Aviation and WWII Autographed Lithographs
20 Lots
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Lot 217. Peter Archer’s Famous “Go To It” Print with Richard Todd and John Howard Signatures. Archer’s 1982 print portrays British Cpl. Thomas Waters, a wireless operator, running across the Caen Canal Bridge under heavy fire in the early hours of D-Day, June 6, 1944. For his heroism in laying and maintaining the field telephone line, Water received the Military Medal. Maj. Howard is the British officer who led the assault on Caen Canal Bridge, now known as Pegasus Bridge, and the River Orne Bridge, known today as Hosa Bridge. There are two autographs of Howard, both on first day covers, one commemorating Operation Overlord, and the other, the D-Day Landing and the capture of Pegasus Bridge. Howard passed away in 1999. Todd joined Howard in signing the Pegasus Bridge first day cover. The autographs are mint 9 to gem mint 10s. Todd, who died in 2009, was an Irish-born British actor who appeared in numerous movie and theatre roles. He is perhaps best known for two roles, as wing commander Guy Gibson in the 1955 movie “The Dam Busters,” and as Peter Marshall in “A Man Called Peter.” A captain in the 7th Parachute Battalion of the British 6th Airborne Division in WWII, Todd was one of the first officers to land in Normandy. Todd’s unit served as reinforcements for the first assault that included Waters. He joined Howard in thwarting several German counter-attacks at Pegasus Bridge. Interestingly, in the 1962 movie “The Longest Day,” Todd played Howard. The print and signed envelopes are professionally double-matted and framed to 28 ½” x 30 ½”. Autographs authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $113.
Lot 218. Colorful “The Memphis Belle” 1944 Movie Poster Signed by Robert Morgan, the Pilot. The 18” x 25” poster, a reproduction from the Memphis Belle Memorial Assoc., features stunning vintage artwork. The plane’s pilot, Robert Morgan, placed a large, bold, gem mint 10 signature on the vg poster. Autograph authenticated by Kevin Keating. During World War II, Morgan commanded planes in both the European and Pacific Theaters. He passed away in 2004.
Winning Bid $68.
Lot 219. Roy Grinnell “First American Ace” Print Signed by 36 U.S. Fighter Aces. Grinnell’s 24” x 30” lithograph honors Maj. Raoul Gervais Lufbery, a French-American who recorded 16 victories while flying for France in World War I. Born in France, Lufbery had an American father and French mother. In late 1917, he was commissioned as a major in the U.S. Army Air Service. He was killed in air combat in May 1918. Grinnell’s artwork shows Lufbery achieving his fifth victory, during “Oberndorf Raid” over Germany on Oct. 12, 1926. The nm-m print, part of the American Flier Aces” series, is signed by Grinnell and 29 American aces: Boots Blesse, James Brooks, Dean Caswell, George Chandler, Chick Cleveland, Bud Coats, Clyde Curtin, Archie Donahue, James Empey, Joe Forster, Frank Gailer Jr., Hoot Gibson, Clayton Kelly Gross, Bill Hardy, “Tex” Hill, Arthur Jeffrey, Diz Laird, Richard Lee, John Loisel and Norman Wesley Mollard, Jim Morehead, Ralph Parr, Robert Rankin, Steve Ritchie, Alden Rigby, Arval Roberson, Herb Ross, Darrell Welch and Ed “Wendy” Wendorf. This is a quality lithograph offered elsewhere for $395. Autographs authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $113.
Lot 220. Autograph of Football Executive Joe Foss on a Grinnell Print, “Number Twenty for Joe.” Foss was the leading U.S. Marine Corps fighter ace of World War II with 26 kills, a recipient of the Medal of Honor, the 20th governor of South Dakota and commissioner of the American Football League during most of its existence. He has a good chance to make it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Foss passed away in 2003. His pencil signature on the print is a 10. Grinnell’s artwork shows Foss, flying an F4F-4 Wildcat, shooting down a Japanese bomber on Jan. 25, 1943, for his 20th victory of the war. He shot down two additional planes that day. The 24” x 30” lithograph, #603 of 1250, is from Roy Grinnell’s “American Fighter Aces” series. Grinnell also signed the nm-m print, which has an image of Foss next to his signature. Comes with an American Fighter Aces Certificate of Authenticity. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $154.
