Multi Signed Edition

The battles in the skies over Germany during 1944 and 1945 were the largest aerial encounters ever seen and involved literally thousands of pilots and aircrew every single day. The Mighty Eighth would regularly send over 1000 four engined heavy bombers to targets within the Reich and beyond. The Luftwaffe, already worn down by the constant Allied air offensive, would respond with hundreds of Me109s and Fw190s in the vain hope of stopping the destruction of their country. It was the job of the US escorts to ensure that the Bomb Wings of B-17s and B-24's got through to their targets and the fighter most suited to the task was the legendary P-51 Mustang. Flown with aplomb by many US Fighter Groups, the Mustangs of the 357th FG were always in the forefront of the action and it is Major 'Kit' Carson's "Nooky Booky IV" that Nick has chosen to depict in action against Me109G's hell bent on attacking the Fortresses. A wonderful snapshot of an historic period in aviation.

This was Nick Trudgian's first Limited Edition Print for the Military Gallery, which was released in October 1991. For collectors of Nick's work this print is hard to come by, the publishers having Sold Out long ago! The Print edition was originally signed by Two US Aces and Two Luftwaffe Aces.

This is a rare opportunity to acquire a Special Multi signed copy of 'Hot Pursuit' - with a total of 13 Signatures -details of which are given below:

The Signatures

Major Leonard 'Kit' CARSON

One of the great Aces of the 357th FG, 'Kit' Carson scored 18.5 Victories in the P-51 during his campaign in World War Two, including 5 Fw190's in one day. In addition, he is credited with 3.5 ground victories. 'Kit' Carson passed away on the 8th March 1994.

Major Richard 'Bud' PETERSON

'Bud' Peterson was the 364th Squadron's highest scoring ace, racking up 15.5 Victories in the P-51. He also scored 3.5 ground victories.

Major Erich RUDORFFER - Knights Cross with Oak Leaves & Swords

Erich Rudorffer flew throughout the Second World War and is one of the greatest all round fighter pilots. He flew with JG2 in the Battle of Britain and JG54 in Russia. He was transferred to JG7 to fly the Me 262 jet and acheived jet 'acedom' by scoring 12 Victories in it. He eventually scored no less than 224 Victories!!

Hauptmann Ernst-Wilhelm REINERT - Knights Cross with Oak Leaves & Swords

Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert began his career on the Eastern Front, quickly scoring 100 victories. He transferred to the Mediterranean front and became the highest scorer in this theatre. He fought with JG27 in Defence of the Reich before joining JG7. He scored a total of 174 Victories.

Brigadier General Robin OLDS

A flying legend, Robin Olds first flew P-38 Lightnings with the 479th FG, gaining 9 Victories. He then switched to the P-51 Mustang to bring his total WW2 score to 13 Victories, plus an Me 262 jet damaged!  Olds continued to fly post-war and scored four further victories in the Vietnam conflict whilst flying an F-4C Phantom. He is also credited with 11 ground victories!

Oberst Hajo HERMANN - Knights Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords

Hajo Hermann is one of the few German airman to have flown as both a Bomber and Fighter Pilot. Initially trained as a Bomber pilot flying Ju88s Hermann served in Russia with KG30. Later in the war he thought up the 'Wilde Sau' night fighter tactics, which were used as a successful interim measure after the RAF deployed the radar jamming 'Window', he himself scoring 9 Victories at night. Hermann was imprisoned by the Soviets for many years after the end of the war.

Oberleutnant Walter SCHUCK - Knights Cross with Oak Leaves

Walter Schuck served on the Eastern Front for much of his career with JG5 'Eismeer' and was a rapid scorer. He reached the 100 victory mark in June 1944 and continued to score relentlessly pushing his victories well beyond the 150 mark. In early 1945, Schuck transferred to the West to fly the Messerschmitt 262 jet fighter with JG7. He found the aircraft to his liking a shot down 8 aircraft, thus becoming a jet 'Ace'. Walter Schuck flew some 500 missions and scored 206 Victories. He was awarded the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves.

