https://www.johnshawart.com/blog daily 0.75 2025-08-31 https://www.johnshawart.com/blog/a-moment-in-historyenola-gay-amp-the-end-of-world-war-ii monthly 0.5 2025-08-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/7104faa7-39ef-47ab-b537-771a866b172a/Peacemakers+Blog+pic.jpeg Blog - ENOLA GAY- The Men & the Mission which brought World War II to an end Since first announcing the print “The Peacemakers” the reaction has been very complimentary. Many have responded positively with comments, not only with kind words about the artwork, but also expressing appreciation for the subject matter, which we realized would be controversial to some. In truth, ever since since August 1945, the Enola Gay, its mission and those who participated in it, have remained the subject of debate across the world. So…why do a painting featuring the men and machines which can potentially stir up such debate? Quite simply, as in all the paintings I create (and I think I speak for most of my fellow aviation artists as well), it’s never the intention to ‘glorify’ what war was or is, but rather keep the history alive so we will not repeat it. Highlighting the bravery of many who were willing to make the sacrifices necessary to preserve and protect the lives & freedom of those they loved from tyranny is the goal. It’s my opinion that over the past few decades, so much of our history has become sadly misrepresented, whether in media or modern education systems, and the valor of those of that generation is in danger of being forgotten, or even worse, maligned. It’s been a privilege for me over these past few decades to know many of those great people, and if my artwork can help in some small way to keep the memory of what they did preserved for future generations, it’s an honor. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/8740bcee-debb-4b09-8347-1bd1c1935aeb/Picture+2+.png Blog - ENOLA GAY- The Men & the Mission which brought World War II to an end - Make it stand out ENOLA GAY by Gordon Thomas & Max Morgan Witts. Since I began creating paintings depicting aviation missions during the war years, few books have fueled my imagination so vividly as this book ENOLA GAY by authors/historians Gordon Thomas & Max Morgan Witts. Originally published in 1977, the authors tell the entire story of the times, the circumstances and the monumental effort it took on the parts of so very many people to bring the war to an end, from the Manhattan Project to those final days on Tinian. Especially fascinating to me were the efforts made to keep everything top secret, especially with so many involved in so many different capacities. Dealing with this highly-controversial subject, the authors make no personal judgements about the ethics or morality of the decision to use the atomic bomb they just present the historic facts of what happened in a concise and riveting way. The personalities & relationships of the people involved, such as Col Tibbets, Robert Oppenheimer, General Groves, individual members of the Enola Gay crew and other personnel of the 509th vividly come to life. Also fascinating are the well-researched perspectives of many Japanese involved, both before and following those terrible final days of World War II. This book received well-deserved critical acclaim from people who lived through those times on BOTH sides… a few examples:“This is the way it was- warts and all . Reading this account took me right back to those momentous days when I helped change the face of warfare. I endorse this book unreservedly. It stands as the finest work written about all of us”. - Maj. ROBERT LEWIS, Copilot of the Enola Gay. “I found this book filled in the gaps in a way no other has done. I recommend it without hesitation.” - Maj. Gen. SEIZO ARISUE, Director of Intelligence, Japanese Imperial Army, 1945 This great book has been out of print for a while now, but is still quite easy to find, either on Amazon, Ebay or many used book stores. I HIGHLY recommend it as well! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/3bcad10e-b6c1-430c-a69e-26f019e58576/Picture+3.jpg Blog - ENOLA GAY- The Men & the Mission which brought World War II to an end - Make it stand out August, 1945…The B-29 Superfortress named “Enola Gay”, the innocent-sounding name of a quiet lady back in the States, and the mother of the man would pilot the plane that would soon begin to change the course of history, sits poised and ready for the next day’s fateful mission. Three months earlier, Germany had surrendered and the war in Europe had come to an end, but the terrible carnage in the Pacific continued. Despite increasing enormous daily losses, Japan showed no sign of surrender, and a land invasion was imminent. Every man, woman & child was preparing for this nightmare on their home soil, estimates of casualties were in the millions, and no one could foresee a date that the war would end…Since being informed that the U.S. had won the race of harnessing the atom as a weapon, President Truman faced a terrible choice whether or not to try bringing the war to an abrupt end. Thousands of men and women across America had been working to achieve this, as part of the top-secret Manhattan Project, from the scientists & physicists at labs in California & Los Alamos, New Mexico to the myriad of workers at Oak Ridge, Tennessee’s nuclear development sites. Each person performed a vital specific task, a piece of a puzzle which none were aware would look like when complete. All of their round-the-clock toil would culminate into one final effort to bring the war to an abrupt end, and avoid the horrible implications of a prolonged land war on the Japanese mainland. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/f36e364b-b0fb-431d-9c1a-0275de424f39/Picture+4.jpg Blog - ENOLA GAY- The Men & the Mission which brought World War II to an end - Make it stand out Tinian Island, August 1945, home of the 509th Composite Group. Approximately 1,500 miles from mainland Japan, after being seized by the Allies late July, Tinian became the main staging base for continuous heavy bomber attacks on the Japanese Islands. Shown here is a lineup of “Silverplate” B-29s, with Enola Gay in the foreground. Aircraft of the 509th bore the tail marking of a large circle & arrowhead. These markings would be repainted temporarily with emblems from other Pacific bomb groups in the vicinity just prior to the atomic missions, to confuse the ever-watchful enemy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/33db8690-b2c0-454d-b57f-81285e05805e/Picture+5.jpg Blog - ENOLA GAY- The Men & the Mission which brought World War II to an end - Make it stand out Paul Tibbets Boeing’s B-29 Superfortress had been in development for some time by the latter part of the war, and in many respects was the most advanced aircraft of the time. Hap Arnold, Chief of the Army Air Forces, knew that to successfully implement the atomic strike against Japan, it would require the experience and knowledge of an extraordinary leader. Arnold consulted General James Doolittle, who, without hesitation, recommended Paul J. Tibbets for the job. Not only was Tibbets a highly-experienced combat pilot of many B-17 missions from America’s earliest days of daylight bombing in Germany, but was also extremely familiar with the B-29, having been involved in its development, test-flying and simulated combat missions. Promoted to Colonel in January 1945, Tibbets was hand-picked to organize one of the most extensive top-secret military aviation units in history, the 509th. To expedite specialized training of the air crews and support personnel, Tibbets was given carte blanche to choose the training location, personnel, and virtually ANY equipment he required to quickly assemble and accelerate the myriad of classified duties necessary to move toward the ultimate mission, with secrecy being the number one priority at all times. To the dismay of many of the 509th, Tibbets chose the remote, god-forsaken desert air base at Wendover, Utah for the self-contained group’s initial training, to maintain the highest security. He’d implement extreme measures to ensure not a single person ever discussed even the slightest aspect of their individual jobs with anyone outside their immediate group, nearly none of whom knew exactly what their ultimate mission would be. By April / May of 1945, the group would be moved to Tinian to prepare for the final attacks on Japan. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/f9d8b121-195e-4148-b3a7-c18517bbb331/Picture+6.png Blog - ENOLA GAY- The Men & the Mission which brought World War II to an end - Make it stand out Tibbets, had to remain relatively aloof from most of his personnel while carrying the burden of knowing the importance of secrecy of this mission. In light of this, he knew he needed a few men whom he trusted beyond their professional resumés- a few fast friends and fellow veterans with whom he could confide, and who he’d come to trust with his life. Two such men were Major Tom Ferebee and Captain Theodore “Dutch” Van Kirk. Knowing he would be piloting the plane which would carry out the first atomic strike, Tibbets also hand-picked the crew he wanted to carry out the mission, but these two, his bombardier and navigator, would comprise his 'inner circle'. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1067fa57-ee10-4e99-9713-1d1656ec0f36/Picture+7.jpg Blog - ENOLA GAY- The Men & the Mission which brought World War II to an end - Make it stand out The “Red Gremlin” Tibbets, Van Kirk and Ferebee’s work together began In August 1942. Paul Tibbets had flown the lead bomber in the 1st American daylight heavy bomber mission, a shallow-penetration raid against a marshaling yard in Occupied France. He would go on to fly more than 25 missions against the Germans, most of which were with Van Kirk and Ferebee in a B-17 named “The Red Gremlin”. In this photo, Tibbets & Van Kirk are the first two standing in the back row, & Ferebee is 4th in the row. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/4b0c844b-a7f8-4c44-83fc-34b5eac5a2bf/Picture+8.jpg Blog - ENOLA GAY- The Men & the Mission which brought World War II to an end - Make it stand out Crew of the Enola Gay This famous photo, taken in the early morning hours of August 6, 1942, shows the air crew of Enola Gay, shortly before their historic mission. Standing, back row: Lt. Col John Porter (ground maintenance officer), Capt. Theodore J. "Dutch" Van Kirk, navigator; Major Thomas W. Ferebee, bombardier; Col. Paul W. Tibbets, pilot; Capt. Robert A. Lewis, co-pilot; and Lt. Jacob Beser, radar countermeasure officer. Left to right, front row: Sgt. Joseph S. Stiborik, radar operator; Staff Sgt George R. “Bob” Caron, tail gunner; Pfc. Richard H. Nelson, radio operator; Sgt. Robert H. Shumard, assistant engineer; and Staff Sgt. Wyatt E. Duzenbury, flight engineer. The other two individuals that participated in the flight, weaponeer and mission commander, Capt. William S. Parsons of the U.S. Navy, and his assistant, 2nd Lt. Morris R. Jeppson, are not pictured. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/b487e495-0f06-4c49-a3c2-a3ac764bbca4/Picture+9.jpg Blog - ENOLA GAY- The Men & the Mission which brought World War II to an end - Make it stand out Enola Gay is backed over the bomb-loading pit on Tinian With its usual arrowhead replaced by a deceptive “R” within the circle painted on its huge rudder, Enola Gay is backed over the bomb-loading pit on Tinian the day before the strike. The top of the first atomic bomb, nicknamed “Little Boy” is slightly visible, waiting to soon be carefully hoisted into the massive bay of the B-29. Note the tail markings of other planes in the background; The circle R designation (and the circle W on the B-29s in the background) were those of the 6th Bomb Group. These would soon be repainted back to their usual 509th motifs https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/86abd29c-5197-40ac-a50e-ce37f70b5ef9/Picture+10+.jpg Blog - ENOLA GAY- The Men & the Mission which brought World War II to an end - Make it stand out Enola Gay safe return to Tinian, after the mission at 2:58 p.m. Having lifted off just after 2:30 a.m. on August 6, 1945, the B-29 Enola Gay and its crew flew the first atomic mission in history. Having crossed the Japanese shoreline at 8:30 a.m. at a bombing altitude of 30,700 ft, they received a coded message from the weather plane Straight Flush. Cloud cover over Hiroshima was less than 3/10 at all altitudes, and they would strike the primary target as briefed. At 9:15 a.m. (8:15 local time in Hiroshima), the bomb was loosed, exploding at the preset altitude of 1,890 feet. Though the crew had repeatedly practiced the extreme evasive maneuver which would theoretically spare destruction to their aircraft from the resulting shock wave, no one aboard knew for sure what effect they would experience. Though violently rocked by the wave, they were able to safely return to Tinian, touching back down at 2:58 p.m. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/8acb3159-397c-4b20-b6a0-0e77930bbe32/Picture+11.jpg Blog - ENOLA GAY- The Men & the Mission which brought World War II to an end - Make it stand out RELIEF seen on the faces of Tibbets and Van Kirk after returning to Tinian. A combination of exhaustion and relief is seen on the faces of Tibbets and Van Kirk in this rare color photo taken shortly after returning to Tinian. Moments later, General Carl Spaatz would pin a Distinguished Service Cross on Tibbets. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/d4628498-1605-4fdb-b40b-014e4a580a0a/Picture15.jpg Blog - ENOLA GAY- The Men & the Mission which brought World War II to an end - Make it stand out "BOCKSCAR" Bockscar returned to the US in November 1945. In 1946, it was placed on display as the aircraft that bombed Nagasaki, but in the markings of The Great Artiste, at Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona. It was flown to Ohio in September of 1961, where its original markings were restored. Bockscar is now on permanent display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, Dayton, Ohio. This display, a primary exhibit in the museum's Air Power gallery, includes a replica of the “Fat Man” bomb and signage that states "The aircraft that ended WWII". https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/dab20281-773c-4d35-90c8-59a256f040e4/Picture+12.jpg Blog - ENOLA GAY- The Men & the Mission which brought World War II to an end - Make it stand out “Bockscar" was the name given to the B-29 which flew the 2nd and final atomic mission over the city of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, effectively bringing a decisive end to World War II. Named as a play on words for its usual assigned pilot, Frederick C. Bock, Col Tibbets chose Maj. Charles Sweeney, the 393d Bombardment Squadron's commander, to fly the mission, along with his crew of 'The Great Artiste', the B-29 originally scheduled to fly the 2nd nuclear mission. The decision to change planes was made because their aircraft had been fitted with observation instruments for the Hiroshima mission. Moving the instrumentation from The Great Artiste to Bockscar would have been a complex and time-consuming process, and when the second mission was moved up from August 11 to the 9th due to adverse weather forecasts, the crews of both planes exchanged aircraft. Kokura was the primary target, but due to a series of mishaps involving rendezvous times and weather over the target, they were unable to drop the bomb visually. After several passes, 1st Lt. Jacob Beser, reported Japanese activity on the Japanese fighter direction radio bands, and the decision was made to divert to the secondary target, Nagasaki. Still inhibited by cloud cover, after visually dropping the bomb (nicknamed “Fat Man”), detonation occurred approximately 1.5 miles northwest of the planned aiming point, resulting in the destruction of about 44% of the city. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/057a07a9-93d6-4f58-8df5-2d3ff3f65334/Picture+13+.jpg Blog - ENOLA GAY- The Men & the Mission which brought World War II to an end - Make it stand out Crew of “Bockscar” Crew of “Bockscar” Master Sgt. John Kuharek (Flight Engineer), Staff Sgt. Albert Dehart (Tail Gunner), 2nd Lt Fred Olivi (Third pilot), Staff Sgt. Ed Buckly (Radar Operator), Capt. Kermit Beahan (Bombardier), Maj. Charles Sweeney (Pilot), Sgt. Raymond Gallagher (Asst. Flight Engineer), Capt. James Van Pelt (Navigator), 1st Lt. Charles Alsbury (Copilot), Sgt. Abe Spitzer (Radio Operator). Not pictured: Cmdr. Fred Ashworth (Weaponeer) and Lt. Jacob Beser (Electronic Countermeasures- Beser also flew aboard Enola Gay on August 6). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/66ba640e-e007-4698-9e3f-9f7bd9a4734f/Picture+14+.png Blog - ENOLA GAY- The Men & the Mission which brought World War II to an end - Make it stand out Charles Sweeney & Paul Tibbets Charles Sweeney and Paul Tibbets, following Bockscar’s August 9th mission. John T. Correll, an historian and contributor to Air Force Magazine wrote: “The death toll from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, where the second atomic bomb fell Aug. 9, was staggering, but these two missions finally brought an end to the war in the Pacific, where more than 17 million people had died at the hands of Imperial Japan. The war’s end also meant that the planned invasion of the Japanese home islands—an operation several times larger than the D-Day landings at Normandy, with expected casualties exceeding Hiroshima and Nagasaki put together—would not be necessary.” On August 15, in a radio message known as the “Jewel Voice Broadcast”, Emperor Hirohito announced the surrender of Japan to the Allies. The formal surrender took place aboard the USS Missouri, Sept. 2, 1945. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/d0786651-8652-4f82-8d88-e3c0d575cb16/41.