Lot 221. Roy Grinnell “A Record for Russo” Print Signed by WWII Mustang Ace Michael Russo. On Dec. 30, 1943 over Italy, Russo scored his fifth aerial victory, which made him the first Mustang ace of World War II. He was also the only ace who flew the Allison-powered A-36. Russo signed the 30” x 24” lithograph in pencil; his signature is a 10. Grinnell also signed. The print is #50 of only 50 produced as part of the American Fighter Aces Series. The print is rolled and nm overall with some minor corner creases. It comes with a Certificate of Authenticity from the American Fighter Aces Association. Autographs authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $40.
Lot 222. Roy Grinnell Print Signed by Ken Walsh, Fighter Ace and Medal of Honor Recipient. With 21 victories, Walsh was the fourth leading U.S. Marine Corps fighter ace of World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for service in the Solomon Islands in 1943. The 24” x 30” print, #1130 of 1250, depicts Walsh at Guadalcanal on May 13, 1943. Walsh became the first F4U-1 Corsair ace with three victories that day. Both Walsh and the artist signed the nm-m print in pencil. Their signatures are 9s. Comes with an American Fighter Aces Certificate of Authenticity. Autographs authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $113.
Lot 223. “A Wolfpack Salute” Very Limited Edition Print Signed by 3 WWII Fighter Aces. Artwork by Roy Grinnell depicts four P-47 aircraft flown by members of the 56th Fighter Group, the highest-scoring U.S. fighter unit ever. Three of the unit’s top scorers autographed the print: Gabby Gabreski, who had 28 victories; Bud Mahurin, 19, and Jerry Johnson, 16.5. Their pencil signatures and the artist’s are 9s and 10s in pencil. The nm-m 20 ½” x 27” lithograph (13 ½” x 22” image area) is one of only 50 Artist’s Proof signed by the three aviators at the Yankee Air Museum 56th Fighter Group Symposium in 2001. Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity from Grinnell. Autographs authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $50.
Lot 224. Lithograph Signed by U.S., RAF, Soviet and German Pilots. Jay Ashurst, the artist for many of the “Gathering of Eagles” prints, created the artwork for this 16” x 20” print for the 1998 Aviation History Symposium sponsored by the International Association of Eagles and the National Air and Space Society. The print is signed in pencil by Wm R Lawley (d. 1999), B-17 Flying Fortress pilot with the 305th Bomb Group and Medal of Honor recipient; Bill Reid (d. 2001), Scottish WWII pilot with the RAF Bomber Command and recipient of the Victoria Cross; Vitali Popkov (d. 2010), USSR fighter acre credited with 41 victories, and Gunter Rall (d. 2009), German WWI pilot and the third most successful fighter ace in history. Gem mint 10 signatures, nm-m print, #8 of 1000. Comes with a “Wings of Valor” booklet with biographical information on the four signers. Autographs authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Minimum Bid $25.
Lot 225. Lithograph Signed by Aviation Heroes – Davis, Mahurin, Thorsness and Jackson. All four signed Jay Ashurst artwork titled “87 Tactical Airpower.” Ben Davis commanded the Tuskegee Airmen, flew 60 mission in WWII and became the first African-American general in the U.S. Air force. Bud Mahurin was a WWII double ace in the European Theater, the sixth-highest U.S. P-47 ace and shot down 3.5 MiG-15s in Korea for a total of 24.25 victories. Leo Thorsness, a Vietnam fighter pilot, was awarded the Medal of Honor. Joe Jackson flew for the U.S. in three wars and earned the Medal of Honor for a heroic rescue in Vietnam in 1968. All four pilots and Ashurst signed in pencil. Their signatures are 10s. Autographs authenticated by Kevin Keating. The 16” x 20” print is nm-m.
