FOURTH FIGHTER PATROL

Description

Climbing on full power, P-51 Mustangs of the Fourth Fighter Group patrol the skies over northern France ahead of the main force of Eighth Air Force bombers, 1944.

WWII’s most successful offensive fighter aircraft, the P-51 Mustang, is majestically portrayed in this spectacular painting by Robert Taylor.

THE SIGNATURES

It is of great historical importance that the prints in this edition are personally autographed by four of the most distinguished fighter pilots to fly Mustangs during WWII. All of them were volunteers, flying with the RAF Eagle Squadrons, before transferring to the 4th Fighter Group when America entered the war. They were all highly decorated by both the USAAF and the RAF:

Colonel DON BLAKESLEE – 4th Fighter Group / 14½ victories
Colonel JAMES GOODSON – 4th Fighter Group / 15 victories
Major General CHESLEY G. PETERSON – 4th Fighter Group / 10 victories
Lieutenant Colonel JIM CLARK – 4th Fighter Group / 16 victories

This stunning piece is one of the most sought after in Robert Taylor’s extensive portfolio and now seldom becomes available on the secondary market.

THE MULTI-SIGNED COPY WITH TWENTY ONE SIGNATURES

After it was first published in 1987 this copy was kept aside and subsequently  brought to many Gallery signing events to be additionally autographed by WWII P-51 Mustang Pilots and now boasts a total of TWENTY ONE autographs.

Colonel WALKER “BUD” MAHURIN – 56th Fighter Group / 24 ¼ victories
Captain JIM BROOKS – 31st Fighter Group / 13 victories
Major General DONALD STRAIT – 356th Fighter Group / 13 ½ victories
Colonel ARTHUR “ART” FIEDLER – 325th Fighter Group / 8 victories
Captain ROBERT P WINKS – 357th Fighter Group / 5 ½ victories
Colonel CLARENCE “BUD” ANDERSON – 357th Fighter Group / 16 ¼ victories
Lieutenant Colonel BOB GOEBEL – 31st Fighter Group / 11 victories
Brigadier General ROBIN OLDS – 479th Fighter Group / 17 victories (including 4 in Vietnam)
Lieutenant Colonel CLYDE EAST – 10th Photo Recon Group / 14 ½ victories
Lieutenant Colonel DONALD CUMMINGS – 38th Fighter Group / 6 ½ victories including 2 jets
Lieutenant Colonel ROBERT G SCHIMANSKI – 357th Fighter Group / 6 victories
Lieutenant Colonel WILLIAM W FOARD – 357th Fighter Group / Took part in all of the Squadron’s main escort raids
Major JOHN A KIRLA – 357th Fighter Group / 11 ½ victories
Brigadier General FRANK L GAILER – 357th Fighter Group / 5 ½ victories
Lieutenant Colonel ROBERT A. KARR – 52nd Fighter Group / 6 victories
Captain CLINTON DeWITT BURDICK – 356th Fighter Group / 5 ½ victories
Major ALDEN P. RIGBY – 352nd Fighter Group / 5 victories

The highly distinguished fighter pilots on this print scored almost 225 aerial victories between them and only one multi-signed copy was ever completed, making it a unique and highly sought after collector’s piece.