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ERNIE BOYETTE
Ernie was born to poor parents on a sweet potato farm in Green Cove Springs, Florida. The family raised chickens, rabbits and agriculural foods. The last of seven children, his father died when he was two years old. Growing up, Ernie always helped his mother and encouraged her in her self-taught wildlife painting. When she passed away in 1985, she left him her art supplies and some blank canvasses.
Bored with a job he disliked, he decided to figure out how to paint one night in 1986. He pulled out his mom's "art stuff" and started. Never having an art lesson in life other than what he was taught in public school, Ernie did about ten paintings over the next several years. Trained in marketing, in June 1991, he decided to try art as a business. Convinced he had talent, he swore he would be making his living from his artwork, writing and photography.
Not knowing what he wanted to paint, he liked airplanes and military so he tried that. He started painting one airplane after another. In the spring of 1993, he received his first commission from an F-18 Squadron stationed at Cecil Field, Jacksonville, Florida. Commander John "Lites" Leenhouts employed him to do a black and white Limited Edition of their squadron aircraft.
In 1994 he started his series "Famous American Aviators". His first prints were his heroes, George Gay and Robert "Bob" Scott. Between January 1991 and December 2000 he painted no less than 150 paintings. From March 1993 to September 2000 he published 42 Limited Edition prints along with 36 poster prints. In the fall of 2002 he was commissioned by Cook Cleland's family to paint all three of the F2G Corsair racers that he flew in the late 1940's at the Ohio Air Races. Cook won the Thompson Trophy in 1947 and 1949. Ernie had worked with Cook in 1997 with a print of the SBD dive-bomber he flew in WWII.
In March of 2003 Ernie was officially knighted as a “Knight of Vision” for his efforts in telling the stories of Great britain's famous aviators. Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette now signs all his original paintings as Sir Hamilton.
His artwork is now marketed nationwide in aviation museum gift shops including the Smithsonian. In November of 2006 his artwork was selected by the new Pearl Harbor Museum, Hawaii, to be sold in their gift shop. Ernie's artwork has also appeared in the Aviation History magazine and his prints are marketed worldwide.
Ernie Boyette S/N Limited Edition Print "P-40 Flying Tiger Ace, David “Tex” Hill"
Limited Edition 12" by 18" Print Signed and numbered by the artist and co-signed by P-40 Flying Tiger Ace, David “Tex” Hill
David Lee Hill joined the Navy and entered flight training in 1938. His first assignment was aboard the USS Saratoga flying with Torpedo Squadron Three, VT-3, in which he served one year.
Claire Chennault was a retired U.S. Army officer who sought opportunity in the conflict in China and had befriended the leader of the country and his wife. They welcomed and financially sponsored his help piecing together a defensive air force of pilots from many countries and a mixed collection of aircraft, which were all obsolete. Their only hope was help from the United States.
David was serving with Scouting Squadron 41 on board the USS Ranger when a AVG recruiter approached him. David signed up for this Far Eastern Adventure. The recruiter assured him that as soon as they filled the ranks of aviations and support personal they would be shipped out.
The condition of the airfields was primitive. Thousands of Chinese workers leveled the airfield, using Ox pulling heavy logs back and forth with high areas leveled and the low areas filled in by pure human effort. The buildings were a mixed sort of wooden shacks along with huts made from local vegetation. Aircraft were worked on in the open in all weather twenty-four hours a day.
David was assigned to the Second Squadron. They gave the three squadrons nicknames. The First was the “Adam & Eve Squadron” representing the first pursuit. The Second was the Panda Squadron with Panda Bears, and the Third was “Hells Angels” with a lively group of Red Angels with wings.
