Aviation Print ‘Salute to the Brave’ by Anthony Saunders

This aviation art print ‘Salute to the Brave’ by Anthony Saunders depicts the heavily damaged B-17 piloted by Charlie Brown being escorted by Franz Stigler in his Messerschmit Bf-109 towards the North Sea.

Luftwaffe Ace Franz Stigler declines to destroy a seemingly defenseless and battered B-17 from the 379th Bomb Group as it limps home following a raid on Bremen, 20 December 1943. Having assessed the critical state of the fortress flown by 2nd Lt. Charlie Brown and glimpsed some of the badly wounded men through gaping holes in the fuselage. Stigler decides to escort the bomber to the North Sea coast on a heading for England. In a final act of chivalry, the German pilot looked across at his American counterpart and raised a gloved hand in salute before swinging his aircraft away. This print is a limited edition number 33/275.