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Air Superiority by Robert Taylor.
It had taken almost six years of continual air fighting for the Allied forces to
attain complete and total air superiority over the Luftwaffe. At the outbreak of
World War II the mighty German Air Force had appeared invincible but the ensuing
Battle of Britain gave the Luftwaffe its first taste of what was to come. When
America joined the war, bringing with her to Europe ne wtypes of fighters and
bombers, the writing must have been clearly chalked on the wall of Hitlers
bunker. Unleashing the full power of the Eighth Air Force against the Third
Reich by day, and with the RAF Bomber Commands constant attacks by night,
production in Germanys aircraft and munitions factories became fatally depleted.
In the air the Allied fighter pilots were beginning to dominate the skies, and
by the spring on 1945, had achieved complete air superiority. It had been a long
and bitter struggle, fought with great courage and sacrifice. |
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Air Superiority by Robert Taylor.
It had taken almost six years of continual air fighting for the Allied forces to attain complete and total air superiority over the Luftwaffe. At the outbreak of World War II the mighty German Air Force had appeared invincible but the ensuing Battle of Britain gave the Luftwaffe its first taste of what was to come. When America joined the war, bringing with her to Europe ne wtypes of fighters and bombers, the writing must have been clearly chalked on the wall of Hitlers bunker. Unleashing the full power of the Eighth Air Force against the Third Reich by day, and with the RAF Bomber Commands constant attacks by night, production in Germanys aircraft and munitions factories became fatally depleted. In the air the Allied fighter pilots were beginning to dominate the skies, and by the spring on 1945, had achieved complete air superiority. It had been a long and bitter struggle, fought with great courage and sacrifice.
Aces Edition of 450 prints. Image size 16 inches x 29.25 inches (41cm x 75cm). Price £200.00 Signed by Colonel C E Bud Anderson, Brigadier General Frank L. Gailer, Lieutenant Colonel Robert G. Schimanski and Captain Robert P Winks (deceased)
Aces Edition Artist Proofs. Edition of 25. Image size 16 inches x 29.25 inches (41cm x 75cm). Price £320.00 Signed by Colonel C E Bud Anderson, Brigadier General Frank L. Gailer, Lieutenant Colonel Robert G. Schimanski and Captain Robert P Winks (deceased)
Victory in Europe Edition of 400 prints. Includes 12 signatures. Image size 16 inches x 29.25 inches (41cm x 75cm). Price £325.00 Signed by Colonel C E Bud Anderson, Brigadier General Frank L. Gailer, Lieutenant Colonel Robert G. Schimanski, Captain Robert P Winks (deceased), First Lieutenant Joseph Black, First Lieutenant Raymond T Conlin, Lieutenant Colonel William W Foard, First Lieutenant Dale E Karger (deceased), John A. Kirla, Captain William B. Overstreet, Colonel Arval J. Roberson and First Lieutenant John Skara
ITEM CODE DHM2267
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Air Superiority by Robert Taylor
- The Signatures
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 | Colonel C E Bud Anderson
Bud Anderson went to England with the 357th Fighter Group in 1943, the first Eighth Air Force Group to be equipped with the P-51 Mustang. He got himself on the score sheet on one of the first Berlin missions, dog fighting with a bunch of Me109s who had set upon a straggling B-17. On 29th June 1944, leading his squadron on a mission to Leipzig, they ran into a formation of Fw190s. In the ensuing battle Anderson shot down the leader, and two more Fw190s. After a short rest in the U.S., Bud returned for a second tour, just in time for the 357th's big day on 27th November 1944. With the 353rd they took on a huge formation of some 200 enemy fighters, Anderson adding three more to his score. He finished the war with 16 air victories and many more probables.
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Brigadier General Frank L. Gailer
Frank Gailer was posted to England, joining the 357th Fighter Group at Leiston. Flying with the 363rd FS he went into combat in august, and in the next few months destroyed 6 enemy aircraft before being shot down in November 1944. Captured by the Germans, he was interned in Stalug I. After the war, in Vietnam, he commanded the 35th TFW at Phan Rang AB, flying over 500 hours combat on F-100s. In 1969 he returned to England once again, to command the 48th TW, and then as Vice-Commander of Third Air Force, USAF Europe.
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Lieutenant Colonel Robert G. Schimanski
Born in Spokane, Washington in 1920, Bob Schimanski graduated as a fighter pilot, and was posted to join the 364th Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group in England. During his tour of duty on P51s at Leiston, he flew 70 combat missions, getting on the score sheet with the first of his victories on 13th September 1944. He became an Ace on 2 Match 1945 when he downed a Me109 south of Magdeburg. By the end of his tour had achieved 6 air victories, all but one against Me109s, plus a further two on the ground.
