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Lightning Encounter by Nicolas Trudgian. - Military Art
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Lightning Encounter by Nicolas Trudgian.


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Lightning Encounter by Nicolas Trudgian.

P-38 Lightnings launching a surprise attack on a German freight train as it winds its way through the hills of Northern France towards the battle front, shortly before D-Day, 1944.
AMAZING VALUE! - The value of the signatures on this item is in excess of the price of the print itself!
Item Code : DHM2026Lightning Encounter by Nicolas Trudgian. - This EditionAdd any two items on this offer to your basket, and the lower priced item will be half price in the checkout! Buy 1 Get 1 Half Price!
TYPEEDITION DETAILSSIZESIGNATURESOFFERSYOUR PRICEPURCHASING
PRINT Signed limited edition of 1000 prints.

Last 14 copies available of this sold out edition.

Great value : Value of signatures exceeds price of item!
Paper size 33 inches x 24 inches (84cm x 61cm) Willsie, Dick (signed in person)
Blumer, Larry (signed in person)
Dobrowolski, Joseph A (signed in person)
Milliken, Robert C (signed in person)
+ Artist : Nicolas Trudgian


Signature(s) value alone : £185
£100 Off!Now : £180.00

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Titles in this pack :
Lightning Encounter by Nicolas Trudgian.  (View This Item)
The Struggle for Malta by Ivan Berryman. (F)  (View This Item)
LCT 312 by Ivan Berryman. (D)  (View This Item)
Typhoons Over Normandy by Ivan Berryman. (D)  (View This Item)
Dinah Might by Ivan Berryman.  (View This Item)

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Other editions of this item : Lightning Encounter by Nicolas Trudgian. DHM2026
TYPEEDITION DETAILSSIZESIGNATURESOFFERSYOUR PRICEPURCHASING
ARTIST
PROOF
Limited edition of artist proofs.

Last 2 copies available of this sold out edition.
Paper size 33 inches x 24 inches (84cm x 61cm) Willsie, Dick (signed in person)
Blumer, Larry (signed in person)
Dobrowolski, Joseph A (signed in person)
Milliken, Robert C (signed in person)
+ Artist : Nicolas Trudgian


Signature(s) value alone : £185
£50 Off!Now : £250.00VIEW EDITION...
PRINT Limited edition of 75 publishers proofs.

Less than 5 copies available of this sold out edition.
Paper size 33 inches x 24 inches (84cm x 61cm) Blumer, Larry (signed in person)
Dobrowolski, Joseph A (signed in person)
Milliken, Robert C (signed in person)
Wills, Dick (signed in person)
+ Artist : Nicolas Trudgian


Signature(s) value alone : £185
£40 Off!Add any two items on this offer to your basket, and the lower priced item will be half price in the checkout!Now : £220.00VIEW EDITION...
FLYERPromotional Flyer A4 Size Single Sheet 6 inches x 8 inches (15m x 21cm)noneAdd any two items on this offer to your basket, and the lower priced item will be half price in the checkout!£2.00VIEW EDITION...
SLIGHT
BORDER
DAMAGE
Signed limited edition of 1000 prints.

The print has slight damage to the border area, mostly on a corner. Not noticeable once framed.

Great value : Value of signatures exceeds price of item!
Paper size 33 inches x 24 inches (84cm x 61cm) Blumer, Larry (signed in person)
Dobrowolski, Joseph A (signed in person)
Milliken, Robert C (signed in person)
Wills, Dick (signed in person)
+ Artist : Nicolas Trudgian


Signature(s) value alone : £185
Half
Price!
Now : £140.00VIEW EDITION...
EX-DISPLAY
PRINT
**Signed limited edition of 1000 prints. (One print reduced to clear)

Ex display prints in near perfect condition with slight border damage.

Great value : Value of signatures exceeds price of item!
Paper size 33 inches x 24 inches (84cm x 61cm) Willsie, Dick (signed in person)
Blumer, Larry (signed in person)
Dobrowolski, Joseph A (signed in person)
Milliken, Robert C (signed in person)
+ Artist : Nicolas Trudgian


Signature(s) value alone : £185
£100 Off!Now : £160.00VIEW EDITION...
General descriptions of types of editions :




Extra Details : Lightning Encounter by Nicolas Trudgian.
About all editions :



A photograph of an edition of the print.

