Blue Nose

By Richard Taylor 

Richard Taylor has created this beautiful painting "Blue Nose!" that portrays the P-51s of the 328th Fighter Squadron high above towering cumulus clouds over East Anglia in November 1944. Led by Major George Preddy the P-51 pilots prepare to escort a large formation of B-17s on yet another arduous long range mission to Germany.

Overall Size: 17 inches wide x 14 inches high

The edition is personally signed by some of the most prominent and highly regarded pilots in the 352nd Fighter Group. Joining artist Richard Taylor, each print has been individually signed in pencil by highly regarded P-51 Mustang pilots who flew in combat with the 352nd Fighter Group.

LIMITED EDITION SIGNATURES:

• Major Alden P. Rigby - First Lieutenant Roy Wanda

ARTIST PROOF & REMARQUE EDITION SIGNATURES:

• Major Alden P. Rigby
• First Lieutenant Roy Wanda
• Maj. Gen. Cuthbert A. "Bill" Pattillo.

The Signatories:

Alden P. Rigby - Alden Rigby deployed to England in 1944 and was assigned to the 487th FS 352nd Fighter Group from July 1944 till March 1945. During this time he took part in 76 combat missions in P-51s destroying 5 enemy aircraft in aerial combat including several on 1 Jan 1945 during the German attack of Operation Bodenplatte.

Roy Wanda - Sailing for Europe in December 1944 Roy was assigned to the 486th Fighter Squadron and flew the first of his 31 combat missions on 8 February 1945. On one of these in March 1945 he was lucky to survive when an 88mm flak shell went straight through the wing of his P-51 Danny Boy without exploding!

Cuthbert A. "Bill" Pattillo - Bill Pattillo was assigned to the 487th FS 352nd Fighter Group and flew 135 combat missions in P-51 Mustangs from November 1944 until he was shot down over Germany in April 1945 and taken as a PoW until liberated on 2 May 1945. Bill was credited with destroying 1 Me-262 jet in aerial combat plus another 6 enemy aircraft on the ground. After the war he flew with the first USAF Thunderbird team. Following a highly distinguished post-war career he retired from the Air Force as a General.