+THE+PEACEMAKERS+%E2%80%A22020+%E2%80%A2AAC+.jpg Blog - ENOLA GAY- The Men & the Mission which brought World War II to an end - Make it stand out THE PEACEMAKERS by John Shaw The famed B-29 Enola Gay undergoing final preparations the day preceding the first atomic mission, August 6, 1945. In this scene, Col. Paul Tibbets two of his closest crewmembers, Capt. Dutch’ Van Kirk (navigator) and Maj. Tom Ferebee (bombardier) discuss final plans for the next morning’s historic mission. Its top-secret cargo already loaded, the massive B-29 sits in its hardstand, just having had the words “Enola Gay” (the name of Paul Tibbets’ mother) painted on its nose. As Military Police, other members of the flight and ground crews go about their duties, none are certain what the next few days will hold, yet all are aware that they will be playing a role in changing the course of history, hopefully resulting in peace, and the end of the most terrible war the world had yet seen. https://www.johnshawart.com/blog/a-step-by-step-look-how-the-oil-painting-the-peacemakers-came-together monthly 0.5 2025-08-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1614124316481-RAAJHF9ZS4VXJ9WJUPXL/Screen+Shot+2021-02-23+at+6.50.14+PM.jpeg Blog - “THE PEACEMAKERS”: HOW A PAINTING COMES TOGETHER The original oil painting of ‘The Peacemakers’ was one of the largest I’ve tackled… Nearly 6‘ x 3‘, it took quite a few months to complete. I’m often asked how I go about this sort of task, so in this post, I show some “in progress” photos and include some notes about the process of completing this painting...Hope you enjoy! -John https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/d0a7b20c-7a5f-4ba1-a446-90546bd05ec1/IMG_4043.jpeg Blog - “THE PEACEMAKERS”: HOW A PAINTING COMES TOGETHER - Make it stand out “THE PEACEMAKERS" by John Shaw 2020 More than 15 years ago, after reading the book ENOLA GAY by Gordon Thomas & Max Morgan Witts, I was inspired to do a painting of the Enola Gay and some its crew preparing for their historic mission. I’d actually started a concept sketch back then, but unfortunately, I’d gotten busy with a few other painting projects at the time, and it was banished to the back burner. But the idea never left! I knew one day I wanted to paint the scene, and when the time came, it would be a LARGE painting- and so it was. The original oil on canvas measures nearly 6 feet by 3 feet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/711a8c84-22a0-40ff-be62-e641ade54093/IMG_4044.jpeg Blog - “THE PEACEMAKERS”: HOW A PAINTING COMES TOGETHER - Make it stand out A couple years earlier, I’d had the pleasure of meeting Enola Gay’s navigator, Dutch Van Kirk, who was very enthusiastic about the concept. He was good enough to send me a few photos from back in those days. In 2004, my family and I were busy with some of the AVG Flying Tigers, who had just signed prints for us (“Summer of ’42”) in Orlando, Florida. As we were packing up prints at the end of the afternoon, AVG pilot Dick Rossi, who was sitting & chatting with someone who’d wandered in to visit his old wartime buddies, called me over and said, ‘John, there’s someone I want you to meet…” There was something really familiar about this distinguished, white-haired gentleman with bright eyes and a pleasant smile. As Dick introduced us, before he could get the man’s name out, I realized that it was indeed General Paul Tibbets! It was a real treat getting to meet him, especially in such an informal setting. Though a bit hard of hearing at the time, General Tibbets was very warm and approachable. After chatting for a few minutes, the desire to paint the famous mission this great veteran had flown was further kindled. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/26938f60-fcca-4cd3-b910-305e93f6111b/IMG_4045.PNG Blog - “THE PEACEMAKERS”: HOW A PAINTING COMES TOGETHER - Make it stand out As in most cases when planning a painting, especially one that’s going to be somewhat complex, I start out with a series of rough concept sketches. After messing with various layouts, this was the final one. During this planning stage, it’s a ton of fun doing research, going on the treasure hunt for photos, info about the particular date in history I want to depict, etc. During this process, historic pictures of the people, planes & equipment, are absolute gold. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/2956e494-0b74-4fde-ad95-5370cde4882e/IMG_4046.PNG Blog - “THE PEACEMAKERS”: HOW A PAINTING COMES TOGETHER - Make it stand out There are quite a number of photos of the Enola Gay out there, and at this beginning research phase, I was curious as to why the markings on the plane’s rudder differed. Not just the Enola Gay, but many of the other Silverplate bombers as well. I wanted to make sure that I had the correct paint job for depicting the day before the mission. I discovered that the 509th’s OFFICIAL tail markings were those with an arrowhead within a large circle. But, to confuse enemy intelligence who always tried noting markings of their adversaries’ aircraft, their rudders were temporarily repainted with the markings of other B-29 squadrons, a ‘Circle R’ in the case of the Enola Gay. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/fcd7ae7e-c13a-4bd4-a6fb-9eef1e0e70e4/IMG_4047.PNG Blog - “THE PEACEMAKERS”: HOW A PAINTING COMES TOGETHER - Make it stand out Before any paint goes on the canvas, the time-consuming process of drawing many of the major elements in pencil begins. I draw them in more detail in some areas than others. I also must plan out what must be drawn in first, and what will have to be drawn in later over top of a background I’ve already painted. In the case of this painting, the plane itself and some of the ground personnel near it would be drawn in first. I’d then begin painting the plane before adding much of the foreground figures. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/8d30ad06-b20d-4d23-83ef-dd4ccf9644d3/IMG_4049.PNG Blog - “THE PEACEMAKERS”: HOW A PAINTING COMES TOGETHER - Make it stand out From the beginning, the plan was to show Col Tibbets and his two closest crew mates, Dutch Van Kirk and Tom Ferebee as the foreground figures. There were quite a number of photos of these guys available, but most were pictures in which they were looking right at the camera, or shown at angles that weren’t helpful for depicting them more candidly. Also, I preferred not to use pictures that had been commonly seen before in most books with photos of the mission. While watching a couple of somewhat blurry black & white film footage of interviews Tibbets & Van Kirk gave the afternoon following the mission, I discovered what I considered to be some good candid expressions to shoot for. These photos show the reference photos I used from those films, and the preliminary sketches on the canvas before paint was applied. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/24dd566f-6f04-4a50-aebd-22c60c8faa4b/IMG_4050.PNG Blog - “THE PEACEMAKERS”: HOW A PAINTING COMES TOGETHER - Make it stand out Once I’d found candid facial shots I liked, I needed to create some reference photos of the rest of their figures to work with. I rounded together a few cheerful volunteers to be ‘body doubles’ for these; In this case, my son Hudson, his cousin Caleb and their buddy Nolan were relatively close in build to the ‘real’ guys, so with a few makeshift khaki uniforms, they became my stand-ins for the famous trio of aviators. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/834fdbd7-f39a-479d-ad5a-fbed52fdc737/IMG_4052.PNG Blog - “THE PEACEMAKERS”: HOW A PAINTING COMES TOGETHER - Make it stand out After reviewing the batch of photos of my cheerful body doubles, I selected some positions I felt would work with the b&w head photos of Tibbets, Van Kirk and Ferebee. Thus began the process of drawing them in pencil on the canvas. (Note that at this point, much of the background behind them had already painted in). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/322bc133-5ead-401a-a757-a133aceb5a3c/IMG_4053.PNG Blog - “THE PEACEMAKERS”: HOW A PAINTING COMES TOGETHER - Make it stand out This photo shows how the background gets masked off while a certain area’s getting worked on, along with the photos which help me with lighting reference. When the pencil stage is finished, I spray workable fixative over it to keep the paint & thinner from dissolving it. I then add a transparent wash of Naples Yellow over the pencil area to serve as a warm undertone for the next layer which will soon be applied. A little bit of the next step is shown on Tibbets, which is the beginning of the ‘underpainting’ of tones and shadows, using an oil paint called VanDyke Brown. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/5724c99b-d685-4b9b-b990-ac813e76086d/IMG_4054.PNG Blog - “THE PEACEMAKERS”: HOW A PAINTING COMES TOGETHER - Make it stand out As the ‘underpainting’ stage progresses, the figures begin to take on more dimension. This VanDyke brown / Naples yellow underpainting is pretty typical of how all other detailed parts of the painting will also progress. All other color will later be applied over these. I love the properties of oils, as it’s possible to make them as transparent or opaque as desired…One layer at a time. It’s a bit time-consuming, but in the end usually yields satisfactory results. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/2b3857e9-e640-4298-bd96-329f5ce46b67/IMG_4055.PNG Blog - “THE PEACEMAKERS”: HOW A PAINTING COMES TOGETHER - Make it stand out Another look at the progression of the 3 main guys in the scene at different stages. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/6ed73eb5-2f05-4ea4-a64f-64fd542ce0c9/IMG_4056.PNG Blog - “THE PEACEMAKERS”: HOW A PAINTING COMES TOGETHER - Make it stand out I felt it important to include some of the other members of Enola Gay’s flight crew. Originally, I’d wanted to include copilot Bob Lewis in the scene as well, but in reading the account of some of the specific things going on at this time of day (August 5, 1945), I discovered a kind of humorous anecdote which made it historically inaccurate to place him in the scene…(more on that in a later photo). Instead, I decided on these four crewmen…George Caron, Jacob Beser, Morris Jeppson and Wyatt Duzenbury. Beser was especially important I felt, as he was the only man who flew in both atomic missions, on August 6 and in ‘Bockscar’ on the 9th. Shown here are the reference shots for these four, and the pencil stage for them https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/6560711d-a399-4a77-86cb-9ed5468702c1/IMG_4057.PNG Blog - “THE PEACEMAKERS”: HOW A PAINTING COMES TOGETHER - Make it stand out I decided to place the four Enola Gay crewmen in a conversation with other ground personnel. Many of the photos & film of that time show Jeeps and other vehicles, so it seemed a good fit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/d5b8b0ce-5635-4371-842c-7035d4696d7d/IMG_4058.PNG Blog - “THE PEACEMAKERS”: HOW A PAINTING COMES TOGETHER - Make it stand out In this interesting shot, I’d been painting people and machines for so long, my eyes were going a bit buggy, and I needed a change of scenery. I masked all the foreground elements off and decided to get back to work on the B-29 itself, most of which I’d painted in many weeks before. (Again, this big ol’ canvas is about 6 feet wide, so nothing happens too quickly! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/44524b88-2861-47a0-a0e9-0d3632ca8299/IMG_4059.PNG Blog - “THE PEACEMAKERS”: HOW A PAINTING COMES TOGETHER - Make it stand out One of the more challenging parts of this scene (and also one of the most fun) was painting the tug in the foreground. The Cletrac M2 High-Speed tractor was one of WWII’s most prolific and dependable workhorses, and a fantastic-looking piece of machinery! There are still a fair number of these gizmos still around these days, in fact occasionally you might get to see one towing a big warbird out onto the flight line at a modern-day airshow. Shown here are photos of some various stages while painting this cool little tractor. One interesting note for the eagle-eyed…Note the equipment on the side of the tractor (near the MP) in the 3rd photo, and then in the 4th. It is completely different, because I caught a technical error I’d been making. I’d been using a reference photo to work from which I didn’t realize had been printed backwards! The equipment I’d been painting as in the 3rd photo is actually a mirror image of what should have been on the other side of the tractor- ugh. Glad I caught the mistake and put the correct hoses and other items in their proper place before spending too much more time on it. Of course, only a true Cletrac aficionado would have known the difference, but as they say, the devil is in the details. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/0708c2f9-99da-49ad-9c57-bd51ebac5c91/IMG_4060.PNG Blog - “THE PEACEMAKERS”: HOW A PAINTING COMES TOGETHER - Make it stand out As mentioned, Bob Lewis was the official pilot assigned to plane #82, and since Tibbets wanted to fly the mission, Lewis was relegated to copilot. After the bomb had been loaded, and the plane taxied into the holding area, Tibbets sent for one of the 509th’s sign painters. The guy was a bit peeved, as he was in the middle of a softball game, but reported to the Colonel as ordered. Tibbets handed him a piece of paper and told him to go "paint that “on the strike ship, real big”. (Of course, he’d written the name of his mother, Enola Gay Tibbets). Grumbling under his breath, the painter dutifully did as ordered. So in the painting, the painter has just finished the job, and is in the process of packing up his ladder, paint cans and brushes, anxious to return to the next inning. Later that afternoon Lewis and several of the crew drove out to where “his” plane was sitting under the watchful eyes of the MPs, and when he saw the strange words scrawled across his ship, bellowed ‘What the hell is THAT doing on my plane?” He ordered the words be scrubbed off immediately; The poor guy who got chewed out informed him that it had been done in accordance to Col Tibbets’ orders. Lewis immediately stormed off to the Colonel’s office. When confronted with Lewis’ indignation, Tibbets shrugged and simply told him “I didn’t think you’d mind, Bob!” And, the rest, of course, is history, as it’s arguably the most famous name of any airplane ever (possible exception being the Spirit of St. Louis). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/a2eb16a9-afaa-4ec5-ba43-3c67997b0078/IMG_4061.PNG Blog - “THE PEACEMAKERS”: HOW A PAINTING COMES TOGETHER - Make it stand out I’ve found it pretty interesting in photos & film footage to see the number of people gathered nearby during this mission. It seems that all the MPs, ground personnel and other military individuals present had a definite sense that they were part of a moment that would change the course of history. I wanted to include an assortment of these in the scene. Here’s the pencil stage of some of these background figures (Incidentally, I’m including a link to some of the great silent footage which can be viewed on Youtube at the end of this album. Definitely worth checking out). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/bdc170a5-fb11-47a4-89ac-e4f4632cf297/IMG_4062.PNG Blog - “THE PEACEMAKERS”: HOW A PAINTING COMES TOGETHER - Make it stand out Bringing the elements from the previous pic to life. Note B-29 # 77 with the triangle “N” on the rudder. This was ‘Bockscar’, the plane which flew the 2nd atomic mission to Nagasaki 3 days after Enola Gay’s mission. I was excited to find several photos showing the two most famous Superfortresses in the same frame during this particular time window, so had to include it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/9b0c06fd-cd88-4775-bab2-36ba19e5b813/IMG_4063.PNG Blog - “THE PEACEMAKERS”: HOW A PAINTING COMES TOGETHER - Make it stand out Finished! After many months of painting, ‘The Peacemakers’ is finally ready to be taken down from the easel (which is actually my drafting desk, modified to accommodate this big canvas). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/7c80b5c3-bfb0-4674-aa96-35c752d007a9/IMG_4064.PNG Blog - “THE PEACEMAKERS”: HOW A PAINTING COMES TOGETHER - Make it stand out Now that the large painting had been completed, the process of making decisions about prints, editions, etc. had to be made. My original intention was to do an additional pencil drawing of ‘Bockscar’, to accompany the Enola Gay painting, but after so long on this project, I decided it warranted something a bit more special than a black & white sketch for a companion print. I felt a nice little oil painting depicting ‘Bockscar' would be an appropriate scene to accompany it. The usual crew of Bockscar (named after its usual assigned pilot Fred Bock) swapped planes with Charles Sweeney’s crew (‘The Great Artiste’) for the Nagasaki mission, and the two are shown flying in formation here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/c135859d-cdf9-435c-b180-971020154a15/IMG_4065.PNG Blog - “THE PEACEMAKERS”: HOW A PAINTING COMES TOGETHER - Make it stand out “The Peacemakers” has been reproduced in a small edition of paper giclée prints, on a beautiful archival satin-finish stock manufactured by Ilford, with the trade name “Gold Fibre”. The rich color reproduction possible in this process makes possible a color gamut with a much deeper and richer range than is possible with standard 4-color litho printing. The Artist Proof edition also includes a conventionally printed companion piece, ‘Bockscar & Company”. We also are making available larger canvas reproductions, which I custom-embellish in oils. They’re beautiful! https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/the-peacemakers-gr44r https://www.johnshawart.com/blog/flying-tigers-in-burma monthly 0.5 2025-08-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/3917b7d3-4e8a-4119-bc15-374cdcf6286c/1.+INTRO+.jpg Blog - FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/e1bdf424-fe38-4300-9be6-0c2b681e01b4/1A.+AVG+members-elderly+copy.jpg Blog - FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA - Make it stand out If the average person who isn’t necessarily into history thinks of anything related to the World War II era, one of the most familiar images which comes to mind is the old fighter plane shaped like a shark, its gaping mouth full of sharp teeth…American warriors flying planes, primitive by today’s standards, against an enemy on the other side of the world, before the days of radar, GPS, internet, etc…To many today, even the phrase “Flying Tigers” is either completely unknown or at best, vaguely familiar, and might as well be as distant in the past as soldiers who fought in 1776 or in the Civil War. But many people who were once part this incredible brave group were still among us as quiet neighbors just a short time ago! Behind the eyes of those distinguished, white-haired men and women, slow moving and bent with age, were living memories of days in which they shared in heroic adventures, fighting against tyranny in a unique group of patriotic mercenaries during one of the world’s darkest times. For over three decades, it’s been a huge privilege to meet, work with, and in many cases form wonderful relationships with some of the legendary American Volunteer Group (AVG), many of whom became especially near & dear to my family and me. While introducing my new painting FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA, I hope to give a brief overview of the AVG to any who are unfamiliar, share some of our times together, and also tell a bit about the new painting… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/bdee353a-48d4-4654-ade6-b68a00fb4c06/2.Chennault.jpg Blog - FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA - Make it stand out Claire Lee Chennault, a seasoned U.S. Army Air Corps officer & aviation tactician, became the mastermind behind the formation of the Flying Tigers. In the late 1930s, after retiring from the Army due to health reasons, he was invited to China to help build and train the Chinese Air Force amid increasing Japanese aggression. Recognizing the need for better air defense, Chennault proposed the creation of an volunteer air group composed of experienced American pilots recruited from the U.S. military under civilian cover, with support from the Chinese government and clandestine backing from President Roosevelt. Pictured here with him is Madame Chiang Kai-shek, the wife of China’s leader, who played a significant diplomatic role acting as a bridge between China and the US. Along with Chennault, Madame Chiang was instrumental in garnering American support for China and was a key advocate for the Flying Tigers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/3b14f65e-c809-48e6-9399-626ae8d3bb4a/3.