The Long Ride Home [P-51 B-17]  Anniversary CANVAS Limited Edition Print Signed by William S. Phillips -  350th Fighter Squadron / 353rd Fighter Group

By late 1944, the Allies controlled the skies over the newly liberated countries of Western Europe. But when the bombers of the mighty Eighth Air Force ventured into the heart of Nazi Germany, the Allies finally had a fighter in the P-51D capable of escort duties for the whole trip, so as to be close at hand.

This classic aviation art illustrates the bond between the Flying Fortresses and their “Little Friends”. It is by one of the USA's most acclaimed aviation artists, is personally hand signed by William S. Phillips and comes with its own numbered Certificate of Authenticity [CoA]. 

Here are a few words by William S. Phillips about this magnificent art:

"The Long Ride Home" features the P-51D Mustang Betty-E piloted by Lieutenant Colonel Wayne Blickenstaff of the 350th Fighter Squadron/353rd Fighter Group. “Ramrod” was the code word that designated these escort missions. 

Blickenstaff became a double ace during the war, incredibly shooting down five of those ten enemy aircraft in a single mission to become an Ace in a day. By the war’s end, Blickenstaff would receive the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, and the Distinguished Flying Cross with three oak leaf clusters and the Air Medal with seven oak leaf clusters. The 353rd would be credited with destroying 330.5 enemy aircraft in the air and another 414 on the ground. These were the “Little Friends” you wanted around when the going got tough.

A raid into Germany meant a long day and a long mission. It was a gruelling, intense and deadly endeavor that was not without its moments of serenity, beauty and a comradeship known only to men at war. The men are tired and some in this armada may be wounded. Soon, with what little light there is left in the day, the groups will separate and return to their bases for debriefing and rest following "The Long Ride Home."

There were only 112 of these stunningly beautiful The Long Ride Home [P-51 B-17]  Anniversary CANVAS Limited Edition Print Signed by William S. Phillips created for the Worldwide market!   Each comes with its own numbered Certificate of Authenticity [CoA]. 

Lt. Col. Wayne K Blickenstaff, who flew both the P-51D Betty-E and P-47D Soubrette both with  registration LH-U, was officially credited with 10 enemy aircraft confirmed destroyed, 1 probably destroyed, and 2 damaged, by the end of World War II.

He had the distinction of being a ‘Double Ace’ and becoming an ‘Ace in one  day’ by shooting down 5 aircraft in the same day.

Lt. Col. Wayne K Blickenstaff’s awards were significant, including the: SS, DSC, DFC (3 OLC), AM (7 OLC), Croix de Guerre, WWII Victory, EAME.

The 350^th Fighter Squadron-353^rd Fighter Group

The 350^th Fighter Squadron was constituted September 29 and activated October 1, 1942. It was deactivated October 18, 1945. It served on operations in Air defense prior to overseas duty and combat in the European Theatre of Operations, August 9, 1943-April 25, 1945.It was stationed at Goxhill, England  from June 8, 1943; Metfield, England August 3, 1943; Raydon, England April 14, 1944-circa October 11, 1945. It holds campaign streamers for Air Offensive Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe and Air Combat European African Eastern Mediterranean Theatre (EAME). It was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation for operations in Holland September 17-23, 1944.

 The 353rd Fighter Group was assigned to the Eighth Air Force on 7 June 1943. The group flew P-47 Thunderbolts, and from October 1944, P-51 Mustangs, as escorts for bombing missions across occupied Europe and to strafe targets on the ground. Tactical missions included strafing and dive-bombing targets during the Allied invasion of Normandy and during the airborne assault of Holland. For these latter missions, between 17 and 23 September 1944, the Group was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation.

Size 

This historical The Long Ride Home [P-51 B-17]  Anniversary CANVAS Limited Edition Print Signed by William S. Phillips -  350th Fighter Squadron / 353rd Fighter Group has an:

Image Size: 31" width x 21" height, 

stunning in its larger size and personally hand signed by William S. Phillips, limited to 112 Worldwide and with its own numbered Certificate of Authenticity [CoA]

Upon purchase I will be pleased to provide written professional museum framing hints as an additional courtesy to you. 

