352nd Fighter Group P-51D "Eleen and Jerry" Limited Edition print signed by Ace Alden Rigby

This is a Limited Edition, 19" x 13" giclee print signed by 352nd Fighter Group P-51D Ace Alden Rigby.

A total of 51 Limited Edition prints were signed by Mr. Rigby and are now available for sale.

1^st Lt. Alden Rigby flew the P-51D Mustang “Eleen and Jerry”, HO-R (44-15629), when he was assigned to the 487^th Fighter Squadron, 352^nd Fighter Group, 8^th USAAF, based at Bodney, England, in the European Theatre of Operations. He named his P-51D “Eleen and Jerry” after his wife and baby daughter. On November 27, 1944, while flying with his friend Lt. Robert Draftz, they got separated after strafing a train. Soon thereafter, he shot down his first enemy fighter, a Bf-109. On January 1, 1945, he was one of twelve pilots who flew combat during the famous “Legend of Y-29 Mission”, in which he shot down two Bf-109s and two FW-190s, becoming an Ace.

In September 2000, the American Fighter Aces Association – Aces Victory Confirmation Board, awarded him the 4^th victory at Y-29. This brought his total to five air-to-air and six total victories. He destroyed a JU-52 on a strafing run, which he recalls “burned really well as it was made out of wood”, plus destroyed many trains and barges. He flew 76 combat missions, with a total of 272 combat hours. He was awarded the Silver Star, the Air Medal with seven oak leaf clusters, and the Distinguished Unit Citation.

He served three years active duty during the Korean War with the 33^rd Air Division in the Air Defense Command, 25 years in the Utah National Guard, and 25 years with the FAA. He has over 150 flight hours in the F4U Corsair. In addition to the F4U Corsair, he flew the F8F Bearcat, the FJ-1 Fury, plus many other Navy and Air Force combat aircraft. He retired in 1979 at the rank of Major.

Note: Copyright Watermarks appearing on images are not printed on the actual art print.

© 2010 - John R. Doughty, Jr., All rights reserved.

RAF 71st Eagle Squadron Spitfire Mk VB Double Ace Steve Pisanos Art Print

Colonel Steve Pisanos flew the Spitfire Mk Vb (EN-783 / XR-K), when he was assigned to the 334^th Fighter Squadron, 4^th Fighter Group, 8^th USAAF in Europe. After migrating to the United States in 1938 from Athens, Greece, he joined the British Royal Air Force on November 6, 1941 and flew his first combat mission with the RAF’s 268 Fighter Squadron in August, 1942. In September, 1942 he joined the 71^st Eagle Squadron, and was later absorbed into the USAAF as a 2^nd Lt. on September 29, 1942. He is the first person in U.S. history to become an American citizen on foreign soil, when he took the oath of allegiance in England on May 3, 1943. He flew 110 combat missions in the Spitfire, P-47, and P-51. He is credited with 10 air-to-air victories, plus one damaged and one probable. After the war, he was a test pilot at Wright Field, Ohio. He flew 375 combat missions in the C-7 Caribou during the Vietnam War, in which he transported supplies to US Army Special Forces camps throughout Southeast Asia. He retired from the United States Air Force on December 1, 1973.

He was awarded the Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross with four Oak Leaf Clusters with Combat V, the Purple Heart, the Air Medal with eight Oak Leaf Clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation with five Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, the American Defense Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the European Theatre of Operations with two Stars, European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with four Battle Stars, World War II Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Air Force Longevity Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, British World War II Victory Medal, British 1939-1945 Star, British Air Crew Europe Star, British Defense Medal, French Distinguished Unit Citation, French Croix De Guerre with Silver Star, Royal Air Force Medallion, Vietnamese Medal of Honor – First Class, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the Republic of Vietnam Service Award Ribbon with three Oak Leaf Clusters. In 2010, the French Government awarded him the French Legion d’Honneur.

A very special “thank you” to Col. Steve Pisanos and Mr. Jack Gooden for their assistance on this project.

Southern Heritage Air Show with P-51 Charlotte's Chariot II

The Southern Heritage Air Museum will have it annual air show on Friday, October 29th and Saturday, October 30th at the Vicksburg - Tallulah Regional Airport in Mound, Louisiana. Children under 5 are free, 5-15 are $10.00, 16 and over are $15.00. Lots of food and fun at this all day event. Military static displays, aerobatic flight demonstrations, airplane and helicopter rides, and lots of World War II Warbirds, including the famous P-51D Mustang "Charlotte's Charriot II" from the 354th Fighter Group. For more information contact the airport at 318-574-5841.

