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Clearing Skies by Robert Taylor. - Cranston Military Prints

Clearing Skies by Robert Taylor.


Clearing Skies by Robert Taylor.

The winter of 1944 / 45 wasn't the coldest ever recorded in England but it came close. The weather was bitter and, in what would turn out to be the last Christmas of the war, temperatures plunged across the country, bringing ice, freezing fog and deep banks of drifting snow. Airfields across East Anglia stood bleak and frost-bound, runways kept clear of snow when conditions allowed, whilst the heavy bombers of the US Eighth Air Force remained under wraps, engines oiled, warmed and ready for any break in the banks of murky fog that would allow them to fly. And when those breaks came, the bombers were back in action ready to play their part in the final destruction of Hitler's Third Reich. The end game was rapidly approaching and both sides knew it. Clearing Skies portrays one such break in the weather when, with recent heavy snow beginning to thaw, the B-17 Fortresses of the famous 100th Bomb Group at Thorpe Abbotts in Norfolk are being prepared for a new mission to Germany in early 1945. Earning the nickname 'The Bloody Hundredth' due to the heavy losses they suffered, Robert has fittingly chosen the 100th BG to represent all those who flew so heroically with the Eighth Air Force in England during World War II. The Eighth flew its final bomber operations of the war on 25th April 1945, the last of 968 combat missions involving over 523,000 sorties; they had dropped some 700,000 tons of bombs, inflicting destruction on a scale from which the enemy could never recover. Yet the cost of the victory in which they had played such a major part made for sober reading; they had lost some 6,130 bombers and fighters along with some 47,000 casualties, including more than 26,000 dead - half of the entire US Army Air Force losses during the conflict.
Item Code : DHM6621BClearing Skies by Robert Taylor. - Editions Available
DESCRIPTIONSIZESIGNATURESOFFERSPRICEPURCHASINGPACKS
Signed limited edition of 350 prints. Image size 29 inches x 12.5 inches (74cm x 32cm) Paper size 35.5 inches x 21 inches (89cm x 53cm)
Shoens, Robert J
Captain Robert J Shoens
Serving as First Pilot on B-17 Our Gal Sal with the 351st Bomb Squadron, Bob's first mission was on 5th January 1944 and he went on to complete a total of 28 missions. These included the first major daylight raids to Berlin on 3rd, 4th, 6th and 8th March 1944, in fact his crew were the only 351st aircraft to return from the raid on 6th March. He was awarded the DFC, Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters and ETO ribbon with one Battle Star.
Signature Value : £10
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Clark, John A
First Lieutenant John A Clark
As a Co-Pilot John served on three crews with the 418th Bomb Squadron on B-17s Lucky Lassie and Miss Conduct. His first mission was flown on 10th September 1944 to Mainz and by the end of hostilities he had completed a total of 32 operations. He was awarded the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters, ETO ribbon with three Battle Stars, French Croix de Guerre with Palm and French Legion of Honor.
Signature Value : £10
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Rasmussen, James S
First Lieutenant James S Rasmussen
Joining the 349th Bomb Squadron as a Navigator, Jim's first mission aboard Lassie Come Home was a raid to Frankfurt on 5th January 1945. He went on to complete a total of 33 raids over Europe and was awarded the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters and ETO ribbon with three Battle Stars.
Signature Value : £10
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

