|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cranston Fine Arts  Naval Art and Artists World War Two  Print List |
[UP] - Ships - Countries - D-Day (Operation Neptune) - Postcards - Print List |
| Navigation | |
| Page 9 of 16 | Previous .. Page 9 .. Next |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Navigation | |
| Page 9 of 16 | Previous .. Page 9 .. Next |
| Text for the above items : |
Big Tailed Beast by Stan Stokes. On July 24, 1945, Air Group 87 on board the USS Ticonderoga was informed that the Hyuga, anchored off a small island near Kure, Japan, would be its target. The ship, a WW I vintage battleship which had been modernized in 1936, and later converted to part battleship and part sea plane tender, would be a formidable objective with its impressive firepower and the fact that its location would place the attackers in the line of fire of numerous shore batteries. The ship was 704 feet in length, displaced 39,000 tons, and carried a compliment of Aichi E16A1 Zuiun reconaissance aircraft which were code named Paul by the Allies. Lt Cdr. Kanaga would lead the squadrons Curtiss SB2C Helldivers on the attack. Each of the twelve Helldivers would carry a 1,000 pound bomb in the internal bomb bay, a 260 pound fragmentation bomb under one wing and a droppable wing tank under the other wing. The drop tank weighed substantially more than the 260 pounder so it was anticipated that the Helldivers might be a bit unstable on takeoff. The first aircraft launched, that of Lt. Al Matteson, went into a immediate hard right turn given the uneven wing loading, and hit the water hard. The other Helldivers managed to become airborne, and eventually joined up for the outbound leg of the mission. The plan was for the Helldivers to dive bomb the Hyuga while torpedo bombers made glide bombing attacks, as the water was too shallow for use of torpedoes. In Stan Stokes painting entitled Big Tailed Beast, an SB2C-4E piloted by Lt. H. Paul Brehm pulls out over its target. Anti-aircraft fire is fierce, and the Hyuga is partially obscured by the incredible amount of smoke being generated by its AA guns. Lt. Brehm has decided to make his dive without dive flaps, hoping to make himself a faster moving target for the Hyugas gunners. During Brehms dive, the SB2C of Lt. Vaughn, which was immediately in front of him, went straight down, crashing next to the Hyuga in a great splash of white foam. Brehm released his bomb and pulled out very low over the target. He momentarily blacked out, and his windscreen fogged over. Brehm and his gunner W. Tommy Thompson, could feel the jolt from their 1000 pounder as it scored a direct hit. Returning to their Task Force low on fuel and in bad weather, Brehm was forced to ditch his Helldiver, but he and Thompson were rescued within minutes by the USS Chauncey. The mission was successful, but was not without cost as more than half the attacking Helldivers failed to return safely. The Curtiss SB2C was the last combat aircraft produced by Curtiss-Wright for the US Navy. The aircraft entered service in late 1943 supplementing the Navys SBD Dauntless dive bomber force. More than 7,000 of these large single engine aircraft were produced, with the most widely produced variant being the SB2C-4. Helldivers were capable of carrying a 2,000 pound bomb load, and could also be modified to be used in the torpedo bombing role. Referred to as The Big Tailed Beast by many of its pilots, the Helldiver had a top speed approaching 280-MPH, but also had the reputation of being one of the most difficult carrier based aircraft to land. As a result, many of the Helldivers lost during the War were victims of landing accidents. |
The Chase, 27th May 1941 by Randall Wilson. HMS King George V and HMS Rodney chase down the crippled German battleship, Bismarck, and within hours they will go into action. |
Bismarck by Ivan Berryman. Fairey Swordfish I, L9726 4M of 818 Sqn, HMS Ark Royal pulls a tight, climbing turn through a hail of anti-aircraft fire as its torpedo strikes home, jamming the steering gear of the mighty Bismarck and setting in motion the beginning of her dramatic end. |
HMS Malaya at Capetown by Ivan Berryman. No text for this item |
U-269 by Ivan Berryman. This limited edition print depicts the Type VIIC U-Boat U269 during an engagement in the English Channel with a B24 Liberator from 224 Squadron based at St Eval in Cornwall. |
North Atlantic Predator by Ivan Berryman. U-99 was commanded by Otto Kretschmer from launch in 1940 until being sunk in March 1941, less than a year later. However, during this time U-99 became one of the most successful submarines of the war, claiming almost 40 ships sunk. Attached to each side of the coning tower is a horseshoe, dredged up by the anchor, painted gold and positioned here for luck. This luck ran out on 17th March 1941 when the destroyers HMS Walker and HMS Vanoc discovered and successfully attacked U-99. Forced to the surface by severe damage, the submarine was then scuttled while forty of the crew including Kretschmer were rescued to become prisoners of war. |