Signatures on this item
*The value given for each signature has been calculated by us based on the historical significance and rarity of the signature. Values of many pilot signatures have risen in recent years and will likely continue to rise as they become more and more rare.
NameInfo


The signature of Captain Larry Blumer (deceased)

Captain Larry Blumer (deceased)
*Signature Value : £45

Assigned to the 393rd Fighter Squadron, 367th Fighter Group, Scrappy, nicknamed after his 'Scrap Iron' P-38, became one of the few fighter pilots to become an 'ace-in-a-day' when he shot down five FW-190s in 15 minutes of aerial combat on 25 August 1944. Scrappy rose to command the 393rd and destroyed another FW-190 before returning to the States in January 1945. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart, Air Medal with 22 Oak Leaf Clusters and the Belgian Croix de Guerre. In 1946, he returned to the United States and became a contractor. Later in life, he purchased a P-38, painted it like his old plane, and flew it at air shows. Sadly Captain Larry Blumer died of Leukemia on October 23rd 1997 in Springfield, Oregon.


The signature of Colonel Richard Willsie (deceased)

Colonel Richard Willsie (deceased)
*Signature Value : £45

Joining up in 1942, Dick Willsie was posted to North Africa with the 414th Night Fighter Squadron, where he flew 31 missions on the Beaufighter. He transferred to the 96th Fighter Squadron, 82nd Fighter Group, flying the P38 Lightning on 82 day missions through to the end of hostilities in Europe. Willsie would go on to serve in both Korea and Vietnam, and Willsie became the commanding officer of the 602nd Air Commando Squadron and retired in 1974. Dick Willsie was born on the 6th of September 1920 in Michigan USA and joined the US Air force in 1942. Dick Willsie was posted to North Africa with the 414th Night-fighter Squadron, where he flew 31 missions on the Beaufighter. He transferred to the 96th FS, 82nd Fighter Group, flying the P38 Lightning on 82 day missions through to the end of hostilities in Europe. He notched up a large number of ground attack victories as well as three aerial victories in his P38 'Snake Eyes'. On one mission Captain Richard 'Dick' Willsie's P-38 was damaged by flak near Ploesti, Romania. Lieutenant Willsie felt the bullets tearing into his aircraft, the force of the hits actually making his feet bounce on the rudder pedals. He noticed oil leaking from the left engine, and then the engine lost oil pressure. Willsie immediately feathered the propeller, turning the blades edge on to present the least resistance to the wind, and headed for home, his right engine at full power. Then he noticed coolant streaming from his remaining good engine. Within minutes he would be without power. He immediately reported over the radio that he was going down. One of the many to hear his broadcast announcement was 19-year-old Richard T. 'Dick' Andrews, who flew with the same 82nd Fighter Group as Willsie. But unlike the more experienced Willsie, Andrews had less than 100 flying hours in the P-38. Pick a good field, radioed the youngster, and I will come in after you.It was a strange message; it made no sense. But Willsie had no time to wonder about it. His remaining engine was popping loudly, a fresh hit shattered his windscreen and bloodied his forehead, and a plowed field appeared ahead. As his wounded fighter barely made it over the final obstacle he planted his forehead firmly against the padded gun sight. That did not prevent his nose taking a beating as his plane skidded to a stop with its wheels retracted. Scrambling from the cockpit as quickly as possible, he - as per instructions - destroyed his P-38 with a small phosphorous bomb. With truckloads of enemy troops approaching from beyond some trees six Me-109 German fighters appeared overhead. And a second P-38 was coming toward him with its landing gear down! Other Lightnings engaged the Me-109s and Andrews set his P-38 down, landing in line with the plowed furrows. Willsie raced to the plane, praying it might be his salvation, praying they would both be able to fit into the one small seat. Andrews threw his parachute - and everything else that was handy and not nailed down - out of the cockpit. With no time to think of how it might be done both men climbed hurriedly into the plane 'with miraculous precision,' as the older pilot would later joke. At Andrews' suggestion the more experienced Willsie took the controls. With Andrews in back, one leg slung over Willsie's shoulder, the two somehow managed to close and securely lock the canopy. They barely cleared the trees at the end of their improvised 'runway' and quickly ran into inclement weather and became separated from the other P-38s. With no map and fully expecting to be greeted by friendly fire because of their aircraft type, with which the Russians might not be familiar, they headed for an air base at nearby Poltava. Word of the rescue spread and others tried to emulate it. But so many were injured in these attempts that the USAAF had to issue orders forbidding the use of such tactics. Richard T. Andrews was awarded the Silver Star for his unique rescue. Willsie would go on to serve in both Korea and Vietnam, and Willsie became the commanding officer of the 602nd Air Commando Squadron and retired in 1974. Colonel Richard Willsie died on Febuary 16th, 2013 in Dana Point, Orange County, California.


