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American Aviation Art
America-Art-Prints  Aviation Art |
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Aviation art prints of the United States Air Force by renowned aviation artists. |
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Yamamoto's Last Flight by Stan Stokes. On April 18, 1943, in one of the more interesting, daring, and ultimately controversial missions of WW II, a flight of P-38s under the command of Major John Mitchell, intercepted and destroyed the aircraft carrying Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, Commander in Chief of the Japanese Combined Fleet, and the mastermind of the attack on Pearl Harbor. American code breakers had intercepted and translated a message indicating that Adm. Yamamoto would fly from Rabaul to an airfield on the southern tip of Bouganville on the morning of April 18, 1943. Because of the great distances to be covered during this intercept mission the P-38s would have very limited time over the rendezvous area. Fortunately for the Army Air Force pilots, Yamamoto was noted for his punctuality, and if he departed Rabaul on time the mission might just work. Major Mitchell led his flight of 16 P-38s to the rendezvous, with twelve of his fighters acting as high cover to fend off escorting fighters, while four pilots were designated as the killer flight by Mitchell and were to destroy the Mitsubishi Betty which would be carrying the Admiral. Two betty bombers and six Zero fighters were encountered. Both Bettys were downed by the killer flight and one of the four P-38s in the killer flight was lost. Unfortunately, this marvelous mission has also been surrounded by more than its share of controversy. One of the three surviving pilots of the killer flight was Thomas Lamphier. Lamphier claimed that only he fired the fatal shots into Yamamotos Betty. In 1972 the Air Force reviewed all relevant information surrounding the flight, including testimony from a surviving Japanese fighter pilot on the mission and a surviving passenger on the second Betty. The official Air Force decision in 1972 was that both Lamphier and his wingman Rex Barber should share equal credit. In March of 1985 another Victory Credit Board of Review was convened, and it too concluded that the victory should be shared. Later that year new evidence was put forward in the form of a taped interview with one of the surviving Zero pilots, Kenji Yanagiya. Yanagiyas testimony clearly supported the Rex Barber account of the mission and not that of Lamphier. Lamphier, who died in 1987, continued to be outspoken until his death in his claims. In 1993, The noted aviation historian, Carroll Glines published an excellent book entitled Attack on Yamamoto. The bulk of the evidence presented in Glines book supported the conclusion that only Rex Barber probably deserves credit for the victory. More recently a board assembled by the American Fighter Aces Association met and reviewed all available facts. That Board decided that only Rex Barber deserves the official credit for downing Yamamoto. Despite all this unfortunate controversy one cannot deny that the mission to intercept Yamamoto was the longest successful mission of its type in WWII. Yamamotos death boosted morale in the United States, shocked the Japanese public, and was ultimately symbolic of the turn around in the War in the Pacific, which began at Midway in 1942, and gathered momentum in 1943. |
Hot Pursuit by Nicolas Trudgian. (B) Flying a bomber escort mission, a P- 51 Mustang of the 357th Fighter Group engages Me109s about to descend upon a formation of B-17 Flying Fortresses. |
Clearing Skies by Robert Taylor. The winter of 1944 / 45 wasn't the coldest ever recorded in England but it came close. The weather was bitter and, in what would turn out to be the last Christmas of the war, temperatures plunged across the country, bringing ice, freezing fog and deep banks of drifting snow. Airfields across East Anglia stood bleak and frost-bound, runways kept clear of snow when conditions allowed, whilst the heavy bombers of the US Eighth Air Force remained under wraps, engines oiled, warmed and ready for any break in the banks of murky fog that would allow them to fly. And when those breaks came, the bombers were back in action ready to play their part in the final destruction of Hitler's Third Reich. The end game was rapidly approaching and both sides knew it. Clearing Skies portrays one such break in the weather when, with recent heavy snow beginning to thaw, the B-17 Fortresses of the famous 100th Bomb Group at Thorpe Abbotts in Norfolk are being prepared for a new mission to Germany in early 1945. Earning the nickname 'The Bloody Hundredth' due to the heavy losses they suffered, Robert has fittingly chosen the 100th BG to represent all those who flew so heroically with the Eighth Air Force in England during World War II. The Eighth flew its final bomber operations of the war on 25th April 1945, the last of 968 combat missions involving over 523,000 sorties; they had dropped some 700,000 tons of bombs, inflicting destruction on a scale from which the enemy could never recover. Yet the cost of the victory in which they had played such a major part made for sober reading; they had lost some 6,130 bombers and fighters along with some 47,000 casualties, including more than 26,000 dead - half of the entire US Army Air Force losses during the conflict. |
