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Return of the Belle by Robert Taylor. - Cranston Military Prints

Return of the Belle by Robert Taylor.


Return of the Belle by Robert Taylor.

SOLD OUT.
Item Code : RST0066GSReturn of the Belle by Robert Taylor. - Editions Available
DESCRIPTIONSIZESIGNATURESOFFERSPRICEPURCHASINGPACKS
Signed limited edition of 1250 prints. Paper size 36 inches x 26 inches (91cm x 66cm)
Morgan, Bob
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE
Died : 2004
Colonel Bob Morgan (deceased)
The 24 year old Captain and pilot Bob Morgan skippered the Memphis Belle on every one of her 25 combat missions over the skies of occupied Europe and Nazi Germany. His renowned skill as a B-17 pilot, his courage under fire, and his leadership welded his crew into one of the best fighting units in the 8th Air Force. Bob Morgan later commanded a squadron of B-29s in the Pacific and led the first B-29 raid on Tokyo. He completed a total of 26 missions against Japan, and became the most celebrate
Signature Value : £75
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Hanson, Robert
Died : 2005
Robert Hanson (deceased)
Radio Operator and Gunner on the 'Memphis Belle'. Robert Hanson became a regular member of the crew during their training at Walla Walla, Washington in 1941. He kept a log book of the 'MEMPHIS BELLE' missions. He eventually retired from business to Mesa, Arizona. Robert Hanson, the last surviving crew member of the famed Memphis Belle B-17 bomber of World War II, passed away on October 1st 2005. Robert Hanson recalled 'When we got the tail shot off, Captain Morgan put the
Signature Value : £35
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Leighton, Charles
Died : 1991
Charles Leighton (deceased)
Navigator on the 'Memphis Belle'. Eventually retired to become a teacher and guidance counselor before he passed away in 1991.
Signature Value : £75
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Loch, Harold
Died : 2004
Harold Loch (deceased)
Engineer and Top Turret Gunner on the 'Memphis Belle'. Harold P. Loch from Green Bay, United States born November 29th 1919. Army Air Corps Soldier. A native of Wisconsin, Loch joined the Army Air Corps in 1941, shortly before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. In February 1943, Loch was assigned to the B-17 bomber 'Memphis Belle' as the flight engineer and top turret gunner, replacing Eugene Adkins. On May 17, 1943, After the war, Loch entered the construction business and e
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Nastal, Casmir
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE
Died : 2002
Casmir Nastal (deceased)
Casimer A. 'Tony' Nastal from Apache Junction, Arizona flew one mission on the 'MEMPHIS BELLE' but qualified for the PR tour with his 24 other combat missions on other Flying Forts. After the PR tour, Nastal returned to the ETO and completed a total of 60 combat missions.
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Quinlan, Johnny
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE
Died : 2001
Johnny Quinlan (deceased)
John P. Quinlan was the only officially wounded crew member of the 'MEMPHIS BELLE'. After the PR tour, he tried unsuccessfully to fly again with Robert Morgan in the Pacific Theatre. Quinlan was eventually assigned to the CBI Theatre and downed 3 Zeros, to become a 'gunner Ace' before his B-29 was shot down. He had already shot down 2 German fighters from the 'BELLE'. Quinlan eventually retired to Stephentown, New York. He passed away in 2001.
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Verinis, Jim
Died : 2003
Jim Verinis (deceased)
James A. Verinis from Woodbridge, Connecticut also piloted the B-17 'The Connecticut Yankee'. Jim was the crewmember who purchased the crew's mascot: A Scottish-Terrier named 'Stuka'. Captain Verinis went over with the Memphis Belle as co-pilot, but during much of the time he was overseas he flew another B17. Retired from the USAF with the rank of Lt. Colonel. Passed away 2003.
Signature Value : £50
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Winchell, Bill
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE
Died : 1994
Bill Winchell (deceased)
Clarence E. 'Bill' Winchell downed the eighth and final German fighter from the guns of the MEMPHIS BELLE. His diaries provide most of the accurate accounts of the missions. Winchell retired as a chemical engineer and passed away in 1994.
Signature Value : £50
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
+ Artist : Robert Taylor

Signature(s) value alone : £420		SOLD
OUT		NOT
AVAILABLE
Studio Proof Edition of 50 giclee canvas prints. Size 36 inches x 24 inches (91cm x 61cm)Artist : Robert TaylorSOLD
OUT		NOT
AVAILABLE


Some other related items available from this site.

B-17G 2107027 is depicted limping home to Bassingbourn with the starboard outer propeller feathered following a raid during the Summer of 1944. 'Hikin' for Home' served with the 322nd Bomb Sqn, 91st Bomb Group as part of the 8th Air Force. Escorting her home is Major George Preddy, the highest scoring P-51 pilot and sixth in the list of all-time top American Aces, seen here flying 413321 'Cripes a Mighty 3rd'.

