RETURN TO RATTLESDEN & Rattlesden , 1945
(Signatures)	Artist : Nicolas Trudgian and eight combat crew veterans flying B-17 Flying Fortresses for the 447th BG out of Rattlesden England , during World War II , T/Sgt John C Bitzer , T/Sgt Norman Bussel , Colonel Edward A Dingivan , First Lt. Frank Frision , S/Sgt John H. Osbahr , S/Sgt Orlando 'Pete' Petrillo , Sgt Byron Schlag and S/Sgt Don Sherman.
(Dimensions)	36" x 22" approx  Unframed set of two prints
Price	£195.00

Description

With their crews, the 447th Bomb Group B-17 Fortresses arrived at Rattlesden in late 1943, the East Anglian base from which the group flew all its missions until the end of the war. Entering combat on December 24, the 447th targeted submarine pens, naval installations, ports and missile sites, airfields and marshalling yards in France, Belgium and Germany in preparation for the Normandy invasion. In the thick of the bomber offensive, the 447th took part in the Big Week raids, supported the D-Day landings, aided the breakthrough at St Lo, pounded enemy positions during the airborne invasion of Holland, and dropped supplies to the Free French forces fighting behind enemy lines. During the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944- January 1945, the group attacked marshalling yards, railroad bridges and communications centres in the combat zone, later resuming their offensive against targets deep inside Germany. When the war ended the 447th had flown over 257 individual missions, with one of their aircrew, Robert Femoyer, being awarded the Medal of Honor. Theirs was typical of the action-packed campaigns flown by the American Eighth Air Force bomb groups in Europe during WWII. Nicolas Trudgian's fine painting shows a battle-damaged B-17G of the 447th on final approach to Rattlesden, returning from a strike against road and rail communications in northern Germany in February, 1945. A P-5l pilot from the 359th Fighter Group, having escorted the injured bomber all the way home, sees his charge safely back to base. In traditional Trudgian style, the painting is full of carefully researched and authentically dated interest bringing a wonderful feel of credibility and reality to the picture. The beautifully painted Suffolk winter landscape, lightly dusted with snow, provides a fascinating contrast to awesome warbirds as they thunder homeward from battle. As with all Trudgian paintings, there is endless viewing in this new image that will keep its viewers endlessly absorbed. And with prints signed by aircrews at the 447th's reunion at Rattlesden in 2001, Nic's new limited edition will undoubtedly be considered a highly desirable collector print...signed by the artist : Nicolas Trudgian and eight combat crew veterans flying B-17 Flying Fortresses for the 447th BG out of Rattlesden, England, during World War 11 . T/Sgt John C Bitzer , T/Sgt Norman Bussel , Colonel Edward A Dingivan , First Lt. Frank Frision , S/Sgt John H. Osbahr , S/Sgt Orlando 'Pete' Petrillo , Sgt Byron Schlag and S/Sgt Don Sherman...come's with companion print , Rattlesden ,1945 signed by Nicolas Trudgian only...priced @ £195.00 for the two prints...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.