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.
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.
without their consent.
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Ozark Airfield Artworks
See our great selection of
artists like Sam Lyons,
John D Shaw, Robert
Bailey, & Thomas Smith!
artists like Sam Lyons,
John D Shaw, Robert
Bailey, & Thomas Smith!
"Guardian Angels"
| ©Wind Swept Wings 2000 The Limited Edition Fine Art Print TUSKEGEE Guardian Angels By David Lee Sample Countersigned by COL Harry A. Sheppard, LTCOL Woodrow W. Crockett, and SGT Harold D. "Bud" Pressel Print Size 19X25 Image size 14X21 |
Harry A. Sheppard, Col., USAF (Ret)...
Enlisting in the US Army Air Corps in 1941 as a private, Col. Sheppard started his career as an
aircraft engine mechanic. In 1942 he was selected as an aviation cadet and assigned to class SE-
43-E at the Tuskegee Army Air Field, Alabama. Upon his graduation and commission as a 2nd
Lieutenant, Col. Sheppard then qualified in P-40’s. In 1944 he was deployed overseas on a Liberty
ship convoy, out of Camp Patrick Henry, Newport News, Virginia, and arrived in Taranto then to
Montecorvino Italy as part of the 12th Air Force. Flying P-39’s he was then transferred with the
332nd Fighter Group, 87th Fighter Wing to Capodichino, Naples. There he flew 87 tactical
missions. Later in ‘44 Col. Sheppard was transferred to the 15th Air Force, 302nd Fighter
Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group in Ramitelli. Flying P-47’s and later P-51 Mustangs as bomber
escort, he completed 123 Combat missions with a total of 506 Combat hours. Col. Sheppard’s
distinguished career spanned over 33 years and he received the following awards: Legion of Merit,
Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medal with 13 Oak Leaf Clusters, and various
other Unit and Campaign awards.
Woodrow W. Crockett, LtCol., USAF (Ret)...
Woodrow Crockett joined the Army as a private in 1940. Distinguishing himself as the Model
Soldier of Regiment in the Army’s first all Black field artillery unit, he was subsequently assigned to
the Tuskegee Army Air Field as an aviation cadet in 1942. Graduating from class 43-C and
commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on March 25, 1943, he was later transferred to the 15th Air
Force as part of the 100th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group. While on a 15 month tour of
duty in Italy, LtCol Crockett flew 149 combat missions. Before LtCol. Crockett retired with 30 years
in the Air Force, he flew another 45 combat missions during the Korean War. LtCol Crockett has
flown aircraft ranging from the B-17 to the F-104 Starfighter and has been awarded the
Distinguished Flying Cross, 2 Soldier’s Medals for bravery, Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters,
Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal with Oak
Leaf Cluster and various other unit and campaign awards.
Harold D. “Bud” Pressel, Jr., Sgt., USAAF...
Bud Pressel enlisted in the US Army Air Corps in March 1943. After completion of basic training at
Miami Beach Florida he was transferred to Radio School at Scottfield, Illinois in July and later
transferred to Troop Carrier Command in February 1944. Through much hard work and
persistence he was accepted into Aerial Gunnery School and after graduation was assigned to B-
24 Bomber Crew Training at Pueblo Army Air Base. Once trained and assigned to a B-24 crew, they
were shipped to Torretta, Italy, to join the 15th Air Force, 825th Bomb Squadron. Bud Pressel flew
on several combat missions, being escorted by the Tuskegee Airman of the 332nd Fighter Group.
Later when Bud’s aircraft, “OL’45”, was hit by enemy flak and experiencing mechanical problems,
he had to bail out and was taken prisoner. Spending two weeks in a rail road box car, they traveled
through Papa, Hungary to Dulag Luft, Wetzlar, Germany, an interrogation camp. From there he was
transferred to Stalag XIIID, Nürnberg, Germany and eventually ended up in Moosburg, Germany at
Stalag VIIIA, before being liberated by General Patton and his Army on April 29, 1945.
Rudolf Opitz, Me-163 Komet Test Pilot...
Rudolf Opitz had an extensive background as a test pilot before he was drafted by the Luftwaffe in
September 1939 as a Flieger (private). He was quickly promoted to sergeant and on one of his
missions as a glider pilot he even received the Iron Cross. He was later promoted to 2nd
Lieutenant and transferred by General Udet to rejoin Alexander Lippisch and the work that was
being done on the development of the Me-163 Komet. Rudolf Opitz made his first flight in a Me-163
in August 1941. Towards the end of the war, on April 22, 1945, the Komet pilots of II Gruppe at
Husum, commanded by Rudolf Opitz, engaged Allied aircraft. Opitz tried to take off in a Komet that
had been having trouble with flame outs, and as he started his take off roll the fire warning light
came on. Too late to stop, he pulled back on the stick, at the same time he started to dump the
remaining fuel. With smoke filling the cockpit he brought the Me-163 back around to try to land but
loosing sight of the field and fire starting to enter the cockpit he crashed landed going through a
stone wall which tore the wings off the Komet before it exploded. Crash crews found Opitz
unconscious about 30 yards from the burning aircraft, and rushed him to a hospital with several
broken ribs, a broken collarbone and broken arm. But the crash didn’t come without a reward, he
married Hanna, the charming nurse who took care of him. After the Germans surrendered, Rudolf
Opitz found his way to the United States where he ended up working for Lycoming as supervisor of
Avco-Lycoming Gas Turbine Flight Test Operations, Stratford, Connecticut where he and his wife
live today.
