Masters of the Air ROBERT BAILEY Men of the Century B-17 100th Bomb Group RARE

  
The APPLE+ (Apple Plus) series Masters of the Air depicts the B-17 100th Bomb Group during World War II. We believe this is the finest depiction of the Bloody Hundredth available. The image of the B-17 taking off from Thorpe Abbots with other Flying Fortresses waiting their turn captures the expectation and anticipation of each mission. How many aircraft and their crews will return from the horrors of flak and fighters over Germany? This magnificent print will grace the walls of your home or place of business and will lead to discussions about our extraordinary veterans of the air war over Europe in World War II.

"MEN OF THE CENTURY" by aviation artist Robert Bailey is a signed and numbered limited edition print from an edition limited to only 350 prints. Little remains as evidence of the size, scope, and activity that occurred at Thorpe Abbots during World War II. The calmness of the countryside and the few remaining dilapidated structures belie the titanic struggle that occurred at this former Eighth Air Force Heavy Bomber base that housed the famous'Bloody Hundredth. Then, men who grew older than their years, faced an enemy in the air that at times decimated their ranks. Yet time and time again the men and machines rose to do battle in the stratosphere, deep into the heartland of Nazi Germany.

Inevitably, they would face the onslaught of other young men in enemy fighters, accurate flak, and the elements of nature that would conspire to reduce the average life expectancy of the bomber crews to as few as six missions. The goal of twenty-five missions to qualify for rotation back to the zone of the interior, appeared to be impossible to achieve. These were hard, dark days that greeted the Americans who joined in the fight for freedom and democracy with their British counterparts.

The names of the targets became legend, as did the men who participated in the missions. To those who remember the air war, those names evoke a terror and reverence that only they can know. Now only the wind blows across the empty fields at Thorpe Abbotts and other former air bases in England. By 4:00 on the morning of October 8, 1943, the departments of Group Photo, Armament, Signals, Ordnance, Navigation, Transportation, Weather, and Flying Control had been notified of the impending mission - a raid on Breman, Germany. Depicted in Robert Bailey's "MEN OF THE CENTURY" is B-17 Flying Fortress'Our Babe' of the 100th Bomb Group a she crosses the field at about fifteen hundred feet.

Along with her is a no-name B-17. As men stand anxiously on the Thorpe Abbotts control tower,'Holy Terror,' (right),'Queen Bee,' and'Marie Helena' taxi past. Marie Helena' was to collide with an FW-1 90 on this mission.

In addition to the artist this print is individually signed in pencil by FOUR pilots who flew the B-17 Flying Fortress in the 100th Bomb Group. 2nd Lieutenant OWEN "COWBOY" ROANE.

2nd Lieutenant ROBERT "ROSIE" ROSENTHAL. This mint condition print has never been framed and, like all of our prints, has been stored flat.

It measures 33½" x 22½" and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity and a signature card with pictures and short descriptions of signers' flying histories. GOOD LUCK AND THANKS FOR LOOKING!