The Signatures

Every print in the “Aces Edition” is signed by THREE Aces who flew the Hellcat in combat, including leading Ace Alex Vraciu. Each print is also signed by the artist Robert Taylor, and hand-numbered.

Commander Willis E. Hardy USN
‘Bill’ Hardy enlisted in the US Navy in 1939, and after working his way up through the ranks was commissioned in 1943, thereby enabling him to change from flying seaplanes to the latest fighters. Assigned to Fighting Seventeen, he flew the F6F Hellcat from the USS Hornet, and took part in the strikes against Tokyo, the landings on Iwo Jima, and Okinawa, where on 6 April 1945 he downed four Japanese planes in a day. That day also saw him make his first night-time deck landing after he remained in combat too long heading off a tenacious attack by Kamikazes against a US destroyer. ‘Bill’ finished the war with 6 ½ aerial victories, and retired from the service in 1959.

Commander Hamilton McWhorter USN
Hamilton ‘Mac’ McWhorter first saw combat with VF-9 flying the F4F Wildcat from the USS Ranger in strikes against Casablanca. In March 1943 he transferred to the new F6F Hellcat aboard the USS Essex in the Pacific, and participated in the strikes against Marcus, Wake, Marshall and Gilbert Islands, Rabaul, Truk – where he scored a notable triple victory in a few minutes, and Saipan. Joining VF-12 aboard the USS Randolph, he took part in strikes against Tokyo in February 1945, and Iwo Jima and Okinawa. With 12 air victories in 89 combat missions, ‘Mac’ McWhorter was the first carrier-based pilot to become a F6F double Ace. He retired from the Navy in 1969.

Commander Alex Vraciu USN
Alex Vraciu first saw combat flying the F6F Hellcat off carriers with VF-6, becoming an Ace in January 1944 aboard the USS Lexington. His tally of victories continued to mount, and during the ‘Great Marianas Turkey Shoot’ he splashed six dive-bombers in eight minutes, the following day adding a Zero, bringing his total to 19. His luck ran out in December 1944 when he was shot down strafing an airfield. Bailing out, he spent five weeks with Filipino guerillas before meeting up with advancing Americans. He ended the war as the US Navy’s fourth highest Ace, and he retired in 1963.

The “War in the Pacific Edition” is signed by an additional five Hellcat Aces, and is also issued with the color print “Pacific Pirate”, signed by a leading F4U Corsair Ace. There are a total of NINE signatures in this edition.

Commander John ‘Ted’ Crosby USN
Ted Crosby joined the Navy in 1942, and was commissioned in May 1943. Serving on board USS Bunker Hill with VF-18 flying F6F Hellcats, he shared in downing a ‘Betty’ bomber. Transferring to VF-17 he served on USS Hornet from January 1945 where he scored a further five victories, including three in a day on 16 April, and became a Hellcat Ace.

Colonel Archie G. Donahue USMC (Companion Print)
Assigned to VMF-112, Archie Donahue arrived at Guadalcanal in November 1942, where he flew three tours, completing 159 combat missions, first in F4F Wildcats and then in the F4U Corsair, in which he downed five Zeroes in a day. In 1944 he transferred to VMF-451 flying the F4U from the USS Bunker Hill, where he flew a further 56 missions in the F4U against targets at Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and the Japanese mainland, again downing five Zeroes in a day on 12 April 1945. He finished the war with 14 aerial victories.

Lt. Commander Fred ‘Buck’ Dungan USN
Commissioned in October 1942, Fred Dungan joined VF(N)-76 and served with them flying the F6F Hellcat from the USS Yorktown until April 1944. He then transferred with the unit to USS Hornet until July 1944, when he was wounded and sent back to hospital. He was credited with 7 victories, all in the Hellcat, including four in one day.

Lt. Commander James Duffy USN
James Duffy joined the Navy in 1942. Designated a Naval aviator he was commissioned in July 1943. Assigned to VF-15 flying the F6F Hellcat, he served aboard the USS Essex from May 1944, scoring his first victory in June. He achieved his fifth and final victory to become an Ace on 5 November 1944 against an ‘Oscar’ over Luzon.

Captain John R. Strane USN
One of VF-15s leading Aces with 13 victories, John Strane had joined the Navy in April 1941. Assigned to VF-15 in August 1943 flying the F6F Hellcat, he served on the USS Essex scoring his first victories – three in a day, on 19 June 1944. On 25 October he downed four ‘Zekes’ in a day, but was shot down into the sea and wounded, being picked up the next day by the destroyer USS Cotton. He scored his final victory in November 1944.

