One Minute in Hell
Image size: 17" x 22"
Overall size: 22" X 25"
Price: $75 for the single print, $250 for the set of four
Artist signed and numbered in a limited edition of 450 plus 50 artist proofs
**If you are interested in purchasing a print, please contact us.**
About the painting
On November 2, 1943, the Fifth Air Force launched an enormous low-level strike with nine squadrons of B-25 strafers against Rabaul, New Britain's installations and shipping. At the Vanguard of the 71st Squadron's strike, 1/Lt. James A. Hungerpiller flying SLEEPY TIME GAL, and 1/Lt. J. E. Orr dove to masthead height and engaged their targets. In the face of the hundreds of AA guns, Lt. Hungerpiller opened fire on two destroyers, scoring a direct hit with one of his bombs. Meanwhile, Lt. Orr opened fire on a harbor merchant ship. After a brief attempt to pull up alongside Lt. Orr, Lt. Hungerpiller's aircraft quickly began to lose speed and altitude because of severe damage inflicted by the Japanese destroyer's AA guns. Recognizing the plight of this aircraft, he made a sharp right turn toward to the Haguro anchored just off the western shore of the harbor.
This painting depicts Lt. Orr in the foreground, opening fire on the Japanese merchant ship. In the background is Lt. Hungerpiller's SLEEPY TIME GAL, about to cross the bow of the heavy cruiser Haguro. With his left engine on fire and the aircraft severely damaged from a fuel tank explosion, Lt. Hungerpiller lost control his aircraft and soon crashed in flames roughly 300 feet beyond the Japanese warship. There were no survivors.