The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor while the AVG was preparing for combat. A few weeks after the Japanese attack, Jack Newkirk on January 3, 1942 led David, “Tex” and James Howard on a Japanese airfield near the village of Tak, Thailand. This surprise attack caught an official ceremonial event on the airfield with all defenses down. The event was to celebrate the return of the Japanese pilots from the Third Hintai who were led by the Japanese aviation hero, Captain Eto from a raid on an English airfield. The local people were supporters of the Japanese and would rally after each raid welcoming back the victorious aviators. Tex, Howard, and Newkirk were unaware of what was going on at the airfield. All they saw was aircraft in their final landing patterns and easy pray. As Tex told me this story, he said that it was all so surreal in how it all happened. They lined up behind the unsuspecting landing aircraft, which were flying slowly with flaps deployed and landing gear stretching out to grab again the safety of earth. Tex had always wanted to fire his guns in combat and now he was leaning forward looking through his gun sights with his heart and engine racing, his finger on the trigger. Many of the returning Japanese aircraft were already on the ground taxiing into their assigned areas. There were stands along the runway where the local people were cheering the returning warriors. The commanding officer and the rest of the airfield's officers were lined up in dress uniforms watching each aircraft touchdown and roll past them. Things changed. A Japanese aircraft exploded just fifty feet off the ground as an aircraft that at first looked like it too was in the landing pattern sprayed the casually flying Japanese with gunfire. Only this fighter was not Japanese and it was now roaring down the field followed by others all firing at once. Japanese aircraft that were lined up and parked were exploding. David’s fighter was shaking from the roar of the six fifty-caliber machine guns as he fired into the parked enemy aircraft. Tex said the dream like state hit him as he was barreling down the runway, full throttle, firing his guns and then he looked out his side canopy to see a crowd of spectators in stands. The once cheering section was now turned to innocent spectators to open war. Bellows of joy were stricken from their throats and replaced with screams of horror. Scars of tragedy forever changed faces that had been filled with delight. Fireballs erupted on the field. Newkirk led the group with Howard second and Tex following. A Japanese pilot threw his fighter into full throttle and pulled in between Howard and Tex. The Japanese pilot was skilled and instantly fired on Howard. Tex was only a hundred yards behind Howard with the Japanese in-between them. They were now leaving the runway and approaching the jungle. Tex saw the Japanese fire and his bullets hit Howard’s fighter. With almost no effort, Tex pulled back on his stick just a little, literally pointing the nose of his fighter at the enemy before him. Tex could not miss. A quick burst into the unarmored Japanese fighter took it into the trees below as Tex flew on. With Howard’s P-40 badly damaged, Tex and Newkirk covered him as they fought their way out of enemy territory. The three of them were able to officially claim seven aerial victories between them and a handfull of burning crates on the ground. David claimed two of the seven in the air. That was one homecoming the Japanese would not forget. And they did not. From that day on it would be a duel between the newly named “Flying Tigers” and the Imperial Japanese Navy and Army Air Forces.
David was able to add to his aerial victories on January 23rd when he shot down two more enemy aircraft. The next day David became an ace by destroying a twin-engine bomber and another fighter over Rangoon.
Tex served as flight leader and squadron leader of the Panda Bears until the unit was disbanded on July 4, 1942 when the United States Army Air Force replaced the Tigers with the 75th Fighter Squadron, 23rd Fighter Group.
The Flying Tigers were considered heroes back in the United States. Worldwide, the allies had suffered defeat from the Germans, Italians, and Japanese. One defeat after another graced the front page of American newspapers. Yet during this time of defeat, it was the stories of the glorious Flying Tiger that caused cheer on the home front. In the ten months that the Flying Tigers were in combat, their well-planned attacks against the Japanese staggered the enemies advance just long enough for America to enter the war.
The Flying Tigers were officially credited with 297 aerial victories with the loss of only four AVG pilots. David “Tex” Hill finished his career with the Flying Tigers as the second highest scoring ace with 12.25 confirmed and shared victories. Some accounts list him with 12.75. The quote most remembered by David’s fellow pilots was the one he often used as he led them into combat, “Y’all follow me!”
David earned the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross with Two Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, and Presidential Unit Citation with one Oak Leaf Cluster. The British Distinguished Flying Cross, Chinese Order of the Cloud Banner (4th, 5th, and 6th order) and the Chinese Victory Medal. His final aerial combat tally was 18 ¾ confirmed with one probable and five damaged.
All artwork is subject to availability at time of order. Although seller strives to remain current as to inventory, seller reserves the right to cancel a sale if item is no longer available at time of purchase.For shipping outside the USA, buyer will pay actual shipping costs. Please e-mail with request and location and we will respond with required cost. All payments must be made in US dollars and if paying through Paypal, currency conversion will apply.