+Burma+Road.jpg Blog - FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA - Make it stand out The primary initial mission of the AVG was to protect the Burma Road, the key supply route bringing war materials from British-controlled Burma into China. As Japan expanded its control across Southeast Asia during World War II, safeguarding this lifeline became critical to sustaining Chinese resistance. The AVG was to conduct aggressive aerial defense and interception missions against Japanese bombers and fighters targeting the road and its surrounding areas. Their efforts would play a critical role in keeping the supply line open during some of the war’s most desperate months. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/a4b339ed-47c0-4ecd-8084-a25f0ce29786/4.+avg+on+dutch+liner.jpg Blog - FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA - Make it stand out In mid-1941, with Presidential approval, approximately 100 pilots and 200 support personnel were allowed to resign from their military services, volunteering to be “recruited” by the AVG. Enticed by the chance to travel to exotic foreign lands, better pay and (for pilots) the added bonus of an extra $500 bonus for every enemy plane they could knock down, they were soon off! With falsified travel papers, posing as civilian missionaries, artists, contractors- anything but military officers- the men and women of the AVG set sail for Burma aboard several several Dutch liners, such as the M.S. Jagersfontein, Java Pacific liner Bloemfontein and others. Few had any actual combat experience, and though war seemed a somewhat distant reality to them, in a short time they would be in the thick of desperate times, and be tested by fire they had never imagined- but they would more than rise to the occasion! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/9885a7c4-3797-4455-8f9f-7fdfef573db4/5.+three+squadrons.jpg Blog - FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA - Make it stand out As the new “recruits” of the AVG arrived in Burma between July and late November 1941, they were grouped into three “Pursuit” squadrons- the 1st Pursuit Squadron called themselves the “Adam & Eves” (named for man’s first pursuit of Adam chasing Eve)-although on their apple insignia, they reversed the order of who was chasing who! The 2nd squadron became the “Panda Bears”, named after China’s beloved furry indigenous residents, and the 3rd squadron nicknamed themselves the “Hell’s Angels”, years before the infamous motorcycle gang would adopt the name. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/8334bfb0-fb7d-4357-ad9f-dcaa030f7e75/6.Burma+training.jpg Blog - FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA - Make it stand out In late 1941, the Flying Tigers began their initial training in Burma at Kyedaw airfield near Toungoo. The Curtiss P-40 was quite unfamiliar territory for nearly all pilots, and the realities of actual aerial combat were just as unfamiliar . Chennault had his hands more than full teaching tactics he believed would be effective against the more maneuverable, lighter-weight Japanese fighter aircraft. Pictured in lower left photo is ‘Tex’ Hill, during his introduction to the P-40. Prior to the AVG, he had been training as a Navy dive bomber pilot, and the Curtiss ‘Tomahawk’ was new territory. Tex’s fellow pilot Ed Rector recalled “that damn engine stuck out there so far, I thought if I step on the brakes, this thing is gonna tip over!” His assessment was not far off…approximately a dozen would be wrecked during training. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/ae68a2c6-176b-4552-9b64-2b9b1e75ba5b/7.RAF-BUFFALOES-RANGOONS-CO-DEFENDERS-RAF.jpg Blog - FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA - Make it stand out During their initial months, the AVG shared bases with RAF units who’d been equipped with American aircraft which were a bit more recent in the inventory than the P-40, allotted to British & Commonwealth allies through the US’s Lend-lease program. The Brewster”Buffalo” was the latest piece of aviation equipment which had previously arrived via lend-lease, and the AVG’s new allied counterparts were New Zealander pilots of the Royal Air Force’s No. 67 Squadron. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/f0c6f3c9-1579-4baf-b904-79a2d258a852/8.RAF+and+AVG+pilots.jpg Blog - FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA - Make it stand out As the American newcomers became acquainted with their Kiwi counterparts, friendly rivalries soon became inevitable. In the early months during training before first entering combat, AVG pilots began suffering ribbing from the Buffalo pilots, who boasted at having a more ‘updated’ plane. Some would even raise doubts about the prowess of the ‘crusty old army captain’ in charge of the American volunteers. Chennault insisted that despite being ‘newer’, the Brewster was underpowered and inferior to the rugged P-40, especially if his pilots would employ his aggressive air tactics in combat. Chennault consistently drove home the point that the P-40 should not attempt conventional dogfighting with their nimble lightweight Japanese adversaries, but rather use altitude & diving speed from above to attack. Japanese fighters sacrificed armor protection for manueverablity, and as such were more vulnerable to the nose & wing guns of the P-40. Still, the new AVG pilots’ Kiwi peers continued to sew doubts. Disgruntled at hearing of his pilots’ eroding confidence, to prove his point, he arranged a friendly challenge to the RAF boys…A mock dogfight for all to see. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/3980d208-1094-4384-b46d-54bee17c6df5/9.+Shilling.jpg Blog - FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA - Make it stand out Chennault chose pilot Erik Shilling for this demonstration, and as everyone gathered to watch the aerial joust, his men were soon left with no doubt that the rugged Tomahawk was indeed the better choice to soon face the enemy in combat, and quickly learned their soon-to-be legendary leader's tactics were extremely effective! Pilot Charlie Bond wrote in his diary on the demonstration: "An RAF Brewster pilot & Shilling put on quite a dogfight show for all of us right over the base. Shilling whipped him soundly. We couldn't say much for the RAF pilot- he didn't strike us as a 'tiger’. Still, these exercises would serve as valuable opportunities to learn from each other, & refine their aerial combat skills. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/e5a2cba1-0a5d-4ff4-9017-644b7d5261d1/10.Buffaloes+taking+off.jpg Blog - FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA - Make it stand out Though initially outmatched in both numbers and aircraft performance, 67 Squadron would go on to conduct critical air defense missions over Burma, especially around Rangoon, providing cover for retreating Allied forces and engaging Japanese bombers and fighters. Despite heavy losses and difficult conditions, the squadron helped delay the Japanese advance, buying time for Allied reorganization. They would later go on to be re-equipped with better fighters, including Hawker Hurricanes, and later after regrouping in India, the great Supermarine Spitfire. 67 Squadron continued supporting Allied ground forces with fighter-bomber operations until the war’s end, establishing itself as a unit of distinction. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/6a1fbf7b-786f-40f6-837d-5da129a9b219/11.+AVG+in+action.jpg Blog - FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA - Make it stand out The AVG’s first combat in late December 1941 resulted in a stunning victory over Japanese bomber attacking Kunming, setting the tone for their legendary combat record. This initial combat, during which Chinese civilians below witnessed the approaching Japanese bombers who’d frequently terrorized them mercilessly and unopposed over many months, suddenly plummet from the skies, under the guns of fast, strange new fighters with snarling shark faces painted on their noses! Wild celebrations of their new American rescuers broke out, and they described their defenders with the nickname "Fei Hu" or "Flying Tigers". The Tigers from then on would defend key positions, including Rangoon, from relentless Japanese attacks. Despite being vastly outnumbered, they delayed the Japanese advance for weeks. However, as Japanese forces pressed southward through Burma, the AVG was eventually forced to retreat. They evacuated Burma by early March 1942, relocating their operations entirely into China after the fall of Rangoon and other strategic points. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/b339e8fe-d925-4a00-903a-07af6ac029d1/12.+George+Rodger+LIFE+mag.jpg Blog - FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA - Make it stand out Over the course of the months following their initial combat, the Flying Tigers quickly became media sensations, heralded in American newspapers and newsreels as heroic underdogs taking on Axis aggression. Their exploits were romanticized in magazines like LIFE and dramatized in Hollywood films, including the 1942 movie Flying Tigers, starring John Wayne. The shark-mouth design on their aircraft became an iconic symbol of resistance and bravery, and their image was used in war bond drives and recruiting campaigns. Globally, the Flying Tigers symbolized American ingenuity and courage, and they helped galvanize public support for the Allied cause, particularly in the critical early phase of the Pacific War. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/3db485a5-6867-4213-b61d-d4bc9f3be8f9/13.+Tex+Hill.jpg Blog - FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA - Make it stand out During their relatively brief time as a unit in the early months of World War II, the AVG would ultimately receive credit for approximately 300 enemy aircraft destroyed, and roughly one fourth of their pilots would earn the distinction of becoming Fighter Aces, scoring five or more victories. One particularly notable example was David Lee “Tex” Hill. Assigned to the 2nd ‘Panda Bears’ squadron, Tex quickly proved his exceptional leadership and combat skills. As a flight leader and later squadron leader, he led numerous significant missions, including stopping advancing Japanese forces in the harrowing Salween River Gorge, which some historians believe would likely have caused China’s surrender. Tex was also known for his inspiring leadership, bravery, and tactical acumen. His pilots respected him not only for his flying abilities but for his ability to remain calm under pressure, often in situations that seemed hopeless. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/c0008e94-c049-4c59-a25b-5956eb47d2a0/14.+23rd+Fighter+Group.jpg Blog - FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA - Make it stand out By mid-1942, WWII had quickly progressed into full swing for the US, and the decision was made to disband the AVG on July 4, 1942. At that time, their personnel were given the choice by the US Army Air Corps either to immediately re-enlist in the newly-formed 23rd Fighter Group, or otherwise “find their own way back home”. This understandably frustrated most of its veterans , who simply wanted a short period of leave after serving in harm’s way valiantly over the better part of the past year. Most did leave, and went on to serve in other distinguished military services for the duration of the war; Some AVG members volunteered to stay an extra 2 weeks to help the new arriving 23rd pilots learn the ropes. A few other pilots, fiercely dedicated to Chennault, decided to stay on with the 23rd, swapping their well-worn AVG “uniforms” for new US Army Air Corps uniforms. The new incoming 23rd commander was Robert L. Scott (pictured above, top), An admirer of Tex Hill’s combat experience, he quickly assigned the Panda Bears’ squadron leader as commander of the 23rd’s 75th Fighter Squadron. (Scott has a great intro to Tex in his famous book God is my Co-Pilot). Initially equipped with P-40s, the 23rd would eventually be equipped with newer aircraft, such as the P-51 Mustang (Tex pictured above in one, still adorned with the familiar shark teeth). The 23rd would continue to carry the name ‘Flying Tigers’ throughout the rest of the war, serving with great distinction and carrying on the legacy established by the AVG. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/b483cfed-657c-4b3c-85a0-3ef02f8bb260/15.+A-10.jpg Blog - FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA - Make it stand out The heritage of the original AVG Flying Tigers certainly did not end with World War II…The 23rd would go on serving in Korea, Vietnam, Cold War, Middle East conflicts and on… Today, based at Moody Air Force Base, mighty A-10 “Warthogs” of the 23rd wing continue to sport the Shark Teeth originally applied to their 1941 predecessors. At present, the 23rd has plans in the very near future to replace these great aircraft with F-35 Lightnings. (Yep! They will have the teeth as well!) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/80a1235c-89b3-43e1-8b28-7a15f2549556/16.+Shaw+AVG+paintings.jpg Blog - FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA - Make it stand out PAINTING THE FLYING TIGERS! Since the time I was very young, the sight of those AVG P-40s were a thing of excitement. As a pre-teen kid, I remember doing a pen & ink drawing of one for my dad, who, as a Navy WWII vet, remembered them vividly. He displayed my primitive drawing in his office for many years, and was as excited as I was when I first had the chance to meet and work with original AVG members in the mid-90s. Since 1995, it’s been a thrill and privilege to create a number of paintings, all of which were printed as lithographs, and autographed by many of these great heroes. Many of these prints sold out over the years, and have become valuable collector’s items among fellow admirers of the Flying Tigers. What an honor to keep their history alive through art! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/b6896bb3-de96-4f94-9020-27943830d54f/17.+Group+shot+2002.jpg Blog - FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA - Make it stand out So many great memories of getting together with AVG veterans & their families over the years, and the stories we’d hear as they’d autograph prints….!!! Here’s a group shot from 2002 at Randolph AFB in Texas, as we presented the base with a newly-signed print of Tigers in the Gorge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/ae533a90-6ea5-42a2-a406-4ebfa626315e/18.+Kermit+at+2004+.JPG Blog - FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA - Make it stand out Another cool moment in 2004- During the AVG’s reunion in Orlando, Florida, noted aviation enthusiast, pilot, and aircraft collector Kermit Weeks rolled out the red carpet for the vets at his great Fantasy of Flight Museum near Lakeland, Florida. Kermit was the proud owner of the only existing original P-40 Trainer, in mint flying condition, and on a Saturday afternoon gave five AVG pilots the chance to take a hop into the Florida skies, letting them once take the controls of their faithful old Warhawk once again for the first time in half a century…What a great time for them! Afterwards, he had the P-40 seat removed and autographed by his five co-pilots. That evening he hosted a dinner and shared the fun moment with all of us in the adoring crowd. Pictured here with Kermit are pilots Dick Rossi, Charlie Bond, Tex Hill, Bob Layher and Peter Wright. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/86eb57b2-8a96-4b9e-852d-e68829564c7a/19.+Tex%2C+Chuck+%26+Dick+edit.jpg Blog - FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA - Make it stand out The last time a group of multiple AVG veterans were able to gather to sign a lithograph print edition was in Charleston, South Carolina. There, eleven of them shared memories and stories as they signed prints of my painting Shark Sighting. Shown here are Tex Hill, Chuck Baisden and Dick Rossi seated in front of the large original oil painting. (Note: in this painting, Tex is the pilot facing us, looking over the shoulder of armorer Chuck, seated in the cockpit testing the guns) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/7c094495-2188-4021-ab34-0b4e12d43068/20.+Flying+Tigers+Burma+promo.jpg Blog - FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA - Make it stand out NEW in 2025- Flying Tigers in Burma This year, on the 4th of July, to commemorate the anniversary of the conclusion of the AVG, we made the announcement of a NEW painting of an unusual phase AVG History- FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA. This new painting also has given us one last chance to offer a new prints with lots of original AVG autographs- a chance to continue their legacy with their actual hand-written signatures! But only a few… How was this possible? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/31367459-00e7-49c4-bb7e-cf9fb31e403f/21.+Signing+So42+in+2004.jpg Blog - FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA - Make it stand out In 2004, I’d completed the painting Summer of ’42 and a print was produced, which a group of about 18 AVG veterans signed during their reunion in Orlando, Florida. During the labor-intensive process of autographing over 1000 prints, many fun moments and memories are heard, and afterward, all signers and helpers share a great sense of accomplishment. (In the photo, Yours Truly is standing with Tex in front of the oil painting, and the lower two pics show the signing ‘assembly line’). After one of these sessions, the process of signing, numbering and sorting the autographed prints by the artist begins. Unfortunately, as is common in a large run, there are inevitably a small number of lithos which may have been printed with a flaw in the image- an inconsistent variation in color, an unwanted ink spot in the image, or other flaw which ordinarily would cause it to be pulled out before going thru the signing line; in the case of Summer of ’42, there wasn’t time to do this before the session, so when all was said and done, a small batch of 30-plus slightly misprinted but signed lithographs were pulled out of the numbered edition and set aside. Ordinarily, they would be discarded, but it would have been a crime to discard autographs which could potentially continue the legacy & history of these great WWII heroes. I had ideas for these down the road, so later that year, I took these signed prints to the homes of a few other AVG members who weren’t present at the Orlando reunion for their signatures as well. Most of these wound up with a total of 22 great AVG signatures in all! So the batch was sealed up and placed in storage for the past couple of decades, awaiting a hopeful new life one day… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/b6bc14ef-cd28-44ea-8616-8f00ae0cf012/22.