THE
ACES EDITION
Joining artist Robert Taylor, each
print has been individually signed in pencil by FOUR outstanding
WWII fighter pilots.
 Major
General Donald J. Strait
Don Strait received his pilots wings
in January 1944. In August he was posted with the 356th Fighter
Group to Martlesham Heath, Suffolk, as one of the original
361st Fighter Squadron pilots. Flying first the P47, in which
he claimed three victories, he took part in long-range bomber
escort and ground support missions, taking part in the D-Day
operations. Later in P51s, he scored a further 10 ½
victories to make him the top scoring Ace of the 356th Fighter
Group. Don finished his second tour in March 1945, and in
his two combat tours he had flown 122 missions, and commanded
the 361st Fighter Squadron. He later commanded the 108th Tactical
Wing in Korea, and flew F-86, F-84, and F-105 jets.
 Lieutenant
Colonel Clyde B. East
As a volunteer, Clyde East joined
the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1941, and flew combat operations
from England. He transferred to the USAAF in January 1944,
flying over 200 combat missions and finishing the war with
14 ½ victories. He later flew combat during the Korean
War.
 Leutnant
Norbert Hannig
Joining the JG7 in 1944 at Königsberg,
Norbert Hannig notched up an impressive 42 combat air victories
in a short time flying the Me109G. In early 1945 he converted
to fly the new jet, the Me262, flying in combat with III./JG7
from their airfield at Brandenberg-Briest.
 Oberleutnant
Walter Schuck
After a spell with JG3 in 1940 Walter
Schuck was posted to 7./JG5, arriving at Petsamo on the Arctic
Front in April 1942. By April 1943 he had collected 54 aerial
victories. On 17 March 1944 he brought down 17 bombers and
in April of that year was awarded the Knights Cross with his
tally standing at 84. On 15 June 1944 he chalked up his 100th
victory during a day when he shot down 6 aircraft. Two days
later he had his most successful day, achieving 12 victories
in twenty-four hours, a feat never surpassed in JG5. On 1
August he assumed command of 10./JG5. December 1944 was a
black month for JG5 when the Tirpitz was sunk and their Kommodore,
Heinrich Ehrler, was made a scapegoat for the disaster. He
later transferred to fly the Me262 as Staffelkapitän
of 3./JG7, and achieved 8 further victories flying the new
jet. His final tally was 206 air victories and had been awarded
the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves.
THE WAR IN EUROPE EDITION
The EIGHT signature WAR IN EUROPE
Edition is additionally signed by an extra four fighter Aces.
All the above plus:
 Colonel
Donald Cummings
Don Cummings saw action in England,
Italy – where he took part in the Battle of Anzio, and
served in occupied Germany after the war had ended. Flying
P51s first with the 12th Air Force, and then with the Eighth
Air Force, he flew a total of 150 combat missions during the
war. In February 1945 he became one of only two fighter Aces
to shoot down two Me262 jets on a single mission, bringing
his total to 6 ½ victories.
Brigadier General Robin
Olds
After leaving West Point in June
1943, Robin Olds was posted to the 479th Fighter Group in
England. Based at Wattisham in East Anglia, and flying P38s,
he was involved in heavy bomber escort duties and fighter
sweeps until the Normandy invasion, soon after which his Squadron
converted to P51 Mustangs. By early 1945 Robin Olds was in
command of 434 Squadron taking part in the Battle of the Bulge,
flying escort missions, and providing air support to the airborne
attack across the Rhine. At the end of World War II Robin
Olds had 24 1/2 victories, of which 13 were in the air. Later
in Vietnam, Robin Olds gained four more victories, flying
F4 Phantoms.
 Major
Erich Rudorffer
When Erich Rudorffer achieved his
first victory in May 1940, it was the start of a spectacular
career. In November 1942 he transferred to North Africa with
II./JG-2 and on one occasion shot down 8 enemy aircraft in
32 minutes. Returning to France he led II./JG-2 and IV./JG-54.
Moving to the Eastern Front as Kommandeur of II./JG-54, he
acquired a fearsome reputation - achieving more multiple kills
than any other fighter pilot. On November 6, 1943 he downed
13 Russian aircraft in a mere 17 minutes! By the end of the
war he was flying the Me262 and achieved 12 more victories.
Erich Rudorffer flew more than 1000 missions, achieved 222
air victories and was shot down 16 times. He was awarded the
Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.
 Leutnant
Alfred Ambs
Born in 1923, Alfred Ambs joined
the Luftwaffe in 1942. Commissioned as an officer in 1943,
he flew the Ju88, Me109, Me110 and Fw190 before converting
to fly the new Me262A in combat in early 1945 with III./JG7
at Brandenburg-Briest. He finished the war with six victories
to his credit.
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THE GENERAL’S
EDITION
With all the signatures of the ‘War
in Europe Edition’, the ‘Generals Edition’
is signed by an additional four fighter Aces.
