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Please note that our logo is used on our website images only and does not appear on our products. The Black Sheep by Nicolas Trudgian. Few fighter units in World War II gained the notoriety of Pappy Boyingtons Marine Corps VMF-214 Black Sheep Squadron. Equipped with the Chance Vought F4U Corsair, under Boyingtons spirited leadership, the Black Sheep pilots were accorded one of only two Presidential Unit Citations awarded to Marine Corps squadrons during the war in the Pacific. With the American forces pushing up through the South Pacific, the First Marine Air Wing was urgently looking for a seasoned fighter pilot to form a unit to take the brand new F4U into combat. Boyington had the experience - he had become an Ace flying with Chennaults Flying Tigers in China - and the rank to lead a squadron; he also had a reputation as an aggressive fighter leader, and was a natural choice for the job. Recruiting pilots from the reserve pool, together with others awaiting assignment to squadrons, the 30 year-old Boyington - dubbed Pappy by his group of young pilots - knocked them into one of the most effective fighter units in the South Pacific. In their first twelve weeks of operation they brought down 97 Japanese aircraft, no fewer than 95 of which were enemy fighters. During this period they lost only 11 pilots. VMF-214 saw action at Guadalcanal, the northern Solomons and Vella Lavella; they were the first to strafe Kahili, the first to operate from the field at Munda while it was still under enemy artillery fire, and the first to lead fighter sweeps over Rabaul. Nicolas Trudgians outstanding painting captures the scene at Vella Lavella as Pappy Boyington leads his VMF-214 Black Sheep Squadron off the island strip to escort a B-17 Fortress raid on Rabaul in December 1943. Boyington led his Black Sheep pilots through two combat tours before being brought down himself and taken prisoner. On his last mission he shot down three Zeros, bringing his final tally to 28. He was to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor. Nicks fine image pays tribute to one of the US Marine Corps most illustrious fighter squadrons and to its remarkable leader. AMAZING VALUE! - The value of the signatures on this item is in excess of the price of the print itself! Item Code : DHM2225 The Black Sheep by Nicolas Trudgian. - This Edition TYPE EDITION DETAILS SIZE SIGNATURES OFFERS YOUR PRICE PURCHASING PRINT Fighter Pilots Edition. Signed limited edition of 125 prints. SOLD OUT (February 2009) Paper size approx 34 inches x 25 inches (86cm x 64cm) McClurg, Robert W Matheson, Bruce J + Artist : Nicolas Trudgian Signature(s) value alone : £90 SOLD OUT NOT AVAILABLE All prices on our website are displayed in British Pounds Sterling

This edition is sold out, but here are some similar items which may be of interest :

The Black Sheep by Nicolas Trudgian (B) £180.00

The Black Sheep by Nicolas Trudgian (AP) £210.00

While the edition above is no longer available, there may be other editions below which are still available :

