ATTACK ON THE HIEI...Millennium Proof
(Signatures)	Artist : Robert Taylor , Gen. Joseph J. Foss, USMC , Lt. Colonel Roger Haberman, USMC , Lt. Colonel William B. Freedman, USMC and Colonel T.W. "Boot" Furlow, USMC and the companion is signed by : Lt Colonel Ronnie Hay RM DSO DSC* and Commander Don Sheppard RCNVR.
(Dimensions)	33" x 23" approx  Unframed set of Two Prints
Price	£895.00

Description

A New Limited Edition Recording The Sinking of the Japanese Battleship HIEI by U.S. Marine Corps and Navy Pilots November 13, 1942... As dawn broke on the morning of Friday, November 13, 1942, a lone F4F Wildcat climbed out of Henderson Field on the island of Guadalcanal. The Marine pilot, Captain Joe Foss, was to assess damage to U.S. Naval ships following the previous night's bitter naval engagement. As the morning sun streaked across the sound between Savo and Guadalcanal, Foss viewed the wreckage of one of the most furious close combat naval action of the war. But what caught the young pilot's eye was a badly damaged Japanese battleship. Protected by three destroyers, the HIEI offered the Cactus flyers a prize they would not allow to escape. The Cactus Air Force quickly scrambled their fighters to join TBF and SBD torpoed and dive bombers. Their collective mission: sink the enemy battleship. Foss, having refueled, climbed his eight F4F Wildcats to 12,000 feet to make a diversionary attack while the torpedo bombers made their perilous run at the heavily-defended warship. From high above, Foss brought his F4Fs screaming vertically down, levelling out as they hurtled towards the HIEI through a massive barrage of defensive flak, spraying .50 caliber lead into the mighty warship. Robert Taylor's masterpiece of reconstruction depicts a snapshot of this memorable action fought in Savo Sound against the backdrop of the spectacular mountains of Guadalcanal. Joe Foss's F4F Wildcats are viewed braving the fearsome hail of defensive fire as they distract enemy gunfire away from the vital torpedo attacks, their explosions throwing huge plumes of water skyward, presenting an additional hazard to F4F pilots. With the 30,000-ton battleship's steering gear crippled, her fate was sealed, yet her gunners fought valiently throughout the day. By sunset, she lay sinking off Savo. She had absorbed over 80 shell hits, five bombs and ten torpedos. With her captain slain, the battered battlewagon was scuttled, adding her huge bulk to those already lying on the bed of Ironbottom Bay. HIEI, the first battleship to be sunk by Americans in World War II, fell to the small but courageous group of Marine and Navy fliers. Prints in this importmant edition, signed by Marine Ace and Medal of Honor recipient Joe Foss and three of his surviving pilots, are restricted to just 550 copies world-wide, virtually guaranteeing their lasting value to collectors...This is a very rare Millennium copy of only 50 worldwide and is accompanied by the companion print ' Corsair Recovery ' and is Individually hand signed by : Gen. Joseph J. Foss, USMC , Lt. Colonel Roger Haberman, USMC , Lt. Colonel William B. Freedman, USMC and Colonel T.W. "Boot" Furlow, USMC and the companion is signed by : Lt Colonel Ronnie Hay RM DSO DSC* and Commander Don Sheppard RCNVR...priced @ £895.00...To complement the purchase of your fine art print, we are now able to offer a professional Picture Framing service. For further details please contact us by phone or email.