"GUNFIGHT OVER RABAUL"
BY NICOLAS TRUDGIAN
Autographed by John F. Bolt, A. Roger Conant, Archie G. Donahue and Kenneth A. Walsh.
L/E of 600. Signed and numbered by the artist.
Size: 23 1/2" x 33 1/2"
Price: $150
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The pivot to the complete Japanese stranglehold of the South West Pacific was their highly fortified stronghold at Rabaul. Situated on the north east corner of New Britain, an island in the Solomons, it was a natural deep water anchorage heavily defended by a large airbase. Rabaul had earlier been the springboard for the Japanese advances through the Solomon Islands and, if America and her Allies were ever to recapture the Solomons, then Rabaul must be neutralized.
Nicolas Trudgian's new action packed painting shows an attack on Rabaul during the fall of 1943. B-24 Liberators of the Army Air Force pound the harbor and docks below whilst the Marines Corps pilots of VMF 214 - the famous Black Sheep Squadron - provide top cover in their F4U Corsairs. A fierce dog-fight has developed between the F4U pilots and Japanese Zeros. One Zero, already smoking, begins to roll out of control, while the two F4U pilots turn their attentions on to a second. Below further dog-fights are in progress, the air filled with aerial combat.
Limited edition prints from Nick's exciting new painting are each signed by four Marine Corps F4U Corsair pilots who flew in combat in the Pacific, providing collectors with a valuable collectors piece.
THE SIGNATURES
John F. Bolt is one of only seven American Aces to shoot down 5 or more enemy aircraft in both World War 11 and Korea, he was also the only Marine ace in Korea. Joining the Navy in November 1941, he was commisioned into the U.S. Marine Corps flying the F4U Corsair - the famous 'Black Sheep' Squadron. John Bolt downed 6 Zeros in just 90 days from September to December 1943. He finished the war with 6 confirmed victories. In the Korean War John shot down 6 Mig 15's while flying an F-86 with the Air Force.
Lt. Colonel A. ROGER CONANT, US.M.C.R.
Enlisting in the U.S. Navy, Roger Conant received his wings as a Marine pilot in 1942. Assigned to VMF 215 he flew the Chance Vought F4U Consair on well over 100 combat missions, mostly in the air battles over Rabaul and the Solomon Islands where he downed a total of 6 Japanese Mitsubishi Zeros. He was on his return to the Pacific theater as a night fighter pilot on the day war ended.
Colonel ARCHIE G. DONAHUE, US.M.C.R.
Archie Donahue is one of the top Marine Corps Aces of WW II and one of only 7 Marines to become an Ace in one day On May 13th, 1943, Dying the F4U Corsair with VMF 112 he destroyed five Zeros in a single engagement. Later assigned to VMF 451 on opentions from U.S.S. Bunker Hill, he became a Double Ace with 5 victories in a single mission over Okinawa this time on April 12th 1945. He flew 215 combat missions and had a total of 14 confirmed victories.
Lt. Colonel KENNETH A. WALSH, U.S.M.C.
Kenneth Walsh is the top-scoring living W.W II F4U Fighter Ace, having achieved 21 air victories in some 140 missions between February 1943 and June 1945. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for two actions on 15th and 30th August 1943: On 15th outnumbered 6:1, he repeatedly drove his F4U into packs of enemy fighters and bombers destroying 3 aircraft, and on 30th he attacked a pack of 50 enemy fighters, shooting down 4 before himself being brought down.