ERNIE BOYETTE
Ernie was born to poor parents on a sweet potato farm in Green Cove Springs, Florida. The family raised chickens, rabbits and agriculural foods. The last of seven children, his father died when he was two years old. Growing up, Ernie always helped his mother and encouraged her in her self-taught wildlife painting. When she passed away in 1985, she left him her art supplies and some blank canvasses.
Bored with a job he disliked, he decided to figure out how to paint one night in 1986. He pulled out his mom's "art stuff" and started. Never having an art lesson in life other than what he was taught in public school, Ernie did about ten paintings over the next several years. Trained in marketing, in June 1991, he decided to try art as a business. Convinced he had talent, he swore he would be making his living from his artwork, writing and photography.
Not knowing what he wanted to paint, he liked airplanes and military so he tried that. He started painting one airplane after another. In the spring of 1993, he received his first commission from an F-18 Squadron stationed at Cecil Field, Jacksonville, Florida. Commander John "Lites" Leenhouts employed him to do a black and white Limited Edition of their squadron aircraft.
In 1994 he started his series "Famous American Aviators". His first prints were his heroes, George Gay and Robert "Bob" Scott. Between January 1991 and December 2000 he painted no less than 150 paintings. From March 1993 to September 2000 he published 42 Limited Edition prints along with 36 poster prints. In the fall of 2002 he was commissioned by Cook Cleland's family to paint all three of the F2G Corsair racers that he flew in the late 1940's at the Ohio Air Races. Cook won the Thompson Trophy in 1947 and 1949. Ernie had worked with Cook in 1997 with a print of the SBD dive-bomber he flew in WWII.
In March of 2003 Ernie was officially knighted as a “Knight of Vision” for his efforts in telling the stories of Great britain's famous aviators. Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette now signs all his original paintings as Sir Hamilton.
His artwork is now marketed nationwide in aviation museum gift shops including the Smithsonian. In November of 2006 his artwork was selected by the new Pearl Harbor Museum, Hawaii, to be sold in their gift shop. Ernie's artwork has also appeared in the Aviation History magazine and his prints are marketed worldwide.
Ernie Boyette S/N Limited Edition Print "P-40 Flying Tiger Ace, David “Tex” Hill"
Limited Edition 12" by 18" Print Signed and numbered by the artist and co-signed by P-40 Flying Tiger Ace, David “Tex” Hill
David Lee Hill joined the Navy and entered flight training in 1938. His first assignment was aboard the USS Saratoga flying with Torpedo Squadron Three, VT-3, in which he served one year.
Claire Chennault was a retired U.S. Army officer who sought opportunity in the conflict in China and had befriended the leader of the country and his wife. They welcomed and financially sponsored his help piecing together a defensive air force of pilots from many countries and a mixed collection of aircraft, which were all obsolete. Their only hope was help from the United States.
David was serving with Scouting Squadron 41 on board the USS Ranger when a AVG recruiter approached him. David signed up for this Far Eastern Adventure. The recruiter assured him that as soon as they filled the ranks of aviations and support personal they would be shipped out.
The condition of the airfields was primitive. Thousands of Chinese workers leveled the airfield, using Ox pulling heavy logs back and forth with high areas leveled and the low areas filled in by pure human effort. The buildings were a mixed sort of wooden shacks along with huts made from local vegetation. Aircraft were worked on in the open in all weather twenty-four hours a day.
David was assigned to the Second Squadron. They gave the three squadrons nicknames. The First was the “Adam & Eve Squadron” representing the first pursuit. The Second was the Panda Squadron with Panda Bears, and the Third was “Hells Angels” with a lively group of Red Angels with wings.