Silent Fortress by Randall Scott. There are few scenes quite so evocative as the vision of a once mighty warbird resting silently in its watery grave, a tranquil underwater world so alien to the world that it was created to fly and fight in. Far removed from the hostile skies of Europe and the long hours of tension, cold and extreme danger endured by its crew, this potent warrior now lies peacefully, its guns silent and quiet forever in the shallow waters of the Mediterranean where it came to rest so many years ago. This is without doubt an extraordinary and moving tribute to those young airmen of the USAAF. |
Colonel Robin Olds by Ivan Berryman. F-4C Phantom II of Colonel Robin Olds of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, January 1967. |
Hostile Sky by Robert Taylor A B-24 has been hit and is losing touch with the main bomber formation, as Luftwaffe pilots concentrated their attentions on the unfortunate aircraft. Two Fw190s, are zooming up for the kill on the damaged B-24. Seeing the desperate situation, a P-38 escort pilot has made a head-on attack, splitting the pair of Fw190s, and thwarting their attempt to finish off the B-24. Another P-38, aware of the situation, is turning into the path of the Fw190s, and Robert makes it clear in his dramatic portrayal that the action has some way to go before any conclusion will be reached. |
Chicago Homecoming by Stan Stokes. The Douglas DC-6 and its successors would become the most popular and successful family of long-range civilian transport propeller driven aircraft in history. Although Lockheeds Constellation was technically superior to the Douglas DC-4, the former companys agreement with TWA prevented Lockheed from marketing the Connie to major airlines that competed with TWA. This created a window of opportunity for Douglas, and many airlines were anxious to purchase an improved version of the Douglas DC-4. During WW II Douglas built a lot of C-54 Skymaster aircraft, which was the military version of the DC-4. During the War, Douglas engineers interested the military in the concept of an improved version of the C-54 that would include a longer, and for the first time, pressurized fuselage, de-icing, and other enhancements. This improved Skymaster design evolved into the DC-6. Test flights on the first DC-6 prototype (c/n 36326) began in early 1946. This aircraft was bought by the USAAF, and later sold to a non-scheduled U.S. airline. This particular aircraft flew many millions of miles before being lost in an accident in 1978. DC-6s entered commercial service with the airlines in 1947. American and United Air Lines both introduced the DC-6 at the same time. American had orders or options on fifty planes, while United had the same on another forty. Pan Am was also an early customer as was Sabena. Early DC-6 operations had some problems. A United DC-6 caught fire and crashed in Utah with the loss of all on board while another American DC-6 caught fire and had to crash land in New Mexico. The problem resulted in a temporary grounding of the plane, and the cause of these fires was discovered and rectified. The DC-6 was widely purchased by non-U.S. airlines, and the 29th aircraft produced was named Independence, and was purchased by the USAF for use by President Truman. The first variant of the DC-6 to appear was the DC-6A, a freight version of the aircraft, which had a lengthened fuselage and greater load capacity and range. The DC-6B, which is depicted in Stan Stokes painting, was the passenger version of the DC-6A. It was one of the most successful airliners of all time. It could be configured to carry as many as 105 passengers, but was more typically operated with between 60-70 seats. A total of 288 DC-6B aircraft were produced, more than any other DC-6 or DC-7 variant. Many of these aircraft were still in service as late as 1978-79, more than twenty years after their development. The DC-6B had excellent economics. The operating cost per seat mile to fly this aircraft coupled with very good maintenance experience with both the airframe and the P&W engines, made this aircraft a money maker for most of the airlines which flew it. United and American were both big buyers of the DC-6B, and no less than ten long haul European airlines flew this great Douglas aircraft. The DC-6B had a maximum speed of 360-MPH, a typical cruising speed of 315-MPH, and a maximum payload of nearly 25,000 pounds. The maximum range of this aircraft was about 4,300 miles. |
