Battleships-Cruisers .co .uk Home Page
Order Enquiries (UK) : 01436 820269

You currently have no items in your basket

Google

 

www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk

Naval History by Country :
ROYAL
NAVY
US
NAVY
GERMAN
NAVY
FRENCH
NAVY
MORE
PAGES
VIEW ALL OF OUR CURRENT ART SPECIAL OFFERS ON ONE PAGE HERE
NAVAL ART AVIATION ART MILITARY ART SPORT ART
Ship Search by Name :
Product Search         
ALWAYS GREAT OFFERS :
20% FURTHER PRICE REDUCTIONS ON HUNDREDS OF LIMITED EDITION ART PRINTS
BUY ONE GET ONE HALF PRICE ON THOUSANDS OF PAINTINGS AND PRINTS
FOR MORE OFFERS SIGN UP TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Colonel Richard Willsie (deceased) - Art prints and originals signed by Colonel Richard Willsie (deceased)

Richard Willsie

Richard Willsie
The signature of Colonel Richard Willsie (deceased)

16 / 2 / 2013Died : 16 / 2 / 2013

Colonel Richard Willsie (deceased)

Joining up in 1942, Dick Willsie was posted to North Africa with the 414th Night Fighter Squadron, where he flew 31 missions on the Beaufighter. He transferred to the 96th Fighter Squadron, 82nd Fighter Group, flying the P38 Lightning on 82 day missions through to the end of hostilities in Europe. Willsie would go on to serve in both Korea and Vietnam, and Willsie became the commanding officer of the 602nd Air Commando Squadron and retired in 1974. Dick Willsie was born on the 6th of September 1920 in Michigan USA and joined the US Air force in 1942. Dick Willsie was posted to North Africa with the 414th Night-fighter Squadron, where he flew 31 missions on the Beaufighter. He transferred to the 96th FS, 82nd Fighter Group, flying the P38 Lightning on 82 day missions through to the end of hostilities in Europe. He notched up a large number of ground attack victories as well as three aerial victories in his P38 'Snake Eyes'. On one mission Captain Richard 'Dick' Willsie's P-38 was damaged by flak near Ploesti, Romania. Lieutenant Willsie felt the bullets tearing into his aircraft, the force of the hits actually making his feet bounce on the rudder pedals. He noticed oil leaking from the left engine, and then the engine lost oil pressure. Willsie immediately feathered the propeller, turning the blades edge on to present the least resistance to the wind, and headed for home, his right engine at full power. Then he noticed coolant streaming from his remaining good engine. Within minutes he would be without power. He immediately reported over the radio that he was going down. One of the many to hear his broadcast announcement was 19-year-old Richard T. 'Dick' Andrews, who flew with the same 82nd Fighter Group as Willsie. But unlike the more experienced Willsie, Andrews had less than 100 flying hours in the P-38. Pick a good field, radioed the youngster, and I will come in after you.It was a strange message; it made no sense. But Willsie had no time to wonder about it. His remaining engine was popping loudly, a fresh hit shattered his windscreen and bloodied his forehead, and a plowed field appeared ahead. As his wounded fighter barely made it over the final obstacle he planted his forehead firmly against the padded gun sight. That did not prevent his nose taking a beating as his plane skidded to a stop with its wheels retracted. Scrambling from the cockpit as quickly as possible, he - as per instructions - destroyed his P-38 with a small phosphorous bomb. With truckloads of enemy troops approaching from beyond some trees six Me-109 German fighters appeared overhead. And a second P-38 was coming toward him with its landing gear down! Other Lightnings engaged the Me-109s and Andrews set his P-38 down, landing in line with the plowed furrows. Willsie raced to the plane, praying it might be his salvation, praying they would both be able to fit into the one small seat. Andrews threw his parachute - and everything else that was handy and not nailed down - out of the cockpit. With no time to think of how it might be done both men climbed hurriedly into the plane 'with miraculous precision,' as the older pilot would later joke. At Andrews' suggestion the more experienced Willsie took the controls. With Andrews in back, one leg slung over Willsie's shoulder, the two somehow managed to close and securely lock the canopy. They barely cleared the trees at the end of their improvised 'runway' and quickly ran into inclement weather and became separated from the other P-38s. With no map and fully expecting to be greeted by friendly fire because of their aircraft type, with which the Russians might not be familiar, they headed for an air base at nearby Poltava. Word of the rescue spread and others tried to emulate it. But so many were injured in these attempts that the USAAF had to issue orders forbidding the use of such tactics. Richard T. Andrews was awarded the Silver Star for his unique rescue. Willsie would go on to serve in both Korea and Vietnam, and Willsie became the commanding officer of the 602nd Air Commando Squadron and retired in 1974. Colonel Richard Willsie died on Febuary 16th, 2013 in Dana Point, Orange County, California.


Items Signed by Colonel Richard Willsie (deceased)

 P-38 Lightnings launching a surprise attack on a German freight train as it winds its way through the hills of Northern France towards the battle front, shortly before D-Day, 1944. ......
Lightning Encounter by Nicolas Trudgian.
Price : £180.00
P-38 Lightnings launching a surprise attack on a German freight train as it winds its way through the hills of Northern France towards the battle front, shortly before D-Day, 1944. ......

Quantity:
P-38 Lightnings launching a surprise attack on a German freight train as it winds its way through the hills of Northern France towards the battle front, shortly before D-Day, 1944. ......
Lightning Encounter by Nicolas Trudgian. (AP)
Price : £250.00
P-38 Lightnings launching a surprise attack on a German freight train as it winds its way through the hills of Northern France towards the battle front, shortly before D-Day, 1944. ......