+John+%26+Mark+w+painting.jpg Blog - FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA - Make it stand out Fast forward to recently… I conspired with one of my favorite people, Mr. Mark Davis, Executive VP of Perform Air International, based in the Phoenix, AZ area, to do a series of military aviation paintings for his company- Over the years, Mark had commissioned a number of my previous WWII paintings, and as a fellow kindred spirit for the history and heritage of these heroes of the past, he and I agreed that one of the new paintings’ subjects should definitely include the Flying Tigers! After batting around several concepts, Mark suggested the idea of doing a scene which highlighted an often overlooked period of the AVG’s early months when they were based in Burma with Brewster Buffalos of the RAF’s 67 Squadron. Last year, Mark traveled to Florida, where we unveiled the painting for the first time in a presentation during my ‘Wings of History’ exhibit at Daytona Beach’s Museum of Arts & Sciences. (For more, please see the VIDEO at the end of this blog post). Not only was a new print going to be released, but a VERY special edition would also be created, utilizing the previously-signed 2004 lithos. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/91c832b0-904a-4902-bb11-105f199827a0/23.Sig+edition+print.jpg Blog - FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA - Make it stand out For the very limited number of stored lithographs from 2004, a beautiful archival paper giclée overlay of Flying Tigers in Burma was created to permanently affix over those misprinted Summer of ’42’s, along a brass title plate with the new painting’s name replacing the old printed title. Best of all, these rare prints bear ALL 22 AVG signatures. Only a total of 30 of these special SIGNATURE EDITION prints exist, and nearly all have sold since its 4th of July announcement. (As of this post, we have a very small handful left!) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/f7e48dce-832b-4061-a66f-95b4fc0ae0c8/24.+Burma+signer+photo+group.jpg Blog - FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA - Make it stand out Here are the great AVG veterans whose names appear on the Signature Edition; All three AVG squadrons are represented, making this a valuable piece of history… Top Row: Charlie Bond, Joe Rosbert, Carl Brown, Tex Hill, Robert ‘Bus’ Keeton, Bob Layher Middle Row: Dick Rossi, Frank Anderson, Charlie Mott, Ken Jernstedt, Morgan Vaux, Peter Wright, Emma Jane ‘Red’ Foster, P.J. Greene Bottom Row: Keith Christensen, Joe Poshefko, Ed Janski, Frank Losonsky, Paul Clouthier, Ed Stiles, Chuck Baisden, Leo Schramm —With these prints, we’ve created a Certificate / booklet with biographies of each, along with photos from WWII and during 2004 when they autographed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/3fec5579-dae6-41aa-af26-026a568669ad/25.+FTBurma+print.jpg Blog - FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA - Make it stand out There are 300 ‘Main Edition’ prints and 100 Artist Proofs, signed & numbered by the artist- each includes an informative Certificate of Authenticity. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/9a0a944f-7e7f-4e7f-9f65-30d917255d65/26.+Companion+Print.jpg Blog - FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA - Make it stand out With the 100 Artist Proofs, an extra Companion print is also included. Beneath the vintage-style illustration entitled Shark Attack! is a complete roster of every member of the original American Volunteer Group- There were over 300 people altogether…Some rosters don’t include various individuals who’d left the AVG before their disbandment (“Pappy” Boyington, for one!), but in cross-referencing other official historic documents and rosters, this one includes everyone who was ever a member of the AVG. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/e8d6c64e-38b3-4235-85e6-b7353f0aea0d/27.+keeping+history+alive.jpg Blog - FLYING TIGERS IN BURMA - Make it stand out The story of the Flying Tigers is one of courage, innovation, and the indomitable human spirit. These American volunteers, flying in a distant land under difficult circumstances, became legends not just for their victories in the air, but for their role in forging a bond between the United States and China that endures to this day. As we look back on their contributions, we honor the bravery of the Flying Tigers and the enduring legacy they left behind. https://www.johnshawart.com/blog/allies-in-arms monthly 0.5 2025-08-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/551b59df-20e4-4dde-a9ab-4eb585a6dc8e/1.+Allies+in+Arms+painting+copy.jpg Blog - ALLIES IN ARMS - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/5539c929-9ad3-4ce2-842c-e7739a466750/2.+Johnnie+Johnson+ww2.jpg Blog - ALLIES IN ARMS Front & center in this scene is legendary ace James Edgar “Johnnie” Johnson. The highest scoring RAF fighter pilot to survive the war, he shot down 38 enemy aircraft in the skies over Western Europe between June 1941 and September 1944. One of the most inspirational Wing Leaders of the war, ‘Johnnie’ finished as the highest scoring RAF Ace of WWII – and by most accounts, also the top Allied Ace in Europe. On that note, the Telegraph publication wrote: “Johnson accounted for at least 38 enemy aircraft over Britain and occupied Europe, yet his actual score was almost certainly higher. Of the many enemy aircraft he shot down, he waived shared credits to boost the scores – and the confidence – of younger pilots.” More on Johnson’s bio coming up in a few photos from now…. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/f2225614-fc38-4de6-ab81-ed1160cf1d14/3.+Mike+Johnson+John+shaw.jpg Blog - ALLIES IN ARMS - Make it stand out For years, I’ve wanted to do a painting featuring the Spitfire- few combat aircraft in history are more iconic and more beautiful in their design, and recently, the great folks at Perform Air Int’l in Arizona provided me the opportunity to have a lot of fun with this subject! We have a mutual friend (of whom many of you seeing this post may also know)- Mr. Mike Johnson! The son of ‘Johnnie’, Mike was one of the first purveyors of Aviation Art when it started becoming popular in the late ’70s and early ‘80s. His famous dad showed him some of the early aviation paintings of British artist Robert Taylor, and before long, Mike Johnson began Wings Fine Art, one of the leading dealers for many years. As an artist, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed knowing Mike and working with him, and we’ve had a ball collaborating on several projects over the years, including ‘Ramrod-Outward Bound’ (with American ace ‘Bud’ Anderson), Reno Air Races 50th Anniversary piece, and also a Vietnam F-4 Phantom piece in which Mike helped round up multiple Navy F-4 combat pilots to sign prints of “Into the Storm” (here’s a pic of Mike and me in Reno, 2012 with the original oil painting). During our times together, Mike had many fond recollections of his dad ‘Johnnie’ Johnson, which always piqued my imagination. My only regret is that I never had the chance to meet the RAF’s ‘Ace of aces’ myself! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/3943a48c-a2f9-4483-9846-a84a5014d50c/4.+Spit+detail.jpeg Blog - ALLIES IN ARMS - Make it stand out Once we established that Johnnie would be a great subject, I began the process of researching and deciding which of the various versions of Spitfire he flew to paint. I discussed this with his son Mike as well, and learned that hands-down, his beloved Mark IX was the undisputed winner. Johnson had quickly distinguished himself as a Wing Leader, earning the right to adorn his plane with his initials JE J on the fuselages of his aircraft, and I felt that visually it was at its most dramatic just after D-Day in June 1944, once all Allied aircraft had their famous black & white stripes applied. Here’s a detail shot of a section of the original oil painting-(note a bit of reflection of the canvas in the lower corners)… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/820cb826-39d6-437a-9ab4-7e315205ff22/5.+B-17s+100th+BG+copy.jpg Blog - ALLIES IN ARMS - Make it stand out As the guys at Perform Air & I discussed other specifics for the Johnson painting, we also felt that it would be very interesting to include B-17s as a major element. Photos and paintings of these two aircraft together in the same scene are not terribly common, so it seemed a very interesting approach! After some more research from various records, etc, the task of finding which B-17 units were likely operating in places to coincide with sorties which Johnnie’s Canadian group were flying in the weeks following D-day. I discovered a few possibilities involving the 100th Bomb Group, based out of Thorpe Abbots. Both Mike and Johnnie Johnson had a huge affinity for the B-17, and I wanted to see if I could find any specific thoughts Johnnie had ever expressed about it specifically. I found a number of them, but was particularly delighted to discover several quotes within his great 1956 biography entitled “WING LEADER-Top Scoring Allied Fighter Pilot of World War II”. One quote: “We joined together and flew above the white, fleecy blanket towards our rendezvous point with the Forts. As usual, they were dead on time; they flew a converging course with ours, and I thought how beautiful and stately they looked when they winged their way through the high sky in a good, balanced formation”… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/6bfee56a-836d-46fd-a548-54490c21c10e/6.+B-17+Detail+copy.jpg Blog - ALLIES IN ARMS - Make it stand out Here’s another detail shot of the main 100th BG Fortress from the painting, And another of Johnson’s quotes from his book ‘WING LEADER’: “We saw the glinting bombers from a great distance, for the bright sun reflected from a hundred places on each silver aircraft. They made a most impressive sight when they pounded their stately way through the skies in battle array. Flak and fighters could not stop them. Here and there, a bomber fell burning to the ground below, but the rest pressed on, determined, irresistible, blazing a new daylight trail over Europe and somehow symbolic of the country’s star they bore”. ‘Johnnie’ Johnson, from Wing Leader, 1956 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/98a72c8c-ed4c-430a-98c9-d8c17191d7ba/8.+Following+Market+Garden+copy.jpg Blog - ALLIES IN ARMS - Make it stand out This unusual picture of Johnson’s Spit being serviced is noted as evidently occurring around September 1944 in Eindhoven, Holland, when 403 Squadron was conducting activities during Operation Market Garden… I discovered this and other amazing photos and anecdotal information on a tremendous blog, which I HIGHLY recommend to anyone interested. Here’s a link: https://rcaf403squadron.wordpress.com/category/johnnie-johnson-2/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/9ca48f8a-086a-4164-b4bd-bb4b7a17cae7/9.+Johnson+then+and+later+copy.jpg Blog - ALLIES IN ARMS - Make it stand out This is one of the most famous shots of Wing Leader ‘Johnnie’ Johnson, again with his faithful friend. Sadly, his beloved lab was not still around in 1996, when he re-enacted this well-known photo in Duxford, UK. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/fc9b059e-b371-49f2-a0e2-7bc66cb03a34/9a.+JEJ-+This+is+Your+Life.jpg Blog - ALLIES IN ARMS - Make it stand out This is Your Life…Remember the old British-produced series from yesteryear called ‘This is Your Life”? Here’s a GREAT episode made back in 1995, featuring Johnnie Johnson and many great recollections from those days in the skies over Europe… https://youtu.be/z2ZfHeS6KMU https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/d26ac28d-6905-4682-a69e-59c09f0f8268/10.+Duxford+Aces+High+2006+copy+2.jpg Blog - ALLIES IN ARMS - Make it stand out Since beginning painting WWII aviation scenes in the mid-90s, my goal (and motto for Liberty Studios) has been “Keeping History Alive”. In the world of Aviation Art, there have been a number of kindred spirits with this goal, and certainly no one has been more committed to preserving the history of our great veterans through art than Mr. Rick Taylor! Many collectors familiar with the long rich history of the UK-based publisher Military Gallery have interacted with Rick, and no doubt enjoyed conversations rich with history, stories and first-hand details of working with some of the greatest aviation veterans ever. I’ve treasured the times working with Rick for many years, and few people have inspired & stimulated ideas for more paintings with the enthusiasm he’s had. Now based in Ojai, California, Aces High Publishing continues to carry the torch of our shared motto of keeping history alive. The first time we had the chance to collaborate on a project together was in 2006, when Aces High hosted me and five of Jimmy Doolittle’s surviving Tokyo Raiders in England, during a wonderful time at the annual major airshow held at historic Duxford. At this event, the Doolittle veterans had requested that one of their favorite art prints be reproduced in a small special edition to be signed specifically for this event. It was a tremendous honor that my 1994 painting ‘The Hornet’s Nest’ was their choice! A “UK Edition” of 300 prints was a huge hit. ALLIES in ARMS was the first of a number of wonderful future projects planned with Rick and Aces High CA, many of which will bear original autographs of some of the greatest combat aviators ever. We are truly allies-in-arms in these efforts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/c6575563-3145-415d-96cc-6444aa887ca7/11.+Canadian+Aces.jpg Blog - ALLIES IN ARMS - Make it stand out Over the years, Aces High established close relationships with many great pilots and aviators of the war years. In the case of ALLIES in ARMS, Johnnie Johnson and several other highly-notable Canadian Aces pre-signed prints in their latter years, knowing that artwork would soon be created which would preserve the legacy of the great accomplishments of themselves and their countrymen in military history. Signatures like these are getting hard to come by, and it’s an honor for me to tell their stories through art! Following are brief biographies of Johnnie and these three great Canadian Spitfire veterans…. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/9122a2e0-fb6d-4248-a181-c6eaa4c8dadb/12.+JJohnson.jpg Blog - ALLIES IN ARMS - Make it stand out Air Vice Marshal J.E. ‘JOHNNIE’ JOHNSON- CB CBE DSO** DFC* DL Born in 1915, “Johnnie”Johnson is best known as the highest-scoring Western Allied fighter ace against the German Luftwaffe. Joining the RAF in 1939, some previous injuries resurfaced during his training, which prevented him from participating the early battles in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and the Battle of Britain; In 1941, he began flying regularly in offensive sweeps over occupied Europe, and experienced frequent heavy fighting during this period. His His combat tour included the Battle of Normandy, Operation Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge. A well-loved Wing Leader from 1942 through war’s end, he would hold multiple commands, among them 610 Squadron, Wings 144, 127, 125 and 124. All his aerial victories were against enemy fighters, primarily FW 190s and Bf 109s, scoring his last in September 1944, by which time, according to official records, he had achieved 34 individual victories, 7 shared victories and 3 probables (many other records list him with 38 individual victories). One of the most inspirational Wing Leaders of the war, ‘Johnnie’ finished as the highest scoring RAF Ace of WWII – and by most accounts, also the top Allied Ace in Europe. On that note, the Telegraph publication wrote: “Johnson accounted for at least 38 enemy aircraft over Britain and occupied Europe, yet his actual score was almost certainly higher. Of the many enemy aircraft he shot down, he waived shared credits to boost the scores – and the confidence – of younger pilots.” His last victory took place in September 1944 but he continued to fly combat missions to the last day of the war. He went on to serve in the Korean War, flying the F-80 Shooting Star, and later flew F-86 Sabres with the US Air Force Tactical Air Command. He retired at the rank of Air Vice Marshall. Johnnie Johnson, one of history’s greatest air aces, died at age 85 on January 30, 2001. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/659d79d9-dc6f-4d6a-a956-f3644d363004/13.+Stocky+Edwards.jpg Blog - ALLIES IN ARMS - Make it stand out Wing Commander J.F. “STOCKY” EDWARDS DFC* • DFM Joining the RCAF as a Sergeant Pilot in October 1940, Stocky was posted to 92 Sqn RAF in the Western Desert flying Hurricanes and Kittyhawks. After moving to 260 Sqn as a Flight Commander he saw a great deal of action, scoring a significant number of victories. His second tour saw him flying Spitfires with 417 Sqn RCAF in Italy, then with 92 Sqn, before taking command of 274 Sqn flying Spitfire IXs during D-Day. After a spell in England flying Tempests on anti-V1 sorties in August 1944, his final tour was in command of 127 Canadian Wing RCAF and he finished the war with 16½ confirmed victories. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/9cbc826b-b756-454d-bc19-4f2dac97d649/14.+Don+Laubman.jpg Blog - ALLIES IN ARMS - Make it stand out Lt General DON LAUBMAN •DFC* Joining the RCAF in September 1940 he served as an instructor and with 133 Sqn in Canada until his first posting to England with 412 Sqn RCAF, flying Mk.V and then Mk.IX Spitfires. He was prolific throughout D-Day and the Normandy invasion including the destruction of German forces at Falaise and he downed 8 German fighters over Arnhem, becoming one of the leading Aces in the 2nd TAF. For his second tour he commanded 402 Sqn RCAF in April 1945 but after only a week with the unit he was forced to bale out after his Spitfire was hit by flak, becoming a POW for last few weeks of the war, having scored 15 aerial victories. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/ac155445-effd-4ad0-8eb2-267d678516ee/15.+James+Lindsay.jpg Blog - ALLIES IN ARMS - Make it stand out Wing Commander JAMES LINDSAY • DFC James Lindsay enlisted in the RCAF in February 1941 and initially stayed in Canada as a flying instructor, before joining 403 Sqn RCAF in England becoming a Flight Commander. Flying a Mk IX Spitfire over France he scored his first victory in May 1944 and was prolific during the Normandy invasions scoring 7 victories, including 3 in one minute on 2 July. In April 1945 he was posted to 416 Sqn RCAF. In 1952 he was posted to Korea attached to the USAF flying F-86s claiming 2 MiG 15s and two damaged, for a total of 9 victories in WWII and Korea. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/0bc9b569-063e-4d26-8061-7bb4b6828b69/16.