Call us at 1-314-416-1169
| Here at Ozark Airfield Artworks we offer a large selection art prints. These prints mainly depict modern and historic aviation along with military, civil and space flight. We also deal with naval subjects and military armor and infantry works. These prints are from all the top national and international artists along with some local artists. Many of our prints are signed by the artist and by famous pilots and veterans. If you are looking for a specific plane, pilot, artist or subject please contact us. |
Copyright © Ozark Airfield Artworks 2005 All Rights Reserved
| All images are copyrighted by the individual artist and may not be reproduced without their consent. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
See our great selection of
artists like Sam Lyons,
John D Shaw, Robert
Bailey, & Domenic DeNardo!
artists like Sam Lyons,
John D Shaw, Robert
Bailey, & Domenic DeNardo!
Thousands of Civil and
Military Aviation Art
prints.
Military Aviation Art
prints.
Click here to see one the most
popular aviation artist in the
country, Sam Lyons. We offer
one of the largest selections of
Sam Lyons aviation art.
popular aviation artist in the
country, Sam Lyons. We offer
one of the largest selections of
Sam Lyons aviation art.
Click Here to see some of the
world's best World War II Aviation
Art! John Shaw pays tribute to
the men who fought for the
American Freedom during World
War II.
world's best World War II Aviation
Art! John Shaw pays tribute to
the men who fought for the
American Freedom during World
War II.
| Click On The Image To Enlarge |
"Assault On Damn Yankee"
| Aviation Artist Domenic DeNardo |
The 384th Bombardment Group was activated on December 1, 1942. It was comprised of the 544th,
545th. 546th, and 547th Bombardment squadron. In January 1943 it began training in B-17s for
combat in Europe. Thirty-six B-17s of the 384th Bomb Group were assigned to USAF Station 106
near the village of Grafton Underwood, Northamptonshire, England On December1, 1943 if would
apppear that there wasn't a war going on. The base was entertaining a film production company
that began work on the bomber scenes for the movie "Target For Today". The movie was beomg
produced by the 8th Air Force as a sequel to the RAF production "Target For Tonight". While all
this was going on the Group had a mission to fly as well. It was mission #39 for the 384th Bomb
Group with the target being Solingen, Germany, in the Rhur Valley, a manufacturing complex about
10 miles N.E. of the the city of Cologne. Briefing showed the route would take the 384th through
fighters and flak for about 150 miles after crossing the enemy coast.
"Damn Yankee", a B-17F “Flying Fortress” of the 384th Bomb Group, 545th Squadron (call sign
Splashboard O) is on its’ 13th mission piloted by ship commander Lt. Bruce G. Sundlun. It is the
first B-17 of the 384th to take the name “Damn Yankee” into the war over Europe. Once over the
target at 28,000 feet, planes of the 384th encounter intense flak. “Damn Yankee’s” #4 engine is hit
and throws out oil. With the propeller beginning to windmill and the bomb bay doors jammed open,
“Damn Yankee” loses speed and altitude and falls behind the group. A call is made to the leader to
report that Splashboard O is leaving the formation.
“Damn Yankee”, now alone and easy prey for enemy fighters, earns the dreaded title of a
“straggler”. As navigator Lt. Reino O. Jylkka, gives the heading for the shortest distance back to
England, tail gunner Sgt. Frank Lekas suddenly calls out, “enemy aircraft at six...” but has no
chance to finish. Focke Wulf 190s, from Jagdgeschwader (JG 26), assault the “Fortress” from 6, 7,
and 8 o’clock destroying the left horizontal stabilizer and tail gunner’s cabin, killing Sgt. Lekas.
One 500 pound bomb, caught in the bomb bay since the bomb drop, is released by bombardier Sgt.
George C. Hayes, who is then killed by gun fire while in the doorway of the bomb bay. Over the
intercom an agonizing cry is heard from the belly of the stricken bomber “Oh...they got me bad.”
Orders are given to rescue mortally wounded ball turret gunner Sgt. Harry F. Cologne.