Hook Down and Homeward Bound by Stan Stokes. The Chance-Vought F4U Corsair was arguably the finest naval aviation fighter of its era. Work on this design dates to 1938 and was headed-up by Voughts Chief Engineer, Rex Biesel. The initial prototype was powered by an 1800-HP Pratt & Whitney double Wasp radial engine. This was the third Vought aircraft to carry the Corsair name. The graceful and highly recognizable gull-wing design of the F4U permitted the aircraft to utilize a 13-foot, three-blade, Hamilton Standard propeller, while not having to lengthen the landing gear. Because of the rigors of carrier landings, this was a very important design consideration. Folding wings were also required for carrier operations. The F4U was thirty feet long, had a wingspan of 41 feet and an empty weight of approximately 7,500 pounds. Another interesting feature was the way the F4Us gear rotated 90 degrees, so it would lay flush within the wing when in the up position. In 1939 the Navy approved the design, and production commenced. The Corsair utilized a new spot welding process on its all aluminum fuselage, giving the aircraft very low drag. To reduce weight, fabric-covered outer wing sections and control surfaces were fitted. In May of 1940 the F4U made its maiden flight. Although a number of small bugs were discovered during early flight tests, the Corsair had exceptional performance characteristics. In October of 1940 the prototype F4U was clocked at 405-MPH in a speed test. The initial production Corsairs received an upgraded 2,000-HP radial giving the bird a top speed of about 425-MPH. The production models also differed from the prototype in having six, wing-mounted, 0.5 caliber machine guns. Another change was a shift of the cockpit about three feet further back in the fuselage. This latter change unfortunately made naval aviators wary of carrier landings with the F4U, due to its limited forward visibility during landings. Other concerns were expressed regarding a severe port wing drop at landing speeds and a tendency of the aircraft to bounce off a carrier deck. As a result, the F4U was initially limited to land-based USMC squadrons. Vought addressed several of these problems, and the Royal Navy deserves credit for perfecting an appropriate landing strategy for the F4U. They found that if the carrier pilot landed the F4U while making a sweeping left turn with the port wing down, that sufficient visibility was available to make a safe landing. With a kill ratio of 11-to-1 in WW II combat, the F4U proved superior in the air to almost every opposing aircraft it encountered. More than 12,000 F4Us were built and fortunately a few dozen remain in flyable condition to this date. |
Hobo Queens by Stan Stokes. The B-32 Dominator was produced by Consolidated Aircraft in parallel with Boeings development of the B-29 Superfortress. While both of these long-range heavy strategic bomber development programs encountered some difficulties, the B-29 was completed sooner, and was ordered in far larger quantities than the B-32. About one hundred Dominators were ultimately built and the aircraft saw some service very late in WW II. Powered by the same engines as the B-29, the B-32 had a distinctive very tall stabilizer. Four B-32s from the 386th BS of the 312th BG based at Yontan, Okinawa were given a three-day photoreconnaissance mission near the end of the War. On the third day of the mission, August 18, 1945, two aircraft were forced to turn back and only two aircraft, the Hobo Queen and the Hobo Queen II made it to Japan. The mission involved photographing an area north and east of Tokyo. The aircraft were unescorted, as the War was for all practical purposes over. As the two aircraft prepared to head home they were jumped by a large group of Japanese fighters including Imperial Navy A6M2 Zeros and Army Ki44 Tojos. The first attacks occurred at 1:30 PM while the aircraft were at 20,000 feet. The enemy planes made ten passes on the Hobo Queen II with little or no damage. About twenty-five passes were made at the Hobo Queen, which was under the command of Lt. John R. Anderson. Seven passes were made at the tail of the B-32 and one of the attackers blew-up. One fighter pass was made at the ball turret from below with no success, and another six were made at the forward upper turret. About six more were made at the nose turret position, and several more at the upper rear turret. Another enemy fighter blew up, and a third was seen going down smoking. The pilots went to full mix and full throttle and power-dived the B-32 from 20,000 to 10,000 feet. The Hobo Queen absorbed a lot of damage during these attacks. The radioman got the Hobo Queen II to regroup with the badly damaged Hobo Queen to provide some cover. Three men were wounded including Sgt. Anthony J. Marchione, SSgt. Joseph M. Lacharite, and Sgt. John T. Houston. Marchione and Lacharite were at the camera hatch at the rear of the aircraft when that section of the plane was riddled. Both men were hit. Despite his own wounds, SSgt. Lacharite began administering first aid to Marchione, but a second fighter pass wounded Marchione again. Despite the valiant efforts of his crewmates to keep him alive, Marchione passed away at 2:00PM. Sgt. Marchione may have been the last USAAF combat casualty of the War. SSgt. Chevalier administered first aid to SSgt. Lacharite during the long ride home. Despite being unable to bank his aircraft due a feathered prop, Lt. Anderson got the Hobo Queen down successfully. |
