Warbird Information Exchange

One of the questions I asked Gabby was what did he feel were the most important qualities of a fighter pilot and what made the Jug a winner
1) qualities of a good combat pilot, gods gifted eyesight,peripheral vision,good judgement. team player. Positive combat attitiude on part of commanders. the 56th was a molded team from the top leaders to element positions
2)thunderbolt qualities- take punishment in combat, 8 machine guns mission was escort,2000 hp engine w/water injection made it a superior fighter over adversary.
A little prayer occasionaly didn't hurt.
God Bless
Gabby Gabreski

I can remember reading about his work with the long island rail system and when we first got the internet I did a search for him, found a phone number and gave it a shot, he answered and when I asked if this was the famous 56th fg ace he said "who wants to know" and something about the police looking for him. I asked if he might be willing to write some words on a litho of his Jug and he said sure but said wait about 6 weeks as he had just broken his arm and it would take that long to get the cast off. After waiting I reconfirmed that it was alright to send the litho and he kindly wrote those words.
I sent him some smoked salmon as a thank you
Gary

I only have three, two by Keith Woodcock and bought when I was in England, a big print by him of the B-17 Memphis Belle over a snowy scene returning to base, a smaller print by him of the Battle of Britain memorial flight (mainly featuring the Hurricane) over the English country side, and a small print by a guy named Les Vowles, his painted interpretation of a photo we have all seen where a guy is guiding a couple of Corsairs on a pacific island with palm trees in the background. All the rest of my aviation decor
is a collection of photos by myself, Denise, Dick Phillips, Ken Dawson, Phil Makanna, my friend Steve in England, one Richard Allnutt of these forums and some other folks. The one by Makanna is a funny one, his feet framing the Weeks B-26 high over Florida (it used to be at the bottom of his website).

Mark

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Mark Morris

That's a secondary market print, but you can still find it if you search on the internet. I don't have the print, but I guess the question is "how much are you willing to pay"?. Anything can be bought for the right price.

Here are some places that still sell it:

http://www.virginia-bader.com/blacsheepsqu.html

http://www.artprints.com/-ap/Black-Shee ... _p689_.htm

I also see it from time to time on Ebay, so keep your eyes open. Good luck!

I just have a few of my pix and 11 years of Ghosts that I change out as the urge strikes but I have several in aviation art books that I wish I had the full size real mccoy. My fave is "Little Willie Coming Home" by Keith Ferris.
I first saw it about thirty years ago in the now defunct Sportsmans' Gallery in the Galleria in Houston but it was some time before I learned the story. What makes it special is that a couple of years ago I had the honor and privelege of showing Little Willie's copilot-I think his name was something like Malinowski-around Lone Star's Thunderbird. I was just introduced to him as a B-17 vet. In conversation, his grandsons asked him if it was 'just like Little Willie'. I about fell over and interrupted him to verify we were thinking of the same Little Willie.
He took his seat up front and went through 'the change'. He was a long way away, a long time ago with guys long gone. He went through his pre-flight, not quite touching things, whispering to himself. Then he started, shook his head and said "You moved that!" referring to the relocated landing gear retract switch.
I've about decided to take all my books with me whenever I'm at LSFM since I never know when I'll have the chance to meet these guys. I still have one in that same book that I want Dick Cole to sign. Keith Ferris also did a good one of Thunderbird.
See "BOMBER MISSIONS Aviation Art of World War Two." Barnes & Noble publ., 2006. Compiled by G.E. Patrick Murphy. There are companion volumes "Carrier War" and "Flying Aces." How many of y'all have these?
Hmmm..smells like my copilot has cookied ready.
blue skies & tailwinds,
Doug

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"I love the smell of 100LL in the morning."

That's a really nice print there, I wonder if he really flew that close to the B17?

My favourite print I have is "eismeer over Herdla" by Mark Postlethwaite, the sunset with the FW190s is stunning
http://www.skyscapes.net/eismeer.html
I have a few Trudgians too

My most prized print is :"The Hornet's Nest" which is a signed series and is #1 of 16 that is signed by 26 Doolittle Raiders. One reason that I love this painting is that John is a friend of mine and I loved seeing the painting from start to finish and the process along the way. It also helps that I am a B-25 fanatic and Doolittle is my favorite aviation hero.

Ryan

Hanging in my house right now I've got


Island Sentinels by Roy Garner



Combat Rescue by Philip E. West


Salute to the Jolly Rogers by Domenic DeNardo


The High and The Mighty by Mark McCandlish


I've also got JG-52 Comrades In Arms by Mike Howard along with about ten other pieces but they are all hanging at my parents house in Texas because I don't have room for them here at my house.

My prize possesion is these two framed pictures of John Dimmer's Wildcats, the F4F is now in Hawaii, taken by John Dibbs.


This was given to us as a wedding present by my good friend Gary Wagner. He is also the person who framed all my other prints along with all the "thanks for playing" prints and "I love me pictures" that I've recieved from the Air Force over the years. Gary has an outstanding collection of art and he's been good enough to loan much of it to the Olympic Flight Museum over the years. He's an outstanding framer.

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Brad

That is a really beautiful painting.

I also had the luck of meeting Mr. Stigler quite a few years back before his passing. He was a kind man, and I choose to believe the store. Everyone's allowed to choose their own beliefs.

Cheers,

David

Brad-

Nice stuff....I am familiar with some of those prints, believe the Corsair one is by Dominic DeNardo, could be wrong, but love the angle on the Corsairs that he did....also like 'The High and the Mighty' of the B-25's over an erupting Vesuvius in Italy....never saw the Wildcat ones before.....definitely the start of a good solid collection.

Mark

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Mark Morris