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Cranston Fine Arts  Naval Art World War Two  Print List |
[UP] - Ships - Countries - D-Day (Operation Neptune) - Postcards - Print List |
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HMS Jamaica by Ivan Berryman. No text for this item |
Voyage into Destiny by Robert Taylor. Leaving the port of Gdynia on May 18th 1941, two large German warships stealthily zig-zagged their way up the coast of Norway at the outset of what was to become one pf the shortest, most fiercely fought naval contests of the Second World War. Operation Rheinubung was under way. With Fleet Commander Admiral Lutjens on the bridge, the brand new battleship Bismarck would leave the relative safety of the Norwegian fjords, destined for the busy shipping lanes in the Atlantic. After refuelling, and in company with the battlecruiser Prinz Eugen, on May 21st the two heavily armed warships headed for the Denmark Strait and out into the wide expanse of the Atlantic. Bound for active convoy routes, Bismarck would play havoc with vital Allied merchant shipping. Faster than almost any warship afloat, the magnificent new 42,000 ton monsters awesome firepower would prove no match for the lightly protected merchantmen or their escorts, as they laboriously plied their desperately needed cargo across the ocean towards Europe. It seemed she was invincible. Within three days of sailing, Bismarcks first encounter was a triumph! Intercepted south west of Iceland by the British Home Fleet, the German battleships gunners went into action for the first time, their second and third salvos striking the battlecruiser Hood. She exploded and sank within three minutes. But Bismarcks success brought the wrath of the Royal Navy upon her and, just three days later, on the morning of May 27th, with her rudder damaged by a torpedo, the pride of the German navy fell to the guns of the British Home Fleet. Outnumbered, she fought bravely, but succumbed, the magnificent new battleships active war lasting less than a week. The battleship Bismarck off the coast of Norway at the start of Operation Rheinubung. Under the watchful eye of Jagdeschwader 77s Me 109 fighters, in company with the battlecruiser Prinz Eugen, and destroyers Hans Lody and Z23, Germanys magnificent new battleship Bismarck is seen manoeuvring near Korsfjord Bergen on May 21, 1941. That evening, with Prinz Eugen, she will leave for Arctic waters, the Denmark Strait, the Atlantic, and destiny. Within days the pride of the German Kriegsmarine will have passed into history. |
HMS Sickle by Ivan Berryman. An S-Class submarine of the Royal Navy, HMS Sickle took part in operations in the Mediterranean in the Second World War after an uneventful first patrol off Norway. On the morning of 23rd of April 1943, five days into her second war patrol, HMS Sickle intercepted the Italian merchant Mauro Croce as it left Spanish waters from Valencia. Two torpedoes were fired but passed under the target. Immediately the submarine surfaced and, as seen in this painting, opened fire with the 76mm deck gun, scoring 15 hits from 19 rounds fired before the weapon jammed. HMS Sickle dived and broke off the action, but Italians later claimed three killed and four wounded in their complaint that the attack happened in Spanish territory. That May, HMS Sickle went on to attack German U-Boat U-755 unsuccessfully, but next day torpedoed and sank U-303. On her 11th war patrol in June 1944, HMS Sickle disappeared and is thought to have been lost to mines while returning to Malta. |
Flank Speed by Randall Wilson. The Japanese ship Takao at Flank speed, riding shotgun for the carrier |
Japanese Battleship Nagato by Randall Wilson. Nagato was launched on 9th November 1919. Shown here during world war two operations, the Nagato survived the war and was expended as a target at the Bikini A-Bomb tests on 29th July 1946. |
ORP Blyskawica at Cowes by Ivan Berryman. (PC) With the iconic hammerhead crane dominating the Cowes skyline ORP Blyskawica slips away from the J S Whites Shipyard where she was built and launched on 1st October 1936. With her sister ship, ORP Grom, both ships were attached to the Royal Navy as part of the Free Polish Forces. While Grom was attacked and sunk in Rombaksfjord in May 1940, Blyskawica returned to Cowes for a refit in the spring of 1942 when, on the night of 4th May she used her own weapons to vigorously defend Cowes during a particularly intense bombardment of the town by the German Luftwaffe, endearing the ship and her brave crew to the townsfolk of both East and West Cowes. ORP Blyskawica survives to this day as a floating museum at the port of Gdynia in Poland. |
