LIMITED EDITION COLLECTOR PRINTS
BY JERRY CRANDALL

AIRCRAFT OF THE FIGHTER ACES
AN AIRCRAFT PROFILE SERIES

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GENERAL GÜNTHER RALL'S MESSERSCHMITT Bf 109 G-2

Image size 15" X 27" overall
Limited edition of 950 signed and numbered prints with 50 artist's proofs.

In addition to the artist's signature each print co-autographed by Generalleutnant Günther Rall (Ret).

The Painting: This Messerschmitt Bf l09 G-2 'black 13' was flown by Oberleutnant Günther Rall when he was Staffelkapitan of 8./JG 52 in September 1942. The G-2 was a non-pressurized fighter equipped with 2 7.92 mm machine guns mounted over the engine and a MG 151 20 mm cannon that fired through the prop hub. It used the same wheels as the 109 F series, 650 mm x 150 mm mains, and a 290 mm x 110 tail wheel.

The colors were the standard finish of the time, undersurfaces and fuselage sides, RLM 76, uppersurfaces RLM 75 and heavily painted areas of 74 gray. The spinner and propeller was RLM 70 blackgreen. The III./JG 52 emblem was as shown.

Luftwaffe pilot Günther Rall achieved a total of 275 victories making him currently the highest ranked living ace of all time, after the death of Luftwaffe pilot Erich Hartmann. Perhaps Rall would have exceeded this tally had he not been transfierred from the Russian Front to take charge of II/JG 11 in the defense of Germany March 1944. The overwhelming numbers of American fighters made victories harder to come by and most pilots did not survive the home defense arena.

On 12 May 1944, in an air battle with P-47's from the 56th Fighter Group, Rall's left thumb was shot off and he was hospitalized for six months of painful recovery. In March 1945, Rall took charge of the prominent home defense fighter wing JG 300. He gave up his beloved 109 and flew the Focke-Wulf 190 D-9 until the end of the war.


PRICE: $75.00 each s/n edition

       $115.00 each Artist's Proof


GENERAL DlETRICH HRABAK'S MESSERSCHMITT Bf 109 F-2

Image size 15" X 27" overall
Limited edition of 950 s/n prints with 50 Artist Proofs.

In addition to the artist's signature each print is co-autographed by the pilot Generalmajor Dietrich Hrabak (Ret)

The Painting: This colorful machine was flown by Dieter Hrabak as Kommandeur of II./JG 54 Greenhearts July 1941. JG 54 was known for its innovative and non-standard camouflage, driving modern-day enthusiasts and modellers wild trying to pin down the exact colors. After studying some original color photos of II./JG 54 aircraft with the same type of camouflage, artist Jerry Crandall created this highly detailed profile.

The undersurfaces and fuselage sides RLM 76; top of fuselage along the spine, RLM 74 gray. A darker color around the canopy area is possibly RLM 66 or black-green 70. The streaky lines are RLM 70, black-green. The islands of color inside the streaks were thought to be RLM 02 gray but could be a gray like RLM 75. The front of the spinner is red and white with RLM 70 black-green on the rear portion and a white quarter section. The prop blades are RLM 70. Factory stencilling appears to be over-sprayed for the most part.

The port ride of the rudder has 24 victory bars in white and the starboard side shows 25 victory bars but have the tiny red stars or roundels indicating the nationality of each victory. The work number on the fin is W.Nr. 6773. Many 109 F-s had the glass triangle below the windscreen blocked off on the starboard side as this machine does. This aircraft does not have the shield over the port side exhaust stacks.

Known and respected for his leadership abilities, Dietrich Hrabak tutored the leading Luftwaffe "Experts" like Hartmann, Barkhorn and others teaching them to fly with "their heads and not their muscles". Hrabak was Kommandeur of II Gruppe JG 54 "Greenhearts" from August 1940. Then in November 1942, he was Kommodore of fighter wing JG 52 until October 1944 when he took charge of JG 54. Amazingly after more than 1000 combat missions and 125 victories, he never had to bail out. Although he crash-landed seven times, he was never wounded.

General Hrabak ended the war Knight's Cross holder with Oakleaves. He passed away September 15th, 1995.


PRICE: $75.00 ea s/n edition

       $115.00 each Artist proof


ERNST SCHEUFELE'S MESSERSCHMITT Bf 109 G-14 AS

Image size 15" x 27" overall
Limited edition of 950 s/n prints with 50 Artist's Proofs.

In addition to the artist's signature, each print is co-autographed by the pilot Ernst Scheufele.

The Painting: Aircraft in the 780,000 number range began to have the distinctive small bulges on the lower cowling to accomodate the additional tubing required for the Daimler Benz 605 D engine. Although not fitted on these G-l4 AS machines, the 605 D was used in the G-10 and K series aircraft.

The black/white/black Reich defense bands were assigned to JG 4 for identification purposes. The shamrock unit badge was carried over when II./JG 5 was re-organized into IV./JG 4 and was used on some aircraft.

This machine was flown by Oberleutnant Ernst Scheufele, Staffelkapitän of 14./JG 4 on 3 December 1944. He was brought down by American ground fire and taken prisoner near Aachen Germany. This was his back-up aircraft as his 'black 13' G-14 as was out of service this day.

Scheufele originally flew with the Navy in JG 5 based in Norway. Flying both Bf 109's and Fw 190's, he achieved 18 victories including 3 bombers and 2 P-51 Mustangs.


PRICE: $75.00 ea s/n edition

       $115.00 each Artist proof


OSCAR BOESCH'S FOCKE-WULF Fw 190 A-8/R8

Image size 15" x 27" overall
Limited edition of 950 s/n prints with 50 Artist's Proofs.

In addition to the artist's signature each print co-autographed by the pilot Oscar Boesch.

The Painting: To combat the heavy bombers, the Fw 190 was modified with bolt-on 5 mm armor plates called "Panzer Platten" on the fuselage sides. Additional 30 mm armored glass panels were added on the canopy and extra glass was added to the windshield quarter-panels. The outboard 20 mm wing guns were replaced by MK 108 30 mm cannons. This combination was the Fw 190 A-8/R8 "Sturmbock" (Ram). In an effort to save some weight, the 13 mm machine guns that were mounted over the engine were often removed.

To protect these heavy fighters, special Gruppen of Bf 109's were assigned to fly top cover while the 190's attacked the bombers.

The camouflage colors of this machine were the standard grays 76, 75 and 74. The distinctive Reich defense bands of black/white/black trimmed with white were selected by Major von Kornatzki to help identify this special unit. White numbers with a thin black outline were used. The rare unit badge shown was only in use for a few weeks and not on all aircraft. They were hand-painted without use of stencils so they were all a little different.

Oscar Boesch did not enter the war until April l944. In an effort to help stop the allied bomber offensive, he volunteered for a new unit being formed by Major von Kornatzki to lead the effort to stop bombers at all costs even if it meant ramming them, Sturm-Staffel |. In May 1944, Sturm-Staffel | became || Staffel with 10 and 13 Stafflen added to form IV./JG 3 "Udet".

Oscar Boesch was shot down eight times, four bail outs and four crash-landings. He flew 120 combat missions, on this last mission he rammed a Russian Yak-9 fighter. Boesch's unit suffered 350% losses. He is one of three known survivors.


PRICE: $75.00 ea s/n edition

       $115.00 each Artist proof


Collect the entire set of four prints with matching numbers
for only $300.00 set of signed and numbered
or $460.00 set of Artist's Proofs


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