Hot Pursuit, a rare Nicolas Trudgian print featuring P-51 Mustangs of the 357th Fighter Group.

Flying a bomber escort mission, a P- 51 Mustang of the 357th Fighter Group manoeuvres to engage Me109s about to descend upon a formation of B-17 Flying Fortresses heading for Germany.

A landmark print as this was Nicolas Trudgian’s first release for the Military Gallery in 1992, it is now hard to find. 

Hot Pursuit is signed by 2 distinguished USAAF fighter Aces and two renowned Luftwaffe Aces:

Captain Leonard 'Kit' Carson
Top Ace of the 357th FG with 18.5 victories - his first on April 8th 1944. He scored all his victories flying five different P-51 Mustangs all named Nooky Booky. He went on to run the 357th's combat training school. On the 38th mission of his second tour he became the second 357th pilot to become an Ace in a day. He was squadron commander between April and November 1945.

Major Richard Bud Peterson
Flying with the 357th FG, he scored his first victory in March 1944, an Fw190. He eventually became the top scorer in the 364th FS, with a final tally of 15.5 victories, and was the 10th Ace of the 357th FG. He has the distinction of scoring victories over every piston-engined Luftwaffe fighter aircraft flown in WWII. By the end of the war he had flown 150 missions over Europe.

Hauptmann Ernst Wilhelm Reinert - Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
Initially flew with JG77 before transferring to the Eastern Front in 1941. He was posted to Tunisia in January 1943 where he became the most successful Luftwaffe Ace in North Africa during that period. On January 2nd 1945 he was given the leadership of IV./JG27. In March he transferred to III./JG7 flying the Me262. In his 715 missions he scored 174 aerial victories.

Major Erich Rudorffer - Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds
One of a very small elite group of Luftwaffe fighter Aces to be awarded the highest decoration in the Luftwaffe. Erich Rudorffer flew Me109s, Fw190s and the Me262 achieving 224 aerial victories including 12 flying the Me262. 

Hot Pursuit by Nicolas Trudgian
We are selling a copy of this print on behalf of one of our collectors. It is in excellent overall condition, having been stored flat and dark and never framed. It has two mild surface indentations about 1 cm each, where the print has accidentally been pressed up against something at some point. They are noticeable only by holding the print at a certain angle - they would not be visible if the print were framed. Overall this is a rare print, sensibly priced with four excellent pilot signatures. It comes with the original Certificate of Authenticity.

Price: £225 or offers.

Reference: CD007

Note: the 'Nicolas Trudgian' logo on the bottom right of the image does not appear on the actual print itself.