Description

This is a rare secondary market print Sting of the Black Tulip...This is a rare print sold out many years ago and is well sought after on the secondary market...This particular print has been adorned with a huge double remarque by Robert Taylor and is highly sought after. A much sought after Robert Taylor limited edition signed by the greatest fighter Ace of all time, Colonel Erich Hartmann. Legend has it that Russian pilots knew the Me109 with the Black Tulip painted on the nose was that of a great Luftwaffe air Ace, and a warning would be radioed to other pilots the moment the distinctive aircraft was sighted. The best chance of survival was to depart the scene quickly and without contest. Realising that his conspicuous insignia was the reason for a slight lull in his air victories, the great Ace had the flamboyant paintwork removed; immediately his phenomenal scoring rate resumed. True or false, one thing is beyond all doubt: the young fighter Ace, known to Russian pilots as The Black Tulip, would go on to become the highest-scoring fighter Ace in history, creating a record that will almost certainly stand forever in the annals of aerial warfare. Today that man is a legend among fighter pilots. His name is Erich Hartmann...STING OF THE BLACK TULIP commemorates Erich Hartmann's seven air victories in a day on 7th August, 1943. Depicted flying his Messerschmitt Me109 G-6, the maestro nails the first of these victories, as he and other pilots of JG-52 come hurtling into the attack. Making use of billowing cumulus clouds, the wily Staffelkapitan leads his squadron in a classic ambush sequence high over the Eastern Front. A consummate aerial combat painting by the great master of aviation art, Robert Taylor's dramatic scenario captures all the essence of aerial combat, as twelve Me 109s, guns blazing, come rushing headlong into battle. Already the first of the enemy has fallen to the guns of the squadron commander, and before the fight is over six more will have fallen victim to the Ace of fighter Aces...This is a one off never to be repeated multi signed print...Individually hand signed by the artist : Robert Taylor and Erich Hartmann Knights Cross , Oakleaves , Swords and Diamonds , The Highest Scoring Ace in History with 352 confirmed Air Victories plus an amazing 14 additional Knights Cross Holder JG 52 Aces , Adolf Dickfeld , Peter Duttmann , Walter Krupinski , Gunther Rall , Walter Wolfrum , Alfred Grislawski , Edmund ' Paule ' Rossmann , Helmut Bennemann , Heinz ' Esau ' Ewald , Adolf Glunz , Viktor Petermann , Rudolf Trenkel , Fritz Obleser and Franz Woidich all of JG 52...This incredible print has also been signed by four Highly decorated Russian fighter pilots that fought against Erich Hartmann and JG 52 : Major General Sergei Makarovich Kramarenko , Captain Vitaliy Ivanovich Klimenko , Lieutenant General Stepan Anastasovich Mikoyan and Lieutenat General Vialiy Viktorovich Rybalko...These signatures are extremely rare and these veterans have since passed away , their signatures are now impossible to obtain...priced @ Sold...To complement the purchase of your fine art print, we are now able to offer a professional Picture Framing service. For further details please contact us by phone or email.