+ Artist : Robert Taylor

Signature(s) value alone : £30		£195.00

Quantity:
Collector's edition of 25 artist proofs. Image size 29 inches x 12.5 inches (74cm x 32cm) Paper size 35.5 inches x 21 inches (89cm x 53cm)
Shoens, Robert J
Captain Robert J Shoens
Serving as First Pilot on B-17 Our Gal Sal with the 351st Bomb Squadron, Bob's first mission was on 5th January 1944 and he went on to complete a total of 28 missions. These included the first major daylight raids to Berlin on 3rd, 4th, 6th and 8th March 1944, in fact his crew were the only 351st aircraft to return from the raid on 6th March. He was awarded the DFC, Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters and ETO ribbon with one Battle Star.
Signature Value : £10
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Clark, John A
First Lieutenant John A Clark
As a Co-Pilot John served on three crews with the 418th Bomb Squadron on B-17s Lucky Lassie and Miss Conduct. His first mission was flown on 10th September 1944 to Mainz and by the end of hostilities he had completed a total of 32 operations. He was awarded the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters, ETO ribbon with three Battle Stars, French Croix de Guerre with Palm and French Legion of Honor.
Signature Value : £10
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Rasmussen, James S
First Lieutenant James S Rasmussen
Joining the 349th Bomb Squadron as a Navigator, Jim's first mission aboard Lassie Come Home was a raid to Frankfurt on 5th January 1945. He went on to complete a total of 33 raids over Europe and was awarded the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters and ETO ribbon with three Battle Stars.
Signature Value : £10
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Luckadoo, John H
Major John H Luckadoo
Part of the original cadre of the 100th Bomb Group, John's first mission as a Co-Pilot was on 26th June 1943 on a raid to Le Mans, France. By 13th February he had completed 25 operations which included missions as Co-Pilot, Pilot and Command Pilot. He went on to become Squadron Operaions Officer for the 351st and 350th Bomb Squadrons and was awarded the DFC, Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and the French Legion of Honor.
Signature Value : £10
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Payne, Lewis D
Staff Sergeant Lewis D Payne
As a Waist Gunner with the 349th Bomb Squadron Lewis' first mission was on 6th July 1944. On 5th August he flew in the Ball Turret with another crew but it turned out to be his 14th and final mission after getting wounded. He was awarded a Purple Heart and Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster.
Signature Value : £10
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Arreola, Albert J
Staff Sergeant Albert J Arreola
Al served as a Ball Turret Gunner with the 351st Bomb Squadron. His first mission in April 1944 was aboard B-17 Their Latest Rumour and he went on to complete a total of 35 raids on Europe including D-Day 6th June which was his 21st. He was awarded the DFC, Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, French Legion of Honor and the ETO ribbon with three Battle Stars.
Signature Value : £10
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Freitas, Albert M
Staff Sergeant Albert M Freitas
Part of the original cadre of the 100th Bomb Group, he served as a Radio Operator with the 350th Bomb Squadron. Albert's first mission was in June 1943 and he went on to complete 23 operations, including Regensburg on 17th August 1943, before being shot down on 28th April 1944 over Sottevast, France. He was captured and remained a PoW until the end of hostilities. His awards include a Purple Heart, Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and ETO ribbon with three Battle Stars.
Signature Value : £10
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Herron, Lewis E
Staff Sergeant Lewis E Herron
As a Tail Gunner with the 350th Bomb Squadron Lewis served on B-17 Heaven Sent. On 24th August 1944 he flew his first raid to Rhuland, Germany, and went on to complete a total of 33 missions over Europe. He was awarded the Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters and the French Legion of Honor.
Signature Value : £10
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Urice, Joe R
Staff Sergeant Joe R Urice
As a Tail Gunner with the 351st Bomb Squadron, Joe's first mission was on 13th January 1945 and he went on to complete a total of 13 missions aboard B-17s One Time and Pard before the end of hostilities. He was awarded the Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster and ETO ribbon with two Battle Stars.
Signature Value : £10
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