Furthermore each individual print was signed in pencil during
his lifetime by General Adolf Galland, and they are now released.
There are a total of TWELVE signatures in this highly collectible
edition.
‘This edition represents a remarkable
tally of almost 1100 victories between the signatories.
All the other signatures plus:
 Jim
Brooks joined the 31st Fighter Group in Italy in 1944, flying
P51 Mustangs in combat against Me109s, Fw190s, and the Italian
Macchi Mc202. He scored his first aerial victory on a mission
to Ploesti, in Rumania. Later, on a special shuttle mission
to Russia leading the 307th Fighter Squadron, they engaged
a large formation of Ju87 Stukas, shooting down 27 enemy aircraft.
Jim Brooks personally accounted for three that day. He ended
his tour with 280 combat hours flown, and thirteen confirmed
victories.
Colonel Walker
'Bud' Mahurin
'Bud' Mahurin gained a reputation
as one of the USAAF's most colorful fighter Aces. Arriving
in the European Theater, flying with the 56th Fighter Group,
he indulged in seventeen months of heavy aerial combat, during
which he suffered one crash and was forced to bail out three
times, finally landing behind enemy lines. Undaunted, he made
contact with the French Resistance, and found his way back
to England. He had by this time shot down 21 German aircraft.
He then transferred to the South West Pacific where he added
a Japanese aircraft to his score. 'Bud' Mahurin commanded
the 4th Fighter Intercept Group in Korea where he added 3
½ MiG-15s to his tally before being shot down, for
the last time, to spend a grueling sixteen months as a POW.
 Generalleutnant
Adolf Galland (1912
- 1996)
Having led a squadron in the Spanish
Campaign, Adolf Galland was an experienced Ace by the time
World War II commenced. He fought in the great Battles of
Poland, France and Britain, leading the famous JG26 'Abbeville
Boys'. He flew in combat against the RAF's best including
Douglas Bader, Bob Stanford Tuck and Johnnie Johnson. In 1941,
at the age of 29, he was promoted to 'Inspector of the Fighter
Arm'. In 1942 Hitler personally selected Galland to organize
the fighter escort for the 'Channel Dash'. He became the youngest
General in the German High Command but open disagreements
with Goering led to his dismissal at the end of 1944. He reverted
to combat flying, forming the famous JV44 wing flying the
Me262 jet fighter, and was the only General in history to
lead a squadron into battle. With 104 victories, all in the
West, Adolf Galland received the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves,
Swords and Diamonds.
Feldwebel Ernst
Giefing
Ernst Giefing joined the Luftwaffe
in 1941 and, after training and several postings, was eventually
to join III./JG7 at Königsberg flying the Me109, in which
he scored 6 air victories. After converting to fly the Me262,
and based at Brandenburg-Briest, he was able to achieve a
further 2 combat victories on the new jet fighter before the
end of the war.
THE PORTFOLIO PROOFS – THE
CONCEPT DRAWING
With all the signatures of the ‘Generals
Edition’, the ‘Portfolio Proofs’ are issued
with the exclusive matching numbered working concept drawing
for ‘Running the Gauntlet’. The drawing, signed
by Robert Taylor, is conservation matted to include the original
pencil signatures of two of the greatest exponents of the
Me262 – ‘Macky’ Steinhoff and Walter Krupinski.
The main print is also signed by
‘Herky’ Green, making a total
of FIFTEEN signatures in this genuinely remarkable collectors
edition.
All the above plus:
Colonel Herschel
Green (Main Print)
Commissioned in 1942, 'Herky' Green
joined the 57th Fighter Group, but soon transferred to the
79th Fighter Group, and finally the colorful 325th Fighter
Group - the 'Checkertails', where he scored his first victory
on 19 May 1943 flying a P51 Mustang. On 25 March 1944 he took
command of the squadron, and led them until the end of his
tour, scoring the last of his 18 victories over an Fw190,
on 23 August.
General Johannes
Steinhoff (Matted signature)
By early 1940 'Macky' Steinhoff was
leading 4./JG-52 during the Battle of Britain. He was then
transferred to the Eastern Front where his success continued.
In the final stages of the Defense of the Reich he joined
JV-44 flying the Me262 in which he scored 6 victories before
being seriously burned in a crash. He flew 939 missions, scored
178 victories and was awarded the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves
and Swords.
 General
Walter Krupinski
Walter Krupinski first saw combat
against the RAF on the Western Front. Transferring to the
east, he became a Squadron Commander in the legendary JG-52.
In 1943 his victories reaches 150 but, in March 1944 with
177 victories to his name, he was transferred to Germany to
command JG-11. Flying high altitude Me109s, he chalked up
another 12 victories before being wounded. In September 1944
he was promoted Kommandeur of III./JG-26 and led them on Operation
Bodenplatte before joining Galland's famous JV-44. He completed
the war with 197 victories in over 1000 missions. He received
the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves.
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The Concept Drawing |
