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Cranston Fine Arts  Aviation Art and Artists Aviation Artists Nicolas Trudgian German Air Force  Me262 |
[UP] - Me109 - Me262 - Fw190 - Ju88 - Me110 - Do17 - He219 - He162 - Me163 - Fokker Dr.I - Albatros - Ju87 - Fw200 |
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| Text for the above items : |
In Defense of the Reich by Nicolas Trudgian. The legend of Willie Messerschmitts Me262, and the elite fighter Aces who piloted this revolutionary jet aircraft, is as secure as any born during the Second World War. As they hurtled into the air, climbing at speeds hitherto unknown, a small group of seasoned pilots heralded a new generation of combat aircraft that would extend into the 21st century. At the spearhead of this new era in combat flying was the mercurial fighter leader Adolf Galland. Sacked for opposing the naive tactics of Luftwaffe supremo Hermann Goering, Galland found himself, as a General, once again leading a squadron of fighters into battle. Although too late to change the spectre of imminent defeat, this tiny group of highly decorated Aces fought a courageous rearguard action during the final Defense of the Reich. Seen blasting off an airfield in Bavaria are four Me262s, led by General Adolf Galland. Glistening in the damp air these sleek fighters are on full power in their rush to climb to altitude. Within minutes they will attack an incoming mass formation of B-17s and B-24s. Below, the roads and buildings reflect the sunlight between the scattered clouds of a departing storm. |
Clash Over Remagen by Nicolas Trudgian. When the American Army reached the Rhine at Remagen on March 7, 1945, such was the speed of their advance, they arrived before the retreating Germans had time to blow the vital bridge. The Americans seized the bridge intact. Realising the threat to the German defences, the Luftwaffe were ordered into destroy the bridge at all costs. Desperate efforts were made to attack the bridge, and over the course of the following days the fighting became one of the legendary battles of the war. Two RAF Tempests have flown right through the Luftwaffe formation of Me262 and Arado 234 jets bombers, the high speed aircraft missing each other by feet. The concentration of the desperate attackers is broken momentarily, sufficiently so that their bombs miss the target - but more Luftwaffe aircraft can be seen streaming into attack. |
Alpine Scramble by Nicolas Trudgian. No text for this item |
First of the Jets by Nicolas Trudgian. No text for this item |
Victory Over the Rhine by Nicolas Trudgian. Of the many famous combat aircraft to serve their respective countries in the Second World War, two perhaps more than any others, created huge impact and consternation upon seasoned opposing pilots when they first appeared on the battlefront - the Supermarine Spitfire and the Messerschmitt Me262. Both in their day represented enormous advances in aircraft design and power, and both have continued to capture the imagination of aviation enthusiasts ever since. As the war progressed the Spitfire continually upgraded its performance and by the time the Luftwaffes new Me262 turbo-jet arrived on the scene the sleek new Mk XIV, powered by the awesome Griffon engine, was among the fastest piston-engine fighters of the war. The stage was set for a clash between the most powerful piston-engine fighter and the worlds first turbojet, and it was not long before the pilots of these two most advanced combat aircraft met in the hostile skies over western Europe. Ill-advisedly employed by Hitler as the wonder-bomber, the Me262 was initially issued to Bomber Units, one of which being KG51. Tasked with undertaking lightning fast raids upon advancing Allied ground forces, the shark-like jets employed their spectacular speed advantage to surprise, strike and escape. Not to be outdone, the RAF responded with their supremely fast Spitfire XIVs which had already proven themselves highly effective against Germanys V1 flying bombs. In his painting, Nick Trudgian recreates a typical moment: Spitfire Mk XIVs of 41 Squadron have intercepted and damaged a Me262 of KG51 and, with smoke and debris pouring from its damaged Jumo 004 Turbojet, the stricken Luftwaffe jet will be lucky to make it home. A dramatic painting and a fine tribute to the RAFs contribution to the Victory in Europe. |
Return of the Hunters by Nicolas Trudgian. Messerschmitt Me262s of JG7 race back to their base at Brandenburg after intercepting a USAAF bomber raid on Munich, and Luftwaffe air bases in the area. Below them a B-26 has crash-landed in the fields still covered with a sprinkling of late winter snow. In the distance the afternoon sun glistens on the Bavarian Alpine mountains. < |
Alpine Thunder by Nicolas Trudgian. By late April 1945 most of the Third Reich had been cut to shreds by the advancing Allied forces and those units remaining intact were regrouping in southern Germany and Austria. With American advance units nearing the outskirts of Munich, on 28th April Adolf Galland took the decision to evacuate his precious jets to Salzburg, deep in the mountains. Bad weather prevented their departure until the following morning and they only just managed to escape under the noses of the encircling Americans. Galland had hoped to battle on with JV44 but the unsuitable mountain airfields prevented the famous fighter wing from doing much to delay the inevitable. So the beautiful Alpine meadows became the final resting place for what was potentially the most formidable fighter unit of the war. In just a few days the jets were left abandoned. Their short, exhilarating war, consigned to history. |
End Game by Nicolas Trudgian. For bomber crews, any daylight-bombing mission almost certainly meant combat. If it werent the attentions of determined Luftwaffe fighter pilots, it would be an aerial carpet of flak that welcomed the bombers en route to the target - and again on the journey home. On most missions the Eighth Air Force aircrews had to contend with both. Enduring up to ten hours of concentrated flying under cramped conditions, extreme cold, with the constant noise and vibration produced by four powerful engines, made every mission uncomfortable enough without being shot at. But the USAAF aircrews confronted the odds - a one in three chance of completing a 25-mission tour of operations - cheerfully and with gallant resolve. Playing a major role in the great raids on Germany and other targets in occupied Europe from early in 1944, equipped with the Consolidated B-24 Liberator, the USAAF Second Air Division flew no fewer than 95,048 sorties. Based in Norfolk, England, the crews also attacked targets far distant in Norway, Poland and Rumania, unloading almost 100,000 tons of bombs and claiming over 1000 enemy fighters shot down. Published 2001. |
Jet Strike by Nicolas Trudgian (AP) Arguably the most significant fighter leader of World War II, Adolf Galland took command of all German day and night fighters, but was in constant dispute with Luftwaffe supreme, Goering, who ultimately sacked him. Reinstated by Hitler, Galland returned to active combat in the final year of the war, commanding the legendary JV44 fighter wing, flying the Me262 jet. The great Adolf Galland ended the war as he had begun - flying fighters in daily combat, the only serving General ever to lead a combat wing in action. Gallands Me262s of JV-44 climbing to intercept a formation of B-17s in April, 1945. |
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