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

+ Artist : Robert Taylor

Signature(s) value alone : £135		£375.00

Quantity:
Collector's edition of 75 prints. Image size 29 inches x 12.5 inches (74cm x 32cm) Paper size 35.5 inches x 21 inches (89cm x 53cm)
Shoens, Robert J
Captain Robert J Shoens
Serving as First Pilot on B-17 Our Gal Sal with the 351st Bomb Squadron, Bob's first mission was on 5th January 1944 and he went on to complete a total of 28 missions. These included the first major daylight raids to Berlin on 3rd, 4th, 6th and 8th March 1944, in fact his crew were the only 351st aircraft to return from the raid on 6th March. He was awarded the DFC, Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters and ETO ribbon with one Battle Star.
Signature Value : £10
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Clark, John A
First Lieutenant John A Clark
As a Co-Pilot John served on three crews with the 418th Bomb Squadron on B-17s Lucky Lassie and Miss Conduct. His first mission was flown on 10th September 1944 to Mainz and by the end of hostilities he had completed a total of 32 operations. He was awarded the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters, ETO ribbon with three Battle Stars, French Croix de Guerre with Palm and French Legion of Honor.
Signature Value : £10
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Rasmussen, James S
First Lieutenant James S Rasmussen
Joining the 349th Bomb Squadron as a Navigator, Jim's first mission aboard Lassie Come Home was a raid to Frankfurt on 5th January 1945. He went on to complete a total of 33 raids over Europe and was awarded the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters and ETO ribbon with three Battle Stars.
Signature Value : £10
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Luckadoo, John H
Major John H Luckadoo
Part of the original cadre of the 100th Bomb Group, John's first mission as a Co-Pilot was on 26th June 1943 on a raid to Le Mans, France. By 13th February he had completed 25 operations which included missions as Co-Pilot, Pilot and Command Pilot. He went on to become Squadron Operaions Officer for the 351st and 350th Bomb Squadrons and was awarded the DFC, Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and the French Legion of Honor.
Signature Value : £10
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Payne, Lewis D
Staff Sergeant Lewis D Payne
As a Waist Gunner with the 349th Bomb Squadron Lewis' first mission was on 6th July 1944. On 5th August he flew in the Ball Turret with another crew but it turned out to be his 14th and final mission after getting wounded. He was awarded a Purple Heart and Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster.
Signature Value : £10
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Arreola, Albert J
Staff Sergeant Albert J Arreola
Al served as a Ball Turret Gunner with the 351st Bomb Squadron. His first mission in April 1944 was aboard B-17 Their Latest Rumour and he went on to complete a total of 35 raids on Europe including D-Day 6th June which was his 21st. He was awarded the DFC, Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, French Legion of Honor and the ETO ribbon with three Battle Stars.
Signature Value : £10
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Freitas, Albert M
Staff Sergeant Albert M Freitas
Part of the original cadre of the 100th Bomb Group, he served as a Radio Operator with the 350th Bomb Squadron. Albert's first mission was in June 1943 and he went on to complete 23 operations, including Regensburg on 17th August 1943, before being shot down on 28th April 1944 over Sottevast, France. He was captured and remained a PoW until the end of hostilities. His awards include a Purple Heart, Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and ETO ribbon with three Battle Stars.
Signature Value : £10
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Herron, Lewis E
Staff Sergeant Lewis E Herron
As a Tail Gunner with the 350th Bomb Squadron Lewis served on B-17 Heaven Sent. On 24th August 1944 he flew his first raid to Rhuland, Germany, and went on to complete a total of 33 missions over Europe. He was awarded the Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters and the French Legion of Honor.
Signature Value : £10
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

Urice, Joe R
Staff Sergeant Joe R Urice
As a Tail Gunner with the 351st Bomb Squadron, Joe's first mission was on 13th January 1945 and he went on to complete a total of 13 missions aboard B-17s One Time and Pard before the end of hostilities. He was awarded the Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster and ETO ribbon with two Battle Stars.
Signature Value : £10
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE

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

+ Artist : Robert Taylor

Signature(s) value alone : £135		£295.00

Quantity:


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Over three years of continuous air combat the 91st Bombardment Group The Ragged Irregulars were based at Bassingbourn in England. They flew 340 missions with honor and bravery, over occupied Europe and bore such B-17 legends as Memphis Belle, Shoo Shoo Baby, General Ike and Nine O Nine. On this day, however, the Memphis Belle is going to have to wait for the snow to be cleared before it can depart on yet another dangerous mission over enemy territory. In the meantime, to enable the Memphis Belle to leave at the earliest opportunity when the weather clears, ground crew carry on with their maintenance work in support of a crew and aircraft they all look upon with affection and admiration.

The Memphis Belle by Philip West.		 P-51 Mustangs of the 20th Fighter Group make a low pass over B-17s of the 401st Bomb Group at Deenethorpe, as they return to their base at Kingscliffe in late 1944.

Teamwork by Nicolas Trudgian.		 Typical of great air battles fought in the skies above occupied Europe were the determined interceptions by Luftwaffe fighters, particularly upon the massed daylight raids mounted by the American Eighth Air Force. Major Herman Graf, Gruppenkommandeur of JG50, and Oberleutnant Alfred Grislawski, Staffelkapitan of 1./JG50, flying Me109G-6s lead an attack on B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 91st Bomb Group, high over Germany in early September 1943.

Eagle Attack 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.
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


Captain Robert J Shoens
*Signature Value : £10

Editions signed :

Signed limited edition of 350 prints.
Collector's edition of 25 artist proofs.
Collector's edition of 75 prints.


Shoens, Robert J
(Captain Robert J Shoens)

Serving as First Pilot on B-17 Our Gal Sal with the 351st Bomb Squadron, Bob's first mission was on 5th January 1944 and he went on to complete a total of 28 missions. These included the first major daylight raids to Berlin on 3rd, 4th, 6th and 8th March 1944, in fact his crew were the only 351st aircraft to return from the raid on 6th March. He was awarded the DFC, Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters and ETO ribbon with one Battle Star.


First Lieutenant John A Clark
*Signature Value : £10

Editions signed :

Signed limited edition of 350 prints.
Collector's edition of 25 artist proofs.
Collector's edition of 75 prints.