The signature of First Lieutenant Robert C Milliken

First Lieutenant Robert C Milliken
*Signature Value : £45

Robert C. Milliken joined the U.S. Army Air Force in June of 1942. After training he was assigned to fly P-38s for the 429th Fighter Squadron of the new 474th Fighter Group out of Warmwell England in late April of 1944. Second Lieutenant Milliken flew his first combat mission on April 30, 1944. During his participation in D-Day operations, and thereafter, he flew a great variety of missions claiming his first of several victories when he shot down a German FW-190 in an air battle fought between Chateaudin and LeMans. Out of ammunition, Robert Milliken closed in on a damaged German Focke-Wolf 190. He called to his buddies. Could anyone help? No one answered. They were in dogfights of their own. Milliken settled his P-38 on the German's left wing, their planes buzzing through the air.
He looked over at me and I looked over at him, and then he looked down at his controls Milliken said. With no more bullets, he couldn't shoot the German again, so he played his options: Tip up the 190's wing with his own to flip it over? Clip the German's tail with his propeller? Ram the nose of the P-38 into the 190's tail surface? No, all those would be foolish. If he crippled his plane, he'd be of no use to his buddies, and they'd have to nurse him back home. Milliken considered one more option: Open his right window and unload the rounds from his .45 into the plane. Also not a good idea. He veered to the right, leaving the German 190 smoking on its own course. Milliken had already destroyed two German fighter planes in that air battle. One would have to get away. Barely 22 years old, Milliken already had three victories - three German planes downed in dogfights. Two more would make him an Ace. After having completed a tour of 69 missions by November 11th, 1944 he volunteered for two more missions during the Battle of the Bulge, and in a noontime dogfight shot down a German Me-109, a fifth victory which made him an ace. He returned to the United States in July of 1945 and, after the end of the war, was relieved from active duty in December 1945. He was awarded a Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Air Medal (16 OLC) for his five victories and four damages against German forces.


The signature of Lieutenant Colonel Joseph A Dobrowolski (deceased)

Lieutenant Colonel Joseph A Dobrowolski (deceased)
*Signature Value : £50

Enlisting in June 1942, Joseph Dobrowolski was assigned to the 367th Fighter Group, 9th Air Force, and arrived the European Theater, April 1944, flying P-38s out of Stoney Cross in England. He flew his first combat mission a month later. Flying throughout the whole D-Day invasion period he notched up 175 combat hours, the majority in the hazardous ground-attack role, chalking up many ground victories before returning to the U.S. in November 1944. He retired Lieutenant Colonel in 1967. Joe Dobrolowolski passed away on 1st February 2006.
The Aircraft :
NameInfo
LightningDesigned by Kelly Johnson the P38 made its maiden flight on the 27th January 1939 and introduced into service in 1941. they cost $134,284 at the time each and a total of 10,037 were built. The Lockheed P-38 was introduced as a inceptor fighter but soon proved a valuable long range bomber escort for the 8thUS Air Force's B-17 and-24 bombers as they bombed targets further into Germany.
Artist Details : Nicolas Trudgian
Click here for a full list of all artwork by Nicolas Trudgian


Nicolas Trudgian

Cranston Fine Arts have now taken over all remaining stocks of Nicolas Trudgian prints from his previous publishers. We have made available a great many prints that had not been seen for many years, and have uncovered some rarities which lay unnoticed during this transition.

