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Milne Bay - The Turning Point by Robert Taylor. (B) - Aviation Art Prints

Milne Bay - The Turning Point by Robert Taylor. (B)


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Milne Bay - The Turning Point by Robert Taylor. (B)

The Battle for Milne Bay in New Guinea was a story of true grit, determination, and valour; it was the moment when the Imperial Japanese Army tasted defeat on land for the first time in nearly three centuries. In the space of two weeks, the Japanese attempt to capture Milne Bay was halted, and any ambitions they might have held to invade Australia thwarted. And that victory was due in no small part to the Kittyhawks of 75 and 76 Squadrons RAAF. After the Japanese had invaded the north of New Guinea, their main objective was to take Port Moresby in the south. But defeat at the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942 put an end to any invasion of Port Moresby by sea: instead they must strike across the Owen Stanley Ranges via the Kokoda Trail. Protecting Port Moresbys eastern flank was the key strategic natural harbour at Milne Bay, and in June 1942 American engineers, protected by Australian troops, began construction of the first of three proposed airstrips to be hacked out of the steaming jungle. Within a few weeks they had laid the first runway, formed by laying steel matting in almost impossible conditions. With heavy rain falling almost continuously, it was an extraordinary feat. Four days later the Kittyhawks of 75 and 76 Squadrons, RAAF, took up residence, together with a few Hudsons of 6 and 32 Squadrons to provide long-range reconnaissance. On the night of 25th August 1942, in torrential rain, a Japanese invasion force began their landin in the bay. With the Australian troops bitterly contesting every yard, the fighting was savage and bloody; conditions in the jungle battleground were wet, nuddy, and atrocious. At first light the next morning the Kittyhawks and Hudsons immediately joined the battle, flying continuous raids against the Japanese forces. Sortie after sortie, strafing and bombing the enemy troops, their landing barges and stores. For the next eleven days the bitter battle raged, the Australian troops fighting in savage hand to hand combat as the Japanese were halted at No.3 airstrips permieter. But eventually the Japanese were spent as a fighting force. With no hope of reinforcement, they were forced to withdraw. A quarter of their invasion force had been lost. Robert Taylors powerful painting depicts Kittyhawks from 75 and & 76 Squadrons RAAF, returning to No 1 Strip after attacking Japanese positions during the Battle for Milne Bay. Under the starboard wing of the lead aircraft, Polly, the smoke of action is clearly visible as the Japanese press from their landing site, along the coast towards the airstrip. Polly, now beautifully restored, resides in the Australian War Memorial Museum in Canberra, a tribute to the men and machines who stopped the Japanese in New Guinea.


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Item Code : DHM1769BMilne Bay - The Turning Point by Robert Taylor. (B) - This Edition
TYPEEDITION DETAILSSIZESIGNATURESOFFERSYOUR PRICEPURCHASING
PRINT Collectors edition of 150 prints.

Paper size 25 inches x 19 inches (64cm x 48cm) Image size 20 inches x 15 inches (51cm x 38cm) Booth-Jones, Peter
Cowan, Raife J
Glassop, Ross H
Gould, A J Nat
Todd, Noel C
Watson, Bruce D
Kerry, H A Harry
Tucker, Arthur D
+ Artist : Robert Taylor


Signature(s) value alone : £205
£225.00

Quantity:
All prices on our website are displayed in British Pounds Sterling



Other editions of this item : Milne Bay - The Turning Point by Robert Taylor.DHM1769
TYPEEDITION DETAILSSIZESIGNATURESOFFERSYOUR PRICEPURCHASING
PRINT Signed limited edition of 400 prints, numbered 151 - 550. Paper size 25 inches x 19 inches (64cm x 48cm) Image size 20 inches x 15 inches (51cm x 38cm) Kerry, H A Harry
Tucker, Arthur D
+ Artist : Robert Taylor


Signature(s) value alone : £55
£165.00VIEW EDITION...
ARTIST
PROOF
Limited edition of 50 artist proofs. Paper size 25 inches x 19 inches (64cm x 48cm) Image size 20 inches x 15 inches (51cm x 38cm) Booth-Jones, Peter
Kerry, H A Harry
Tucker, Arthur D
+ Artist : Robert Taylor


Signature(s) value alone : £80
£295.00VIEW EDITION...
PRINT Publishers Proof edition of 75 prints.

