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Please note that our logo is used on our website images only and does not appear on our products. The Unlucky Eight by Stan Stokes. James Elms Swett was born in Seattle, Washington on June 15, 1920. He attended San Mateo Junior College in California, and entered the Navys flight training program during his second year of college. In April of 1942 Jim received his wings and was commission as a second lieutenant in the USMC at Corpus Christi, Texas. Swett arrived at Guadacanal for his first combat duty tour in March of 1943. Assigned to VMF-221 Swett flew the older F4F Wildcat, whereas the more experienced pilots in his squadron flew the newer and more advanced F41J Corsair. On April 7, 1943 Swett would get his first taste of aerial combat, and it would be a day for the record books. More than 150 Japanese bombers attacked Guadacanal on April 7 h . Hurling his four plane division into a formation of fifteen enemy aircraft, Swett personally splashed three Japanese Val bombers before his aircraft was hit with antiaircraft fire, and he became separated from his division. While proceeding alone to Florida Island, Swett encountered another six enemy planes. He downed four more Vals before he was winged by the rear gunner of a fifth. The young USMC Lieutenant recovered and moved in to take out another Val. He put a short burst into the rear gunners position, but at this point his ammunition gave out. In spite of his wounds, a partially disabled engine, and a shattered windscreen, Swett was able to crash land his Wildcat in the waters off of Tulagi, breaking his nose in the process. For his heroic actions in his first combat, Jim Swett was awarded the countrys highest honor, The Congressional Medal of Honor. Promoted to Captain, the ace-in-a-day bagged four more enemy aircraft on June 30, and on July 11 he added two more before both he and his wingman were shot down over Rendova Island. After four days at sea, and badly sunburned and dehydrated, the USMC ace was rescued by native fisherman and taken to a Navy patrol boat. Later in his combat tour, during the battle for Bouganville, Swett would shoot down three more enemy planes. Returning to the States in late 1944, Swett was sent to Santa Barbara for carrier familiarization. He married the former Loie Anderson of Oakland, California in January 1945. After completing his carrier qualification course, he was assigned to the USS Bunker Hill, Admiral Marc Mitshners flag ship. In May of 1945 during the battle for Okinawa, which witnessed horrific kamikaze attacks, Swett would bag one more enemy aircraft. However, the Bunker Hill was severely damaged, and many crewmen, including 29 Marines, were killed. Swett left active duty in 1945, but remained active in the USMC reserve until his retirement with the rank of Colonel in 1970. Jim Swett ended the War with a total of 16 1/2 confirmed aerial victories. He has had the honor of seeing two of his sons and one of his grandsons follow in his Marine Corps footsteps. Item Code : STK0077 The Unlucky Eight by Stan Stokes. - This Edition TYPE EDITION DETAILS SIZE SIGNATURES OFFERS YOUR PRICE PURCHASING PRINT Signed limited edition of 500 prints,. Only two prints of this edition remain. Size 22 inches x 18 inches (56cm x 46cm) Swett, James E (signed in person) + Artist : Stan Stokes Signature(s) value alone : £50 £10 Off! Now : £150.00 SPECIAL OFFER : ADD A CLIPPED SIGNATURE TO THE ABOVE PRINT AT A VERY SPECIAL RATE! Add Signature : Archie G Donahue. for £50.00 Buy One Get One Half Price Add Signature : Alfred (Ken) Gatward. for £55.00 Buy One Get One Half Price Add Signature : Charles Lane. for £50.00 Buy One Get One Half Price Add Signature : Maurice Long. for £40.00 Buy One Get One Half Price All prices on our website are displayed in British Pounds Sterling

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.
Name	Info
Colonel James E Swett USMC MOH (deceased) *Signature Value : £50	Jim Swett became one of the top-scoring F4U Aces, with 15.5 victories in 94 missions in the Corsair, but he had already earned himself the Congressional Medal of Honor piloting the F4F Wildcat before switching to the F4U. Leading a four plane section with VMF 221 on April 7, 1942 he shot down no fewer than 7 Japanese Val dive-bombers in an engagement over Tulagi Harbor, before taking a hit himself, and ditching in the sea. In all Jim Swett flew 211 combat missions, 94 in F4U Corsairs, made 120 carrier launches and recoveries, and in addition to his Medal of Honor, was awarded 6 DFCs and 2 Purple Hearts. Sadly, Jim Swett died on 18th January 2009.

Artist Details : Stan Stokes

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Stan Stokes Stan Stokes is a California native with more than 37 years as a full time professional artist, who developed a passion for vintage cars, trains and airplanes at an early age. Model building and RC planes filled the many hours of the young enthusiasts free time. However, unlike most other young aviation enthusiasts Stokes also displayed a great gift for artistic talent. After studying art in College, Stan decided to pursue a career as a professional artist. Stokes initially focused his great talents on depicting uniquely realistic landscapes of the western desert and mountain scenes. More than thirty years ago a good friend suggested that Stan combine his passion for aviation history and flying with his artistic talents, and render an aircraft or two. The rest is history. Stan has won many prestigious awards including the Benedictine Art Award in 1975 and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museums Golden Age of Flight award in 1985. In May of 2000, Stan was honored with the National Museum of Naval Aviations R. G. Smith Award for Excellence in Naval Aviation Art. Commissioned by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, Stans 12 x 120 foot mural of the History of the Flying White House is on permanent display in the Air Force One Pavilion. In addition Stans painting of the USS Ronald Reagan is hanging in the Legacy Room of the library. In 2005 Stan also completed a painting of our nations next aircraft carrier, the USS George H. W. Bush, which is on permanent display at the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas. Stan has also completed several impressive murals for the Palm Springs Air Museum including: The Tuskegee Airmen at 12 x 60 feet and contains 51 portraits of the original Tuskegee Airmen. Dauntless at Midway at 12 x 34 feet and Corsair on Approach at 19 x 55 feet. Stans work also hangs in the Air Force art collection, the Pentagon, San Diego Aerospace Museum, and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. Stan has had the pleasure of meeting and working with many of his boyhood aviation heroes, including the late General Jimmy Doolittle, the late Pappy Boyington, Chuck Yeager, and many many others. A true aviation history buff, Stan often spends more time pouring over research materials for his paintings to assure their accuracy to the smallest detail than he does behind the canvas. Noted for his incredible detail and strikingly realistic illustration, Stans canvases have a life-like three-dimensional effect that often leaves viewers spellbound. Today his work encompasses not only aviation and space but also portraits, landscapes, ships, classic cars and his new collection of cat-related fine art paintings. Stan particularly enjoys the tough assignment. During his 37 years as a professional artist, he has been asked to produce literally hundreds of paintings documenting historical events, people and places. Although Stan has logged many hours flying his own airplanes, in recent years pleasure flying has had to take a backseat to the artistic demands of his backlog. Stan was commissioned to paint more than twenty original paintings for an aviation museum being in the Philippines. Since the mid-1980s NASA has also tapped Stans talents from time to time and he has completed more than fifteen paintings ranging from the space shuttles to the SR 71 Blackbird. Stan has also painted numerous works for the cutting edge genius in aviation and space design, Burt Rutan. More about Stan Stokes

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