Description
“Two U.S. Navy SBD dive-bombers – Dauntlesses – from the carrier, Yorktown, climb toward the island of Midway, now threatened by Japan.
“Since the attack on Pearl Harbor, six months have passed in dark clouds of defeat. Japanese forces control the Pacific, their rising sun ignites the Orient. But today the tide will turn. The Dauntlesses will howl out of the dawn to smash a huge Japanese armada.
“This Battle of Midway was history’s second naval encounter fought entirely by aircraft. (The first was Coral Sea.) American losses were heavy: 132 planes down, and one carrier sunk – the Yorktown. But the SBDs sank four enemy carriers, and with them, 275 planes. Thanks to Dauntless planes and dauntless men, the darkness of defeat gave way to a dawning of hope for final victory.” – William Phillips
The title of the painting, Dauntless Against a Rising Sun, was a natural. A SBD dive-bomber was referred to as a “Dauntless” and the two in this painting capture the spirit of the U.S. forces in those dark days after the initial Japanese victories in the Pacific.
This copy is personally signed by the artist, William Phillips as well as Six legendary Pilots who flew at Midway:
Commander BILL ESDERS – SBD Pilot / attacked the Akagi
Captain ROBERT ELDER – TBD Pilot / the only survivor of Torpedo Sqn 3
Rear Admiral LEW HOPKINS – SBD Pilot / attacked the Akagi
Captain SCOTT MCCUSKEY – Wildcat Pilot / 13 1⁄2 victories
Lieutenant Commander DICK BEST – SBD Pilot / scored the direct hit that finished the Akagi
Major General MARION CARL – Wildcat Pilot / 18 ½ victories
This very rare, secondary market print is seldom found these days, especially with these outstanding autographs, making it a historic collector’s piece.
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