Colonel Clarence 'Bud' ANDERSON

'Bud' Anderson joined the 357th FG in 1943 and scored his first victory in March 1944 during a Berlin escort mission. Anderson completed two tours and scored a total of 16 Victories, all in his P-51 "Hurry Home Honey".

Major Wolfgang SPATE - Knights Cross with Oak Leaves

Wolfgang Spate joined JG54 'Green Hearts' in 1941 in the Balkans. He was awarded the Knights Cross for 45 victories in Russia but was then transferred to the Test Kommando for the extraordinary Me163 'Komet' rocket fighter. The testing for this aircraft was protracted and Spate went back to IV/JG54 to score more victories before finally taking over command of JG400, the only Unit to use the Me163 operationally. After this, Spate moved to JG7 to fly the more conventional Me 262 turbojet fighter, in which he scored 5 further victories. Wolfgang Spate can lay claim to being one of the few pilots in history to fly both a turbojet AND a Rocket Fighter in combat! He scored a total of 99 Victories. 

Lt Colonel Edwin 'Ed' HELLER

'Ed' Heller was posted to the P-51 Mustang equipped 352nd FG - the famous 'Blue Nosers'. Flying his P-51B and D named "Hell-er Bust", Heller scored 5.5 victories and backed this up with an incredible 16.5 ground victories! Ed Heller continued to serve in the air force postwar and in Korea scoring more victories in an F-86.

Major Diethelm Von EICHEL-STREIBER - Knights Cross

Von Eichel-Streiber was certainly a pilot not to be tied down to any one Unit! Between 1940 and 1942 he had served with JG52, JG77, JG1 and JG26. In March 1943 he moved [again!] to JG51 and became the Kommandeur of III/JG51 in April. By August he was on the move again, to JG27, where he stayed until November 1944 when he took over the supervision of the conversion of Bomber Pilots to fighter pilots. Towards the end of the war Von Eichel-Streiber moved one final time - to Galland's famous Me 262 jet Fighter Unit - JV44. He achieved a total of 96 Victories and was awarded the Knights Cross. 

 Oberleutnant Ernst SCHEUFELE

Scheufele served with JG5 'Eismeer', initially in Norway carrying out escort missions for the large German surface fleet, including Tirpitz. He was one of the first Pilots to get his hands on a Fw190 on the Eastern Front, then flying with II/JG5. Scheufele was transferred to the West in June 1944 to combat the Allied landings. He was shot down in December 1944 and taken prisoner by US Forces. Ernst Scheufele scored  a total of 18 Victories.

Oberleutnant Walter WOLFRUM - Knights Cross

Walter Wolfrum served with JG52 on the Russian Front, where he racked up most of his victories. In 1944 his Unit was deployed to Rumania to intercept US Heavy Bombers attacking the Oil installations there and it was here that he tangled with the P-51 Mustang escorts. Wolfrum ended the war with 137 Victories. 

Major Hans-Ekkehard BOB - Knights Cross

Bob flew with JG54 in the Battle of Britain before migrating with that famous Unit to the Soviet Union for Operation Barbarossa. A move to IV/JG51 brought him back to the West, where on 17th April 1943, he rammed a B-17 Fortress for his 57th Victory. He ended the War as Adjutant to Adolf Galland in his famous Me262 equipped JV44. Bob scored a total of 60 Victories and flew more than 700 sorties.

 Unteroffizier Gunther KOLB

Joining the Luftwaffe very late in the war, Gunther Kolb was posted to JG5 'Eismeer' in 1944, flying the Me109 and Fw190A on shipping patrols in Norway. Kolb scored a total of 5 Victories.

 Leutnant Alfred AMBS

Alfred Ambs was initially attached to a training Unit and flew Ju88s, Me110's, Me109 and Fw190 aircraft. As the war situation worstened, Ambs was transferred to train on the new Messerschmitt 262 fighter with JG7. Flying with this Unit Ambs shot down 6 Allied aircraft to finish the war an Me 262 Jet 'Ace'.

 There can't be many examples of this print with such a superb line-up of signatures!!

*** Price £475 ***