LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2008 MAR Grand Format Air & Space Sale #6000  / 

58233

Battle Scarred B-17 Nose Art "Naturals"

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Militaria Start Price:24,000.00 USD Estimated At:30,000.00 - 50,000.00 USD
Battle Scarred B-17 Nose Art Naturals
<B>Magnificent Battle-Scarred B-17 Nose Art "Naturals".</B></I> A well-documented example of war art from a B-17F (aircraft serial number 42-29711) of the 94th Bomb Group, 331st Bomb Squadron. Virtually every American combat aircraft flown during WWII was adorned with some painted talisman that held a special significance for the pilot or crew and each of those aircraft undoubtedly had a story to tell but few stories could match the harrowing last mission of "Naturals". <BR><BR>The story is best told by someone who was on that harrowing last mission, Staff Sergeant Lawrence H. Templeton, Naturals' tail gunner. Templeton's account comes from a three page handwritten letter which accompanies the nose art [as written with added punctuation and a few corrections to facilitate reading]: "<I>The Last Mission of Naturals June 13, 1943. We had made two starts for the Sub Pens at Kiel. The first was a recall from Wing weather closed in return[ing] to base we could see the mainland but no mission. #2 some days later same thing but Group & Wing were surprised they didn't recall us a fake message in code & color for the day. Some few days later on June 13, 1943 we went no radio sent & none received radios off. We flew in over Denmark north of Kiel over the Baltic sea. Just minutes before the I. P. [initial point] the first wave of fighters hit us & as they left the I. P. was made only we didn't make it we just flew straight ahead. The upper turret gunner Sgt Marquardt came on intercom, pilot unconscious lack of oxygen. He placed his mask on pilot took the walk around bottle [of oxygen] dropped the bombs. We had taken 4 or 5 20mm rounds in the R inboard area co pilot was injured engine had to be feathered. As soon as pilot was able did a [unknown] & power dive. By this time the fighters are back we pull out just off the water headed back to the north sea we lost the left outboard [engine] & feathered it. Now over Denmark fighters left but when we got to the sea they were back. They can't dive on us & we kept them away from the left & you would[n't] believe it 8 or 10 ME 210s hit us from the front but they didn't stay long they had been to the UK bombing no gas to fly a fighter mission, to our good fortune. We were still flying at least but on 2 engines we could[n't] gain any altitude & with the L engine feathered we couldn't turn that way couldn't get the wing up had make all moves to the right air speed about 120 mph. 6 ½ hours after the group returned to base we did. Fired a flare for wounded on board & landed. We didn't much more touch down when the right wing dropped the R prop hit the ground. We spun off the runway cleared ship as soon as it stopped but all was OK. We found later one 20mm hit R inboard prop about 10" from the hub. The fragment from that got the co pilot & oxygen tank. Another hit landing gear & blew the tire still another damaged the main wing spar & it parted in the landing that's why the wing drooped. That spar was broken before because the lift of the wing took the preasure [sic] off. Nobody could claim a kill on that mission. We shot at them & could[n't] watch to see what happened too busy keeping them away. Co pilot has some 40 pieces of 20mm his R side. I hope you can read this and don't count the misspent words</B></I>"<BR><BR>After crash landing at their base at Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk, England, Naturals was a total loss. Templeton managed to rescue Naturals nose art, no doubt wanting to keep a piece of the aircraft that against all odds brought him and his fellow crew members back to England. Templeton's rescued masterpiece measures 26.5" x 36" and depicts a confident and smiling gold-toothed African-American man dressed in a red and white striped shirt, matching socks and black slacks having just rolled the dice for a lucky seven. The high-roller is so dramatically painted he fairly jumps off the panel. A portion of the B-17's original olive green paint scheme remains below the art. The ferocity of Naturals last mission is evident on this small portion of the aircraft as there are well over 30 small holes caused by 20mm fragments. After the war Templeton mounted the piece on a wooden base and proudly displayed it in his living room. A color photograph of the nose art in situ in his living room is included. Templeton has captioned the photo "<I>B 17 F 429711 nose art I have it I brought it back from England</B></I>".<BR><BR>In his conversations with the consignor Templeton stated that the nose art had been painted by a Alabama-born African-American Technical Sergeant before the crew left the United States bound for their base in England. Though this folk artist's name is now lost to history, his remarkable art has endured war and lives on today as a symbol of that epic conflict.<BR><BR>Few examples of nose art with such an amazing story and unbroken provenance have survived. Naturals would be the centerpiece of any museum or private collection.<BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Requires 3rd Party Shipping (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
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