Hikin' for Home by Ivan Berryman.		 October 23, 1942 was a typical day for American troops at Esprito Santo, but for the crew of a B-17 Flying Fortress it would become a most memorable day. Early that morning the Japanese began shelling the field. Lt. Ed Loberg, a former farm boy from Wisconsin, was ordered to take his B-17 up for a reconnaissance mission to determine where the Japanese guns may be located. Not finding anything they returned to the field. The brakes failed on the B-17 upon landing, and they hit several parked Navy aircraft. Fortunately for Lobergs crew a 100 pound bomb dislodged in the crash did not explode. Later that day the crew boarded another B-17 and went hunting out to sea. Around mid-day the crew noticed a PBY being attacked by a Kawanishi H6K Mavis flying boat. Diving the B-17 straight down, the Mavis and the Flying Fortress soon entered a rain squall. The windows were black with clouds and rain, and the plane was buffeted by strong winds. Emerging from the squall at low altitude into blinding sunlight the B-17 emerged only fifty feet from their adversary. Immediately every gun on both aircraft began firing in a broadside exchange reminiscent of age old sailing ship battles. Thousands of bullets criss-crossed the narrow spread of air, and the Fortress shuddered from the impact. Tracer bullets from the B-17 pelted the Mavis like darts with many ricocheting off its armor. The Mavis made a tight turn, and Loberg turned inside him to avoid the mortal sting from the Mavis tail guns. In and out of rain squalls this interesting dogfight continued for 45 minutes. The Mavis kept very close to the wave tops to protect is vulnerable under belly. Several times during the fight the Mavis disappeared for three or four minutes into clouds, but each time as it reemerged Lobergs B-17 resumed the attack. Twice the B-17 passed over the H6K so close that the jagged bullet holes in the Mavis and the round glasses on its two pilots could be seen clearly. Finally, the Mavis began smoking, and the Japanese plane dropped into the sea and exploded in a large ball of flame. In the words of Ira Wolfert, a war correspondent, who was on the flight; During the duel, the Fort that I was on, with a bullet in one of its motors, and two holes as big as Derby hats in its wings, made tight turns with half-rolls and banks past vertical. That is, it frequently stood against the sea on one wing like a ballet dancer balancing on one point, and occasionally it went over even farther than that and started lifting its belly toward the sky in desperate effort to keep the Jap from turning inside it... Throughout the entire forty-four minutes, the plane, one of the oldest being used in the war, ran at top speed, shaking and rippling all over like a skirt in a gale, so many inches of mercury being blown into its motors by the superchargers that the pilot and co-pilot, in addition to their other worries, had to keep an eye on the cowlings to watch for cylinder heads popping up through them. Others on Lobergs crew that day were B. Thurston the co-pilot, R Spitzer the navigator, R. Mitchell the bombadier and E. Gustafson , E. Jung, G. Holbert , E. Smith, and P. Butterbaugh who manned the guns during this unusual dogfight. Both Mitchell and Spitzer were wounded during the battle.

An Interesting Dog Fight by Stan Stokes. 		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. 		In 1944 Berlin was probably the most defended city in the world. The Luftwaffe had kept what reserves it had for planes to defend Berlin. On March 6th, 1944, The USAAF were involved in the massive air raid on Berlin, 69 B17s were lost - but the Luftwaffe lost 160 planes. Whereas the US 8th Air Force could recover from these aircraft losses, the German Luftwaffe could not. By the end of the war, the 8th Air Force and the Royal Air Force had destroyed 70% of Berlin.

Berlin Bound 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
Colonel Bob Morgan (deceased)
Died : 2004
*Signature Value : £75

Editions signed :

Signed limited edition of 1250 prints.


Morgan, Bob
(Colonel Bob Morgan (deceased))

The 24 year old Captain and pilot Bob Morgan skippered the Memphis Belle on every one of her 25 combat missions over the skies of occupied Europe and Nazi Germany. His renowned skill as a B-17 pilot, his courage under fire, and his leadership welded his crew into one of the best fighting units in the 8th Air Force. Bob Morgan later commanded a squadron of B-29s in the Pacific and led the first B-29 raid on Tokyo. He completed a total of 26 missions against Japan, and became the most celebrated American bomber pilot of WWII. On 21 April 2004, Morgan broke his neck when he fell at the Asheville Regional Airport. He was admitted to a hospital in Asheville, where he remained in critical condition for several weeks. On 10 May, Morgan came down with pneumonia, and that combined with a massive infection brought him face-to-face with one final combat that he lost. Robert Morgan died on Friday, 15 May 2004. He was 85. He was buried on 22 May with full military honours including an Air Force flyover at the NC State Veterans Cemetery.