HMS Warspite by Ivan Berryman. Popularly known as The Old Lady, Warspite was launched on 26th November 1913 and was still fulfilling a crucial role at the end of World War II. Even after being paid off, she escaped being broken up by going aground at Mounts Bay whilst on tow to the breakers yard. During the two world wars, Warspite accumulated fourteen Battle Honours including Jutland May 1916. She is shown in company with HMS Royal Sovereign in the Mediterranean in May 1940 when she was Fleet Flag. |
Destination Tokyo by Anthony Saunders. The daylight raid on Tokyo, led by Lt Col James H. Doolittle on Sunday 18 April 1942, has rightfully entered the history books as one of the most daring and courageous operations of the Second World War. On that day, in mid ocean, Doolittle had launched his B-25 Mitchell bomber from the heaving, spray-soaked flight deck of an aircraft carrier, a deck too short to land on, and flown on to bomb Tokyo. He knew there would be no return to the USS Hornet, either for him or the 15 heavily laden B-25s behind him, for this was a feat never before attempted, and for every crew member the mission was a one-way ticket. Yet, under the leadership of Jimmy Doolittle, they all dared to survive. The mission for the 16 bombers was to bomb industrial targets in Tokyo and surrounding areas, to slow production of strategic war material, then fly on to land in the part of south-west China that was still in the hands of friendly Nationalist forces. All being well, the mission would be so unexpected it would plant the first seeds of doubt into enemy minds. It worked – the Japanese were forced to quickly divert hundreds of aircraft, men and equipment away from offensive operations to the defence of their homeland. There was, however, another reason behind the Doolittle's raid – to lift the morale of an American public devastated by the attack on Pearl Harbor four months earlier. And the success of the mission provided the boost that was needed. If any had doubted America's resolve in the face of uncertainty, the courage, determination and heroism displayed by Lt Col Doolittle and his band of aviators restored their determination. Although it might take years, and the price would be high, America and her allies understood that the fight could, and would, be won. Commissioned to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Doolittle Tokyo Raid the painting portrays the dramatic moment that Lt Col Jimmy Doolittle lifts his B-25 off the pitching deck of the USS Hornet. Having timed his launch to perfection he climbs steeply away, ready to adjust his compass bearing for a direct line to Tokyo. On the sodden deck behind him the crews of the remaining 15 aircraft, whose engines are warmed, ready and turning, will quickly follow their commanding officer into the murky sky. |
Scratch One Flat Top by Stan Stokes. The Douglas TBD Devastator torpedo-bomber was the first low-wing, all metal monoplane to see service with the US Navy. Delivered in 1937 about 100 TBDs were in service when the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor thrust the United States into WW II. Powered by a 811-HP Pratt and Whitney radial engine, the TBD had a maximum speed of about 200 MPH and a range of about 700 miles. Unfortunately, given the design of the torpedoes used, attacks had to be made at a maximum speed of only about 110 MPH, and at an altitude of no more than 100 feet. This made the Devastator a sitting duck for both enemy fighters or anti-aircraft gunners. The highlight of the TBDs brief battle career in WW II came during the Battle of the Coral Sea in 1942. This battle, the first ever waged solely between the aircraft of opposing carrier attack groups, involved air groups from the USS Yorktown and USS Lexington. Three Japanese carriers, the Shokaku, the Zuikaku, and the Shoho were involved. On May 7 the Lexington launched fifty aircraft and the Yorktown another 43. Two squadrons of TBDs were involved in the attack. This massed force located the Shoho around 11:00 AM. SBD Dauntless dive bombers initiated the attack, and were successful at fending off fighter attacks by Zeros during their near vertical dives. The large force of SBDs put several 1000-pounders into the Shoho. Minutes later the Devastators from the Lexington attacked, gaining advantage from the smoke and confusion created by the dive bombers. Coming in low and slow the Devastators put six or seven torpedoes into the Shoho. In Stan Stokes painting the TBD flown by