SOLD OUT.
Paper size 25 inches x 19 inches (64cm x 48cm) Image size 20 inches x 15 inches (51cm x 38cm) Booth-Jones, Peter
Cowan, Raife J
Glassop, Ross H
Gould, A J Nat
Todd, Noel C
Watson, Bruce D
Whitlam, Gough
Kerry, H A Harry
Tucker, Arthur D
+ Artist : Robert Taylor


Signature(s) value alone : £235
SOLD
OUT
VIEW EDITION...
General descriptions of types of editions :


Signatures on this item
*The value given for each signature has been calculated by us based on the historical significance and rarity of the signature. Values of many pilot signatures have risen in recent years and will likely continue to rise as they become more and more rare.
NameInfo
Flight Lieutenant A J Nat Gould
*Signature Value : £25

Joined the RAAF in April 1940 and trained in Australia. Nat sailed to the UK in December 1940 and attended 56 OTU at Sutton Bridge. In April 1941 he joined 17 Sqn RAF and in September joined 134 Sqn equipped with Hurricanes and sailed aboard HMS Argus for Murmansk, USSR. After some ops, Nat returned to the UK in December and converted to Spitfires. He then sailed for Australia in March 1942 and joined 75 Sqn RAAF equipped with Kittyhawks. He flew to New Guinea in July and participated in the Battle of Milne Bay and on 28th August twice flew S A29-133 on ops and remained with 75 Sqn until December. After instructing at 2 OTU, Nat was posted in October 1943 to 457 Sqn equipped with Spitfires at Darwin. After 12 months of operations he returned to 2 OTU. In June 1945, Gould transferred to RANVR for service with the RN. Nat Gould commanded 816 Firefly and 806 Sea Fury Sqns during Korea.
Flight Lieutenant Arthur D Tucker
*Signature Value : £30

Joined the RAAF in March 1941. Arthur Friar Tucker was trained and commissioned in Australia and flew Wirraways until October 1941. In March 1942 he was posted to 75 Sqn being formed at Townsville. In late March, Tucker went north with the squadrom and flew and fought with Jacksons Few during the legendary forty four day Battle for Port Moresby. During this period he was credited with downing Japanese Ace Miyazaki - later confirmed by Saburo Sakai. After withdrawing to Australia on 4th May to rest and re-equip, he flew S A29-133 during preparations for 75 Sqns return to New Guinea in July. Tucker participated in many scraps and strafing ops during the Battle for Milne Bay in August. In January 1943 he was posted to the new 86 Sqn equipped with Kittyhawks. During September he was credited with a Zero confirmed near Merauke. Arthur ended the war with 2 confirmed victories, a number of probables and several damaged.
Flight Lieutenant Noel C Todd
*Signature Value : £30

Joined the RAAF in November 1940. Noel trained in Australia and gained his wings in Canada. Commissioned as Pilot Officer, he sailed to the UK in 1941 and attended a Spitfire OTU then posted to 501 Sqn equipped with Spitfire Vs. Noel was seconded to Australia and joined 75 Sqn in June 1942. Flying Kittyhawks he took part in the Battle of Milne Bay during August / September 1942. After returning to Australia to rest and re-equip, Todd returned to Milne Bay with the squadronin February 1943. In April, Flg Off Todd flew A29-133 during a patrol from Milne Bay and on 14th April claimed a Zero destroyed during 75 Sqns last major air to air battle of the war when one hundred Japanese planes attacked Milne Bay. He remained with the squadron for much of 1943 and was then posted as a Test Pilot to the Aircraft Performance Unit at Laverton. Noel Todd ended his service career testing aircraft at 2 OTU.
Flight Lieutenant Raife J Cowan
*Signature Value : £20

Joined the RAAF in May 1940 and attended EFTS in Australia and gained his wings in Canada. Early in 1941, Raife sailed to the UK and converted to Spitfires at 57 OTU Hawarden. In April 1942 he joined 452 Sqn RAAF being formed at Kirton in Lindsay, Lincolnshire. On 16th June 1941 he was hospitalised after a night flying prang until re-joining the squadron at Kenley during September. Raife flew operations with 452 Sqn until the squadron was posted to Australia for the defence of Darwin. On 24th June he joined 75 Sqn which was re-forming at Kingaroy after their epic forty four day Battle at Port Moresby. Cowan flew to New Guinea in July and participated in the Battle of Milne Bay during August and September, then withdrew to Australia with the squadron. In February 1943 Raife was posted to 2 OTU Mildura as an instructor on Spitfires, Kittyhawks and Wirraways. On 3rd August 1945 Raife Cowan was posted as CO to 78 Sqn at Tarakan until the end of the war.
Flight Lieutnenant H A Harry Kerr MID
*Signature Value : £25