The fighters are deliberate in their attack, viciously firing at the lumbering target. The #2 engine
is hit and begins smoking. Attempts to feather the propeller fail and it begins to windmill. The
situation is now desperate, with the tail shot to pieces, the rudder useless, the intercom out, the
fuse box shattered and oxygen leaking freely. Diving and losing altitude fast, “Damn Yankee”
reaches cloud cover. However, at only 100 feet thick it does not provide sufficient cover. Fighters
again attack the stricken bomber hitting the control cables, instrument panel, and automatic flight
control equipment while severely wounding radioman Sgt. Charles L. Snyder. The surviving
gunners in the B-17 fire back a constant stream of .50 caliber rounds, hitting two of the FW190s,
causing one to disintegrate.
At 5000 feet the #2 engine catches fire and partial control of the aircraft is maintained by pilot
and copilot only by pushing the control column full forward and aileron to maximum left bank. With
both the ball turret and top turret out of action, the FW 190s take advantage of the withering fire and
shoot out both waist guns, killing gunners Sgt. Chester P. Snyder and Sgt. Mike J. Cappelletti.
“Damn Yankee” can no longer return fire. With the air speed now fluctuating between 90 - 100
miles per hour, the ship vibrates badly.
Under extreme duress pilot Lt. Sundlun and co-pilot Andrew V. Boles struggle valiantly to
maintain control of “Damn Yankee”. With all hope of reaching England now gone and the ship in
danger of exploding, the crew is ordered to bail out. Navigator Lt. Jylkka and top gunner Sgt.
William M. Ramsey are the first to bail out, going through the nose hatch. After sending an S.O.S.,
Sgt. Charles Snyder bails out of the bomb bay. As the ship rapidly descends from 1800 to 1200 feet
any notion of a crash landing is abandoned. Believing that they are the only two alive in the plane
and with barely enough altitude, Lt. Sundlun and Lt. Boles bail out over Jabbeke, Belgium. The
crippled, out of control, B-17 rolls over in a sharp 180 degree left turn and crashes into a turnip field
at 1240 hours. One of the first to see the crippled B-17 approaching at about 1000 feet was Achiel
Saeys, who was harrowing the field in the path of the bomber. He ran at first, but hearing the crash,
he returned and saw one of the fliers hiding his parachute. It was the pilot Lt. Bruce Sundlun. Of the
five surviving crew members who had bailed out safely, only pilot Lt. Sundlun avoids capture by
escaping to Switzerland.
In all, the 8th Air Force's Bomb Division launched 299 B-17 bombers that day with "Damn
Yankee" being one of 18 that did not return.
The 384th claim to fame: Dropped the last 8th Air Force bombs of the War (April 25, 1945)
Total sorties flown: 9,348
Total bombs dropped: 22, 415.4 tons
Their motto: "Keep the Show on the Road"
545th. 546th, and 547th Bombardment squadron. In January 1943 it began training in B-17s for
combat in Europe. Thirty-six B-17s of the 384th Bomb Group were assigned to USAF Station 106
near the village of Grafton Underwood, Northamptonshire, England On December1, 1943 if would
apppear that there wasn't a war going on. The base was entertaining a film production company
that began work on the bomber scenes for the movie "Target For Today". The movie was beomg
produced by the 8th Air Force as a sequel to the RAF production "Target For Tonight". While all
this was going on the Group had a mission to fly as well. It was mission #39 for the 384th Bomb
Group with the target being Solingen, Germany, in the Rhur Valley, a manufacturing complex about
10 miles N.E. of the the city of Cologne. Briefing showed the route would take the 384th through
fighters and flak for about 150 miles after crossing the enemy coast.
"Damn Yankee", a B-17F “Flying Fortress” of the 384th Bomb Group, 545th Squadron (call sign
Splashboard O) is on its’ 13th mission piloted by ship commander Lt. Bruce G. Sundlun. It is the
first B-17 of the 384th to take the name “Damn Yankee” into the war over Europe. Once over the
target at 28,000 feet, planes of the 384th encounter intense flak. “Damn Yankee’s” #4 engine is hit
and throws out oil. With the propeller beginning to windmill and the bomb bay doors jammed open,
“Damn Yankee” loses speed and altitude and falls behind the group. A call is made to the leader to
report that Splashboard O is leaving the formation.