Dallas Doll by Philip West. North American P51D-NA15 Mustang 414495 Dallas Doll 352nd Fighter Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group, 8th Air Force. American designed and built, British inspired and, later, powered, the Mustang turned into arguably the finest WW11 long-range fighter ever constructed. The Mustang, developed from the Prototype NA73X, was manufactured in large quantities, with an impressive final total of 15,586 aircraft. Of these 13,600 were powered by the British, Rolls Royce designed Merlin engine. |
Stearman PT17 by Gerald Coulson. The Boeing Stearman PT 17 is a picture painted by Gerald Coulson essentially for the American Market and as a little self-indulgence. The U.S. equivalent to the Tiger Moth, it was typically larger and more powerful, being based around a comparatively large radial engine. Tough and easy to fly the Stearman still exists in large quantities and is used by fun fliers on both sides of the Atlantic, it being an extremely agile aerobatics machine capable of exciting continuous manoeuvres pulled along by its tremendous power. The sound of the Stearman, like the Harvard, is unmistakable with its propeller tips going supersonic at maximum revs. As trainers they were painted in the most attractive colours and against the typical Coulson sky this machine makes a brilliant impact and striking print as U.S. Army trainer 530 buzzes angrily through the sunlit skies probably taking yet another potential World War II ace on his first solo flight. |
Fighting Falcons by Keith Aspinall F16Cs of the 52nd Fighter Wing and the 31st Fighter Wing in action over the Balkans. |
Raising Havoc by Stan Stokes. In 1936, under the supervision of Jack Northrop and Ed Heinemann, Douglas Aircraft began work on a new twin-engine light attack/observation aircraft designated the Model 7A. Powered by two R985 Wasp radials mounted in wing nacelles, the A-20 also utilized a tricycle landing gear configuration. The aircrafts fuselage was quite narrow and there was room for only 1 pilot and 1 crewmember. As the project proceeded it became clear that the 7A was not going to meet the Armys objectives. In early 1938, Northrop left Douglas to form his own company, and Heinemann began work on upgrading their design. One interesting feature was the use of interchangeable nose sections. A clear nose could be fitted with a bombardiers compartment, or alternatively a solid nose section could be fitted with an impressive total of 8 machine guns. More powerful Pratt and Whitney radials were incorporated into the design. Now designated the DB-7 by Douglas, a prototype aircraft was completed by October 1938. The new aircraft proved very fast, highly maneuverable, and capable of carrying a 2000 pound bomb load. While impressed with the aircrafts specs, the Army placed no immediate orders. The French, however, were impressed with this aircraft, and anxious to match the build-up of the Luftwaffe, they ordered more than 270 aircraft. The Havoc first saw combat in 1939 flying with the French Air Forces during the Battle of France. The French had received about 64 aircraft, and following the fall of France a decision was made to divert the balance of the French order to the RAF. By mid-1939 the Army placed an initial order for 63 A-20s. The A-20B variant was built in significant numbers with most being sent to Russia. (Almost 50% of the A-20s produced during the War were sent to Russia where they were utilized in many combat roles, including torpedo bombing.) The most significant variant was the G model with nearly 3000 produced. The G variant was produced with a solid nose section with lots of firepower. Many of the G models were fitted with an electrically driven Martin gun turret. More fuel tank capacity was added and with twin 1600-HP radials the A-20Gs were capable of a range in excess of 1000 miles, and could attain top speeds in excess of 340-MPH. The maximum bomb load was increased to 4000 pounds. The A-20 was the ideal low-level attack bomber. With its high speed, excellent maneuverability, and heavy firepower, Havocs were well suited for pinpoint bombing attacks on airfields, ammo dumps, etc. With their incredible forward firing power a flight of A-20s could easily overwhelm shipboard anti-aircraft guns. A-20s saw a lot of service in the Pacific. The Allied campaign of slowly retaking key islands was aided by the capabilities of the Havoc. Attacks on Japanese airfields with the A-20 were made with disastrous consequences to the Japanese, and there are several instances where flights of A-20s virtually wiped out Japanese ship convoys. Some A-20s were modified into night fighters (designated P-70) prior to the use of P-61 Black Widows. In Stan Stokes painting an A-20 in service with the 386th Bomb Squadron of the 312th Bomb Group rips up a Japanese airfield in Dutch New Guinea. |