+B-17+Signers.jpg Blog - ALLIES IN ARMS - Make it stand out It seemed only appropriate for a print highlighting the combined efforts of the RAF, Canada, and United States to include signatures of American B-17 veterans as well. Not many of those great people are still here today in 2023 to recount firsthand the days of WWII , but Aces High went to great lengths to procure some of their names on ALLIES in ARMS as well, as a testament to the Allied effort they were a part of. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/7c100b5b-3414-48ef-8e9e-615a199d8738/17.+Irving+Poff.jpg Blog - ALLIES IN ARMS - Make it stand out Lt Colonel IRVIN POFF • 3 Air Medals Joining the USAAF in December 1942, Irvin completed Pilot training and joined the 9th Bomb Sqn, 2nd Bomb Group, 15th Air Force in April 1944, as a Co-Pilot flying B-17s from Foggia, Italy. Keen to fly as often as possible he volunteered for any mission he could get, volunteering for aircraft that were short of crew, and by June 1944 had completed 50 missions as both a Pilot and Co-Pilot - a staggering achievement in such a short space of time. Regularly escorted by the Tuskegee Airmen, his operations included the oil refineries in Ploesti and Austria and targets in Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Greece and Northern Italy. After the war he continued as an instructor until 1967. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/cb8e06c0-77dd-4b03-a7d8-d3d865b06730/18.+Ken+Sharp+.jpg Blog - ALLIES IN ARMS - Make it stand out First Lt KEN SHARP • 3 Air Medals After joining the USAAF in March 1943, Ken completed Pilot training and was posted to the 8th Air Force, serving with the 388th Bomb Group flying B-17Gs with the 561st Bomb Sqn from RAF Knettishall in Suffolk, England. He flew his first mission in January 1945 and went on to complete a total of 18 perilous daylight Operations over occupied Europe, including numerous trips to Berlin, the Ruhr Valley and, as the war in Europe was coming to an end, picking up 30 French POWs from Linz in Austria to return them home to Paris. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/ece8ed73-0e96-44e5-848c-753b48b3728c/19.+Charles+Stevens.jpg Blog - ALLIES IN ARMS - Make it stand out First Lieutenant CHARLES "NORM" STEVENS • DFC • 4 Air medals Volunteering for the USAAF in April 1943, ‘Norm’ was posted to the 351st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force as a Bombardier. Commissioned soon after, he and his recently formed crew flew a brand new B-17Gs from Nebraska to their new base in England, joining the 509th Bomb Sqn at Polebrook in Northamptonshire. He flew his first combat mission on 14 June, 1944, a raid on Le Bourget airfield near Paris, followed by operations to targets across occupied France, Holland, Belgium and Germany. His final mission was a bombing raid on the Luftwaffe airfield at Kassel on 22 September, 1944 and he finished the war having completed a total of 34 daylight Operations. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/92b9e53d-7c49-41c1-a64a-595223b09548/20.+Allies+Print+and+COA+copy.jpg Blog - ALLIES IN ARMS - Make it stand out Only a small number of ALLIES in ARMS prints have been available. With a truly unique set of Allied veteran signatures, they’re sure to go quickly. For those interested in an oil-painting ‘version’ of the scene, beautiful hand-embellished canvas giclées for your hanger wall of all sizes are also available, each one-of-a kind custom reproductions. Hope you enjoy! https://www.johnshawart.com/blog/celebrating-one-of-americas-greatest-groups-of-heroes-the-tuskegee-airmen monthly 0.5 2023-05-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/8342b404-495d-4180-afb5-7133d665e2ed/Red+Tail+Angels+and+Safe+Passage.jpeg Blog - Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen - Make it stand out Over the years, it’s been a huge privilege to meet some of the greatest military aviators & veterans in history! This month, the Tuskegee Airmen have been greatly in the spotlight- I thought it would be fun to share some recollections of some of the great ones I had the chance to meet and work with over the years, starting with ‘Red Tail Angels’ in 1997 and the recent painting ‘Safe Passage Home’… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677185985803-SRBSR1K1O181OG5WC1N6/1.+Tuskegee-Airmen-Briefing-at-Ramitelli-Italy+copy+2.jpg Blog - Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen The Tuskegee Airmen were the first black military aviators in the U.S. Army Air Corps. At this time in history, racial segregation was the rule in the U.S. military, as well as much of the country. But young black Americans who aspired to serve their country as combat pilots met with significant obstacles, starting with the widespread racist belief that black people “could not learn to fly or operate sophisticated aircraft”, as stated by official sources at the time. But as the AAC began ramping up its training program, various newspapers joined civil rights groups in arguing that black Americans be included. These brave young airmen would soon make their mark in history which continues to inspire generations more than eight decades later. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677185985852-540LIPPRV6CXMH2MMMWF/2.+charles-anderson-eleanor-roosevelt_1941+copy.jpg Blog - Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen The “Tuskegee Experiment” took a great leap forward in April 1941, thanks to a visit by Eleanor Roosevelt to the airfield. Charles “Chief” Anderson, then the chief flight instructor in the program, took the First Lady on an aerial tour, and photos & film of that flight helped publicize the program. The program’s trainees, nearly all of them college graduates or undergraduates, came from all over the country. In addition to some 1,000 pilots, the Tuskegee program trained nearly 14,000 navigators, bombardiers, instructors, aircraft and engine mechanics, control tower operators and other maintenance and support staff. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677185987473-1ON23NL0KW0DAEJPASGN/3.+Benjamin+O.+Davis+pics+copy.jpg Blog - Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen Among the 13 members of the first class of aviation cadets in 1941 was Benjamin O. Davis Jr., the son of Brig. Gen. Benjamin O. Davis, one of two Black officers (other than chaplains) in the entire U.S. military. Born in Washington, D.C. on December 18, 1912, Davis would play a vital role in opening up the skies and the entire military for black soldiers. Graduating from West Point in 1936 in the top 20% of his class, he was the first black West Point cadet in the 20th century. Earning his wings in March 1942, a short time later he was promoted to Lt.Col, leading the 99th Fighter Squadron, the 1st all-black unit in the Army Air Forces. The 99th deployed to North Africa in March 1943 to fight Axis troops in the region. Later that year, he returned to the U.S. and took command of the 332d Fighter Group. Davis would continue his stellar military career for decades following WW2, retiring at the rank of Lt. General in 1970, where he was serving as deputy commander-in-chief of U.S. Strike Command (now U.S. Special Operations Command). Davis spent nearly 40 years in the military, breaking barriers at every level. He served all over the world, fighting against segregation on and off the battlefield. On July 4, 2002, this great veteran died at 89 years old and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677185988503-C34M7YWLCXQYV3X0XNTB/4.+Ortiz+_+Davis++copy+2.jpg Blog - Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen In the mid-‘90s, there were several people who were huge encouragements to me as I began my journey into historic Aviation Art. One of the most significant was Col. Paul Ortiz (USMC), a friend of mine who I’d met while living in central California, during a reunion of the Doolittle Raiders. By the late 90s, Paul and his family had been relocated to the Washington DC area, and it was through him I first became inspired by the story of the Tuskegee Airmen. Enthusiastic about promoting their great history through my artwork, Paul met with General Davis and the Washington DC chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen and arranged their participation with a new painting and print that would soon transpire! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677185989063-HXZ3LN18O8BRV4CNJMI8/4A.+Holloman+copy.jpg Blog - Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen Whenever possible, when planning a painting, it was a thrill for me to consult firsthand with the veterans whose experiences I was hoping to depict. In this case, the first Tuskegee veteran I was able to meet with was Col. Bill Holloman, who lived in Southern California at the time. Bill had been one of the original combat pilots of the 99th Squadron, and along with fellow veteran Bill Ellis, we brainstormed on concepts for a painting. We discussed the marvelous record the Tuskegee Airmen had of successfully escorting American B-17s and B-24s during combat missions, and figured this would be an appropriate place to start. Bill recalled a number of missions in which a bomber would be vulnerable as a straggler, having one or more engines disabled, and they’d have to fend off German wolves seeking easy prey…He recommended a scene in which they were safely “protecting the cripple”. He remembered also meeting bomber crewmen who were grateful for helping save their lives by their action in the skies over Europe. Bill would later become the USAF’s first black active duty helicopter pilot, also serving in the Vietnam War. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677185989436-VOFSF2QUCK3HCLPH8V9E/5.+Colonel-William-22-Wild-Bill22-Campbell-was-one-of-the-first-to-fly-P-47+copy.jpg Blog - Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen WILLIAM "WILD BILL" CAMPBELL-When discussing specific aircraft to put in my upcoming painting, I’d enjoyed my discussions immensely with Col. Holloman, and suggested we depict his P-51 in the scene. He was enthusiastic, but recommended the main Mustang depicted be that of his fellow 99th Squadron pilot Bill Campbell, also a resident of California. It was decided that Campbell’s plane, with his nickname “Wild Bill” be the primary aircraft in the painting, with Holloman as his wingman in the background. More on ‘Wild Bill’ Campbell’s great career in a few moments… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677185990225-CRLH03W3DN6LCIE64BF2/6.+Red+Tail+Angels+copy+2.jpg Blog - Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen Red Tail Angels In 1997, I completed the painting “Red Tail Angels”, depicting Mustangs of the 99th Fighter Squadron protecting a crippled Liberator from the 459th Bomb Group which was straggling behind. The painting illustration was done in mixed media, using Prismacolor pencil, gouache (opaque watercolor) and acrylic. In addition to creating limited edition lithographs of the scene, this image would later go on to be used to illustrate articles on the Tuskegee Airmen, be featured on the cover of Aviation History magazine, and even later be reproduced as a wall-sized mural in a museum near where the 99th Fighter Squadron trained in World War II. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677241588187-CSPZ3NQA1KQF8J7NWSXL/2-Tuskegee+DC+chapter.jpeg Blog - Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen It was indeed a great honor to have the participation of numerous veterans of the Tuskegee Airmen in signing prints of Red Tail Angels. My friend Col. Paul Ortiz had arranged a couple print signing sessions on the East Coast, the first of which was in Washington DC. Tuskegee veterans pictured here (L to R) are: Bill Broadwater, Harry Sheppard, Woody Crockett, Ira O’Neal, Sam Rhodes, Benjamin O. Davis Jr., Elmer Jones, Wylie Selden and George Walker lll. Paul Ortiz’s mom Sophie and wife Michelle are also pictured, along with a much younger Yours Truly in the foreground with print. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677185992572-U0NXR9XUN8KICHB4XNMM/7.+Davis+signing+copy+2.jpg Blog - Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen It was a particular honor to have General Benjamin O. Davis autograph the Main Edition of ‘Red Tail Angels’. This extraordinary gentleman was so loved by his men, and at this point in his life it was a rare treat for them to be able to spend an extended period of time with him. He was just experiencing the beginning phases of dementia, but his quiet good nature and charisma were still evident in all the time we were able to spend together. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677185995688-61L9T9HX3H3YEI35N6Y8/8.+Davis+_+Shaw+copy.jpeg Blog - Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen Looking back over the years, I’m grateful for the privilege I’ve had to meet and work with some of America’s greatest aviation veterans in history. Truly, this day spent with General Davis was one of the highlights. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677185995690-MSWLBS9LPR9BR5D9XLIP/9.+Signing+RTA+DC+copy.jpg Blog - Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen A few more of the great guys who were signing ‘Red Tail Angels’ in Washington… Woody Crockett , Elmer Jones and Harry Sheppard. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677185996931-940BVZ67O3CEX1XIIKDC/10.+Watson+copy+2.jpg Blog - Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen Following our print-signing day in DC, our next stop was New York City, to the home of another one of the original 99th Squadron pilots, Spann Watson. What an amazing guy! He and his wonderful wife were great hosts for Col. Ortiz and I, as he and two other legendary Tuskegee veterans were soon to arrive as well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677185997623-RP6C91142RA9KOUVPFJU/11.+Brown%2C+Watson%2C+Archer+copy.jpg Blog - Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen Soon after we arrived at Spann Watson’s home, two of Tuskegee’s most notable pilots arrived to sign ‘Red Tail Angels’ as well. Dr. Roscoe Brown, one of the relatively few American combat pilots credited with air-to-air kills of the Messerschmitt Me262 jet, and Col. Lee Archer, who is considered by many to be the T.A.’s only ace. Needless to say, the conversations had by these three were incredible…My only regret is that I didn’t have a tape recorder handy. Also, Spann Watson was a great fan of jazz, and typical of many wartime pilots in their advanced years, a bit hard of hearing. So throughout the signing day, in the midst of all the incredible reminiscings of these three, we were treated to lots of GREAT jazz at very high volume. Despite ringing ears by the end of the day, a great time was had by all. =) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677185999243-VN0PXVT1SGH198OR89YT/12.+Archer+copy.jpg Blog - Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen It was a special highlight to become acquainted with Col. Lee “Buddy” Archer, who is one of the Tuskegee Airmen’s most recognized faces. In 1997, It was hard to imagine this wonderful soft-spoken gentleman as one of their most lethal pilots in the skies over Germany. As mentioned previously, Lee is considered by many to be the only ‘Ace’ of the group, and consequently the only black U.S. pilot to earn this designation for shooting down at least five enemy aircraft. During the war however, he officially claimed to have shot down only four planes. He and another pilot both claimed victory for shooting down a fifth aircraft, and he was credited for only half the kill, and that half kill was later taken away. The discrepancy between official records and later reporting has caused some controversy, and this gracious and self-deprecating veteran was never known to insist on his “ace” status. Archer also destroyed six aircraft on the ground during a strafing mission in August 1944, as well as several locomotives, motor transports and barges. On a personal note, in later years, Lee Archer worked with my uncle David Walton at General Foods, as one of the first black corporate vice presidents of a major U.S. company. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677185999922-RJYIAE9SJQ0VTPF06QN5/14.+Wild+Bill+Campbell+copy.jpg Blog - Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen Returning to California, the next great group of Tuskegee Airmen to sign prints of ‘Red Tail Angels’ included the pilot of the main Mustang depicted, Col. William “Wild Bill” Campbell. As was typical with virtually every single one of these veterans, Bill was so genuine and gracious, and so willing to discuss the experiences he’d had during those years in Europe. Living in California at the time, I had the privilege of getting together with him on several other occasions in the following years, at or near his home in the area of Monterey, California. Great memories! Bill was actually born & raised in Tuskegee, Alabama, and graduated from Tuskegee Army Airfield’s class 42-E in July 1942 as a 2nd Lieutenant. He’d go on to fly the 99th’s very first combat mission in Tunisia, 1943. He and Spann Watson later were assigned to the 553rd Fighter/Bomber squadron, becoming the first black American pilot to drop a bomb on enemy targets in US history. Over the course of WWII, he flew 106 missions, and would go on to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross, and numerous other decorations. Colonel Campbell died at the age of 95 in 2012 and was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677186001672-YH3B6FEJ2PEOPGQFI3HT/15.+Signing+RTA+in+CA+copy.jpg Blog - Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen To sign “Red Tail Angels” in California, Col.Bill Campbell was joined by friends and fellow veterans Colonels Richard Caesar (pictured), Price D. Rice and Ted Wilson. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677186002521-88OWMXDE2ESF7CZEDX4J/16.+Price+D+Rice+copy.jpg Blog - Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen Here’s a shot of Col. Price D. “PD” Rice during his days following training in the P-40 in Tuskegee class 42-I , and in California, 1997. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677186002592-YXV5KLPDTMZB8ITRU1J1/18.+RTA+Mural+copy+4.jpg Blog - Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen By the spring of 1941, Chanute Field, Illinois was home to thousands of draftees and enlisted men. On March 22, the 99th Pursuit Squadron was activated at Chanute. They would go on to start their own training at Tuskegee in July that year. The Chanute Air Museum has done a wonderful job honoring the men of the 99th as well as the entire population of the Tuskegee Airmen. They set aside a large room to tell the story of the 99th Pursuit (later “Fighter”) Squadron and did it with flair. The first thing you see is a wall-sized mural of “Red Tail Angels”. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677186003477-OEELB1TH0YGY7PLB0O5A/19.