“Damn Yankee”, now alone and easy prey for enemy fighters, earns the dreaded title of a
“straggler”. As navigator Lt. Reino O. Jylkka, gives the heading for the shortest distance back to
England, tail gunner Sgt. Frank Lekas suddenly calls out, “enemy aircraft at six...” but has no
chance to finish. Focke Wulf 190s, from Jagdgeschwader (JG 26), assault the “Fortress” from 6, 7,
and 8 o’clock destroying the left horizontal stabilizer and tail gunner’s cabin, killing Sgt. Lekas.
One 500 pound bomb, caught in the bomb bay since the bomb drop, is released by bombardier Sgt.
George C. Hayes, who is then killed by gun fire while in the doorway of the bomb bay. Over the
intercom an agonizing cry is heard from the belly of the stricken bomber “Oh...they got me bad.”
Orders are given to rescue mortally wounded ball turret gunner Sgt. Harry F. Cologne.
The fighters are deliberate in their attack, viciously firing at the lumbering target. The #2 engine
is hit and begins smoking. Attempts to feather the propeller fail and it begins to windmill. The
situation is now desperate, with the tail shot to pieces, the rudder useless, the intercom out, the
fuse box shattered and oxygen leaking freely. Diving and losing altitude fast, “Damn Yankee”
reaches cloud cover. However, at only 100 feet thick it does not provide sufficient cover. Fighters
again attack the stricken bomber hitting the control cables, instrument panel, and automatic flight
control equipment while severely wounding radioman Sgt. Charles L. Snyder. The surviving
gunners in the B-17 fire back a constant stream of .50 caliber rounds, hitting two of the FW190s,
causing one to disintegrate.
At 5000 feet the #2 engine catches fire and partial control of the aircraft is maintained by pilot
and copilot only by pushing the control column full forward and aileron to maximum left bank. With
both the ball turret and top turret out of action, the FW 190s take advantage of the withering fire and
shoot out both waist guns, killing gunners Sgt. Chester P. Snyder and Sgt. Mike J. Cappelletti.
“Damn Yankee” can no longer return fire. With the air speed now fluctuating between 90 - 100
miles per hour, the ship vibrates badly.
Under extreme duress pilot Lt. Sundlun and co-pilot Andrew V. Boles struggle valiantly to
maintain control of “Damn Yankee”. With all hope of reaching England now gone and the ship in
danger of exploding, the crew is ordered to bail out. Navigator Lt. Jylkka and top gunner Sgt.
William M. Ramsey are the first to bail out, going through the nose hatch. After sending an S.O.S.,
Sgt. Charles Snyder bails out of the bomb bay. As the ship rapidly descends from 1800 to 1200 feet
any notion of a crash landing is abandoned. Believing that they are the only two alive in the plane
and with barely enough altitude, Lt. Sundlun and Lt. Boles bail out over Jabbeke, Belgium. The
crippled, out of control, B-17 rolls over in a sharp 180 degree left turn and crashes into a turnip field
at 1240 hours. One of the first to see the crippled B-17 approaching at about 1000 feet was Achiel
Saeys, who was harrowing the field in the path of the bomber. He ran at first, but hearing the crash,
he returned and saw one of the fliers hiding his parachute. It was the pilot Lt. Bruce Sundlun. Of the
five surviving crew members who had bailed out safely, only pilot Lt. Sundlun avoids capture by
escaping to Switzerland.
In all, the 8th Air Force's Bomb Division launched 299 B-17 bombers that day with "Damn
Yankee" being one of 18 that did not return.
The 384th claim to fame: Dropped the last 8th Air Force bombs of the War (April 25, 1945)
Total sorties flown: 9,348
Total bombs dropped: 22, 415.4 tons
Their motto: "Keep the Show on the Road"
| overall print size 23"X30.5" image size 17.5"x26" |