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| "Eagles At Dawn" |
Artist: Robert Taylor Title: Eagles at Dawn Size: 33" x 25" Aircraft: Me 109G On Thursday, August 24, 1944 a 22-year old Oberleutnant Erich Hartmann powered his Me1O9G fighter in a spectacular low pass over his squadron's airstrip in northeastern Rumania, wagging his wings to the cheering Luftwaffe personnel on the ground below. The young flaxen-haired pilot had just become the first fighter Ace in history to bring down 300 enemy aircraft in combat. As World War 2 drew to its close, after three and a half years of continual aerial combat, this gifted young fighter pilot brought his final tally of aerial victories to 352, bringing down a Yak-7 during the last of his 1400 missions on May 8, 1945. He was the most successful fighter pilot of all time. In this dramatic rendition, Robert Taylor the world's number one aviation artist captures a brilliantly colorful midwinter scene during the final phase of the war on the Eastern Front. Glinting in the sub-zero early morning sunlight as fresh snow begins to fall, and led by their Gruppenkommandeur Erich Hartmann, the Me1O9G fighters of 1./JG-53 scramble off the snow-covered airstrip at Veszprem in Hungary, February 1945. They will intercept waves of Russian fighters and bombers in the skies above Czechoslovakia in a last ditch attempt to repel the impending invasion of Germany. Specially published as a commemorative set of three highly restricted editions, with each print individually signed by Erich Hartmann in 1990, EAGLES AT DAWN is the second edition in the Hartmann Trilogy. As a special tribute to Hartmann by fellow fighter pilots who flew on the Eastern Front, a number of prints are also signed by pilots of JG-52 and JG-53, the two groups with which Erich Hartmann scored his victories. The Signatures in this special "comrades" edition: ERICH HARTMANN ( plus SEVEN additional Luftwaffe pilots) Oberstleutnant HELMUT BENNEMANN Leutnant HEINZ EWALD Unteroffizier HELMUT HECKES Oberfeldwebel WERNER HOHENBERG Unteroffizier FRIEDRICH SCHELKER Oberleutnant GUNTHER SEEGER Oberleutnant FRANZ WOIDICH Edition: Comrades Edition: 490 signed and numbered prints. 30 Artist Proofs This Robert Taylor Print is in my opinion one of his very best. This print is numbered 212/ 850 and comes with matching Certificate of Authenticity. Erich Hartmann was simply the penultimate fighter pilot. At the end of WW2, he was the highest scoring German fighter pilot of all time. He was captured by the Russians and stayed in captivity until 1955. Although he never progressed passed the rank of Colonel (during WW2), but he was also never surpassed in terms of total victories. He was the perfect fighter pilot in all ways. There is a great book titled “German Fighter Ace Erich Hartmann”. It outlines through photos provided and selected by his wife, his complete life story including his 10 years in Russian captivity after the war and his subsequent military career in the post WW2 German airforce (under Galland) after his release from the Russians. This man epitimised the fighter pilot in every way. Following is a great extract from the book...... “In Hartmann’s opinion, the worst sin of a fighter pilot is scoring a victory and, in so doing, losing your wingman. For him, no aerial victory was worth losing the life of a wingman. In his unit, he who returned after a victory without his wingman was no longer able to fly as a flight leader and himself must fly as a wingman. Hartmann’s fearless, direct way of tackling problems was evident on the occasion of being decorated with the Diamonds to the Oak Leaves with Swords, which took place in Führer’s headquarters. It ws shortly after the assassination attempt of July 20, 1944. No one was allowed to enter the Third, inner zone without first being searched by the Officer of the Watch. Hartmann explained to the officer who demanded he take off his pistol that he could tell Hitler that he did not want the Diamonds “if the Führer doesn’t trust his officers at the front.” Hitler’s Luftwaffenadjutant, Oberst von Below, then explained that Hartmann could enter the third zone without being searched and could even keep his pistol. Hartmann’s position was simple: Hitler can stick his Diamonds if he doesn’t trust me. Hartmann was not and is still not the kind of man who keeps discomforting thoughts to himself. He openly expresses them and defends them fearlessly." Erich Hartmann died in 1993. 93. Erich Hartmann died in 1993. |
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