'Dawn Chorus' by Nicolas Trudgian shows a bunch of 20th Fighter Group
P-38s climbing out from their base at Kingscliffe, Northamptonshire, at
dawn, as they head for the Normandy beaches on a low-level strike mission.
Below, in a sleepy Northamptonshire village the local residents are awakened
by their regular 'early morning call', courtesy of the busy P-38 pilots.
This morning, as if the ear-splitting crescendo of the P-38s isn't enough,
U.S. Army trucks rumble through the village. Clearly visible in the foreground
of Trudgian's exquisite landscape is a typical English village of the 1940s.
The pub, center of life in the village, and popular with the pilots in
the evenings, is surrounded by quaint thatched cottages and winding country
lanes. An ancient bridge spans the river while the old watermill slowly
turns in the gentle current of the mill race. Above this peaceful rural
setting the lead aircraft fills the canvas, every detail of the P-38 clearly
visible as it skims the chimney pots enroute to the battle front. In addition
to the artist Nicolas Trudgian, each print in the edition is individually
signed by Colonel Hub Zemke, Brigadier General Robin Olds, Colonel Arthur
Jeffrey and Colonel Jack Ilfrey.