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A rare Robert Taylor print featuring P-51 Mustangs of the 78th Fighter Group.

With the morning sun glinting on their fuselages, P-51 Mustangs of the 78th Fighter Group cross the Dutch coastline far below, heading back towards their base at Duxford, England at the end of a long sweep east of the Rhine crossing in Spring 1945. The final months of the war in Europe lie ahead, and for the P-51 pilots the victory is within sight. Robert Taylor’s visually poetic masterpiece, Opening Sky, pays tribute to the American P-51 Mustang fighter pilots who flew and fought for freedom during World War II.

The third in Robert Taylor’s popular Tribute series, the Artist Proof Edition of this print was just 75 copies and was presented mounted to include fifteen extra signatures, all veteran USAAF combat pilots. It sold out shortly after release.

Opening Sky Artist Proof Edition - The Signatories

Colonel CLARENCE ‘BUD’ ANDERSON - 357th FG / 16.25 victories
Lieutenant Colonel CLYDE EAST - 10th Photo Recon Group / 14.5 victories
Colonel ART FIEDLER - 325th FG / 8 victories
Major BILL ALLEN - 55th FG / 5 victories
Captain JIM BROOKS - 31st FG/ 13 victories
Captain CLINTON BURDICK - 356th FG/ 5.5 victories
Captain WAYNE COLEMAN - 78th FG/ 5 victories
First Lieutenant RAYMOND ‘TED’ CONLIN - 357th FG
Lieutenant Colonel DON CUMMINGS - 27th, 55th FG/ 6.5 victories
Major URBAN DREW - 361st FG/ 6 victories
Lieutenant Colonel BOB GOEBEL - 31st FG/ 11 victories
Lieutenant Colonel ROBERT A. KARR - 52nd FG/ 6 victories
Colonel WALKER ‘BUD’ MAHURIN - 56th, 3rd, 51st FG /24.25 victories
Colonel STEVE PISANOS - 4th FG/ 10 victories
First Lieutenant JOHN SKARA - 357th FG
Second Lieutenant LOWELL STEWARD - 332nd FG (Tuskegee)
First Lieutenant CLINT WHITE - 31st FG
Brigadier General RUSSELL BERG - 10th Photo Recon Group
Colonel DON BLAKESLEE - 4th FG/ 14.5 victories
Major General CHARLES R. BOND - AVG/ 7 victories
Lieutenant Colonel ‘KIT’ CARSON - 357th FG/ 18.5 victories
Major HERSCHEL ‘HERKY’ GREEN - 325th FG/ 18 victories
Colonel DAVID ‘TEX’ HILL - AVG, 23rd FG/ 15.25 victories
Lieutenant Colonel FRANK D. HURLBUT - 82nd FG/ 9 victories
Major JACK M. ILFREY - 1st FG, 20th FG/ 7.5 victories
Lieutenant Colonel ROBERT JOHNSON - 56th FG/ 27 victories
Major General CARROL ‘RED’ McCOLPIN - 71, 133 Sqn RAF, 404th FG/ 8 victories
Brigadier General ROBIN OLDS - 479th FG, 8th TFW/ 17 victories
Major RICHARD ‘BUD’ PETERSON - 357th FG / 15.5 victories
Lieutenant Colonel KENNETH A. WALSH - VMF-124, VMF-222/ 21 victories
Colonel GERALD BROWN USAAF - 55th FG/ 5 victories
Colonel FRANCIS ‘GABBY’ GABRESKI - 56th FG, 4th, 51st FIW/ 34.25 victories

Overall size mounted  27.5 x 17 inches.

Opening Sky Artist Proof Edition by Robert Taylor

We a selling a mint condition copy of this print on behalf of one of our collectors. It was purchased directly from ourselves at the time of issue and has been stored flat and dark since. It has the original Certificate of Authenticity.

£495  (plus £15 insured UK shipping)

Call us for more information: 0121 355 1333
Reference: SFB047

This print can be purchased using our Lay-Away scheme.

 

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