Joined the RAAF in May 1941 and trained in Australia and was at 1 OTU Sale on Wirraways until 13th March 1942. Harry was posted to 76 Sqn Archerfield late that month and flew his first Kittyhawk A29-31 on 24th March at Townsville. Kerr departed Townsville with the newly formed squadron on July 18th, arriving at Milne Bay on 24th July. He flew his first operation on 26th July on an anti submarine patrol and on 11th August engaged his first Zero followed by an engine failure and subsequent dead stick landing on No.1 strip. Kerr participated in many successful strafing ops and Hudson bomber escorts during August and September and remained with 76 until they withdrew to the mainland on 24th September and left the squadron at Strauss in December 1942. Harry was posted to 2 OTU as an instructor from March 1943 until February 1944. He joined 78 Sqn equipped with Kittyhawks on Anzac Day 1944 and operated from Hollandia, then Morotai until January 1945 and finished the war at 2 OTU.
Group Captain Ross H Glassop DFC* MID
*Signature Value : £25

Joined the RAAF in March 1941 and trained in Australia. In November 1941, Sgt Glassop joined 22 Sqn and in January 1942 was posted to 24 Sqn based at Rabaul with Wirraways. He was en route to Townsville when 24 Sqn was decimated by the Japanese. Ross was attached to 76 Sqn at Townsville on 24th May and flew his first Kittyhawk that same day. Arriving at Milne Bay on 24th July, he shot down a Zero strafing No.1 strip on 24th August. Glassop participated in many successful strafing ops during the battle and remained with 76 until they withdrew to Australia on 22nd September. In March 1943 he was posted to 2 OTU as an instructor until November 1943. Ross joined 5 Sqn equipped with Boomerangs in June 1944 and in November moved to Bouganville until the end of the war. Flt Lt Ross Glassop was awarded the DFC in February 1945 and a bar and MID whilst serving in Korea flying Mustangs and Meteors with 77 Sqn RAAF.
Squadron Leader Bruce D Watson DFC
*Signature Value : £25

Joined the RAAF in December 1940. After initial training in Australia, gained his wings and graduated as a Pilot Officer in Canada. He sailed to the UK in 1941, then posted to 32 Sqn equipped with Hurricanes at Manston, gaining 2.5 victories. He then returned to Australia and joined 75 Sqn in June 1942. Flying Kittyhawks, Bruce took part in the Battle of Milne Bay as A Flight Commander and on 27th August 1942 he and Flg Off Peter Jones attacked 3 Val Dive Bombers over the Bay. They were credited with sharing 1 destroyed, 1 probable and 1 damaged. After serving at Milne Bay, he was posted to 2 OTU as an instructor. When Clive Caldwell formed 80 Fighter Wing RAAF in April 1944, he selected Watson to lead 457 Sqn. Bruce led the squadron from Darwin to, and operated from Morotai. Watsons Spitfire marked ZP-W was the first to wear the famed Grey Nurse scheme which the entire squadron adopted.
Squadron Leader Peter Booth-Jones DFC
*Signature Value : £25

Joined the RAAF in January 1941. After initial training in Australia, gained his wings and graduated as a Pilot Officer in Canada. Peter was posted to 58 OTU in the UK and converted to Spitfires, then posted to 118 Sqn at Ibsley until March 1942. He then returned to Australia and joined 75 Sqn in Juner 1942. Flying Kittyhawks Peter took part in the Battle of Milne Bay and on 27th August, he and Flt Lt Bruce Watson attacked 3 Val Dive Bombers over the Bay. They were credited with sharing 1 destroyed, 1 probable and 1 damaged. On 27th November he flew S A29-133 on a scramble from Cairns and again on 1st December. He was posted as an instructor to 2 OTU Mildura until September 1944. Sqn Ldr Jones was posted as CO to 76 Sqn based at Noemfoor, then Morotai, Sanga Sanga and Labuan until the end of the war.
The Aircraft :
NameInfo
KittyhawkCurtiss Kittyhawk, single engine fighter with a top speed of 362mph, ceiling of 30,000 feet and a range of 1190 miles with extra fuel tanks but 900 miles under normal operation. Kitty Hawk armaments was four or six .50in machine guns in the wings and a bomb load of up to 1,000 lb's. A development of the earlier Tomahawk, the Kitty Hawk saw service in may air force's around the world, American, Australian, New Zealand, and the Royal Air Force. which used them in the Mediterranean, north Africa, and Malta. from January 1942/ apart from the large numbers used by the Us Air Force, over 3,000 were used by Commonwealth air force's including the Royal air Force.

ARTIST

Robert Taylor



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