+McGee+and+RTAcopy+copy.JPG Blog - Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen One of the most well-known and beloved Tuskegee Airmen was Charles McGee… When I first met this great veteran, he was long-retired at the rank of Colonel. It was a pleasure to meet and work with this wonderful combat pilot of THREE wars, World War II, Korea and Vietnam, not only on ‘Red Tail Angels’, but also in recent years on what was to become one of my favorite recent projects honoring the Tuskegee Airmen… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677186006322-MFHCCZEYOFTCNGBX31GF/20.+Corliss+Norton+copy+2.JPG Blog - Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen ‘Red Tail Angels’ prints which had been signed by the combat pilots of the Tuskegee Airmen sold out quite a few years ago, and became extremely popular and rather valuable on the ’Secondary’ market. Most rewarding to me as an artist of historical scenes has been seeing the reaction of the veterans themselves, and hearing the memories the paintings evoke for them. A few years after ‘Red Tail Angels’ had long sold out, I was contacted by a great fellow in the northern states named Tom Marry, who had one of the prints; Tom had a long-time family friend down the street who, as it turned out, was the waist gunner on a B-24 of the 459th Bomb Group. Mr. Corliss Norton had remembered flying numerous harrowing missions in which he and his crew had been safely escorted by the Tuskegee Airmen. Tom asked Mr. Norton to sign his print, and I wound up doing a nice pencil remarque of his B-24, which had been named “Cherokee Maiden”. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677186006137-31E94GKBLZVSB1AMIYAL/21.+CHEROKEEMAIDEN2+copy+2.jpg Blog - Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen Cherokee Maiden- B-24 of the 459th Bomb Group https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677186007202-BHZE8I68R2N92MR7EZK6/22.+Cherokee+Maiden+Crew.jpg Blog - Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen It was great hearing of Corliss Norton’s experience in ‘Cherokee Maiden’- Here he is pictured with his crew in late ’44 or early ’45- Corliss is in the back row, left, wearing the jacket. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677186008177-4NH48SV1MUJ5ZJE0SM59/23.+SAFE+PASSAGE+HOME+painting+copy.jpg Blog - Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen Back then, I'd mentioned to Tom that perhaps at some point it might be interesting to create another painting involving Mr. Norton’s plane being escorted by the Tuskegee Airmen, and they were both quite enthusastic about the idea! In recent years, I’d kept in occasional contact with Col. McGee, and thought it might be a wonderful tribute to have a print which included both his aircraft AND one of the bombers his group escorted. Truly a rare opportunity, and one that we felt would really highlight the mutual efforts of our Army Air Corps fighters & bombers working together during those days of war. I thought an appropriate title for the painting would be SAFE PASSAGE HOME. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677186008325-W68OKUQGRGAS5XIBF15S/24.+mcgee+_+kitten+copy.jpg Blog - Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen Here’s a famous wartime photo of Charles McGee with his P-51 “Kitten”, his affectionate nickname for his wife, Frances. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677186009308-15G5Y7C8MY7ZZ5SLKSU4/25.+McGee+_+Shaw+copy+2.jpg Blog - Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen Toward the end of 2019, it was once again a thrill to spend a day with Col. McGee at his home in Bethesda, Maryland. This photo was taken just weeks before his 100th birthday…I’ll never forget how amazed I was at the clarity, sharpness and kindness of this amazing veteran. It was no wonder he was loved by so many. Just a couple months later, it was a thrill to see him on national TV during the President’s State of the Union message, in which Col. McGee was honored in front of the country after being promoted to Brigadier General McGee. A long overdue and well-deserved honor. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677186009558-GODVYL11Y2OFB2VSCHTI/27.+Lawrence+Clawson.jpeg Blog - Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen It’s incredible to me that more than 3/4 of a century since the end of the war that a print such as ’Safe Passage Home’ could still be signed by some of the men depicted in the scene…What an honor! Two different signed versions were created, and not surprisingly, are nearly sold out! Each print in the regular lithograph edition was personally autographed by both General Charles McGee of the Tuskegee Airmen and Sgt. Corliss Norton of the 459th Bomb Group. Shortly after the lithograph version of Safe Passage Home was released as a print, it came to our attention that another veteran who flew more than 50 missions in B-24s had seen this painting. Amazingly, nearly all of them were in ‘Cherokee Maiden’... Sgt. Lawrence D. Clawson finished his tour just before Corliss Norton began his aboard this same aircraft! Since it was too late to have him autograph the regular lithograph print, it inspired a very unusual small hand-crafted print edition to be created, which has become the only one of its kind… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677186011298-UNOE58QAUQV2ZAURIGP4/29.+Artist+Color+Plate+Ed.+framed+copy+3.jpg Blog - Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen Special Color Plate Edition This unique “Color Plate” print edition is created in the tradition of the old-world style of print publishing, when a custom printed color reproduction was adhered to a separately printed sheet…in this case, digital archive paper giclees of ’Safe Passage Home’ are printed and mounted to base border sheets autographed by all THREE of the great veterans previously mentioned- Charles McGee, Corliss Norton and Lawrence Clawson. Only a few of the original 40 of these beautiful hand-crafted pieces remain, as a tribute to the men who made such great history in the skies of World War II. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677188154087-AOTW0P3KL100H3X2V14S/Screen+Shot+2023-02-22+at+8.14.41+PM+copy.jpeg Blog - Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen In these turbulent Twenty First century times, we’re grateful for the legacy so many great American veterans have given us - Thank you Tuskegee Airmen for your part in preserving our freedom! https://www.johnshawart.com/blog/6vzv7pppukdqx006vni9sj5oh5athy monthly 0.5 2022-12-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/67e01245-1df4-47c3-b9ab-a282b9f708e0/No+Sak%C3%A9+Tonight.JPG Blog - Happy Birthday  P-38 Lightning! - Make it stand out No Sake Tonight by: John D Shaw https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/42809400-0da8-49d1-8eda-fdfcdde0a2c3/Screen+Shot+2022-01-28+at+6.50.14+PM.png Blog - Happy Birthday  P-38 Lightning! - Make it stand out On January 27, 1939, First Lieutenant Benjamin Scovill Kelsey, Air Corps, United States Army, made the first flight of the prototype Lockheed XP-38 Lightning, serial number 37-457, at March Field, Riverside County, California. 83 Years ago this month, Lockheed’s legendary P-38 Lightning was born! On Jan. 27, a gorgeous silver XP-38 prototype was wheeled out at March Field in Southern California to make its first historic flight. This great twin-engined interceptor would soon go on to become one of the greatest allied fighter planes of World War II. In fact, America’s top two fighter aces both scored their victories in what the enemy referred to as “The Fork-Tailed Devil”! Happy Birthday P-38 ! https://www.johnshawart.com/blog/initial-concept-sketch monthly 0.5 2021-02-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1609798386230-IMU5N407Q8VEQA18R7A2/1.png Blog - The Evolution of a Commissioned Painting Not too long ago, I was commissioned to do a painting of the P-51 “ Tiger’s Revenge”. It was during the mission that Bill Lyons of the 355th Fighter Group, shot down an Fw190-D in 1944. Being able to get firsthand recollections of these types of encounters from the very men who flew the missions has been the best part of what I do. Interestingly, after speaking with Bill, who had a remarkable and detailed memory of this encounter, found it particularly interesting to hear his recollection that the German pilot attempted to exit the stricken aircraft as it arced toward earth. The above photo was my initial concept pencil sketch of how the painting would unfold… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1609798540093-TTCNOCBUEFW5FDJXF1SL/2.png Blog - The Evolution of a Commissioned Painting The background begins to go in…In this photo, I am just roughing in some background color that will soon include clouds and landscape… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1609798630514-7PQ7WGTLXZ8THVXPM52O/3.png Blog - The Evolution of a Commissioned Painting Clouds begin to form in this photo, as well as some lighting on what’s going to be the ground below. Bill recalled that a dark weather front was quickly moving in behind them that day over the German landscape below. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1609799182779-MTI2D06M5NDCWN93TCWY/4.png Blog - The Evolution of a Commissioned Painting Bill also remembered sunlight illuminating the ground in spots as the weather front behind rolled in. In this stage, I began roughing in some of the patchwork landscape, typical of the section over Germany in which this aerial conflict took place. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1609799562988-X5OEMK46J4U1GX5OCH8M/5.png Blog - The Evolution of a Commissioned Painting Now a bit more detail on the ground below. Soon, I will add more of the dark weather approaching, and shadowing over the ground. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1609799687752-RJ6GU75ZZF5CE2FRV16M/6.png Blog - The Evolution of a Commissioned Painting In this stage, I have drawn an outline of Bill’s Mustang on a piece of tracing tissue, and experimented placing it in position over the background, to decide exactly where on the canvas it would soon be painted. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1609799739176-VU5DIOYQ075LCS841R6C/7.png Blog - The Evolution of a Commissioned Painting Once the Mustang’s position was decided, I added white gesso primer directly onto the painted background, in a P-51-shaped “hole”, into which I would soon draw the details of the plane. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1609799823553-46P7HI9I5WWMAO87TTYD/8.png Blog - The Evolution of a Commissioned Painting In the step, pencil outlines of all the body details of the Mustang are added. Kind of feels like an old “paint by number” project at this point! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1609799905704-7XQAVTEF3X7G0AWR1KRI/9.png Blog - The Evolution of a Commissioned Painting Before beginning to add the actual color of the Mustang’s skin, I sprayed the pencil outlines with a workable fixative, to prevent smearing, then added a wash of Naples Yellow & turpentine to add warmth and cut down the brightness of the stark white primer. Once this dried, I would be ready to begin painting the skin of Bill’s plane. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1609799971155-B79O2YQ7XYXRG9ISB0BJ/10.png Blog - The Evolution of a Commissioned Painting These next few photos show some of the progressive painting steps during the completion of a scene of painting Bill Lyons’ Mustang, “Tiger’s Revenge”, over the background shown in the first few steps. The background is masked off to prevent smudges, etc. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1609800912915-IAMPQDM0D1M795FG7U7K/11.png Blog - The Evolution of a Commissioned Painting In this odd looking step, I have masked off the area around the airplane to prevent unwanted smudges on the background. Next, some shadowing, texture and highlight tones are added, using VanDyke Brown and Naples Yellow. As the plane takes dimensional shape in this step, these tones will serve as a sort of “underpainting” for the final colors to come. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1609800957174-URT5J0NOBZL1OQNI05AW/12.png Blog - The Evolution of a Commissioned Painting Once the underpainting is dry, I begin adding some of the color to begin giving the Mustang its metal skin look and feel. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1609801101364-KPR2DURPAV54MSJLATM5/13.png Blog - The Evolution of a Commissioned Painting More color, more tones, And the beginning of fuselage colors and markings begin to take shape… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1609801185521-NGRV32H1LKE7UMBRQJNC/14.jpg Blog - The Evolution of a Commissioned Painting Somewhere along this stage, it was time to shift gears away from the plane in the background, and focus on the pilot himself!Once again, the face would be drawn in pencil, then yellow wash added before the final color https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1609801301566-QX8YHYRXLFEI97J8YJC2/15.jpg Blog - The Evolution of a Commissioned Painting Could not have my pilot keep his jaundiced yellow look! Now the flesh tones, color and detail of flight helmet, etc. are added. I also started adding a bit of tone to the plexiglas canopy around him. Also of note are other details being penciled in, such as the lettering which was part of the plane’s nose art. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1609801374364-4XDR1MS6UZMXMNAIIS9Z/16.png Blog - The Evolution of a Commissioned Painting As the Mustang is really taking shape by this point, it’s time to add the Fw-190. Bill had recalled following his stricken adversary nearly down to ground level, at which time he and his wingman noticed the plane crash.The German pilot was exiting the plane, and Bill recalled at times flying in very close proximity to his foe on his way down, at times as close as 50 feet away. He recalled an awful lot of smoke, but minimal amounts of fire. I tried several different placement positions for the 190, and in the end decided to vary it slightly from the initial pencil concept sketch. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1609801470489-G0IDI1515FE08EXXJIPX/17.png Blog - The Evolution of a Commissioned Painting The Focke Wulf 190-D9 starts taking on more shape and dimension. Interestingly, in Bill’s original combat report, he had identified his victim as an Me109 in this encounter, though it was later confirmed to be an Fw190. Unfortunately, none of us could determine the specific German fighter unit, so a bit of “artistic license” was necessary for the 190’s markings. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1609801529612-DB91CTQ0HRPC89H1U0YA/18.jpg Blog - The Evolution of a Commissioned Painting I’ve always considered the Fw-190 To be one of the most sinister-looking up all the German fighters. It was arguably one of their best and most formidable. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1609801635004-1SRI7BFWPRBKJGCFPKYM/19.png Blog - The Evolution of a Commissioned Painting As the Mustang is really taking shape by this point, it’s time to add the Fw-190. Bill had recalled following his stricken adversary nearly down to ground level, at which time he and his wingman noticed the plane crash. The German pilot was exiting the plane, and Bill recalled at times flying in very close proximity to his foe on his way down, at times as close as 50 feet away. He recalled an awful lot of smoke, but minimal amounts of fire. I tried several different placement positions for the 190, and in the end decided to vary it slightly from the initial pencil concept sketch. https://www.johnshawart.com/blog/a-day-gone-by-newest-release monthly 0.5 2021-02-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1587921581196-7OPPTZH5ZNDKV93CXFR3/DGB_Header.jpg Blog - A Day Gone By https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1587921616417-59NKAMV1776UV9KOKWYL/Artist-Proof-booklet.jpg Blog - A Day Gone By - ARTIST PROOFS autographed by Sgt. Joe Carroll, Flight Engineer / Top Turret Gunner of B-17 Carol Dawn • Includes Biographical profile booklet https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1587921678232-JBU5J6OVMDZEVTMXG9E5/MatchSet.jpg Blog - A Day Gone By - Specially-priced 2 Print Matching Number Set Be sure to check out the matching set, A Day Gone By and Return to Kimbolton. Click here for more info https://www.johnshawart.com/blog/the-end-of-an-era monthly 0.5 2025-08-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1612474583375-MOHYLEXLQ25VSOWZS3KV/23434804_10155242950272075_8211150303733577616_n.png Blog - Flying Tigers: End of an Era https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1587921216866-CQQ7OMZ03EC259Q4MPI2/23471940_10155242950107075_4734033798562567726_n.png Blog - Flying Tigers: End of an Era Frank was assigned as a crew chief in the AVG’s 3rd Squadron, “Hell’s Angels”. This picture depicts the 3rd Sq’s ground support crew. Frank is the second to last guy crouching in the front row. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1587921215243-B6S69NQ98OWB6MFAVQO3/23434869_10155242950287075_4233982486288399052_n.jpg Blog - Flying Tigers: End of an Era Bore-sighting the P-40 As an aviation artist, for years I was fascinated by this photo, and others like it, about which Frank gives detailed accounts in his book. It would become the inspiration for the last painting I had the chance to do for the AVG as a group, entitled “Shark Sighting” #AVG #P40 #ww2 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1587921216326-N908OCQWPV1XKHXLUZVV/23472000_10155242950077075_1948067216686877667_n.jpg Blog - Flying Tigers: End of an Era - Frank Losonsky Frank Losonsky, a 19-year old cadet, newly enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1939. He had no idea the adventures that would await him over the next couple of years to come. Shortly following this picture taken at Selfridge Field, Michigan, Skip Adair, a representative of Claire Chennault, would visit young Frank and fill him in on the opportunity to head to the far east… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1587921217224-3UWWTMZLQ46JNDI327TC/23472764_10155242950067075_2160965503686926175_n.jpg Blog - Flying Tigers: End of an Era Relaxing on the job… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1587921217201-OGAQQ71IB0QKFOMCKYNN/23517579_10155242950212075_4180422286752515273_n.jpg Blog - Flying Tigers: End of an Era n the weeks before the attack on Pearl Harbor, there was many a training accident. Not too many dull moments for a crew chief, patching up and salvaging the planes that would soon make history worldwide. Frank notes in his diary that this P-40, flown by Bill Reed, was one of 6 wrecked planes in 3 weeks! Note that the shark teeth had not yet been added at this point… #flyingtigers #p40 #franklosonsky #ww2#aviation https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1587921217552-U9CU9PQVY5924D6P3VS2/23518838_10155242950337075_2858728749022823681_n.jpg Blog - Flying Tigers: End of an Era Frank and another crewmember help prepare pilot Edwin Conant for a mission https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1587921217673-73IANKP7YLZYMQMJWLMH/23519377_10155242950072075_9142682509885172719_n.jpg Blog - Flying Tigers: End of an Era - Crew Chief As a crew chief, he’d get to know every inch of his aircraft inside and out. Here’s Frank taxiing one of the 3rd Squadron’s P-40s https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1587921215753-AX7TJ9XKJHXG15FQYXZA/23435017_10155242950372075_8294925359536277057_n.jpg Blog - Flying Tigers: End of an Era Frank in 2004, Orlando Florida, signing prints of “Summer of ’42” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1587921216853-1MXY73ZJDTD65I1IC67P/23472088_10155242950642075_3686063617767675174_n.jpg Blog - Flying Tigers: End of an Era Frank Losonsky, 2017. The last of the great AVG Flying Tigers. Husband, father, aviator, American veteran and hero. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1612467432728-0IQ8MB3MKZ08RINF1WNI/23559939_10155242950712075_2186616404314203530_n.png Blog - Flying Tigers: End of an Era Frank looking toward the business end of a Tomahawk… After his days in the AVG, during the rest of WWII, he would go on to become a senior mechanic with the CNAC in India, and began flying. Shortly after, he returned to the US to build B-24 Liberators. Shortly before the war’s end, he reenlisted as an officer cadet, and following the war, became an aircraft maintenance supervisor at Clark Field in the Philippines. He’d continue in an aviation career taking him many places throughout the far east and around the world for decades, eventually retiring from the world of aviation to join his sons’ restaurant conglomerate in Georgia as Exec Officer. Throughout the years, Frank would maintain close ties with all his fellow AVG veterans as they wove their lives into different parts of the fabric of society... #AVG #P40 #ww2 #flyingtigers https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1612467586184-I3HX9L4WUXR50Z7XZ60P/23380122_10155242950392075_8601494930778275415_n.jpg Blog - Flying Tigers: End of an Era Autographing “Shark Sighting”- 2007 was the last time the AVG would sign a print together as a good-sized group, in Charleston, SC. Frank is in the foreground, next to fellow AVG 3rd Sqn ground crew Chuck Baisden and Joe Poshefko. 2nd Sq pilot Peter Wright is in the background. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1612467677013-EABKGAOVXJ8T479P0UXW/23559651_10155242950587075_3050716192592930893_n.jpg Blog - Flying Tigers: End of an Era A definite recommended read!! This superb publication “FLYING TIGER- A Crew Chief’s Story” was compiled by Frank and his son Terry. It is filled with his combat diary entries from his AVG days, and features a ton of wonderful photos and memories, just a few of which were shown here (thanks, Terry!). If you’d like to grab a copy, they’re only $35 (plus $5 postage) and a wonderful piece of Flying Tiger history. You can order them directly by mail with a check at this address: Frank Losonsky / A Crew Chief’s Story 4744 Maple Ridge Trail Columbus Georgia 31909. https://www.amazon.com/dp/0764300458/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_WTN6JHHRPGX7YW9GQQPZ Well worth it!! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1587921215555-UHYECMGWMA1QUB68ECGX/23380310_10155242950292075_2024578612691404186_n.png Blog - Flying Tigers: End of an Era - Shark Sighting Here’s my rendition of a 3rd Squadron plane having its guns fine-tuned. 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BATTLE FOR THE SOLOMONS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/c03e12e5-7533-4c7e-8c87-260f391b75fa/tempImageVcClfo.jpg All Artwork - BATTLE FOR THE SOLOMONS - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/f420f2c4-779f-46ac-9a4d-5605e873de65/tempImageDlCjvK.jpg All Artwork - BATTLE FOR THE SOLOMONS - Make it stand out About the Painting: November 1943...During the major Allied campaign against Rabaul, Task Group 50.3 of the US 5th Fleet entered the scene on the 7th, consisting of carriers Bunker Hill, Essex, Independence, several destroyers and other support vessels. During the opening weeks of November, the Japanese launched extensive air offenses, with the 11th, ironically Armistice Day, marking an especially maximum effort from both sides. On this day, over 100 enemy fighters, bombers and torpedo planes attacked the task force, and were met with stunning opposition from the American Corsairs & Hellcats from the carriers and nearby land-based squadrons. During this epic encounter, the carriers and their escorts fired a devastating antiaircraft barrage that accounted for the destruction of an estimated 40 enemy planes for the loss of 11. Hellcats and Corsairs splashed an entire attack group of 14 “Kates”, and then landed on the carriers to refuel and rearm before returning to the fierce fighting. The combination of the radar, fighters, and gunfire ensured that the enemy failed to hit a single ship. This scene was inspired by dramatic narratives from pilots of VF-17 “Jolly Rogers”, from the book written by its famed C.O. Tom Blackburn. The artist’s plan was to capture a ‘snapshot in time’ during the battle in which a VF-17 Corsair and VF-9 Hellcat combine efforts to down a Nakajima ‘Kate’attempting its torpedo run through a hail of anti- aircraft fire from Bunker Hill. Artist’s Note: Although this scene depicts a specific day in November ’43, I also intend this painting to be a tribute to ALL the great Corsair and Hellcat units who helped win the War in the Pacific, indisputably the two best Navy fighters of World War II. Hellcat pilots achieved an amazing 19:1 kill ratio, downing 5,156 enemy aircraft in just two years, accounting for 75 percent of the Navy's aerial victories during the war. By the end of the war, the Corsair flew over 64,000 sorties, shot down over 2,000 enemy aircraft, and only lost 189 planes in action to the enemy, the lowest loss rate in the Pacific War for an aircraft. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/6a335f58-1905-4c8f-892d-e7b28d664e75/Battle+for+Solomons+Edition+Info.jpg All Artwork - BATTLE FOR THE SOLOMONS - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/allies-in-arms monthly 0.5 2024-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1682795869983-GM7ASXKZ48EPFKMLMTQA/tempImage9RhDSZ.gif All Artwork - ALLIES IN ARMS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1682801339472-DJOFBTZDIO83PW1IRVON/Screen+Shot+2023-04-29+at+3.45.49+PM.jpeg All Artwork - ALLIES IN ARMS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1682801350582-WX2TDCU86QF0WR460JZI/Allies+Edition+signers.jpeg All Artwork - ALLIES IN ARMS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/0d148b11-4d65-4f1b-95a5-0d2efdd4c04e/ALLIES+flags.jpeg All Artwork - ALLIES IN ARMS - Make it stand out Artist notes: There are relatively few photos or pieces of artwork depicting these two great warbirds together in the same scene- The Spitfire and B-17 Fortress… I thought it would be great to highlight them together, and call attention to the way the Allies worked together during those amazing days. For years, I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with Johnnie Johnson’s son, Mike, and thought it would be a great tribute to his famous father to feature his beloved Mark IX Spitfire in this scene. Both Johnnie and his son Mike always had a great affection for the B-17, so this seemed a natural fit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/934f24e2-3b51-4421-81a6-286986070de4/Allies+Edition+signers.jpeg All Artwork - ALLIES IN ARMS - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/f4f23e35-1c2e-479c-8704-126a44fb5f80/AIA-Johnnie+Johnson+.jpeg All Artwork - ALLIES IN ARMS - Air Vice Marshal J.E “JOHNNIE” JOHNSON Born in 1915, “Johnnie”Johnson is best known as the highest-scoring Western Allied fighter ace against the German Luftwaffe. Joining the RAF in 1939, some previous injuries resurfaced during his training, which prevented him from participating the early battles in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and the Battle of Britain; In 1941, he began flying regularly in offensive sweeps over occupied Europe, and experienced frequent heavy fighting during this period. His His combat tour included the Battle of Normandy, Operation Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge. A well-loved Wing Leader from 1942 through war’s end, he would hold multiple commands, among them 610 Squadron, Wings 144, 127, 125 and 124. All his aerial victories were against enemy fighters, primarily FW 190s and Bf 109s, scoring his last in September 1944, by which time, according to official records, he had achieved 34 individual victories, 7 shared victories and 3 probables (many other records list him with 38 individual victories). One of the most inspirational Wing Leaders of the war, ‘Johnnie’ finished as the highest scoring RAF Ace of WWII – and by most accounts, also the top Allied Ace in Europe. On that note, the Telegraph publication wrote: “Johnson accounted for at least 38 enemy aircraft over Britain and occupied Europe, yet his actual score was almost certainly higher. Of the many enemy aircraft he shot down, he waived shared credits to boost the scores – and the confidence – of younger pilots.” His last victory took place in September 1944 but he continued to fly combat missions to the last day of the war. He went on to serve in the Korean War, flying the F-80 Shooting Star, and later flew F-86 Sabres with the US Air Force Tactical Air Command. He retired at the rank of Air Vice Marshall. James Edgar “Johnnie” Johnson, one of history’s greatest air aces, died at age 85 in January 2001. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/7f76a389-ac00-4f1c-a928-c78a0d9219dd/AIA-J.F.+STOCKY+EDWARDS+-W.jpeg All Artwork - ALLIES IN ARMS Wing Commander J.F. “STOCKY” EDWARDS DFC • DFM 
Joining the RCAF as a Sergeant Pilot in October 1940, Stocky was posted to 92 Sqn RAF in the Western Desert flying Hurricanes and Kittyhawks. After moving to 260 Sqn as a Flight Commander he saw a great deal of action, scoring a significant number of victories. His second tour saw him flying Spitfires with 417 Sqn RCAF in Italy, then with 92 Sqn, before taking command of 274 Sqn flying Spitfire IXs during D-Day. After a spell in England flying Tempests on anti-V1 sorties in August 1944, his final tour was in command of 127 Canadian Wing RCAF and he finished the war with 16½ confirmed victories. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/e0c5ff3e-3303-4381-9ad0-8a3521c0aae1/AIA-DON+LAUBMAN....jpeg All Artwork - ALLIES IN ARMS Lt General DON LAUBMAN •DFC (Appears on Collector’s Edition only) Joining the RCAF in September 1940 he served as an instructor and with 133 Sqn in Canada until his first posting to England with 412 Sqn RCAF, flying Mk.V and then Mk.IX Spitfires. He was prolific throughout D-Day and the Normandy invasion including the destruction of German forces at Falaise and he downed 8 German fighters over Arnhem, becoming one of the leading Aces in the 2nd TAF. For his second tour he commanded 402 Sqn RCAF in April 1945 but after only a week with the unit he was forced to bale out after his Spitfire was hit by flak, becoming a POW for last few weeks of the war, having scored 15 aerial victories. In preparation for the release, Johnnie Johnson and the Canadian Pilots personally signed the sheets used for this edition during their lifetimes, giving collectors the rare opportunity to acquire a new release from one of the world’s foremost artists, personally endorsed by legendary WWII Fighter Aces. Donald Currie Laubman passed away at age 88 in June,2010. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/2e1db661-cc16-4651-a746-c16666a91f8f/AIA-JAMES+LINDSAY+%21.jpeg All Artwork - ALLIES IN ARMS Wing Commander JAMES LINDSAY • DFC (Appears on Collector’s Edition only) James Lindsay enlisted in the RCAF in February 1941 and initially stayed in Canada as a flying instructor, before joining 403 Sqn RCAF in England becoming a Flight Commander. Flying a Mk IX Spitfire over France he scored his first victory in May 1944 and was prolific during the Normandy invasions scoring 7 victories, including 3 in one minute on 2 July. In April 1945 he was posted to 416 Sqn RCAF. In 1952 he was posted to Korea attached to the USAF flying F-86s claiming 2 MiG 15s and two damaged, for a total of 9 victories in WWII and Korea. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/57de8535-3f2e-4151-bba4-f24a0306cd96/AIA-CHARLES+STEVENS+-.jpeg All Artwork - ALLIES IN ARMS First Lt CHARLES "NORM" STEVENS DFC • 4 Air medals (Appears on Collector’s Edition only) Volunteering for the USAAF in April 1943, ‘Norm’ was posted to the 351st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force as a Bombardier. Commissioned soon after, he and his recently formed crew flew a brand new B-17Gs from Nebraska to their new base in England, joining the 509th Bomb Sqn at Polebrook in Northamptonshire. He flew his first combat mission on 14 June, 1944, a raid on Le Bourget airfield near Paris, followed by operations to targets across occupied France, Holland, Belgium and Germany. His final mission was a bombing raid on the Luftwaffe airfield at Kassel on 22 September, 1944 and he finished the war having completed a total of 34 daylight Operations. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/bebc7fd5-8dcf-4f49-8b9c-a5c94eb772a5/Screen+Shot+2023-04-29+at+5.18.51+PM.jpeg All Artwork - ALLIES IN ARMS Lt Colonel IRVIN POFF •3 Air Medals 
Joining the USAAF in December 1942, Irvin completed Pilot training and joined the 9th Bomb Sqn, 2nd Bomb Group, 15th Air Force in April 1944, as a Co-Pilot flying B-17s from Foggia, Italy. Keen to fly as often as possible he volunteered for any mission he could get, volunteering for aircraft that were short of crew, and by June 1944 had completed 50 missions as both a Pilot and Co-Pilot - a staggering achievement in such a short space of time. Regularly escorted by the Tuskegee Airmen, his operations included the oil refineries in Ploesti and Austria and targets in Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Greece and Northern Italy. After the war he continued as an instructor until 1967. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/bc16b3b8-83a5-4d9a-99f5-4abc119de17e/KEN+SHARP+-.jpeg All Artwork - ALLIES IN ARMS First Lt KEN SHARP • 3 Air Medals After joining the USAAF in March 1943, Ken completed Pilot training and was posted to the 8th Air Force, serving with the 388th Bomb Group flying B-17Gs with the 561st Bomb Sqn from RAF Knettishall in Suffolk, England. He flew his first mission in January 1945 and went on to complete a total of 18 perilous daylight Operations over occupied Europe, including numerous trips to Berlin, the Ruhr Valley and, as the war in Europe was coming to an end, picking up 30 French POWs from Linz in Austria to return them home to Paris. https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/the-hornets-nest-1 monthly 0.5 2024-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1681235609611-SO4BR8FPRXMSBMDW5PMU/4.THE+HORNET%27S+NEST%E2%80%A21994%E2%80%A2AAC+%26+Navy+%28Navy+calls+it+The+Halsey+Doolittle+Raid%29.jpg All Artwork - THE HORNET'S NEST https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/silent-strike monthly 0.5 2025-11-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1683031046665-1K5HT45ORAQ1O04QZU19/SILENT+STRIKE+final+copy+3.jpeg All Artwork - SILENT STRIKE https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/396c6346-89eb-4572-bf95-b4dd2f1aa453/SILENT+STRIKE+final+copy+2.jpeg All Artwork - SILENT STRIKE - SILENT STRIKE by John Shaw A Tribute to the Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk SILENT STRIKE by John Shaw A Tribute to the Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/accbecd0-093e-401c-a2d3-b648d18f1629/AP-revamp.jpeg All Artwork - SILENT STRIKE - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/787c8b0a-a1e0-4e7e-9ab2-720217ea0db2/Preparing+for+Action+promo.jpeg All Artwork - SILENT STRIKE - Make it stand out PREPARING FOR ACTION -The companion print that goes with the Artist Proof Edition https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/the-warrior-and-the-wolfpack monthly 0.5 2026-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1668109818055-LCMGED2L2549AKRQM91O/Warrior+%26+Wolfpack.jpg All Artwork - THE WARRIOR & THE WOLFPACK https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/tigers-in-the-gorge-1 monthly 0.5 2024-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1638986767879-MGU1G3JEVG15VHL89ESN/Tigers+in+the+Gorge.+copy.jpg All Artwork - TIGERS IN THE GORGE https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/the-peacemakers-gr44r monthly 0.5 2025-11-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1612025580913-FAPM2JEQHAYOJ2Y1D4KW/The+Peacemakers.jpeg All Artwork - THE PEACEMAKERS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/5a4efd90-9914-431b-bfbc-5d7e52e267f2/Detail+shot+web+pic.jpeg All Artwork - THE PEACEMAKERS - Detail shot web pic.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/fe418bc4-2d33-4bd9-9917-9a9fe5b8a614/Bockscar+web+pic.jpeg All Artwork - THE PEACEMAKERS - Bockscar web pic.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/d0cd730b-496f-4f08-bd1e-cbe9fcf79a5a/Screen+Shot+2021-01-19+at+8.33.53+PM.jpeg All Artwork - THE PEACEMAKERS - Screen Shot 2021-01-19 at 8.33.53 PM.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1612620813550-M1TCBV7BGQDF4B4KET3K/The+Peacemakers.jpeg All Artwork - THE PEACEMAKERS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1612620332072-IOEGGQSNONTG9L4LDPM7/Bockscar+web+pic.jpeg All Artwork - THE PEACEMAKERS https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/safepassagehome monthly 0.5 2025-12-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1629116155756-H2NZEWP4BSH2V2RFDS2S/SAFE+PASSAGE+HOME+final+scan.jpg All Artwork - SAFE PASSAGE HOME https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677779976078-HRGMQ08HD5XSBNSRNRII/Color+Plate+Edition-Extras+SPH.png All Artwork - SAFE PASSAGE HOME https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1677780104669-K67SP3A3B02HYQBKVBTS/SPH-+What+Is+a+Custom+Color+Plate+ed.png All Artwork - SAFE PASSAGE HOME https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1681929117328-XMWOW30C43WYOVE5O4JB/Tuskegee%2BFacebook%2Bcover%2Bthing.jpg All Artwork - SAFE PASSAGE HOME https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/6b9c75f2-dd95-4285-a31a-5a98b329cb96/Screen+Shot+2022-12-08+at+8.43.32+AM.jpeg All Artwork - SAFE PASSAGE HOME - Make it stand out We were honored to have these special prints signed by one of the TA’s most famous pilots, Charles McGee, who flew multiple combat missions in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Col. McGee signed these prints just weeks before his 100th birthday in 2019. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/aaf82a6a-c4a5-48d5-be36-c6c5db3e4579/Screen+Shot+2022-12-08+at+8.40.30+AM.jpeg All Artwork - SAFE PASSAGE HOME - Make it stand out This print was also signed by Sgt. Corliss Norton, one of the great 15th Air Force veterans who served as waist gunner aboard the B-24 ‘Cherokee Maiden’, which flew numerous missions out of Italy and was escorted safely home by the Tuskegee Airmen on multiple occasions. Mr. Norton was thrilled to see his aircraft depicted in this scene, and we were thrilled and honored to have his participation in signing prints of SAFE PASSAGE HOME. