Details
JET HUNTERS
by Robert Taylor
(Jet Hunters Edition – 20 Signatures Total)
Overall Size – Main Print: 33¾" x 24¾"
Overall Size – Companion Print: 25¼" x 17½"
Edition Size: 150
As the war in mainland Europe entered its final, bloody phase, the German Armies defending Berlin fought on with a savage, yet hopeless determination, slowly disintegrating before the mighty weapon of war unleashed against them. What remained of the Luftwaffe was mercilessly pounded from the air, their airfields hammered relentlessly. Aircraft, fuel, spare parts, ammunition, and pilots were all in short supply but still they fought on in defense of the Reich. And pivotal in this bitter struggle were the highly advanced jet fighters of the Luftwaffe, and in particular the legendary Me262.
On 10 April 1945, thirteen hundred bombers of the Mighty Eighth set out to destroy the last of the Luftwaffe’s jet force by attacking the airfields in force. But, unknown to the bomber crews and their fighter escort, the enemy jets were already airborne and waiting to spring their deadly trap. As the bomber stream turned and slowly headed west for home, a powerful unit of nearly fifty Me262s pounced on them from the rear, out of the high cirrus clouds. Suddenly, the clear air was alive with cannon fire as the Luftwaffe jets screamed into the attack. It was a desperate gamble and a few Fortresses in the outer elements were quickly hit before the ever alert, escorting P51s could join the fray and dive on the jets in hot pursuit.
Once again, in "JET HUNTERS," Robert Taylor has created a powerful reconstruction of events as they happened that day, and it is easy to see why he has become the unrivalled master of aviation art. With seemingly effortless skill he portrays the B17s of the First Air Division with the sun glinting on their fuselages and streaming contrails in the cold clear air as they turn for home. Several Me262s have already torn through the massed formation, but even as they look to escape from the wrath of the Fortresses’ gunners, a P51 from the escorting 356th Fighter Group has quickly spotted his target and presses home his attack. The hunter becomes the hunted as the Mustang pilot, Wayne Gatlin, skillfully positions himself behind the Me262 ready for the kill, one of a score of Luftwaffe jets downed in the encounter by the men of the Eighth.
This historic print was authenticated with the original signature of WAYNE GATLIN himself, alongside many of the most famous Luftwaffe pilots who flew the world’s first combat jet. In addition it is personally signed by the artist and a staggering number of some of WWII‘s most experienced Allied fighter pilots, all of whom had victories against the jets of the Luftwaffe over the skies of the Reich - they were the Jet Hunters! The FOURTEEN signatures on the main print include:
Major General WAYNE C. GATLIN
(On April 10, 1945 he destroyed the Me262 jet portrayed in the main print immediately damaging another.)
Squadron Leader JUREK MENCEL
(Downed a Me262 whilst flying a Mustang III on April 9, 1945.)
Colonel JOE PETERBURS
(Shot down the Me262 of Walter Schuck, on the April 10, 1945.)
Lieutenant Colonel DON CUMMINGS
(One of only two fighter pilots to shoot down two Me262’s during WWII on Feb 25, 1945 – 6½ victories in total.)
Colonel ART JEFFREY
(The first Pilot ever to score a victory over a jet when he downed a Me163 on July 29, 1944 – 14 victories in total.)
Captain WAYNE L. COLEMAN
(Destroyed a Me262 on March 31, 1945 – 4 victories in total.)
Lieutenant Colonel HUIE LAMB
(Shot down a Me262 on October 15, 1944 and then an Arado 234 Blitz-Bomber on March 19, 1945 – 2 victories in total.)
Major General EDWARD GILLER
(Destroyed a Me262 on April 9, 1945 – 3 victories in total.)
Captain CLAYTON ‘KELLY’ GROSS
(Shot down a Me262 on 14 April 1945 – 6 victories in total.)
Major URBAN DREW
(The fourth pilot ever to shoot down a Me262 and one of only two pilots to destroy two, on October 7, 1944 – 6 victories in total.)
Lieutenant Colonel DON BRYAN
(Destroyed an Arado 234 jet on March 14, 1945 – 13½ victories in total.)
Lieutenant Colonel RALPH DELGADO
(Shot down a Me262 on March 2, 1945.)
First Lieutenant STEPHEN ANANIAN
(Downed an Me262 on 9 Feb 1945 – 4 victories in total.)
Captain JOHN FITCH
(Downed a Me262 on the November 18, 1944.)
The Jet Hunter Edition of Robert Taylor’s "JET HUNTERS" was issued together with a matching-numbered companion drawing "BLACK NOVEMBER DAY." On the morning of November 8, 1944, with Kommando Nowotny’s Me262s still plagued by mechanical problems, Major Walter Nowotny stands down after his aircraft’s jet turbine fails to ignite. Later, in the early afternoon, he took off in company with Leutnant Frank Schall. After downing a B-17G, and probably a P-51D, he reported an engine failure. His last transmission before the crash in which he died, included the garbled words "burning – on fire".
This superb companion drawing is personally hand signed by SIX of the Luftwaffe’s most iconic Me262 pilots:
Major ERICH RUDORFFER
(JG7 with 12 victories in the jet – 222 victories in total.)
Oberleutnant WALTER SCHUCK
(JG7 with 8 victories in the jet – 206 victories in total.)
Major HANS-EKKEHARD BOB
(EJG2 & JV44 – 60 victories in total.)
Feldwebel ERNST GIEFING
(JG 7 with 2 victories in the jet – 6 victories in total.)
Leutnant NORBERT HANNIG
(JG7 – 42 victories in total.)
Leutnant JORG CZYPIONKA
(Me262 Night-Fighter with NJG 11 – a total of 2 victories in the jet.)
Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.