354th Fighter Group Charlotte's Chariot II Grand Unveiling

The new P-51D Mustang Charlotte's Chariot II, was unveiled at a grand event last January in Jackson, Mississippi. The event was was hosted by Mr. Dan Fordice, owner of this beautifully painted Mustang. On hand for the event was Mr. Cary Salter, who was the pilot of Charlotte's Chariot II in World War II. Upon seeing the Mustang fly over the airport and taxi to the hanger,

he said the last time he saw his plane was over 60 years ago. Cary's wife Charlotte was also on hand at the event, and in 2010, they have been married for 66 years.

Make sure to watch the attached video of the event below, especially the fire shooting out of the exhaust pipes!

I was asked to do a rendering of Charlotte's Chariot II for the event. Mr. Salter signed each of the limited edition prints.

Mr. Dan Fordice taxies his new P-51D Mustang, Charlotte's Chariot II, to the hanger at Jackson, Mississippi for the grand unveiling of his newly painted Mustang.

Lt. Col. Cary W. Salter, Jr. flew the P-51D Mustang “Charlotte’s Chariot II”, (44-63747), when he was assigned to the 353^rd Fighter Squadron, 354^th Fighter Group, 9^th USAAF, based in Toul, France, in the European Theatre of Operations. After completing pilot training, he was assigned to Meridian, Mississippi, as an instructor pilot, training pilots for much of the war. During this time, he became very close friends with fellow instructor pilot Rush Limbaugh, Jr., and he also married his college sweetheart, Charlotte Ezell, whose name is painted on the aircraft. In October 1944, he and 20 other pilots traveled across the Atlantic on a British ship to England and then transferred to a replacement depot in France. On his 23^rd birthday, he was assigned to the 354^th Fighter Group.

On April 2, 1945, he was flying with wing leader Lt. Andrew Ritchey, when he shot down an Fw 190, a Bf 109, and badly damaged a third enemy fighter. Later in the mission, they saw 4 Fw 190s below them and turned to attack. When they got closer, they discovered there were 8 fighters in a line-abreast formation, followed by 8 to 10 more rows of fighters, to which Cary Salter shouted in his radio to Andy, “look out, it’s the entire Luftwaffe”. They shot down one aircraft and dispersed the formation, which was reportedly in route to attack General Patton’s 3^rd Army. Rumor has it that when General Patton heard how the two pilots attacked the formation, he declared, “Those two pilots deserve the Medal of Honor”. Lt. Salter was awarded the Silver Star for this mission. He was also awarded the Air Medal with 10 Oak Leaf clusters, and flew over 50 combat missions. After the war, he returned to civilian life as a pharmacist in Jackson, Mississippi, and he remained active in the Air Force reserve for 20 years and retired as a Lt. Colonel.

P-51 "Jersey Jerk" 356th Fighter Group Ace General Donald Strait Print

General Donald Strait flew the P-51D Mustang “Jersey Jerk” (44-15152), when he was assigned to the 361^st Fighter Squadron, 356^th Fighter Group, 8^th USAAF in Europe, stationed at Martlesham Heath, England. He was one of only five aerial Aces with the 356^th Fighter Group, and was the Group’s highest scoring Ace with 13.5 victories.

His first three victories came while flying the P-47 Thunderbolt, and his remaining victories came while flying the P-51 Mustang. He flew 122 missions, completed two combat tours, and on November 20, 1944, he became the Commanding Officer of the 361^st Fighter Squadron. After World War II, he joined the New Jersey Air National Guard’s 108^th Tactical Fighter Wing, where he served as the Squadron, Group, and Wing Commander. He flew the F-84, F-86, and the F-105 jet. He graduated from the Air War College in 1955. He was also appointed by President Dwight Eisenhower as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force Reserve and ROTC Affairs. He retired from the Air Force as a Major General in 1978.

He was awarded the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Medal with 14 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Victory Medal, the European Theater Ribbon with 4 Battle Stars, the American Defense Ribbon, the USAF Civilian Service Award, and the Republic of Viet-nam Gallantry Cross with Palm. He was inducted into the New Jersey Aviation Hall of Fame in 1989.