Having graduated from art college, Nicolas Trudgian spent many years as a professional illustrator before turning to a career in fine art painting. His crisp style of realism, attention to detail, compositional skills and bright use of colours, immediately found favour with collectors and demand for his original work soared on both sides of the Atlantic. Today, more than a decade after becoming a fine art painter, Nicolas Trudgian is firmly established within a tiny, elite group of aviation artists whose works are genuinely collected world-wide. When he paints an aircraft you can be sure he has researched it in every detail and when he puts it over a particular airfield, the chances are he has paid it a recent visit. Even when he paints a sunset over a tropical island, or mist hanging over a valley in China, most probably he has seen it with his own eyes. Nick was born and raised in the seafaring city of Plymouth, the port from which the Pilgrim Fathers set sail in 1620, and where Sir Francis Drake played bowls while awaiting the Spanish Armada. Growing up in a house close to the railway station within a busy military city, the harbour always teeming with naval vessels and the skies above resonating with the sounds of naval aircraft, it was not at all surprising the young Nick became fascinated with trains, boats and aircraft. It was from his father, himself a talented artist, that Nick acquired his love of drawing and surrounded by so much that was inspiring, there was never a shortage of ideas for pictures. His talent began to show at an early age and although he did well enough at school, he always spent a disproportionate amount of time drawing. People talked about him becoming a Naval officer or an architect but in 1975 Nick's mind was made up. When he told his careers teacher he wanted to go to art school the man said, 'Now come on, what do you really want to do? After leaving school Nick began a one-year foundation course at the Plymouth College of Art. Now armed with an impressive portfolio containing paintings of jet aircraft, trains, even wildlife, he was immediately accepted at every college he applied to join. He chose a course at the Falmouth College of Art in Cornwall specialising in technical illustration and paintings of machines and vehicles for industry. It was perfect for Nick, and he was to become one of the star pupils. One of the lecturers commented at the time: Every college needs someone with a talent like Nick to raise the standards sky high; he carried all the other students along with him, and created an effect which will last for years to come. Two weeks after leaving art college Nick blew every penny he had on a trip to South Africa to ride the great steam trains across the desert, sketching them at every opportunity. Returning to England, in best traditions of all young artists, he struggled to make a living. Paintings by an unknown artist didn't fetch much despite the painstaking effort and time Nick put into each work, so when the college he had recently left offered him a job as a lecturer, he jumped at the chance. The money was good and he discovered that he really enjoyed teaching. Throughout the 1970s Nick was much involved with a railway preservation society near Plymouth and it was through the railway society that he had his first pictures reproduced as prints. But Nick felt he needed to advance his career and in summer 1985 Nick moved away from Cornwall to join an energetic new design studio in Wiltshire. Here he painted detailed artwork for many major companies including Rolls Royce, General Motors, Volvo Trucks, Alfa Romeo and, to his delight, the aviation and defence industries. He remembers the job as exciting though stressful, often requiring him to work right through the night to meet a client's deadline. Here he learned to be disciplined and fast. Towards the end of the 1980's Nick had the chance to work for the Military Gallery. This was the break that for years he had been striving towards and with typical enthusiasm, flung himself into his new role. After completing a series of aviation posters, including a gigantic painting to commemorate the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Royal Air Force, Nick's first aviation scene to be published as a limited edition was launched by the Military Gallery in 1991. Despite the fact he was unknown in the field, it was an immediate success. Over the past decade Nick has earned a special reputation for giving those who love his work much more than just aircraft in his paintings. He goes to enormous lengths with his backgrounds, filling them with interesting and accurate detail, all designed to help give the aircraft in his paintings a tremendous sense of location and purpose. His landscapes are quite breathtaking and his buildings demonstrate an uncanny knowledge of perspective but it is the hardware in his paintings which are most striking. Whether it is an aircraft, tank, petrol bowser, or tractor, Nick brings it to life with all the inordinate skill of a truly accomplished fine art painter. A prodigious researcher, Nick travels extensively in his constant quest for information and fresh ideas. He has visited India, China, South Africa, South America, the Caribbean and travels regularly to the United States and Canada. He likes nothing better than to be out and about with sketchbook at the ready and if there is an old steam train in the vicinity, well that's a bonus!

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