Quantity:
 P-38 Lightnings launching a surprise attack on a German freight train as it winds its way through the hills of Northern France towards the battle front, shortly before D-Day, 1944. ......
Lightning Encounter by Nicolas Trudgian. (Y)
Price : £160.00
P-38 Lightnings launching a surprise attack on a German freight train as it winds its way through the hills of Northern France towards the battle front, shortly before D-Day, 1944. ......

Quantity:
By any military standards, it is difficult to imagine the Supreme Commander of the largest air force of the day, piloting himself over the battlefront during the early moments of one of historys greatest military operations.  But General Jimmy Doolli......
Doolittles D-Day, 6th June 1944 by Robert Taylor.
SOLD OUT
By any military standards, it is difficult to imagine the Supreme Commander of the largest air force of the day, piloting himself over the battlefront during the early moments of one of historys greatest military operations. But General Jimmy Doolli......NOT
AVAILABLE

Packs with at least one item featuring the signature of Colonel Richard Willsie (deceased)



Special Sale Pack of 5 Prints - 4 FREE!
Pack Price : £205.00
Saving : £255
Aviation Print Pack. ......

Titles in this pack :

Lightning Encounter by Nicolas Trudgian.
The Struggle for Malta by Ivan Berryman. (F)
LCT 312 by Ivan Berryman. (D)
Typhoons Over Normandy by Ivan Berryman. (D)
Dinah Might by Ivan Berryman.

Quantity:
P-38 Lockheed Lightning Aviation Prints by Philip West and Nicolas Trudgian.
Pack Price : £260.00
Saving : £145
Aviation Print Pack. ......

Titles in this pack :

Winter of 44 by Philip West.
Lightning Encounter by Nicolas Trudgian.

Quantity:
P-38 Lightning Aviation Art Prints by Richard Taylor and Nicolas Trudgian.
Pack Price : £290.00
Saving : £145
Aviation Print Pack. ......

Titles in this pack :

Tactical Support by Richard Taylor.
Lightning Encounter by Nicolas Trudgian.

Quantity:
Colonel Richard Willsie (deceased)

Squadrons for : Colonel Richard Willsie (deceased)
A list of all squadrons known to have been served with by Colonel Richard Willsie (deceased). A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name.
SquadronInfo

414th Night Fighter Squadron


Country : US

Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of 414th Night Fighter Squadron
414th Night Fighter Squadron

Full profile not yet available.

82nd Fighter Group


Country : US

Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of 82nd Fighter Group
82nd Fighter Group

Full profile not yet available.

96th Fighter Squadron


Country : US
The 96th Fighter Squadron, during World War Two flew combat missions in the both the European and Mediterranean Theatres of Operation from 25th of December 1942 to 6th May 1945. After World War Two the 96th Fighter Squadron flew fighter escort and a

Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of 96th Fighter Squadron
96th Fighter Squadron

Full profile not yet available.
Aircraft for : Colonel Richard Willsie (deceased)
A list of all aircraft associated with Colonel Richard Willsie (deceased). A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name.
SquadronInfo

Beaufighter




Click the name above to see prints featuring Beaufighter aircraft.

Manufacturer : Bristol
Production Began : 1940
Number Built : 5564

Beaufighter

BRISTOL BEAUFIGHTER The Bristol Beaufighter was a Torpedo Bomber and had a crew of two. with a maximum speed of 330mph and a ceiling of 29,000 feet. maximum normal range of 1500 miles but could be extended to 1750 miles. The Bristol Beaufighter carried four 20mm cannon in the belly of the aircraft and upto six .303in browning machine guns in the wings. it could also carry eight 3 -inch rockets, 1605 lb torpedo or a bomb load of 1,000 lb. The Bristol Beaufighter first flew in July 1939 and with some modifications entered service with the Royal Air Force in July 1940. In the winter of 1940 - 1941 the Beaufighter was used as a night fighter. and in March 1941 the aircraft was used at Coastal Command as a long range strike aircraft. and in 1941, the Beaufighter arrived in North Africa and used as a forward ground attack aircraft. The Bristol Beaufighter was used also in India, Burma and Australia. A total of 5,564 Beaufighters were built until production in Britain finished in 1945, but a further 364 were built in Australia for the Australian Air Force

Lightning




Click the name above to see prints featuring Lightning aircraft.

Manufacturer : Lockheed

Lightning

Designed by Kelly Johnson the P38 made its maiden flight on the 27th January 1939 and introduced into service in 1941. they cost $134,284 at the time each and a total of 10,037 were built. The Lockheed P-38 was introduced as a inceptor fighter but soon proved a valuable long range bomber escort for the 8thUS Air Force's B-17 and-24 bombers as they bombed targets further into Germany.

Everything we obtain for this site is shown on the site, we do not have any more photos, crew lists or further information on any of the ships.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE. ALL IMAGES DISPLAYED ON THIS WEBSITE ARE PROTECTED BY  COPYRIGHT  LAW, AND ARE OWNED BY CRANSTON FINE ARTS OR THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS.  NO REPRODUCTION OR COPYING ALLOWED ON OTHER WEBSITES, BOOKS OR ARTICLES WITHOUT PRIOR AGREEMENT.

Contact Details
Shipping Info
Terms and Conditions
Cookie Policy
Privacy Policy

Join us on Facebook!

Sign Up To Our Newsletter!

Stay up to date with all our latest offers, deals and events as well as new releases and exclusive subscriber content!

This website is owned by Cranston Fine Arts.  Torwood House, Torwoodhill Road, Rhu, Helensburgh, Scotland, G848LE

Contact: Tel: (+44) (0) 1436 820269.  Email: