Description
There was only one way the Germans were going to re-supply their beleaguered army in Italy against the relentless assault of the Allies pushing northwards – and that was through the Brenner Pass in the Alps. The Allies knew that if they could destroy this strategic labyrinth of heavily defended road and rail bridges, the enemy would be forced to surrender or perish.
And as the men of the US Twelfth and Fifteenth Air Forces who must fly their heavily-laden bombers dangerously close to the rugged Alpine peaks, and endure a pounding from the anti-aircraft guns lining the narrow pass below. Not to mention any roving enemy fighters, or the turbulent weather over the mountains.
Anthony Saunders’ dramatic painting, Battle of the Brenner, depicts the B-25s of the 488th BS, 340th BG, 12th Air Force on April 10, 1945. They had just destroyed an important rail bridge when a large force of Me109s from what remained of the Italian fascist air force seized their chance, attacking the seemingly unescorted bombers. The Italians however were in for a nasty shock as P-51 Mustangs from the 325th Fighter Group – the Checkertails – quickly appeared on the scene, rapidly dispatching five of the enemy planes for no loss in the short, devastating melee that ensued.
Available individually or as a matching numbered pair with ROAM AT WILL as part of The Battle for Italy Portfolio.
THE SIGNATURES
In addition to being signed by the artist and hand numbered, each print in every edition has been personally signed by a B-25 Pilot that flew bombing missions in Southern Italy:
Second Lieutenant GENE KOSCINSKI
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