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A powerful piece featuring Russian Yak 3s in combat with Messerschmitt Bf109s over the Russian Front
RUSSIAN ROULETTE
By Robert Taylor
A Soviet Yak 3 hurtles towards us in a typically daring head-on attack on a Bf109. Other Yaks wheel and turn frantically in search of the enemy. Casualties on both sides are evident. Away into the distant horizon stretches a vast Russian sky, painted in Robert’s inimitable style: soon all will be quiet again until the next ferocious encounter.
The Soviet & French Yaks and German Me109s hurled themselves at each other with an intensity hard to believe, and both sides were engaged in continuous action for months on end. Relaxation was a commodity unknown to the pilots of either side. With the fall of Stalingrad, the tide of war began to turn against the Germans and the Soviets took their chance by going on the offensive. The Yak 3 fighter made its debut in the Spring skies over Kursk in 1943, where below the titans of Hitler’s Panzer tank divisions were locked in mortal combat with the Russians in the greatest tank battle in history.
Often compared to the British Spitfire, the Yak 3 quickly proved itself as the leading fighter in the East. Powered by an enormous 1650 horsepower engine, at low altitude it could easily out-maneuver anything at the Luftwaffe’s disposal. Armed with two 12.7mm machine guns and a 20mm cannon firing through the nose, the Yak caused devastating losses to the BF109s in some of the highest attritional fighting ever encountered in aerial combat.
THE SIGNATURESThis print is individually signed by SIX fighter Aces who fought on the Russian Front. Joining two top Russian Aces – both Heroes of the Soviet Union – and two leading Luftwaffe Aces, are two highly decorated fighter Aces from the legendary Free French Normandie-Niemen Squadron. These iconic Aces flew over 3316 missions and scored 547 air victories between them:
GeneralJOHANNES “MACKY” STEINHOFFKnights Cross with Oak Leaves & Swords – 176 victories
Lieutenant GeneralARSENY VASILYEVITCH VOROZHEIKINHero of Soviet Union – 52 victories
Major GeneralKONSTANTIN MIKHAILOVITCH TRESHYOVHero of Soviet Union – 28 victories
LieutenantJACQUES DE SAINT PHALLELegion of Honor / Normandie-Niemen Squadron – 1 victory
GeneralJOSEPH RISSOGrand Cross of Legion of Honor / Normandie-Niemen Squadron – 11 victories
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Please note: The signatures on our pieces are not reproductions; they are original autographs, hand-signed by the veterans involved at the time of publishing.