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 | Captain Robert P Winks (deceased)
Robert Winks joined the service in 1943, and after training was posted to England. Flying his first combat mission in July 1944, he served with the 364th Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group. His year long tour in Europe took in the heavy fighting over the Battle of the Bulge, the missions to support the Arnhem operations, and the Battle of Berlin, when the 357th destroyed 56 enemy aircraft. During this time he flew some 69 combat missions. His personal P-51D was 'Trusty Rusty'. His victories included an Me262 jet fighter claimed on 15th January 1945. Sadly, he died on 19th May 2008.
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First Lieutenant Joseph Black
Joe Black joined up in November 1942, arriving in England to join the 357th Fighter Group. Flying with the 362nd Fighter Squadron, he flew the first of his 28 combat missions on 1st February 1945, and participated in a massive escort raid to Berlin escorting B17s for his second. Joe served with the 362nd right up until the end of hostilities in Europe, leaving the service early in 1946.
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 | First Lieutenant Raymond T Conlin
'Ted' Conlin joined the service in July 1942, arriving in england in March 1944 to join the 362nd Squadron, 357th Fighter Group, flying P-51s. He flew the first of his combat missions on 13th May 1944, and the next few weeks saw much activity in the build up to D-Day. In September he took part in the air operations in support of Market Garden, the airborne landings in Holland around Arnhem and Nijmegen, and also escort on the 'Russian Shuttle' missions. He finished his combat tour in November 1944.
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Lieutenant Colonel William W Foard
27th February 1943 saw Bill Foard join the service and commence his pilot training, gaining his pilots wings, after which he was posted to the Eighth Air Force in England. Joining the 357th Fighter Group flying P51D Mustangs with the 364 Fighter Squadron based at Leiston in Suffolk, East Anglia, Bill flew his first combat mission on 21st February 1945. He took part in all of the Squadrons main escort raids and fighter actions during the final phase of the air war, until the end of hostilities.
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First Lieutenant Dale E Karger (deceased)
Born in 1925, Dale Karger joined the Army Reserves and was commissioned a 2nd Lt, and rated a pilot in February 1944. He transferred to the 357th Fighter Group on 18th September 1944, scoring his first two victories on 5th December, both against Fw190s north of Berlin, followed by his first Me109 on 24th December. On 20th January he achieved Ace status when he notched up an Me262 jet north of Munich. Dale finished his tour with a tally of 7.5 victories, and was the third youngest American fighter Ace of World War II. Sadly, he passed away on 5th October 2008.
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John A. Kirla
Born in 1922, John Kirla joined the Army reserves and was commissioned a 2nd Lt and rated a pilot in January 1944. He transferred to the 357th Fighter Group on 12th July 1944, scoring his first victories on 13th September against Me109s south of Nordhausen. His victories continued to mount and on 24th December he achieved and passed Ace status when he notched up three Fw190s near Fulda. On 14th January he notched up four victories in a day on a mission northwest of Berlin, the last of his 11.5 victories of the war.
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Captain William B. Overstreet
Posted to England in November 1943 to join the 363rd fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group at Leiston Bill Overstreet flew his P51 combat mission on 12th February 1944. He commanded nearly 50 combat missions during his tour with the 357th FS, taking part in escorting the big raids to Berlin, Frankfurt, Leipzeig and many other city targets as well as participating in escort missions to Russia from Italy. Shot down once he managed to escape to freedom after two days capacity. Returning stateside in October 1944.
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Colonel Arval J. Roberson
Joining the Army Reserves in 1942, ‘Robby’ Roberson was commissioned and rated a pilot in May 1943. Transferring to the 362nd Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group, he flew 76 combat missions on P51s, sharing his first victory against an Me110 over Berlin on 6th March 1944. He became an Ace on 19th September, and scored his 6th and final air victory at the same time. During the Korean War he flew an additional 100 combat hours with the 18th FBG, and in Vietnam managed to get in 26 support missions on C47s. He retired in 1973.
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 | First Lieutenant John Skara
John Skara joined the service in June 1942. After training he was posted to England to join the 357th Fighter Group at Leiston in Suffolk, flying both the P51B and later the P51D. He undertook his first combat mission in March 1944, and took part in the long and hazardous escort missions both to Russia, and to Italy. For most of his combat tour he flew as wingman to Bud Anderson
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