Winning Bid $30.
Lot 226. Robert Taylor “Halifax” Bomber Print Signed by RAF Air Vice-Marshal Donald Bennett. The Handley Page Halifax was one of the four-engine heavy bombers the British Royal Air Force used throughout World War II. An Australian aviation pioneer, Bennett became the youngest air vice-marshal in the British Royal Air Force. He led the “Pathfinder Force” from 1942 until the end of the war. He was considered to be an outstanding pilot, navigator and technician. Bennett’s signature on the ex-m 19 ¾” x 23 ¾” print (15 ¼” x 20 ½” image and signature area) is a mint 9 to gem mint 10. He passed away in 1986. The print is from an edition of apparently 1,500. Autograph authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $30.
Lot 227. 1979 “Spitfire” Print by Robert Taylor Signed by RAF Aces Bader and Johnson. This lithograph reproduces one of Taylor’s earliest works. It is signed by (Sir) Douglas Bader (died 1982), who shot down 22 German aircraft in World War II despite being a double amputee, and Johnnie Johnson (d. 2001), whose 34 victories made him the highest scoring Western Allied flying ace in the European Theatre. Both signatures are 10s. This 20” x 24” open edition print will look great matted and framed. It has tack holes in the corners and some creases that only slightly affect the image area. Autographs authenticated by Kevin Keating. The signatures alone are worth our
Winning Bid $83.
Lot 228. Robert Taylor Print Autographed by RAF Air Vice-Marshall Johnnie Johnson. During World War II, Johnson was the highest-scoring Western Allied pilot against German Luftwaffe planes. He brought down 34 enemy aircraft and had some shared victories as well. Both Johnson and Taylor autographed the print in pencil; the signatures are 10s. The print is about 20” x 24” and has a couple of inoffensive creases. Autograph authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $30.
Lot 229. 1979 “Hurricane” Print by Robert Taylor Signed by RAF Pilot Bob Stanford Tuck. In World War II, Tuck commanded a squadron of Hawker Hurricane fighters for the British Royal Air Force. He was a fighter ace with 17 victories. Shot down over France, he spent two years in German prison camps before escaping. He passed away in 1987. Taylor’s 20” x 23 ¾” print (13” x 18” image area) captures four Hurricanes in flight. Nm-m. Tuck’s pencil autograph is a gem mint 10. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $30.
Lot 230. 1993 Print Signed by Geo. Gay, Sole Torpedo Squadron 8 Survivor at Midway (1942). Artwork by Jim Griffiths, titled “Go in and get a hit,” shows Ensign Gay flying his Douglas TBD Devastator toward the Japanese aircraft carrier Kaga at the Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942. A short time earlier, Gay and 14 other pilots and their radiomen had taken off from the USS Hornet – without fighter support. The other planes were shot down, and the crew members killed. With his radioman mortally wounded, Gay was able to complete his torpedo run. His plane was shot down before he could return to the Hornet. While floating in the ocean, he survived dive bombing attacks by Japanese Zeroes, and he watched as three Japanese carriers were sunk. Gay passed away in 1994 after signing only about 200 of these lithographs (from an edition of 2,000). The 21” x 29” lithograph has a 15 ¾” x 24” image area and is nm-m. Gay’s signature is pencil is a 10. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $75.
Lot 231. 1981 Battle of Midway “Sole Survivor” Print Signed by Geo. Gay and Artist Reynolds. Gay, the sole survivor of Torpedo Squadron 8 Midway on June 4, 1942 passed away in 1994. William J. Reynolds, the artist, died in 2008. Both signed this 21 ¾” x 23 ¾” lithograph in pencil; their signatures are 10s. Of 30 crew members (15 planes, each with a pilot and radioman) who took off from the USS Hornet to drop torpedoes on Japanese aircraft carriers, only Gay survived. Quality nm-m lithograph, #345 of 1,000. These prints are being offered elsewhere for $179.95. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $75.