Robert Hanson (deceased)
Died : 2005
*Signature Value : £35

Editions signed :

Signed limited edition of 1250 prints.


Hanson, Robert
(Robert Hanson (deceased))

Radio Operator and Gunner on the 'Memphis Belle'. Robert Hanson became a regular member of the crew during their training at Walla Walla, Washington in 1941. He kept a log book of the 'MEMPHIS BELLE' missions. He eventually retired from business to Mesa, Arizona. Robert Hanson, the last surviving crew member of the famed Memphis Belle B-17 bomber of World War II, passed away on October 1st 2005. Robert Hanson recalled 'When we got the tail shot off, Captain Morgan put the ship into a terrific dive and we dropped 2,000 or 3,000 feet. It pretty nearly threw me out of the airplane. 'I hit the roof. I thought we were going down and wondered if I should bail out. Then he pulled up again and I landed on my back. I had an ammunition box and a frequency meter on top of me. I didn't know what was going on. On another bombing run, Mr. Hanson was writing in a logbook when he sneezed, jerking his head. A bullet missed him when he moved and hit the logbook, which he kept the rest of his life.


Charles Leighton (deceased)
Died : 1991
*Signature Value : £75

Editions signed :

Signed limited edition of 1250 prints.


Leighton, Charles
(Charles Leighton (deceased))

Navigator on the 'Memphis Belle'. Eventually retired to become a teacher and guidance counselor before he passed away in 1991.


Harold Loch (deceased)
Died : 2004
*Signature Value : £45

Editions signed :

Signed limited edition of 1250 prints.


Loch, Harold
(Harold Loch (deceased))

Engineer and Top Turret Gunner on the 'Memphis Belle'. Harold P. Loch from Green Bay, United States born November 29th 1919. Army Air Corps Soldier. A native of Wisconsin, Loch joined the Army Air Corps in 1941, shortly before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. In February 1943, Loch was assigned to the B-17 bomber 'Memphis Belle' as the flight engineer and top turret gunner, replacing Eugene Adkins. On May 17, 1943, After the war, Loch entered the construction business and eventually founded his own home construction company. He would also serve the state of Wisconsin as the Brown County Register of Deeds from 1947 until 1974. He eventually retired as a building contractor and records registrar. Sadly Harold Loch passed away on the 12th November 2004.
Casmir Nastal (deceased)
Died : 2002
*Signature Value : £45

Editions signed :

Signed limited edition of 1250 prints.


Nastal, Casmir
(Casmir Nastal (deceased))

Casimer A. 'Tony' Nastal from Apache Junction, Arizona flew one mission on the 'MEMPHIS BELLE' but qualified for the PR tour with his 24 other combat missions on other Flying Forts. After the PR tour, Nastal returned to the ETO and completed a total of 60 combat missions.
Johnny Quinlan (deceased)
Died : 2001
*Signature Value : £45

Editions signed :

Signed limited edition of 1250 prints.


Quinlan, Johnny
(Johnny Quinlan (deceased))

John P. Quinlan was the only officially wounded crew member of the 'MEMPHIS BELLE'. After the PR tour, he tried unsuccessfully to fly again with Robert Morgan in the Pacific Theatre. Quinlan was eventually assigned to the CBI Theatre and downed 3 Zeros, to become a 'gunner Ace' before his B-29 was shot down. He had already shot down 2 German fighters from the 'BELLE'. Quinlan eventually retired to Stephentown, New York. He passed away in 2001.


Jim Verinis (deceased)
Died : 2003
*Signature Value : £50

Editions signed :

Signed limited edition of 1250 prints.


Verinis, Jim
(Jim Verinis (deceased))

James A. Verinis from Woodbridge, Connecticut also piloted the B-17 'The Connecticut Yankee'. Jim was the crewmember who purchased the crew's mascot: A Scottish-Terrier named 'Stuka'. Captain Verinis went over with the Memphis Belle as co-pilot, but during much of the time he was overseas he flew another B17. Retired from the USAF with the rank of Lt. Colonel. Passed away 2003.
Bill Winchell (deceased)
Died : 1994
*Signature Value : £50

Editions signed :

Signed limited edition of 1250 prints.


Winchell, Bill
(Bill Winchell (deceased))

Clarence E. 'Bill' Winchell downed the eighth and final German fighter from the guns of the MEMPHIS BELLE. His diaries provide most of the accurate accounts of the missions. Winchell retired as a chemical engineer and passed away in 1994.
Aircraft Related to This Print
Flying Fortress

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