Sabre's Edge - Tribute to Edwin L 'Ed' Heller by Ivan Berryman. Already an ace in WWII, Ed Heller was again to find himself involved in aerial combat during the conflict in Korea, now flying the mighty F-86 Sabre with the 25th FIS, 51st FIW against the potent MiG15. Moving to 16th FIS as Squadron Commander, he was to claim 3.5 victories over MiGs before being shot down himself in January 1953. His release from captivity by the Chinese did not occur until two years after the war ended but, upon repatriation, he returned to the air flying F-100s during the Cuban Missile Crisis, finally retiring in 1967. He is depicted here in Hell-er Bust X, claiming a MiG 15. |
Wileys Wild Ride by Stan Stokes. The Lockheed Vega was the aircraft of choice for many of the record-setting pilots of the 1920s and 1930s. Lockheed Aircraft Corporation was organized in December of 1926. Its first plant was a delapidated building in Hollywood, California. Lockheeds two primary designers were Jack Northrop, who would later found his own company, and Gerry Vultee, who would also become a famous aircraft manufacturer on his own. The Vega was the first commercial product from the new company. Despite its streamlined appearance, the Vega utilized WW I era technology. A plywood fuselage was shaped in large concrete molds, and the wing was designed incorporating techniques pioneered by Anthony Fokker. Initially powered with a 220-HP Wright radial engine, the aircraft was designed to carry up to five people at the speed of 135-MPH. Publisher Geroge Hearst purchased the first Vega for $12,000, and entered the aircraft in an Oakland to Hawaii race. This aircraft never reached Hawaii. Despite this setback interest in the aircraft increased. George Wilkins purchased a Vega and used it to fly the polar route Point Barrow to Norway. He also utilized two Vegas for an expedition to Antarctica. Other aviators lined-up to get their hands on a Lockheed. Art Goebel and Harry Tucker set a transcontinental speed record in the Vega of less than 19 hours, becoming the first to make this trip in less than 24 hours. With the favorable publicity generated by these record setting flights, Lockheed was willing to make modifications to its aircraft to serve particular needs of the customer. Air racer Roscoe Turner flew a Gilmore sponsored Vega which had been modified into a parasol wing configuration, with an enclosed cockpit moved aft on the fuselage. One of the more famous Vegas was that owned by an oilman named F.C. Hall. The aircraft was named the Winnie Mae after Halls daughter. The man selected by Hall to pilot his Vega was Wiley Post. Post was a former Oklahoma oil field worker who lost an eye in an accident. He used the money he received for his injury to take flying lessons. In 1930 Hall sponsored Post in the National Air Races which he won. The following year Post and his navigator Harold Gatty circumnavigated the globe in 8 days - smashing the previous record held by the German dirigible Graf Zeppelin. In 1933 he accomplished a solo-circumnavigation of the globe in seven days. In 1934 and 1935 Wiley set a number of altitude records. He attained a speed of 340-MPH aided by the jet stream during a transcontinental attempt in 1935, which unfortunately ended with a crash landing and the destruction of the Winnie Mae. Later in 1935 Wiley Post was killed with his friend and well-known comedian Will Rogers in the crash of a floatplane in Alaska. Both Wiley and the Winnie Mae, however, merit an honored place in American aviation history. |
Jet Hunters by Robert Taylor. On 10th April 1945, thirteen hundred bombers of the Mighty Eighth set out to destroy the last of the Luftwaffe's jet force. But, unknown to the bomber crews and their fighter escort, the enemy jets were already airborne and waiting to spring their deadly trap. As the war in mainland Europe entered its final, bloody phase, the German Armies defending Berlin fought on with a savage determination, slowly disintegrating before the mighty weapon of war unleashed against them. What remained of the Luftwaffe was mercilessly pounded from the air, their airfields hammered relentlessly. Aircraft, fuel, spare parts, ammunition and pilots all in short supply but still they fought on, with deadly effect. At the forefront of the German offensive and pivotal during the defence of the Reich, were the highly advanced jet fighters of the Luftwaffe, and in particular the legendary Me262. B17s of the First Air Division with streaming contrails in the cold clear air as they turn for home. Several Me262s have already torn through the massed formation, but a P-51 from the escorting 356th Fighter Group has quickly spotted his target and presses home his attack. The hunter becomes the hunted as the Mustang pilot, Wayne Gatlin, skillfully positions himself behind the Me262 ready for the kill. Throughout the final stages of the war there were many examples of the determination and skill of Allied pilots flying slower piston-engined fighters triumphing over the cream of the Luftwaffe in their highly advanced but often temperamental jet fighters. |