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/fbc52825-865e-40f1-b734-b3d416b09bd4/What%27s+a+Color+Plate.jpeg All Artwork - SAFE PASSAGE HOME - Make it stand out In the early days of publishing, color printing was an extremely specialized craft… Books and other printed documents which included color illustrations in the era were somewhat rare, and the color portions had to be printed separately, using a totally different process, on different materials, formats, etc…These special ‘color plates’, or ‘tipped-in’ plates, were then glued in to their respective pages. Often, the author, artist, or other contributor, would pre-sign the blank page on which the color plate would later be mounted. In the spirit of this old tradition, this special edition of SAFE PASSAGE HOME has followed suit, only using the finest of contemporary materials! First, a blank print sheet made of acid-free 120 Lb stock was signed by the artist & the three distinguished veterans listed below. Next using a completely different digital process, a beautiful paper Giclée was printed, using archival inks, achieving a rich depth of color simply not possible with standard 4-color, offset litho-printing. Instead of printing, the scenes title on the base print, a special brass title plaque, was created to be centered beneath the image. Finally, the giclée print and title plaque are mounted to the autographed base print, for a truly striking look to this unique presentation. This ‘custom color’ plate edition comes carefully packaged flat, in a special reinforced mailing container. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/4eae6b72-ced7-419f-89c1-b3a1ae220053/Color+Plate+Edition-Extras+SPH.png All Artwork - SAFE PASSAGE HOME - Make it stand out This is a SAMPLE framing idea shown with all the EXTRAS that come with this edition…FRAME NOT INCLUDED https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/gift-card-1 monthly 0.5 2025-07-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1613862922091-M29OQBO70R9OG0J8IHAR/iu.png All Artwork - GIFT CARD https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/the-unlimiteds monthly 0.5 2024-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1611108295262-X66BFB5AHYE28AHQ3NB7/The-Unlimiteds---p-800.jpg All Artwork - THE UNLIMITEDS https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/thunder-over-the-patuxent monthly 0.5 2025-12-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607893492531-DDRBR303KT677RMY82VB/Thunder+over+the+Patuxent.jpg All Artwork - THUNDER OVER THE PATUXENT https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/red-tail-angels monthly 0.5 2024-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607893326094-YI395NQW82TYHNMDR8XM/Red+Tail+Angels.jpg All Artwork - RED TAIL ANGELS https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/eagle-squadron monthly 0.5 2024-03-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607892711076-QCRAG325N6A8NFWZLLW3/EaglesNest-p-800.jpg All Artwork - EAGLE SQUADRON https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/in-the-presence-of-my-enemy monthly 0.5 2025-08-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607892484996-LP7WQYWWNZ8N8Q6ORLSK/In+the+Presence+of+my+Enemy.jpg All Artwork - IN THE PRESENCE OF MY ENEMY https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/usmc-medal-of-honor-edition-god-shed-his-grace-on-thee monthly 0.5 2025-12-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607892335296-7RJFI153NHFB5YKB4PP6/Screen+Shot+2020-12-13+at+3.45.16+PM.png All Artwork - USMC Medal of Honor Edition - GOD SHED HIS GRACE ON THEE https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/the-homecoming monthly 0.5 2024-03-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607891658375-G31AL1HNZJ82ET90BK7D/Homecoming.jpg All Artwork - THE HOMECOMING https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/the-eagles-nest monthly 0.5 2024-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1611108092222-FVUIXPLN80TKI392LCT6/The%2BEagle%2527s%2BNest.jpg All Artwork - THE EAGLE'S NEST https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/hang-tough-bastogne-1944 monthly 0.5 2024-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607891362580-S1YFZTHS0T26IZRDNSM4/Hang-Tough-Bastogne-1944.jpg All Artwork - HANG TOUGH- BASTOGNE 1944 https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/we-were-a-band-of-brothers monthly 0.5 2024-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607890923729-JYKY80JR130KGUL2GBML/We+were+a+Band+of+Brothers.jpg All Artwork - WE WERE A BAND OF BROTHERS https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/black-sheep-squadron-1998 monthly 0.5 2026-03-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607889791007-NNMSYX4OQ6JIZKE4KNWO/Black+Sheep+Squadron.jpg All Artwork - BLACK SHEEP SQUADRON https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/avg-in-china monthly 0.5 2025-12-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607889674237-NODU998HCCK3HU9CD6II/A.V.G.-in-China.jpg All Artwork - A.V.G. IN CHINA https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/avengers-of-the-philippines monthly 0.5 2024-03-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607813719001-XG7JMTDUPGR6JWYVKFJ5/Avengers+of+the+Philippines.png All Artwork - AVENGERS IN THE PHILIPPINES https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/by-the-dawns-early-light monthly 0.5 2024-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607813374677-KMX55UN2EJA67ZHOSUK1/ByTheDawns.jpg All Artwork - BY THE DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/tigers-in-the-gorge monthly 0.5 2025-12-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1611108198453-3CCJGKQOB8C80EZJCJRS/Tigers%2Bin%2Bthe%2BGorge.jpg All Artwork - TIGERS IN THE GORGE https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/summer-of-42 monthly 0.5 2025-12-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607809759553-76M1BH2QMR09POVENO4M/Summer+of+%2742+.jpg All Artwork - SUMMER OF 42 https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/wkmerueol3xpmupcqaiw063pl2auoq monthly 0.5 2024-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607809141309-VNMW28Z6K8WHZ6XD4J0W/1.+A+Higher+Call+copy.jpg All Artwork - A HIGHER CALL https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/the-hornets-nest monthly 0.5 2025-12-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607807906864-GIJ11TDA5H9EKQ4XZ9XW/Hornet%27s+Nest+copy+3.jpg All Artwork - THE HORNET'S NEST https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/flying-tiger-legacy monthly 0.5 2024-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607725331513-EBMEFKFG9PWE6HD91FWK/FlyingTigerLegacy+copy.jpg All Artwork - FLYING TIGER LEGACY https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/iwo-jima-a-hard-won-haven monthly 0.5 2024-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607725105731-6IBJF9YO4XSJ5FFAU72M/IwoJima.jpg All Artwork - IWO JIMA: A HARD WON HAVEN https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/reno-gold-the-1st-half-century monthly 0.5 2025-06-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607724428210-L3P68ZBRFPNB87NEDZU1/Reno+Gold-+The+1st+Half+Century.png All Artwork - RENO GOLD- THE 1ST HALF CENTURY https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1693654167117-FTGMBJGHBM45DGILL3NC/tempImageQFkjTr.gif All Artwork - RENO GOLD- THE 1ST HALF CENTURY https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/outrun-the-thunder monthly 0.5 2026-03-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607724150471-YUBXQOGCC77IOUFUGCZ3/Outrun+the+Thunder.jpg All Artwork - OUTRUN THE THUNDER https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/into-the-storm monthly 0.5 2024-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607723857080-BGW6STE2LS12R7ZVWPVR/Into+The+Storm+.jpg All Artwork - INTO THE STORM https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/they-fought-with-what-they-had monthly 0.5 2025-12-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607723639692-V6MPBCZ4A7QHI7KJ5K9J/They+Fought+With+What+They+Had+.jpg All Artwork - THEY FOUGHT WITH WHAT THEY HAD https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/6442cd8b-5cd8-472c-86db-560d1e59432c/They+Fought+2ndary+Sale.jpg All Artwork - THEY FOUGHT WITH WHAT THEY HAD - They Fought 2ndary Sale.jpg https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/no-sak-tonight monthly 0.5 2024-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607723100554-M8YGH6XN7XDH33XKLD7X/No+Sak%C3%A9+Tonight.JPG All Artwork - NO SAKE' TONIGHT https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/the-magnificent-fight-wake-island monthly 0.5 2026-04-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607722795371-JTZABXR6A3TBVZQJK8GA/The+Magnificent+Fight-Wake+Island.jpg All Artwork - THE MAGNIFICENT FIGHT: THE BATTLE FOR WAKE ISLAND - Wake VMFA Johnkenny hellcat wake island https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1701787775748-C9YP8UF9QEGJHQ2N6M6T/tempImageryqo2W.gif All Artwork - THE MAGNIFICENT FIGHT: THE BATTLE FOR WAKE ISLAND https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1701787775149-JYW46MX148W9EUH2SDJ9/tempImagelcEDln.gif All Artwork - THE MAGNIFICENT FIGHT: THE BATTLE FOR WAKE ISLAND https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/b7fea01f-45ad-4c5f-96a5-f83b7b801c05/12.+THE+MAGNIFICENT+FIGHT-WAKE+ISLAND%E2%80%A21999+%E2%80%A2+MARINES.jpg All Artwork - THE MAGNIFICENT FIGHT: THE BATTLE FOR WAKE ISLAND - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/8903134c-4ac6-4374-a46e-9a75e3183796/tempImageWenhFX.jpg All Artwork - THE MAGNIFICENT FIGHT: THE BATTLE FOR WAKE ISLAND - Make it stand out The Signers & Editions. The Magnificent Fight: The Battle for Wake Island , personally signed by over 30 Defenders of Wake Island https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/9da6e3bb-7c69-4e83-b19a-ee80f5495a73/tempImageNH3I3I.jpg All Artwork - THE MAGNIFICENT FIGHT: THE BATTLE FOR WAKE ISLAND - Make it stand out Wake Island Defenders • Paducah, KY, 1999. Over 30 of these great veterans gathered to sign the Main Edition of THE MAGNIFICENT FIGHT https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/300de66e-23b7-4ae4-9e71-75d513168bc1/Screen+Shot+2023-11-21+at+7.40.29+AM.jpeg All Artwork - THE MAGNIFICENT FIGHT: THE BATTLE FOR WAKE ISLAND - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/f5d73ec2-d758-406c-af24-3aadc2fdecab/Magnificent+fight+pilots+ed+pic+copy.jpg All Artwork - THE MAGNIFICENT FIGHT: THE BATTLE FOR WAKE ISLAND - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/ramrod-outward-bound monthly 0.5 2024-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607722046059-GPQBPARZ1LV3S5MCWO5N/Ramrod-+Outward+Bound.jpg All Artwork - RAMROD-OUTWARD BOUND https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/specially-priced-2-print-matching-number-setnbsp monthly 0.5 2024-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607721614923-FY8DMBJCLJ1BXEMRTF23/MatchSet.jpg All Artwork - MATCHING PRINT SET: A DAY GONE BY & RETURN TO KIMBOLTON https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/shark-sighting monthly 0.5 2024-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607721180195-BTQX3MM0GG3YVH6MBMJS/Shark+Sighting+.jpg All Artwork - SHARK SIGHTING https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/c865e5a6-d867-4157-8208-601432027ae5/Shark+Sighting+print.jpeg All Artwork - SHARK SIGHTING - Make it stand out Shark Sighting Print by John Shaw, personally signed by at least 11 original Flying Tigers, this scene depicts "Tex" Hill and crew bore-sighting the guns of an AVG Tomahawk, preparing for battle in the Asian skies during WWII. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/5c0a8ea6-6c3b-4a8a-8b32-43bfbddcb385/Shark+Sighting+Signers+LIst+copy.jpeg All Artwork - SHARK SIGHTING - Make it stand out Shark Sighting AVG print signers at the 2007 Charleston, SC Reunion https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/6e7c9e93-f33d-4d0a-ade1-2fc211477108/Shark+Sighting+-+2007+Reunion%2C+Charleston+SC-+Last+time+the+AVG+signed+a+print+as+a+group+-+Pictured+with+original+oil+painting%3A+Tex+Hill%2C+Chuck+Baisden+%28armorer%29%2C+Dick+Rossi.jpeg All Artwork - SHARK SIGHTING - Make it stand out Shark Sighting - 2007 Reunion, Charleston SC- Last time the AVG signed a print as a group - Pictured with original oil painting: Tex Hill, Chuck Baisden (armorer), Dick Rossi https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/d1e962ec-de18-4eb0-be58-209f9a99c465/AVG-Signing+prints+in+Charleston%2C+SC+2007-Last+time+the+AVG+signed+a+print+as+a+group-+.jpeg All Artwork - SHARK SIGHTING - Make it stand out Signing prints in Charleston, SC 2007-Last time the AVG signed a print as a group- https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/66307e8d-4ee3-4c6c-8417-75ea9f8594fc/AVG+vets+pictured+here%2C+back+row%2C+L+to+R%3A+Rich+Richardson%2C+Morgan+Vaux%2C++Frank+Losonsky%2C+Dick+Rossi%2C+Paul+Clouthier%2C+Chuck+Baisden%2C+Joe+Poshefko%2C+%E2%80%98Red%E2%80%99+Foster+Hanks%2C+Ken+Jernstedt%2C+Peter+Wright%2C+Tex+Hill%2C+Ed+Janski.jpeg All Artwork - SHARK SIGHTING - Make it stand out The great crew at Charleston AFB rolled out the carpet for the Flying Tigers, with tours of their fantastic C-17s, demonstrations with trained canine units, etc. A good time was had by all. AVG vets pictured here, back row, L to R: Rich Richardson, Morgan Vaux, Frank Losonsky, Dick Rossi, Paul Clouthier, Chuck Baisden, Joe Poshefko, ‘Red’ Foster Hanks, Ken Jernstedt, Peter Wright, Tex Hill, Ed Janski https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/e0fec202-b986-4a1d-8558-d7c92d83ddde/Order+today+and+receive+a+special+bonus+photo%3A+2nd+AVG+Squadron+%E2%80%A2+PANDA+BEARS+%E2%80%A2+1942Panda+Bear+Squadron+.jpeg All Artwork - SHARK SIGHTING - Make it stand out A vintage 8.5"x 11" photo of Tex Hill's "Panda Bear" Squadron - https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/debden-eagles monthly 0.5 2024-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607716368518-SQGT4INKKEJ8O3C51YYS/Debden+Eagles.jpg All Artwork - DEBDEN EAGLES https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1612626298738-PCKYRFA899JPSRKKI3H3/12250069_10153300732332075_3103132957442898588_n.jpg All Artwork - DEBDEN EAGLES Col. Don Blakeslee, legendary commander of the 4th Fighter Group https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1612624670714-ONUIUT25FTG80RB8MD4D/unteto1+as+f.jpg All Artwork - DEBDEN EAGLES Col. Don Blakeslee, legendary commander of the 4th Fighter Group…A well-publicized photo of him in the cockpit of his 4th FG Mustang. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1612625608412-081HNOS1HKDKWMZ3UHXJ/Pasted+Graphic+1.jpg All Artwork - DEBDEN EAGLES Mustang Aces Blakeslee and Don Gentile during a decoration by Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, 1944 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1612625408136-8363HKVGX3FD558DEADQ/12234960_10153300732337075_2083408276321329949_n.jpg All Artwork - DEBDEN EAGLES Don Blakeslee in the cockpit of his RCAF Spitfire, prior to the formation of the American “Eagle” Squadrons https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1612624362661-R34CZRN8AIZ56URAUILB/Pasted+Graphic.jpg All Artwork - DEBDEN EAGLES Don Blakeslee, 2005 with original oil painting “Debden Eagles”. The original painting is owned by the Cavanaugh Flight Museum in the Dallas, TX area, who operate a P-51 in Blakeslee’s WWII markings. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1612625904219-CISMQ32WRGIVF97IZLXQ/Pasted+Graphic+2.jpg All Artwork - DEBDEN EAGLES Don signs the front of the original oil painting ‘Debden Eagles’ • Miami, FL, 2005 https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/return-to-kimbolton monthly 0.5 2025-11-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607720921135-K8WT3GMN8ZVZU59XIGN3/Return+to+Kimbolton+.jpg All Artwork - RETURN TO KIMBOLTON https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607719712632-NF8OPRCTBDHHON41KMEO/Group.png All Artwork - RETURN TO KIMBOLTON Included with Artist Proof CAROL DAWN Companion print autographed by B-17 Waist Gunner Joe Carroll https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/prey-for-mercy monthly 0.5 2025-12-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1611107957438-1DJZZPY7GEFMKCAH1R61/PreyMercy.jpg All Artwork - PREY FOR MERCY https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1612622850261-UGJ4Q5MVIOJ7HPFX62OB/Prey+for+Mercy+copy.jpg All Artwork - PREY FOR MERCY https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607549446076-C3LLW36MU2L7D74FE3B8/%E2%80%9CLong+First+Mission%E2%80%9D+companion+print+included+with+AP%2C+PP+%26+SE+packages All Artwork - PREY FOR MERCY https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1612653840473-OQP9DX9VWP1Y62LASMOO/Prey+for+Mercy.jpeg All Artwork - PREY FOR MERCY https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/alpine-eagles-4z967-sce5j monthly 0.5 2025-06-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1605382256494-7Y0W9V3ESXMPQXWI1N6E/Semper%252BFi%252BSkies.jpg All Artwork - SEMPER FI SKIES https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/alpine-eagles-4z967 monthly 0.5 2026-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1605378726749-KEIX5U7GF8W6WA50WH51/Warrior%252B%252526%252BWolfpack%252Bcopy.jpg All Artwork - THE WARRIOR & THE WOLFPACK https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/god-shed-his-grace-on-thee monthly 0.5 2025-06-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1612636185448-711G7JC71MKVXCZCMDZS/God+Shed+His+Grace+on+Thee.jpg All Artwork - GOD SHED HIS GRACE ON THEE https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/pacific-summer monthly 0.5 2025-12-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1711475901625-MYUXVPOD36H6QJW3M0VH/1.+PACIFIC+SUMMER+%E2%80%A2+1993+%E2%80%A2AAC+.jpg All Artwork - PACIFIC SUMMER https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/a-day-gone-by monthly 0.5 2024-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1607545188024-PX81BS09IE707IDFRY7A/A+Day+Gone+By+.jpg All Artwork - A DAY GONE BY https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1612621461276-75FNNQF2THV7U0Z7P83U/A+Day+Gone+By+.jpg All Artwork - A DAY GONE BY https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1605374018225-JI056NL2JSNSMXD08XBK/Artist-Proof-booklet.jpg All Artwork - A DAY GONE BY https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/highest-possible-courage monthly 0.5 2024-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1605531916977-E55PGG2MUOK5HFYBNLY8/HigheestPossibleCourage.jpg All Artwork - HIGHEST POSSIBLE COURAGE https://www.johnshawart.com/artwork/p/alpine-eagles monthly 0.5 2025-11-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9a3a97f50ef632b968a3ca/1588606438460-IVJ6G0CM0NUCLWR5ILPG/AlpineEagles.png All Artwork - ALPINE EAGLES - Alpine Eagles Canvas Giclée