December 1944. Typhoons of 440 Squadron
RCAF make a low pass to identify a formidable German King Tiger Tank
in the Ardennes, during the 'Battle of the Bulge.'
The lightning advances made by the Allies
after D-Day during 'Operation Cobra' and the breakout from
Normandy, came to a grinding halt as supply lines stretched and
German entrenchment solidified. Through the fall and into the
winter, the lines of battle faltered to a stalemate, allowing the
Allies to regroup and rest. Or so they thought.
Hitler had other ideas, and although
cautioned to the contrary by his military advisers, designed a
battle plan based on surprise and secrecy. Code named 'Autumn Mist,'
the plan was to quietly amass men, tanks and planes in the Ardennes
for a 'blitzkrieg' thrust to the Meuse River and on to Antwerp, in
the hopes of literally dividing the Allies and repeating another
'Dunkirk.' He chose a spot on the American lines that was thinly
defended.
The Allies were confident that the Germans
were not capable of such an action, and were thrown into chaos when
the Germans smashed through the American lines, spear-headed by two
Panzer Divisions on the morning of December 16, 1944. For ten days
the Germans benefited immensely from the foul weather which grounded
the Allied air forces. The German advances became known as the
'Battle of the Bulge.'
With the weather finally improving on the
morning of December 24, the German advance had run its course,
literally running out of gas. Allied planes poured into the battle
front by the hundreds, destroying everything in front of them.
In Robert Bailey's painting, TYPHOON
TARGET, a King (Royal) Tiger, low on gas and nakedly exposed to air
attack, runs for the cover of trees, pursued by two Typhoons of 440
Squadron, 143 Wing (RCAF), 2nd Tactical Air Force. Like 600 other
units of German armor, it will not likely find a place to hide in
the face of Allied counter attacks.
THE
SIGNATURES:
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F/Lt. James Hardy
·
F/Lt. Ken Storey
·
F/Lt. Art Younger
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F/O Ralph Downing
·
F/Lt. C. Ivan Smith
·
F/O John Porter
·
F/Lt. Roy Burden
·
F/Lt. Bill Clifford
·
F/Lt. Don Banting
·
F/O Allan Nixon
·
F/O Angus Mclntyre Scott
·
F/Lt. Ivan Mouat
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F/O George 'Lefty' Whitman
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F/Lt. Robert E. Spooner |
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Overall Print Size: 22" x 34"
120
Group Edition Prints with 13 co-signatures
$225
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Overall Print Size: 22" x 34"
100
Limited Edition with 4 co-signatures
$175
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