, James A
(Captain James A Myl)

Jim Myl joined the USAAF in 1942. Assigned to the 511th B.S., 351st B.G., he flew his first B17 combat mission in June 1944. On 4th August he brought his badly mauled B17 safely home from Berlin, but three days later, returning from Munich, he was hit again. With his aircraft in flames, he and his crew bailed out into the North Sea, six miles from England. He and six survivors were rescued y an RAF Air Sea Search launch. He completed his tour in just 72 operational days, the fastest tour in the 8th Air Force.


Major Robert Simpson
*Signature Value : £40

Editions signed :

Signed limited edition of 600 prints.
Limited edition of 60 artist proofs.
Limited edition of 75 publishers proofs.


Simpson, Robert
(Major Robert Simpson)

Signing up in June 1941, Robert Simpson served both in Europe and the South Pacific. Initially with the 42nd Sqn, 11th B.G., 7th Air Force in the South Pacific, his first landing in a B17 was on a steel strip in a coconut grove. After participating in the bitter battles of the Solomons and at Guadalcanal, he transferred to Europe joining the 8th Air Force in England for the battle against Germany. During World War Two he flew both the B17 and B24.
Aircraft Related to This Print
Flying Fortress

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