SIZE OF EDITION: 1200 Artist signed and consecutively numbered
This limited edition lithographic print has been personally approved and signed by the artist. It is
printed on the finest quality lithographic print paper; acid free, neutral pH, 100lb. stock, sig-
NATURE R Gloss Cover. All printing plates and negatives used in the process of printing the
edition have been destroyed and this image has never been, or ever will be, reproduced in any
other art print form.
Enlisting in the US Army Air Corps in 1941 as a private, Col. Sheppard started his career as an
aircraft engine mechanic. In 1942 he was selected as an aviation cadet and assigned to class SE-
43-E at the Tuskegee Army Air Field, Alabama. Upon his graduation and commission as a 2nd
Lieutenant, Col. Sheppard then qualified in P-40’s. In 1944 he was deployed overseas on a Liberty
ship convoy, out of Camp Patrick Henry, Newport News, Virginia, and arrived in Taranto then to
Montecorvino Italy as part of the 12th Air Force. Flying P-39’s he was then transferred with the
332nd Fighter Group, 87th Fighter Wing to Capodichino, Naples. There he flew 87 tactical
missions. Later in ‘44 Col. Sheppard was transferred to the 15th Air Force, 302nd Fighter
Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group in Ramitelli. Flying P-47’s and later P-51 Mustangs as bomber
escort, he completed 123 Combat missions with a total of 506 Combat hours. Col. Sheppard’s
distinguished career spanned over 33 years and he received the following awards: Legion of Merit,
Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medal with 13 Oak Leaf Clusters, and various
other Unit and Campaign awards.
Woodrow W. Crockett, LtCol., USAF (Ret)...
Woodrow Crockett joined the Army as a private in 1940. Distinguishing himself as the Model
Soldier of Regiment in the Army’s first all Black field artillery unit, he was subsequently assigned to
the Tuskegee Army Air Field as an aviation cadet in 1942. Graduating from class 43-C and
commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on March 25, 1943, he was later transferred to the 15th Air
Force as part of the 100th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group. While on a 15 month tour of
duty in Italy, LtCol Crockett flew 149 combat missions. Before LtCol. Crockett retired with 30 years
in the Air Force, he flew another 45 combat missions during the Korean War. LtCol Crockett has
flown aircraft ranging from the B-17 to the F-104 Starfighter and has been awarded the
Distinguished Flying Cross, 2 Soldier’s Medals for bravery, Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters,
Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal with Oak
Leaf Cluster and various other unit and campaign awards.
Harold D. “Bud” Pressel, Jr., Sgt., USAAF...
Bud Pressel enlisted in the US Army Air Corps in March 1943. After completion of basic training at
Miami Beach Florida he was transferred to Radio School at Scottfield, Illinois in July and later
transferred to Troop Carrier Command in February 1944. Through much hard work and
persistence he was accepted into Aerial Gunnery School and after graduation was assigned to B-
24 Bomber Crew Training at Pueblo Army Air Base. Once trained and assigned to a B-24 crew, they
were shipped to Torretta, Italy, to join the 15th Air Force, 825th Bomb Squadron. Bud Pressel flew
on several combat missions, being escorted by the Tuskegee Airman of the 332nd Fighter Group.
Later when Bud’s aircraft, “OL’45”, was hit by enemy flak and experiencing mechanical problems,
he had to bail out and was taken prisoner. Spending two weeks in a rail road box car, they traveled
through Papa, Hungary to Dulag Luft, Wetzlar, Germany, an interrogation camp. From there he was
transferred to Stalag XIIID, Nürnberg, Germany and eventually ended up in Moosburg, Germany at
Stalag VIIIA, before being liberated by General Patton and his Army on April 29, 1945.
Rudolf Opitz, Me-163 Komet Test Pilot...
Rudolf Opitz had an extensive background as a test pilot before he was drafted by the Luftwaffe in
September 1939 as a Flieger (private). He was quickly promoted to sergeant and on one of his
missions as a glider pilot he even received the Iron Cross. He was later promoted to 2nd
Lieutenant and transferred by General Udet to rejoin Alexander Lippisch and the work that was
being done on the development of the Me-163 Komet. Rudolf Opitz made his first flight in a Me-163
in August 1941. Towards the end of the war, on April 22, 1945, the Komet pilots of II Gruppe at
Husum, commanded by Rudolf Opitz, engaged Allied aircraft. Opitz tried to take off in a Komet that
had been having trouble with flame outs, and as he started his take off roll the fire warning light
came on. Too late to stop, he pulled back on the stick, at the same time he started to dump the
remaining fuel. With smoke filling the cockpit he brought the Me-163 back around to try to land but
loosing sight of the field and fire starting to enter the cockpit he crashed landed going through a
stone wall which tore the wings off the Komet before it exploded. Crash crews found Opitz
unconscious about 30 yards from the burning aircraft, and rushed him to a hospital with several
broken ribs, a broken collarbone and broken arm. But the crash didn’t come without a reward, he
married Hanna, the charming nurse who took care of him. After the Germans surrendered, Rudolf
Opitz found his way to the United States where he ended up working for Lycoming as supervisor of
Avco-Lycoming Gas Turbine Flight Test Operations, Stratford, Connecticut where he and his wife
live today.
SIZE OF EDITION: 1200 Artist signed and consecutively numbered
This limited edition lithographic print has been personally approved and signed by the artist. It is
printed on the finest quality lithographic print paper; acid free, neutral pH, 100lb. stock, sig-
NATURE R Gloss Cover. All printing plates and negatives used in the process of printing the
edition have been destroyed and this image has never been, or ever will be, reproduced in any
other art print form.