HMS Dorsetshire by Ivan Berryman. The heavy cruiser HMS Dorsetshire is brought up to sink the blazing wreck of the Bismarck with torpedoes at around 10:30 hours on the morning of May 27th 1941. The once proud German ship had been ruthlessly pounded into a twisted and burning wreck by the British battleships Rodney and King George V. HMS Dorsetshire and HMS Maori combed the area of the sinking for survivors, between them picking up a total of 110 out of an original complement of 2,300. |
HMS Euryalus by Ivan Berryman. HMS Euryalus, a Dido class cruiser, shown off the Bay of Naples. |
Swordfish Strike on U-451 by Jason Askew. (P) U-451 was sunk on 21st December 1941 near Tangiers, in position 35.55N, 06.08W, by depth charges from a British Swordfish aircraft (Sqdn. 812/A). There was just one survivor from the crew of 45. |
USS Colorado by Randall Wilson November 27, 1944. during the Leyte Gulf campaign, the USS Colorado (BB-45) was struck by two Japanese kamikaze aircraft. The attack caused significant superstructure damage, ignited large fires, and resulted in 91 casualties (19 killed, 72 wounded) among the crew. Despite this, the ship continued to operate, supporting further operations in the Philippines. Cranston Fine Arts have arranged with the artist Randall Wilson to produce a low cost limited edition of 100 prints only. Numbered only, not signed. A canvas edition also available. |
HMS Medway by Ivan Berryman HMS Medway was the first Royal navy submarine Depot ship that was designed for the purpose from the outset. She is shown here with a quintet of T-class submarines on her starboard side, whilst an elderly L-Class begins to move away having completed replenishment. HMS Medway was sunk on 30th June 1940 having been torpedoed by U-372 off Alexandria. |
Breakout by Randall Wilson. The Bismarck is seen taking the lead from the Prinz Eugen on the breakout from Bergen May 1941. |
HMS York by Randall Wilson During WWII HMS York escorted convoys in the Atlantic and participated in the Norwegian Campaign in 1940. In Late 1940 HMS York was transferred to the Mediterranean where she escorted convoys and the larger ships of the Mediterranean Fleet. She was wrecked in an attack by Italian explosive motorboats of the 10th Flotilla MAS at Suda Bay, Crete, in March 1941. Cranston Fine Arts have arranged with the artist Randall Wilson to produce a low cost limited edition of 100 prints only. Numbered only, not signed. A canvas edition also available. |
HMS Kelly by Robert Taylor. HMS Kelly leaving the Grand Harbour, Malta in 1941 with HMS Warspite in the background. HMS Kellys captain was Lord Mountbatten. |
To Sink the Bismarck by Gerald Coulson. It is 7.15pm on 25th May 1941. The place, North Atlantic. The mission to find and sink the massive German warship Bismarck. The weather was very bad and worsening noticeably with storm force winds, rain squalls and increasingly heavy seas. With seemingly impossible flying conditions, Ark Royal launched its second strike of the day of fifteen swordfish, four each from 810 and 818 squadrons and seven from 820 squadron. Coming under intense fire the pilots came in very low and close and dropped their torpedo on the target. Eventually the Bismarck's fate was sealed by the guns of the Home Fleet. |
Hotspur by Anthony Saunders HMS Hotspur is shown on Convoy protection duties during 1942 / 1943. HMS Hotspur, the H class destroyer, was built by Scotts at Greenock and launched 23rd March 1936. Participated in the first Battle of Narvik, April 1940 and the Battle of Cape Matapan in March 1941. In April 1941 took part in the evacuation of Greece and sank the German U-Boat U79 in the Mediterranean north of Sollum on 23rd December 1941. Sold to the Dominican Republic on 23rd November 1948 and renamed Trujillo. |
HMS Cossack by Ivan Berryman. HMS Cossack, one of the fast Tribal class destroyers will always be remembered for the daring rescue of 300 prisoners of war from the German Altmark in Norwegian waters. She is shown here departing Grand Harbour, Malta. |
Scourge of the Deep - Leonardo da Vinci by Ivan Berryman. Under the command of Gianfranco Gazzana-Priaroggia, the Regia Marina submarine Leonardo da Vinci was to become the most successful non-German submarine of World War Two. On 21st April 1943, she encountered the liberty ship SS John Drayton which was returning, unladen, to Capetown from Bahrain and put two torpedoes into her before surfacing to finish her off with shells. The deadly reign of terror wrought by the combination of Gazzana-Priaroggia and his submarine came to an end just one month later when the Leonardo da Vinci was sunk by HMS Active and HMS Ness off Cape Finistere. |
HMS Rodney by Brian Wood. Destruction of Bismarck complete, and desperately low on fuel, Rodney turns for home 27th May 1941. |
Swordfish Attack on U-652 by Jason Askew. (P) On 2nd June 1942 U-652 was scuttled after sustaining heavy damage from an attack by Swordfish aircraft. All the crew of the submarine were safe as she was sunk by torpedoes from U-81. |
Pressing Home the Kill by Randall Wilson. Dauntless Dive Bombers Dive on the Battleship Musashi in the Sibuyan Sea, October 1944. |
|
Contact Details |
Sign Up To Our Newsletter!
This website is owned by Cranston Fine Arts. Torwood House, Torwoodhill Road, Rhu, Helensburgh, Scotland, G848LE Contact: Tel: (+44) (0) 1436 820269. Email: cranstonorders -at- outlook.com
|
