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Cranston Fine Arts  Aviation Art World War Two Veteran Signatures United States H  Hill, Tex |
Colonel Tex Hill
Tex Hill was born in Korea on 13th July 1915. Tex Hill graduated as a Naval Aviator in 1939, and after serving as a Navy Pilot, Tex Hill volunteered for the A.V.G., becoming Squadron Leader in the 2nd Sqn (Panda Bears) until disbandment in 1942, by which time he had 12.25 air victories, making him the second highest ranking Ace in the American Volunteer Group. He remained in China, as the first squadron commander of the 75th F S /23rd F G before returning to the U.S. He went back to China to command the 23rd F G, increasing his total to 18.25 victories. In late 1943 he led a group of 30 aircraft on the first strike against Formosa. During this mission, 42 enemy aircraft were confirmed destroyed, with a possible 12 more, while all 30 aircraft under Tex Hill's command returned safely. Returning to the US, he commanded the 412th Fighter Group, the first jet aircraft group. Here, he flew P-80 Shooting Stars and YP-59 Airacomets. His decorations include a Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Legion of Merit, 4 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 2 Air Medals, 2 Presidential Unit Citations, 6 decorations awarded by China, and a Distinguished Flying Cross from the UK. Sadly, Tex Hill died on 11th October 2007.
| Colonel Tex Hill - Signed Aviation Art |
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| Text for the above items : |
America Strikes Back by Robert Taylor The very first air combat fought by American pilots following the surprise attack upon Pearl Harbor. In less than one hour America struck back in a war that was to end in total victory. As the assault mounted on the Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor, simultaneously the air base at Wheeler Field came under heavy attack. Two young USAAF pilots, Kenneth Taylor and George Walsh, quickly got their P-40 Tomahawks airborne. Winging southwards towards Ewa Field they ripped into a dozen or more enemy planes attacking the marine field. Diving into the formation they each downed Val fighter-bombers. Robert Taylors painting shows Ken Taylor in his P-40 tomahawk, with George Walsh in close company, bringing down his second enemy aircraft on December 7, 1941, an Aichi D-3Al Val dive-bomber. In the background palls of smoke rise from Hangar 6 housing the naval float planes, and the up-turned battleship Oklahoma. |
Clipped Signature - Tex Hill. A pilot with American Volunteer Group, he had scored 12.25 victories by the time it disbanded. He joined the 23rd Fighter Group and later the 412th Fighter Group flying jets. This highly decorated pilot died in 2007. |
Tiger Fire by Nicolas Trudgian. In early 1941, many months before Pearl Harbor, an irrepressible bunch of American fighter pilots, together with 200 ground crew, came together and stood alone against the might of the Imperial Japanese Air Force. Under the indomitable command of General Claire Chennault, their task was to keep the vital road link open between the port of Rangoon and the city of Kunming in South West China. A treacherous unpaved track, hacked through mountain terrain and known as the infamous Burma Road, was the only lifeline for supplies into China from the outside world. With the Japanese hell-bent on its destruction, the Flying Tigers were all that stood between defeat and survival. With little support from home, and almost without replacement aircraft or spares, the P-40 Tomahawk pilots of the American Volunteer Group - the AVG - became the scourge of the Japanese Air Force and heroes to the people of China. In a six month period of combat, with no more than 50 or 60 serviceable aircraft at anyone time, and invariably heavily outnumbered in the air, they destroyed some 300 Japanese airplanes, damaging and destroying another 300, and causing incalculable damage to Japanese ground forces. During its brief existence this remarkable group became one of the most successful and famous fighter units of all time. Their short but glorious private war came to an end when on July 4th, 1942 the AVG was absorbed into the USAAF and Chennaults Flying Tigers passed into aviation folklore. Motivated by the legend of the Flying Tigers, Nicolas Trudgian has painted one of his finest pictures. Dominating the foreground is a stunning view of Chuck Olders P-40 - one of the 3rd Pursuit Squadrons, known as Hells Angels - in hot pursuit of a bunch of Zero fighters up ahead. Close by to his left another Flying Tiger finishes off a Zero, already on its way down. Below the pastoral scene is caught unawares by the sudden approach of fighters, as the fast-moving dogfight hurtles across the landscape. |
Shark Sighting by John D Shaw. Before the pilots of the legendary American Volunteer Group could take to the skies against the enemy, the all-important task of Bore Sighting the .30 caliber wing guns of their P-40s had to take place! The ingenious armourers of the AVG were often forced to improvise, but as the Tigers incredible combat record can attest, these great Americans got the job done! |
Opening Sky by Robert Taylor. With the morning sun glinting on their fuselages, P-51 Mustangs of the 78th Fighter Group cross the Dutch coastline far below, as they head back towards their base at Duxford, England at the end of a long sweep east of the Rhine crossing, Spring 1945. The final months of the war in Europe lie ahead, and for the P-51 pilots victory is within sight. Finally, after years of toil, the sky was theirs. |
Flying Tigers - The Stuff of Legend by Robert Taylor. P-40s of the AVG Flying Tigers 3rd Pursuit Squadron - Hell's Angels - surprise the enemy with a deadly strafing attack on a Japanese forward air-base in China, summer 1942. With their Allison engines screaming at full throttle, AVG Aces Tommy Haywood and Robert Smith, lead the charge as the Hell's Angels leave a trail of havoc and destruction behind them. Robert Taylor has created a masterpiece to honor the Flying Tigers and the release is autographed by legendary Aces including four of the AVG's most respected pilots who, since signing, have sadly passed away, giving even greater meaning to this edition. |