Commander Ed ‘Wendy’ Wendorf USN
On his very first combat mission, with VF-16, he was hit by flak, which disabled his compass and radio; downed two Japanese aircraft, was badly wounded in a dogfight, and bleeding heavily flew 120 miles back to his carrier – the USS Lexington, without flaps, tailhook, or brakes. Recovered aboard, he was sent to the sickbay, and almost immediately the Lexington was hit by an aerial torpedo that flooded the sick quarters. He just escaped with his life! He survived to fly during the Truk raids, took part in the ‘Marianas Turkey Shoot’, and survived a ditching during the ‘Mission Beyond Darkness’. He finished the war with 6 victories.

Pacific Pirate by Robert Taylor

Overall print size: 15 1/2: wide x 12" high.

Restricted to just 75 Proofs, this select edition has been signed by Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Jim Swett, and Corsair Ace Bruce Porter. It is also issued with a pilot signed proof published from Robert Taylor’s evocative pencil drawing, portraying a Dauntless from VB-3 over the USS Yorktown shortly before the Battle of Midway, 4 June 1942.

The “Portfolio Publisher Proofs”, with all the signatures and components of the “War in the Pacific Edition”, is issued with the collector print ‘Dauntless over the Yorktown’. Published from the delightful pencil drawing by Robert Taylor, each collector print is signed by a leading Dauntless pilot. The main print ‘Hellcat Fury’ uniquely bears a printed remarque of the F4F Wildcat, and is additionally signed by Medal of Honor winner Jim Swett, and F4U Ace Bruce Porter, making a total of TWELVE signatures in this edition.

Overall print size: 19 3/4" wide x 15" high.

Under powered, vulnerable, and exhausting to fly on long missions, the Douglas Dauntless was an unlikely hero in the Pacific War. But in the hands of battle-hardened US Navy and Marine Corps pilots, the SBD Dauntless dive-bomber sank a greater tonnage of Japanese shipping than any other aircraft in the Pacific Theater, and helped turned the tide of the war – first at the Battle of the Coral Sea, and a few weeks later at the decisive Battle of Midway, 4 June 1942. Robert Taylor’s engaging pencil drawing Dauntless over the Yorktown depicts a Navy SBD Dauntless of VB-3, crewed by pilot Lt. Harold S. Bottomley and gunner AMN2c Daniel F. Johnson, high over their carrier, USS Yorktown, just prior to the pivotal Battle of Midway. Each proof is additionally monogrammed with a printed remarque featuring another of the great aircraft to serve in the Pacific Theater – the TBM Avenger, this one in the markings of President George Bush Sr.

Colonel Bruce Porter USMC
Bruce Porter was commissioned in July 1941, and assigned to VMF-121 flying the F4F Wildcat. After the attack on Pearl Harbor he joined first VMF-121 for a combat tour at Guadalcanal flying the new F4U Corsair, scoring his first victory on 12 June. After two further victories and four probables, he returned to the US to train as a night-fighter pilot in the F6F Hellcat. He served with VMF(N)-544, VMF-551 and VMF(N)-533, with whom, in May 1945, he led an element on one of the longest ever over-water flights in a single engine fighter from the Marshalls to Okinawa, a journey of over 16 hours. At Okinawa he joined VMF(N)-542, and on 15 June scored two victories in a day, bringing his tally to 5.

Colonel James E. Swett USMC MOH
On 7 April 1943, a large formation of 67 'Val' dive-bombers, escorted by 110 Zeroes headed in towards Guadalcanal 76 Allied fighters rose to intercept them. Leading a four plane division of F4F Wildcats, Lt. James Swett ignored a hail of friendly AA fire and shot down 3 of the Vals in their dives, then chased 4 more across Florida Island and shot them down – 7 aircraft in 15 minutes. His cooling system destroyed, and injured in the face, he splashed down in Tulagi Harbor, later to be rescued. For his performance that day, the 22 year old pilot received the Congressional Medal of Honor, and became a shining example of daring leadership to hundreds of young Marine pilots. A VMF-221 Squadron Commander, Jim Swett flew 120 combat missions, made 120 carrier launches and recoveries, was shot down and wounded twice, and notched up 16 ½ air victories to become one of the US Marine Corps’ top ten fighter Aces of the war.

Captain Stanley ‘Swede’ Vejtasa USN (Companion Drawing)
Commissioned in August 1939, ‘Swede’ Vejtasa’s first combat assignment was in May 1942 whilst flying the SBD Dauntless with VS-5 aboard the USS Yorktown during the Battle of the Coral Sea. Here he participated in the attack on the Japanese carrier Shoho, and flew anti-torpedo plane patrol, claiming three Zeroes. Switching to fighters with VF-10 flying the F4F Wildcat aboard the USS Enterprise he took part in the Battle of Santa Cruz, where he notched up 7 air victories on one flight in October. In March 1943 he flight-tested the new F4U Corsair in the combat zone. His final tally for the war was 11 aerial victories.