JET INTERCEPTOR - Original Oil on Canvas by Nicolas Trudgian * SOLD *

JET INTERCEPTOR - By Nicolas Trudgian

Back in 2000 Nicolas Trudgian released a set of four limited edition prints mounted with original signatures. They featured four aicraft of the Luftwaffe - Me109G of Erich Hartmann, the Fw190 of Hannes Trautloft, the Me262 of Adolf Galland and - the rarest of all - the He162 of Herbert Ihlefeld.

The Heinkel 162 'Salamander' or 'Volksjager' was a revolutionary aircraft designed, built and Tested at great speed because of the worsening war situation faced by Germany. It was powered by a single jet engine mounted on the top of a slimline airframe. The plan was to build enough of these aircraft and for them to be flown in combat by 'novice pilots' (!?).

Needless to say, the speed with which the He162 was developed meant that there were serious issues with the design and indeed many Test pilots were killed flying the He162, which proved to be FAR too tricky to handle by any 'novices'. Incredibly, the He162 WAS issued to a front-line fighter Unit - JG1 - in the dying days of the Second World War and Nicks painting shows 'White 23', the personal aircraft of Herbert Ihlefeld, together with other jets, heading back to their north German bases. Below Nick has depicted a German lake and islands in the early evening.

He162 'White 23' was actually captured intact and now resides as a reminder of this extraordinary plane at the National Air & Space Museum in Washington DC.

This Original Oil on Canvas measures 24 x 16 Inches. The Artist Nicolas Trudgian has signed the rear of the Canvas and dated it.

*** SOLD ***