The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor while the AVG was preparing for combat. A few weeks after the Japanese attack, Jack Newkirk on January 3, 1942 led David, “Tex” and James Howard on a Japanese airfield near the village of Tak, Thailand. This surprise attack caught an official ceremonial event on the airfield with all defenses down. The event was to celebrate the return of the Japanese pilots from the Third Hintai who were led by the Japanese aviation hero, Captain Eto from a raid on an English airfield. The local people were supporters of the Japanese and would rally after each raid welcoming back the victorious aviators. Tex, Howard, and Newkirk were unaware of what was going on at the airfield. All they saw was aircraft in their final landing patterns and easy pray. As Tex told me this story, he said that it was all so surreal in how it all happened. They lined up behind the unsuspecting landing aircraft, which were flying slowly with flaps deployed and landing gear stretching out to grab again the safety of earth. Tex had always wanted to fire his guns in combat and now he was leaning forward looking through his gun sights with his heart and engine racing, his finger on the trigger. Many of the returning Japanese aircraft were already on the ground taxiing into their assigned areas. There were stands along the runway where the local people were cheering the returning warriors. The commanding officer and the rest of the airfield's officers were lined up in dress uniforms watching each aircraft touchdown and roll past them. Things changed. A Japanese aircraft exploded just fifty feet off the ground as an aircraft that at first looked like it too was in the landing pattern sprayed the casually flying Japanese with gunfire. Only this fighter was not Japanese and it was now roaring down the field followed by others all firing at once. Japanese aircraft that were lined up and parked were exploding. David’s fighter was shaking from the roar of the six fifty-caliber machine guns as he fired into the parked enemy aircraft. Tex said the dream like state hit him as he was barreling down the runway, full throttle, firing his guns and then he looked out his side canopy to see a crowd of spectators in stands. The once cheering section was now turned to innocent spectators to open war. Bellows of joy were stricken from their throats and replaced with screams of horror. Scars of tragedy forever changed faces that had been filled with delight. Fireballs erupted on the field. Newkirk led the group with Howard second and Tex following. A Japanese pilot threw his fighter into full throttle and pulled in between Howard and Tex. The Japanese pilot was skilled and instantly fired on Howard. Tex was only a hundred yards behind Howard with the Japanese in-between them. They were now leaving the runway and approaching the jungle. Tex saw the Japanese fire and his bullets hit Howard’s fighter. With almost no effort, Tex pulled back on his stick just a little, literally pointing the nose of his fighter at the enemy before him. Tex could not miss. A quick burst into the unarmored Japanese fighter took it into the trees below as Tex flew on. With Howard’s P-40 badly damaged, Tex and Newkirk covered him as they fought their way out of enemy territory. The three of them were able to officially claim seven aerial victories between them and a handfull of burning crates on the ground. David claimed two of the seven in the air. That was one homecoming the Japanese would not forget. And they did not. From that day on it would be a duel between the newly named “Flying Tigers” and the Imperial Japanese Navy and Army Air Forces.
David was able to add to his aerial victories on January 23rd when he shot down two more enemy aircraft. The next day David became an ace by destroying a twin-engine bomber and another fighter over Rangoon.
Tex served as flight leader and squadron leader of the Panda Bears until the unit was disbanded on July 4, 1942 when the United States Army Air Force replaced the Tigers with the 75th Fighter Squadron, 23rd Fighter Group.
The Flying Tigers were considered heroes back in the United States. Worldwide, the allies had suffered defeat from the Germans, Italians, and Japanese. One defeat after another graced the front page of American newspapers. Yet during this time of defeat, it was the stories of the glorious Flying Tiger that caused cheer on the home front. In the ten months that the Flying Tigers were in combat, their well-planned attacks against the Japanese staggered the enemies advance just long enough for America to enter the war.
The Flying Tigers were officially credited with 297 aerial victories with the loss of only four AVG pilots. David “Tex” Hill finished his career with the Flying Tigers as the second highest scoring ace with 12.25 confirmed and shared victories. Some accounts list him with 12.75. The quote most remembered by David’s fellow pilots was the one he often used as he led them into combat, “Y’all follow me!”
David earned the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross with Two Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, and Presidential Unit Citation with one Oak Leaf Cluster. The British Distinguished Flying Cross, Chinese Order of the Cloud Banner (4th, 5th, and 6th order) and the Chinese Victory Medal. His final aerial combat tally was 18 ¾ confirmed with one probable and five damaged.
All artwork is subject to availability at time of order. Although seller strives to remain current as to inventory, seller reserves the right to cancel a sale if item is no longer available at time of purchase.