Tribute to Lt. James Meissner by Ivan Berryman. Joining the 94th Pursuit Squadron in France in March 1918, James Meissner scored a total of 8 victories between May and October of that year. Shown here in his Nieuport 28, he scored 4 of his victories flying this aircraft before taking over command of 147th Pursuit Squadron flying a Spad S.XIII in July and scoring his final 4 victories. He died of pneumonia in 1936 but had top American flying Ace Eddie Rickenbacker as a pallbearer, a former colleague from the 94th Pursuit Squadron. |
Rabaul - Fly For Your Life by Robert Taylor. For their outstanding contribution to the war in the South Pacific, the Black Sheep were awarded one of only two Presidential Unit Citations accorded to Marine Corps squadrons during the war in the Pacific. With typical mastery, Robert Taylor has brought to life an encounter over Rabaul in late December 1943, paying tribute to one of the US Marine Corps most famous fighter squadrons, and its outstanding leader. With the Japanese airbase at Rabaul visible in the distance, Pappy Boyington and his fellow pilots of VMF-214 tear into a large formation of Japanese Zekes and a series of deadly dogfights have started, one Zeke already fallen victim to their guns. |
Tribute to Pappy Boyington by Ivan Berryman. Pappy Boyington bringing his Vought F4U-1A Bu No 17883 of VMF-214 in to land at Turtle Bay Airfield, Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides Islands, in December 1943. Although often depicted in another aircraft, Boyington flew 883 more than any other of his Corsairs. |
Pappys P-40 by Stan Stokes. (AP) SLIGHT CORNER DAMAGE ON BORDER, SEE PHOTOS BELOW, NOT VISIBLE WHEN FRAMED. |
Good Hunting by Stan Stokes. Task Force 77 (including four Carriers) arrived off the coast of Chonjin, North Korea, in the cover of night and bad weather in November of 1952. This was farther north than usual and very close to Soviet air space. The purpose of the mission was to launch air strikes against manufacturing centers in the area of the Yalu River. Lt. Royce Williams was an F9F-5 Panther pilot with VF-781 Pacemakers on board the USS Oriskany. The pilots were carefully briefed regarding the proximity to Soviet air space. Williams flew a dawn strike against an industrial complex at Hoeryoung. Upon recovery to the Oriskany, Williams learned that the morning attacks had stirred up Soviet air activity in the Vladivostok area. All follow-on strikes were put on hold until the Soviet activity could be assessed. Around noon Williams suited-up for a combat air patrol flight consisting of four Panthers. Taking off in a light snow storm under a low overcast, the four Panthers climbed to 12,000 feet. Combat Information Center (CIC) radioed the jets to inform them of bogies in their area. As they broke through the cloud cover they could see contrails from seven Migs about thirty miles north, and at much higher altitude. The division lead reported a fuel pump warning light and remained with his wingman at 15,000 feet, while Williams and his wingman climber higher. As the Migs passed directly over Williams he could see them clearly and counted a total of seven. The Migs reversed course and headed north at about 50,000 feet. When they were about thirty miles distant they split into two flights, turned in opposite directions, as to bracket the Panthers, and began descending. Williams lost contact with the bogies as they dropped below contrail altitude. A few minutes later Williams spotted four Migs closing fast from the 10 oclock position in a loose trail formation. All four were firing. Williams manuevered a rising hard left turn and came in right behind the last Mig in the formation. He fired a burst and the Mig began smoking, dropped its left wing and started to descend. Reporting the hit to CIC, the controller advised do not engage. Williams reported back, I am engaged! The CIC reported back, Go get em! Williams wingman had followed the first Mig down. Minutes later Williams spotted a Mig coming in fast from the 5 oclock position. He pulled a hard right and kicked a hard reverse, putting the Mig in his sight as it overshot. Although the Mig was pulling away fast, Williams put a burst into him which disintegrated the jet. The turning duel continued for many more minutes, and another Mig began smoking. Williams Panther was eventually hit and he lost his hydraulic system and many of the aircraft controls. Diving for cloud cover, another Mig had settled in behind to finish off the Panther. Fortunately for Williams, his wingman had rejoined the fight despite having jammed guns. He successfully bluffed the Mig on Williams tail to disengage. Williams was able to nurse his badly damaged Panther back to the Oriskany where he had to make a landing at excessive speed. |
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