Flying Tiger by Nicolas Trudgian. Part of a small print series of six American WW2 aircraft, signed by some of the great American pilots, some no longer with us. Cranston Fine Arts have purchased the last remaining stocks of this aviation series. |
Spoiling the Party by Stan Stokes. Claire Chennaults American Volunteer Group (Flying Tigers) continues to capture the imagination and interest of aviation history buffs more than fifty years after they flew combat missions for the Chinese Air Force. Composed of about ninety pilots and another 200 ground support personnel, the Tigers arrived in China in mid-1941. Flying Curtiss P-40s that had been rerouted from Britain to China, the Tigers flew from December of 1941 until mid-1942. Engaging a numerically superior Japanese force over a very wide front, the AVG was officially credited with downing 299 Japanese aircraft in aerial combat, and an additional 240 aircraft destroyed during ground attack missions. The Flying Tigers slowed the Japanese conquest in China, and caused Japan to focus more resources on this theater of operations than they had planned. Stan Stokes painting depicts a three-plane raid of a Japanese airstrip near Tak, Thailand. Early in the morning of January 3, 1942, three 2 d Pursuit Squadron (Panda Bear) P-40s based at Mingaladon piloted by Tex Hill, Jim Howard, and Scarsdale Jack Newkirk attacked the airfield while the Japanese pilots appeared to celebrating the completion of their dawn attack at an RAF airfield at Moulmein. Circling around the field to get the sun at their backs the P-40s swooped low over the field at 250-MPH. A number of Japanese Army Air Force Nates were on the ground and were taken by surprise. Some ceremony was taking place and there were grandstands with spectators. The guests got quite an air show that morning! The Flying Tiger pilots were focused on the vulnerable targets on the ground, that they didn't initially realize that other Japanese aircraft were in the air, and had not yet landed. The late Jim Howard (who won the only Medal of Honor awarded to an Eighth Air Force fighter pilot later in the War) was focused on the vulnerable aircraft on the ground, and failed to notice a Nate on his tail. Tex Hill broke off a strafing attack to come to Howards aid, and downed the Japanese aircraft. Newark would also claim an aerial victory during the fracas. Near the end of the attack Jim Howards engine died, and he circled for a belly landing on the strip he had just mauled. Seconds before putting his Tomahawk on the ground, the Allison sputtered to life, and the pilot slipped away. When the three Panda Bear pilots returned to Minaladon, they celebrated their victory and relived their attack in words. Jim Howard was reluctant to admit that Tex Hill had shot a Japanese aircraft off of his tail. To solve the argument they went out to the flight line. There were eleven bullet holes in the tail end of Howards aircraft. An inspection also revealed no less than thirty-three bullet holes in the wings of Hills aircraft. |
Fighting Tigers by Robert Taylor. On August 5, 1944, following a successful attack on Japanese forces just north of Changsha, P-40 Warhawks of the75th and 16th Fighter Squadrons, 23rd F.G., are attacked by enemy Nakajima fighters and a massive dog-fight has developed over the Hsiang Chiang river with aircraft wheeling and turning in all directions. The action is set against the distinctive, haunting landscape of Southern China, Roberts panoramic canvas capturing all the atmosphere of a crucial aerial campaign fought in the skies above a distant land so many years ago. |
Chennault's Flying Tigers by Robert Taylor. P40 Tomahawks of the American Volunteer Group fought against the Japanese air force in the skies over Indo-China during World War 2 and became one of the most successful and famous fighter units of all time. Strangled by the Japanese blockade of its sea ports, and with supplies from Russia diverted to combat Hitler's invasion, China was left with one lifeline for vital supplies from the outside world: a treacherous unpaved track hacked through mountain terrain linking the port of Rangoon with the city of Kumming, in South West China - it was the infamous Burma Road. With the Impirial Japanese air force hell-bent on destroying Chinas last supply link, opposition had almost evaporated but for a tiny air force of American volunteers led by the indomitable figure of Claire Chennault. Formed in early 1941, months before Pearl Harbor, a rag-tag bunch of 100 recruited flyers supported by 200 ground personnel, known as the American Volunteer Group came together to stand alone against the might of Japanese air force in Indo-china. Blazing a trail in the skies over Burma and China they created a legend that will remain in the folklore of aviation history. They were Chennault's Flying Tigers. With little official support from home, the P-40 Tomahawk pilots of the A.V.G. became the scourge of the Japanese air force. In a six month period of combat, with no more than 50 or 60 serviceable aircraft, they destroyed some 300 Japanese aircraft, while probably destroying another 300. Their brief, glorious existance came to and end when on 4th July 1942 the A.V.G. was absorbed into the U.S Army Air Corps. Chennault's Flying Tigers passed into history. Moved by the legend of the Flying tigers, Robert Taylor has created a masterpiece. Capturing the spirit of the Flying Tigers he portrays a scene typical of the distant war fought by this tiny band of warriors. In the foreground of Robert's dramatic combat scene are two P-40s of the 2nd Pursuit Squadron, the Panda Bears, as they pull out of a driving attack just above the tree-tops of the Burmese jungle. One bomber hits the water, as two more P-40s bear down on another Nakajima bomber. In the distance the air is busy with low-level combat. |
Summer of 42 by John D Shaw. In this superb tribute to one of the most famous fighter units of WWII the serenity of the beautiful Li River is broken as P40 Tomahawks of the AVG Flying Tigers, bearing their famous shark-mouth motif, return to base at Kweilin. |
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Tex Hill, photographed at an aviation event in Fredericksburg, c.2007, with a good friend of Cranston Fine Arts, Tony Kirk. |
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