Nicolas Trudgian

Price:  $245

Item#:  24319

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From the day they began their aerial campaign against NaziGermany to the cessation of hostilities in 1945, the USAAFbomber crews plied their hazardous trade in broad daylight. Thistactic may have enabled better sighting of targets, and possibly lessdanger of mid-air collisions, but the grievous penalty of flyingdaylight missions over enemy territory was the ever presence ofenemy fighters.Though heavily armed, the heavy bombers of the American EighthAir Force were no match against the fast, highly manoeuvrableMe109s, Fw190s and, late in the war, Me 262 jet fighters which theLuftwaffe sent up to intercept them. Without fighter escort they weresitting ducks, and inevitably paid a heavy price.Among others, one fighter group earned particular respect,gratitude, and praise from bomber crews for their escort tactics.The 356th FG stuck rigidly to the principle of tight bomber escortduty, their presence in tight formation with the bombers often beingsufficient to deter enemy attack. Repeatedly passing up theopportunity to increase individual scores, the leadership determinedit more important to bring the bombers home than claim anotherenemy fighter victory. As the air war progressed this philosophybrought about an unbreakable bond between heavy bomber crewsand escort fighter pilots, and among those held in the highest esteemwere the pilots of the 356th.Nicolas Trudgian pays tribute to the escort fighter pilots of theUSAAF Eighth Air Force, and in particular to those who flew withthe 356th, with his new action packed aerial panorama Ace ofDiamonds. Top scoring ace Donald J Strait, flying his P-51 DMustang Jersey Jerk, together with pilots of the 356th FighterGroup, are seen in action against Luftwaffe Fw 190s whileescorting B-17 bombers returning from a raid on Germaninstallations during the late winter of 1944. His fine rendition bringshome the devastating speed with which these attacks were fought:One minute all is orderly as the mighty bombers thunder their wayhomeward; the next minute enemy fighters are upon them and allhell breaks loose.A fine re-enactment created by a master painter, NickĘs new limitededition, signed by fighter pilots of the 356th FG, will grace thecollection of the finest aviation art portfolio.

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Lieutenant Colonel CHARLES E. BECK
Captain CLINTIN DeWITT BURDICK
Major General DONALD J. STRAIT

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