Clark, John A
(First Lieutenant John A Clark)

As a Co-Pilot John served on three crews with the 418th Bomb Squadron on B-17s Lucky Lassie and Miss Conduct. His first mission was flown on 10th September 1944 to Mainz and by the end of hostilities he had completed a total of 32 operations. He was awarded the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters, ETO ribbon with three Battle Stars, French Croix de Guerre with Palm and French Legion of Honor.


First Lieutenant James S Rasmussen
*Signature Value : £10

Editions signed :

Signed limited edition of 350 prints.
Collector's edition of 25 artist proofs.
Collector's edition of 75 prints.


Rasmussen, James S
(First Lieutenant James S Rasmussen)

Joining the 349th Bomb Squadron as a Navigator, Jim's first mission aboard Lassie Come Home was a raid to Frankfurt on 5th January 1945. He went on to complete a total of 33 raids over Europe and was awarded the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters and ETO ribbon with three Battle Stars.


Major John H Luckadoo
*Signature Value : £10

Editions signed :

Collector's edition of 25 artist proofs.
Collector's edition of 75 prints.


Luckadoo, John H
(Major John H Luckadoo)

Part of the original cadre of the 100th Bomb Group, John's first mission as a Co-Pilot was on 26th June 1943 on a raid to Le Mans, France. By 13th February he had completed 25 operations which included missions as Co-Pilot, Pilot and Command Pilot. He went on to become Squadron Operaions Officer for the 351st and 350th Bomb Squadrons and was awarded the DFC, Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and the French Legion of Honor.


Staff Sergeant Lewis D Payne
*Signature Value : £10

Editions signed :

Collector's edition of 25 artist proofs.
Collector's edition of 75 prints.


Payne, Lewis D
(Staff Sergeant Lewis D Payne)

As a Waist Gunner with the 349th Bomb Squadron Lewis' first mission was on 6th July 1944. On 5th August he flew in the Ball Turret with another crew but it turned out to be his 14th and final mission after getting wounded. He was awarded a Purple Heart and Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster.


Staff Sergeant Albert J Arreola
*Signature Value : £10

Editions signed :

Collector's edition of 25 artist proofs.
Collector's edition of 75 prints.


Arreola, Albert J
(Staff Sergeant Albert J Arreola)

Al served as a Ball Turret Gunner with the 351st Bomb Squadron. His first mission in April 1944 was aboard B-17 Their Latest Rumour and he went on to complete a total of 35 raids on Europe including D-Day 6th June which was his 21st. He was awarded the DFC, Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, French Legion of Honor and the ETO ribbon with three Battle Stars.


Staff Sergeant Albert M Freitas
*Signature Value : £10

Editions signed :

Collector's edition of 25 artist proofs.
Collector's edition of 75 prints.


Freitas, Albert M
(Staff Sergeant Albert M Freitas)

Part of the original cadre of the 100th Bomb Group, he served as a Radio Operator with the 350th Bomb Squadron. Albert's first mission was in June 1943 and he went on to complete 23 operations, including Regensburg on 17th August 1943, before being shot down on 28th April 1944 over Sottevast, France. He was captured and remained a PoW until the end of hostilities. His awards include a Purple Heart, Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and ETO ribbon with three Battle Stars.


Staff Sergeant Lewis E Herron
*Signature Value : £10

Editions signed :

Collector's edition of 25 artist proofs.
Collector's edition of 75 prints.


Herron, Lewis E
(Staff Sergeant Lewis E Herron)

As a Tail Gunner with the 350th Bomb Squadron Lewis served on B-17 Heaven Sent. On 24th August 1944 he flew his first raid to Rhuland, Germany, and went on to complete a total of 33 missions over Europe. He was awarded the Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters and the French Legion of Honor.


Staff Sergeant Joe R Urice
*Signature Value : £10

Editions signed :

Collector's edition of 25 artist proofs.
Collector's edition of 75 prints.


Urice, Joe R
(Staff Sergeant Joe R Urice)

As a Tail Gunner with the 351st Bomb Squadron, Joe's first mission was on 13th January 1945 and he went on to complete a total of 13 missions aboard B-17s One Time and Pard before the end of hostilities. He was awarded the Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster and ETO ribbon with two Battle Stars.




Lt Col Henry Hank Cervantes
*Signature Value : £45

Editions signed :

Collector's edition of 25 artist proofs.
Collector's edition of 75 prints.


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.
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