FORTRESS AT REST

Description

A TRIBUTE TO THE MEN OF THE MIGHTY EIGHTH

The bomber crews of the US Eighth Air Force rightfully earned their place in aviation history through heroism and devotion to duty, becoming one of the most highly decorated organizations of WWII with 17 Medal of Honor recipients and 66 Distinguished Unit Citation awards. But, with almost 6,000 heavy bombers lost, the cost of victory had come at an enormous price – only one in three airmen had survived the air battle over Europe.

In this atmospheric edition, Richard Taylor recreates a brief moment of reprieve for the bomber crews as deep overnight snow temporarily grounds the Mighty Eighth during the bitter winter of 1944. With the morning sunlight glinting across the snow-covered landscape, a B-17G Flying Fortress of the 398th Bomb Group stands quietly near the perimeter of RAF Nuthampstead, awaiting the thaw that will allow the flying to begin again.

Acknowledging the vital role the Mighty Eighth played in securing the Allied success in WWII, this evocative piece is personally signed by three veterans who flew B-17s with the 8th Air Force – including Jim White, one of the youngest pilots in the 8th AF, and who flew with the 398th from Nuthampstead.

Fortress at Rest provides collectors with a fitting tribute to the valiant bomber crews of the “Mighty Eighth.”