Other editions of this item : The Black Sheep by Nicolas Trudgian DHM2225 TYPE EDITION DETAILS SIZE SIGNATURES OFFERS YOUR PRICE PURCHASING ARTIST PROOF Black Sheep Edition. Limited edition of 25 artist proofs. Last 5 copies available of this sold out edition. Great value : Value of signatures exceeds price of item! Paper size approx 34 inches x 25 inches (86cm x 64cm) Emrich, W Thomas Harper, Edwin A Hill, James J Losch, Fred S Heier, William D McClurg, Robert W Matheson, Bruce J + Artist : Nicolas Trudgian Signature(s) value alone : £320 £70 Off! Now : £210.00 VIEW EDITION... PRINT Black Sheep Edition. Signed limited edition of 500 prints. Great value : Value of signatures exceeds price of item! Paper size approx 34 inches x 25 inches (86cm x 64cm) Emrich, W Thomas Harper, Edwin A Hill, James J Losch, Fred S Heier, William D McClurg, Robert W Matheson, Bruce J + Artist : Nicolas Trudgian Signature(s) value alone : £320 £60 Off! Now : £180.00 VIEW EDITION... PRINT Black Sheep Edition. Limited edition of 40 remarques. One copy remaining of this sold out edition. Paper size approx 34 inches x 25 inches (86cm x 64cm) Emrich, W Thomas Harper, Edwin A Hill, James J Losch, Fred S Heier, William D McClurg, Robert W Matheson, Bruce J + Artist : Nicolas Trudgian Signature(s) value alone : £320 £325.00 VIEW EDITION... PRINT Black Sheep Edition. Limited edition of 10 double remarques. One copy remaining of this sold out edition. Paper size approx 34 inches x 25 inches (86cm x 64cm) Emrich, W Thomas Harper, Edwin A Hill, James J Losch, Fred S Heier, William D McClurg, Robert W Matheson, Bruce J + Artist : Nicolas Trudgian Signature(s) value alone : £320 £525.00 VIEW EDITION... PRINT Black Sheep Tribute Edition. Limited edition of 10 prints. SOLD OUT (February 2009) Paper size approx 34 inches x 25 inches (86cm x 64cm) Emrich, W Thomas Harper, Edwin A Hill, James J Losch, Fred S Heier, William D McClurg, Robert W Matheson, Bruce J + Artist : Nicolas Trudgian Signature(s) value alone : £320 SOLD OUT VIEW EDITION... FLYER Nicolas Trudgian Promotional Flyer. A4 Size Double Sheet 11.5 inches x 8 inches (30m x 21cm) none £2.00 VIEW EDITION... SLIGHT BORDER DAMAGE Black Sheep Edition. Signed limited edition of 500 prints. The print has slight damage to the border area, mostly on a corner. Not noticeable once framed. Great value : Value of signatures exceeds price of item! Paper size approx 34 inches x 25 inches (86cm x 64cm) Emrich, W Thomas Harper, Edwin A Hill, James J Losch, Fred S Heier, William D McClurg, Robert W Matheson, Bruce J + Artist : Nicolas Trudgian Signature(s) value alone : £320 £60 Off! Now : £160.00 VIEW EDITION... EX-DISPLAY PRINT ** (Ex Display) Black Sheep Edition. Signed limited edition of 500 prints. (One copy reduced to clear) Ex display prints in near perfect condition. SOLD Paper size approx 34 inches x 25 inches (86cm x 64cm) Emrich, W Thomas Harper, Edwin A Hill, James J Losch, Fred S Heier, William D McClurg, Robert W Matheson, Bruce J + Artist : Nicolas Trudgian Signature(s) value alone : £320 SOLD OUT VIEW EDITION... General descriptions of types of editions :

Signatures on this item
*The value given for each signature has been calculated by us based on the historical significance and rarity of the signature. Values of many pilot signatures have risen in recent years and will likely continue to rise as they become more and more rare.
Name	Info
Brigadier General Bruce J Matheson (deceased) *Signature Value : £45	Born in Chicago in 1921, Bruce Matheson enlisted in the US Marine Corps in 1942 and joined the Black Sheep on 7 August 1943. On 17 October 1943 he shot down a Zero over Kahili but was wounded during the aerial combat. He safely landed his badly damaged Corsair at Munda. On 3 January 1944 Bruce got his last aerial victory, and also confirmed Major Boyingtons final aerial victory before Pappy was shot down near Rabaul. By the end of the second Black Sheep tour, Bruce would have 3 confirmed victories and 1.5 probables. For his third combat tour he was transferred along with 14 other Black Sheep pilots to VMF-211 on Green Island. Sadly he died on 29th January 2009.
Lieutenant Colonel Robert W McClurg (deceased) *Signature Value : £45	Born in Cochocton, Ohio in 1919, Bob McClurg left for the South Pacific on 2 May 1943, joining VMF-214, the Black Sheep, on 7 August 1943. He flew both of the Black Sheep combat tours, and was then transferred to VMF-211 for his third combat tour after the Black Sheep were disbanded. During the Squadrons first aerial combat on 16 September 1943, an escort mission of torpedo and dive-bombers, Bob shot down a Zero over Ballale for one of the Black Sheeps early victories, and his first. By the end of both his combat tours with VMF-214, Bob would have a total of 7 confirmed aerial victories and 2 probables, and was one of the squadrons Aces. After the war he left duty in 1946, but remained active in the reserves, from which he retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. Sadly, he died on 20th January 2007.

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