THE DOOLITTLE RAIDERS – GICLÉE STUDIO PROOF

by Robert Taylor

COMMEMORATING THE 75th ANNIVERSARY OF THE DOOLITTLE RAID ON TOKYO

At 8.20am on April 18, 1942, just four months after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, a small force of B-25 Mitchell bombers under the command of Col Jimmy Doolittle, undertook one of the most remarkable air raids of World War II. The Raiders’ orders were anything but simple: fly low level some 800 miles over water into Japanese territory without escort, attack targets in Tokyo and nearby, then, with insufficient fuel to return, fly towards China until they ran out of fuel, bail out and, finally, try to evade capture.

Every man knew the danger and Robert Taylor’s celebrated painting sets the scene as the Raiders leave the target area. The pilot drops lower to hug the landscape and opens the throttles as they head west. With luck the next stop is China!

Of the sixteen crews who took part in the Tokyo raid, eleven would bail out, three ditched off shore and two crash-landed. Most of the men would eventually return to freedom, but not all. Of the seven who never returned, three were killed in action, three were executed and one died in captivity having been taken Prisoners of War by the Japanese.

Stretched Canvas Size: 22” wide x 40” high

To commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo, one of Robert Taylor’s his great Masterwork paintings – The Doolittle Raiders – is now added to his series of Giclée Studio Proofs.  Carefully crafted onto fine canvas, each of these crafted Giclée Proofs are fully authorized and signed by Robert Taylor, hand-numbered and issued with a Certificate of Authenticity.

Edition Size – 75