Lt. R. F. Farrington, T.R. Wiebe, and Walter N. Nelson of VT-2 from the USS Lexington is depicted. Several more hits by the Dauntlesses sealed the fate of the Shoho which slipped under the waves while still making a headway of about 20 knots. Witnessing the Shohos final moments, Lt. Cdr. Bob Dixon reported by radio at 11:36 AM the following message, Scratch One Flat Top! Dixon to carrier. Scratch one Flat Top! This was the first loss of a significant ship by the Imperial Navy. It also foretold of an end of the era of surface war ships slugging it out in a gunnery duel within sight of each other. The era of the carrier battle group had begun, with destruction delivered to a distant enemy by carrier based aircraft. Weeks following the Battle of the Coral Sea, at the Battle of Midway, the United States Navy would destroy almost 50% of Japans carriers in a momentous battle. The Navys TBDs would be virtually wiped-out at Midway, and would be replaced in front-line service by TBF Avengers and SB2C Helldivers for the balance of the War. |
U-Boat of the 11th Flotilla by Jason Askew. (P) The Swordfish emblem of the 11th Flotilla adorns this drawing, alongside a U-Boat and its commander, Erich Topp. |
Richelieu in the Suez Canal by Randall Wilson. Local Arabs view the scene as having left the home fleet, Richelieu transits the Suez Canal to join the British Pacific Fleet. |
USS Stevens DD 479 by Randall Wilson USS Stevens rides at anchor for maintenance and re-supply in the Pacific 1945. Cranston Fine Arts have arranged with the artist Randall Wilson to produce a low cost limited edition of 100 prints only. Numbered only, not signed. A canvas edition also available. |
USS North Carolina, Saipan Bound by Anthony Saunders By June 1944 the US Fleet had made a huge leap across the Pacific to the Marianas, a small group of Japanese held islands of which Saipan would prove the most difficult to overcome. The landing were supported by the US 5th Fleet, which included USS North Carolina together with an increasingly powerful armada of battle hardened warships. |
Jean Bart by Randall Wilson. Jean Bart in company with Richelieu loose off salvoes on the gunnery range in the Med. |
HMS Dorsetshire (The End of the Bismarck) by Ivan Berryman. The heavy cruiser HMS Dorsetshire is brought up to sink the blazing wreck of the Bismarck with torpedoes at around 10:30 hours on the morning of May 27th 1941. The once proud German ship had been ruthlessly pounded into a twisted and burning wreck by the British battleships Rodney and King George V. HMS Dorsetshire and HMS Maori combed the area of the sinking for survivors, between them picking up a total of 110 out of an original complement of 2,300. |
HMS Norfolk at the Battle of the North Cape by Ivan Berryman. HMS Norfolk and HMS Belfast of Force I are shown engaging the Scharnhorst which has already been hit and disabled by both HMS Duke of York and the cruiser HMS Jamaica. Scharnhorst was never to escape the clutches of the British and Norwegian forces for, having been slowed to just a few knots by numerous hits, fell victim to repeated torpedo attacks by the allied cruisers and destroyers that had trapped the German marauder. |
Emden and Blucher by Randall Wilson. Emden and Blucher arriving at Schweinamund to depart the next day for Oslo. |
Otto Kretschmer - U-Boat Commander by Jason Askew. (P) Notable U-Boat commander Otto Kretschmer is pictured with his U-Boat and the Swordfish emblem of the 11th Flotilla. |
USS Hornet. Doolittles Raiders by Ivan Berryman. In a 40 knot gale, Lt Col. Doolittles B25 hauls itself into the air. The first of a 16 strong strike force en route to Tokyo. |
Knight's Move - Admiral Hipper Weighing Anchor by Randall Wilson. Admiral Hipper Weighing Anchor in Alta Fjord with Admiral Scheer. They sortied to engage convoy PQ17. |
Attack on the Scharnhorst by Ivan Berryman. Swordfish of 825 Sqn led by Lt-Cdr Esmonde begin their heroic attack on the battlescruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen as they make their way up the English Channel from Brest during Operation Cerberus on 12th February 1942. Although all the aircraft were lost and no significant damage was done to the German fleet, all the pilots were decorated for their bravery and Lt-Cdr Esmonde received the first Fleet Air Arm VC to be awarded, albeit posthumously. The painting depicts the first wave of Swordfish attacking the Scharnhorst with Gneisenau taking avoiding action in the distance. A German torpedo boat has turned to confront the attacking aircraft. |
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