This is an important signed historical art piece for any collection. 

Shipping

Shipping Worldwide is included to the purchaser, my gift to you. 

Your magnificent Anniversary CANVAS Limited Edition Print will be shipped directly to you from the USA.

This is a great buy and offering for International, UK, European and Asia Pacific Collectors.  

Conclusion

The Long Ride Home [P-51 B-17]  Anniversary CANVAS Limited Edition Print Signed by William S. Phillips -  350th Fighter Squadron / 353rd Fighter Group is simply a must have 'Life Piece' of World and Aviation History.  

Collectors Hints (Space and Aviation Firsts © 2017-2023).

Collectors Hint 1 – What is a Fine Artwork Canvas?

A Limited Edition Canvas is often much 'more restricted' in their availability Worldwide.

A Fine Artwork Canvas is intended to reproduce the presentation of the original oil or acrylic painting on stretched canvas.  This is absolutely the option of choice if you have the desire and preference to mirror the original painting in 3D presentation with texture and look.

 If you have the desire and preference to mirror the original painting in presentation and texture similar to the painting this is absolutely the option of choice.

They are stunningly beautiful in their presentation and are often larger in Size for that ‘Stand Out Impressiveness’ upon your Wall.

Collectors Hint 2 - What is a 'Giclee' Limited Edition Print? 

A Limited Edition Print uses the Giclee printing technique for very high quality.   

The Term: The term "Giclee print" connotes an elevation in printmaking technology, which is exactly what it is. 

Images are generated from high resolution digital scans and printed with archival quality inks onto various substrates including canvas, fine art, and photo-base paper. The Giclee printing process provides better colour accuracy than other means of reproduction. Archival quality ensures that the prints are light-fast and non-water soluble.

The Quality: The quality of the "Giclee print" rivals traditional silver-halide and gelatine printing processes and is commonly found in museums, art galleries, and photographic galleries.

Collectors’ Hint 3 - William S. Phillips

Phillips grew up loving art but never thought he could make it his livelihood. At college he majored in criminology and had been accepted into law school when four of his paintings were sold at an airport restaurant. That was all the incentive he needed to begin his work as a fine art painter. Bill Phillips is now a renowned aviation artist after one of his paintings was presented to King Hussein of Jordan, Phillips was commissioned by the Royal Jordanian Air Force. He developed sixteen major paintings, many of which now hang in the Royal Jordanian Air Force Museum in Amman. 

The Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum presented a one-man show of Phillips’ work in 1986. He is one of only a few artists to have been so honored. In 1988, Phillips was chosen to be a U.S. Navy combat artist. For his outstanding work, the artist was awarded the Navy’s Meritorious Public Service Award and the Air Force Sergeants Association Americanism Medal. 

At the prestigious annual fund raiser for the National Park Service, Bill’s work has been included in the Top 100 each year he has entered the competition and his work has won the Art History Award twice. Phillips was selected as the Fall 2004 Artist in Residence at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and tapped by the U.S. Postal Service to paint the stamp illustrations and header design for a pane of twenty stamps in 1997 entitled Classic American Aircraft. He was chosen again in 2005 for a pane of twenty stamps (ten designs) entitled American Advances in Aviation. Bill’s major collection of aviation art, Into the Sunlit Splendor, was published by The Greenwich Workshop Press in 2005. 

Note:   This is serious and enjoyable premium quality Art Space and Aviation Collecting.  If an offer is to be made, please understand the offer needs to be very seriously 'close'! 

Photograph credits:

Photo 2  A closer horizontal image of the Art

Photo 3  A closer central image of the Art

Photo 4 American Air Museum in Britain [IWM] - Stunning earlier photo of  Lieutenant Colonel Wayne Blickenstaff with his prior P-47D 'Soubrette' 

Photo 5 American Air Museum in Britain [IWM] - Happy Flying Gear Portrait of  Lieutenant Colonel Wayne Blickenstaff

Photos 6 and 7: Examples of William S. Phillips signature on two similar Canvas Limited Edition Prints.

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Kind Regards,