Return to Rattlesden
by
Nicolas Trudgian
With their crews, the 447th Bomb Group B-17 Fortresses arrived at Rattlesden in late 1943, the East Anglian base from which the group flew all its missions until the end of the war. Entering combat on December 24, the 447th targeted submarine pens, naval installations, ports and missile sites, airfields and marshaling yards in France, Belgium and Germany in preparation for the Normandy invasion.
In the thick of the bomber offensive, the 447th took part in the Big-Week raids, supported the D-day landings, aided the breakthrough at St Lo, pounded enemy positions during the airborne invasion of Holland, and dropped supplies to the Free French forces fighting behind enemy lines. During the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944—January 1945, the group attacked marshaling yards, railroad bridges and communications centers in the combat Zone, later resuming their offensive against targets deep inside Germany. When the war ended the 447th had flown over 257 individual missions, with one of their aircrew, Robert Femoyer, being awarded the Medal of Honor. Theirs was typical of the action-packed campaigns flown by the American Eighth Air Force bomb groups in Europe during W.W.II.
The print shows a battle-damaged B-17G of the 447th on final approach to Rattlesden, returning from a strike against road and rail communications in northern Germany in February, 1945. A P-51 pilot from the 359th Fighter Group, having escorted the injured bomber all the way home, sees his charge safely back to base. The beautifully painted Suffolk winter landscape, lightly dusted with snow, provides a fascinating contrast to awesome warbirds as then thunder homeward from battle.

Each print in the edition individually signed by eight combat crew veterans flying B-17 Flying Fortresses for the 447th BG out of Rattlesden, England, during World War II.

Signatures
T/Sgt John C. Bitzer	John Bitzer joined the service in 1942 before transferring to England. On 30th December 1943 flying the B-17G Fortress "Maid to Please", on his very first combat mission his aircraft was shot down and he had to bail out. John was taken prisoner by the Germans and remained in captivity until May 1945.
T/Sgt Norman Bussel	As Radio Operator on the B-17 "Mississippi Lady", Norman Bussel flew his first mission in March 1944 to Frankfurt. On 29 April 1944, his aircraft was shot down over Berlin, the worst day for losses for the 447th during the entire war. Bailing out with his clothes on fire, four of his crew died that day. Norman was taken POW for the rest of the war.
Colonel Edward A. Dingivan DFC	Edward Dingivan was pilot of "Brass Wagon", flying his first combat mission to Neuminster, Germany in September 1944. He completed a tour of 30 combat missions in the B-17. After the war, Director of Traffic during the Berlin Airlift and Commander of the 35th Air Transport Squadron. Later Military Executive to the Assistant Secretary of the US Air Force, he retired in 1969.
First Lt. Frank Frision	Frank Frision was Bombardier on the Fortress "Bouncin Baby" flying his first mission on 2nd November 1944 when the Luftwaffe mounted one of their largest fighter operations of the war. He flew the last of his 35 combat missions on 22nd March 1945, supporting the Rhine Crossings.
S/Sgt John H. Osbahr	John Osbahr flew his first combat mission on 2nd November 1944, flying to Merseberg, Germany. He was Ball-Turret Gunner in the B-17 "Bouncin Baby". John completed the last of his 32 missions in March 1945 on a mission to Dresden.
S/Sgt Orlando 'Pete" Petrillo DFC	'Pete' Petrillo was a Waist Gunner on the B-17 "Bit o'Lace". He flew his first combat mission to Caen, France in August 1944, and the last of his 35 missions was in December 1944 to Mainz in Germany. One of his memorable trips was a supply drop to the French Maquis.
Sgt Byron Schlag	Byron Schlag was the Tail Gunner of B-17 'Ol Scrapiron" flying his first combat mission on 26th February 1945 to Berlin. On 23rd March, his B-17 collided mid-air with another B-17, cutting the tail off. He managed to bail out at just 400 ft. his ball-turret gunner fell in his turret from 23,000 ft. and survived. The rest of the crew died. Byron Schlag was taken POW, he escaped and was recaptured four times.
S/Sgt Don Sherman	Don Sherman was the Ball-Turret Gunner on the B-17 'Buddy Buddy'. The first of his 31 combat missions was flown in April 1945 against German targets holding out at Royan in France.

Edition Size:   500 S/N , 25 AP's and 50 Remarques
Image Size: 30 1/8" x 15"
S/N Price:175.00 [Order] [Checkout]
Artist Proof Price Price:250.00 [Order] [Checkout]
Remarque Price:375.00 [Order] [Checkout]

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