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D-Day The Airborne Assault by Robert Taylor.
It began in pitch darkness. June 6, 1944 was only a few minutes old when the
Airborne Pathfinders drifted silently down from the sky above the fields of
Normandy. At first their seemed nothing untoward about the drone of aircraft in
the night sky. The German garrisons in Northern France were used to the noise of
aircraft overhead after dark, but this night seemed particularly busy. Looking
skyward a German sentry caught sight of parachutes floating down, clearly
visible as the moon fleetingly broke through the clouds. For an instant he
thought it was the crew jumping from a damaged bomber, but when he saw the mass
of canopies floating earthwards, he knew it was no ordinary event. Within
moments of raising the alarm the crackle of automatic gunfire confirmed his
worst fears: The Invasion of France had begun. The first assault upon Hitlers
Fortress Europe came from the sky. Shortly after midnight waves of aircraft and
gliders delivered three Divisions of elite airborne troops into Normandy, their
crucial objectives to seize vital bridges, secure strategic positions and clear
the way for the coming aerial armada. As the first streaks of dawn came over the
horizon on that historic day, and with American and British paratroops already
engaged in furious fire fights, the mighty amphibious armada began landing on
the beaches of Normandy. Above them waves of troop-carrying aircraft towing
gliders stretched from the coast of France all the way back to England. Closely
escorted by fighters, they delivered over 20,000 highly trained men into the
battlefield of Northern France. By nightfall the first phase of the greatest
military invasion in history was complete. Five Divisions were were ashore and
the Allies had established a toehold in occupied Europe. For the Third Reich it
was the beginning of the end. Without the advanced airborne assault, and the air
supremacy achieved by the escort fighters, the amphibious landings could have
been a disaster. Seen crossing the Normandy beaches are C-47 Dakotas of the
438th Troop Carrier Group towing CG-4 Waco gliders, closely escorted by P-51Bs
of the 354 Fighter Group. Below, landing craft swarm ashore putting men and
equipment on the beaches, and everything about this spectacular painting brings
alive the events of that historic day a half a century ago. |
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D-Day The Airborne Assault by Robert Taylor.
It began in pitch darkness. June 6, 1944 was only a few minutes old when the Airborne Pathfinders drifted silently down from the sky above the fields of Normandy. At first their seemed nothing untoward about the drone of aircraft in the night sky. The German garrisons in Northern France were used to the noise of aircraft overhead after dark, but this night seemed particularly busy. Looking skyward a German sentry caught sight of parachutes floating down, clearly visible as the moon fleetingly broke through the clouds. For an instant he thought it was the crew jumping from a damaged bomber, but when he saw the mass of canopies floating earthwards, he knew it was no ordinary event. Within moments of raising the alarm the crackle of automatic gunfire confirmed his worst fears: The Invasion of France had begun. The first assault upon Hitlers Fortress Europe came from the sky. Shortly after midnight waves of aircraft and gliders delivered three Divisions of elite airborne troops into Normandy, their crucial objectives to seize vital bridges, secure strategic positions and clear the way for the coming aerial armada. As the first streaks of dawn came over the horizon on that historic day, and with American and British paratroops already engaged in furious fire fights, the mighty amphibious armada began landing on the beaches of Normandy. Above them waves of troop-carrying aircraft towing gliders stretched from the coast of France all the way back to England. Closely escorted by fighters, they delivered over 20,000 highly trained men into the battlefield of Northern France. By nightfall the first phase of the greatest military invasion in history was complete. Five Divisions were were ashore and the Allies had established a toehold in occupied Europe. For the Third Reich it was the beginning of the end. Without the advanced airborne assault, and the air supremacy achieved by the escort fighters, the amphibious landings could have been a disaster. Seen crossing the Normandy beaches are C-47 Dakotas of the 438th Troop Carrier Group towing CG-4 Waco gliders, closely escorted by P-51Bs of the 354 Fighter Group. Below, landing craft swarm ashore putting men and equipment on the beaches, and everything about this spectacular painting brings alive the events of that historic day a half a century ago.
Signed limited edition of 1000 prints. Paper size 34 inches x 25 inches (86cm x 64cm). Price £495.00 Signed by P-51 pilots Warren Emerson, Clayton Gross, William King and Maurice Long (deceased); C-47 pilot Sid Harwell and glider pilot Miles Wagner.
ITEM CODE AX0003
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D-Day The Airborne Assault by Robert Taylor
- The Signatures
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Warren Emerson
P51 pilot who flew during the D-Day landings.
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 | Captian Clayton Gross
Clayton Gross was one of 12 original pilots to fly with the 355th fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group. He first saw combat in 1943, and took part in the great D-Day air operations on 6th June 1944. He flew over 100 combat missions in two combat tours on P51s, was credited with 6 confirmed kills (including an Me262 jet), 14 damaged, multiple ground vehicles destroyed, including 8 locomotives. He survived one bail-out behind enemy lines, and flew continuously in the ETO until VE Day.
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William King
P51 pilot who flew during the D-Day landings. Serving with the 355th Fighter Squadron, he scored 5.5 victories, including 3 Fw190s in a single day.
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Colonel Maurice Long (deceased)
Maurice Long arrived in England in 1943, assigned to the 355th Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group. Flying the P51B Mustang he served as a Flight Commander, operations Officer and Squadron Commander, achieving 8 and a half victories. In the ETO he took part in the vital D-Day missions over Normandy, later moving with the Squadron to French soil. In a long career he took part in 140 combat missions flying P51s in the ETO, and later F84s in Korea. Sadly, we have learned that Maurice Long passed away on 31st March 2008.
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Miles Wagner
Glider pilot, D-Day.
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