ERNIE BOYETTE
Ernie was born to poor parents on a sweet potato farm in Green Cove Springs, Florida. The family raised chickens, rabbits and agriculural foods. The last of seven children, his father died when he was two years old. Growing up, Ernie always helped his mother and encouraged her in her self-taught wildlife painting. When she passed away in 1985, she left him her art supplies and some blank canvasses.
Bored with a job he disliked, he decided to figure out how to paint one night in 1986. He pulled out his mom's "art stuff" and started. Never having an art lesson in life other than what he was taught in public school, Ernie did about ten paintings over the next several years. Trained in marketing, in June 1991, he decided to try art as a business. Convinced he had talent, he swore he would be making his living from his artwork, writing and photography.
Not knowing what he wanted to paint, he liked airplanes and military so he tried that. He started painting one airplane after another. In the spring of 1993, he received his first commission from an F-18 Squadron stationed at Cecil Field, Jacksonville, Florida. Commander John "Lites" Leenhouts employed him to do a black and white Limited Edition of their squadron aircraft.
In 1994 he started his series "Famous American Aviators". His first prints were his heroes, George Gay and Robert "Bob" Scott. Between January 1991 and December 2000 he painted no less than 150 paintings. From March 1993 to September 2000 he published 42 Limited Edition prints along with 36 poster prints. In the fall of 2002 he was commissioned by Cook Cleland's family to paint all three of the F2G Corsair racers that he flew in the late 1940's at the Ohio Air Races. Cook won the Thompson Trophy in 1947 and 1949. Ernie had worked with Cook in 1997 with a print of the SBD dive-bomber he flew in WWII.
In March of 2003 Ernie was officially knighted as a “Knight of Vision” for his efforts in telling the stories of Great britain's famous aviators. Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette now signs all his original paintings as Sir Hamilton.
His artwork is now marketed nationwide in aviation museum gift shops including the Smithsonian. In November of 2006 his artwork was selected by the new Pearl Harbor Museum, Hawaii, to be sold in their gift shop. Ernie's artwork has also appeared in the Aviation History magazine and his prints are marketed worldwide.
Ernie Boyette S/N Limited Edition Print "P-51 Ace, Clarence "Bud" Anderson"
A Limited Edition 12" by 18" Print Signed and numbered by the artist and co-signed by P-51 Ace, Clarence “Bud” Anderson
Clarence Anderson graduated from U S Army Air Corp flight training in September 1942. When the 357th Fighter Group was formed, Anderson joined its 363rd Fighter Squadron. The 357th was transferred to England in November 1943 and was the first unit in the Eighth Air Force to be equipped with the new P-51 Mustangs.
On March 8, 1944 “Bud” scored his first aerial victory during a mission to Berlin. His flight found three Bf 109’s attacking a straggling B-17. One of his group shot down one of the German fighters as “Bud” engaged another, shooting down the fighter.
During an escort mission on May 27th 1944, to Ludwigshafen, the Luftwaffe came up in force. Anderson’s group was answering a distress call from some bombers when four Bf 109’s intercepted him and his flight. Bud was able to shoot down two of the enemy fighters.
All his fellow pilots have complemented Anderson’s flying ability. His friend Chuck Yeager described him as “a mongoose, the best combat pilot I ever saw.” So aggressive was Anderson’s skill in intimadating the enemy, that one German pilot simply bailed out before “Bud” was able to fire. Another pilot flew into the ground trying to avoid him. On June 29th 1944, Anderson downed three FW 190’s including their flight leader on a mission to Leipzig.
In his 116 missions totaling 480 combat flying hours, Anderson always returned “Old Crow” undamaged! The P-51B-15, shown above, was Anderson’s favorite. Anderson scored eight victories in this aircraft making it the most he had scored in any one plane. Anderson flew 40 of the 74 missions of his first tour in this “Old Crow”. Shown above with the black and white “D-Day” invasion stripes, Anderson flew many missions during the Normandy invasion attacking targets of opportunity behind the beachhead.
During his two tours of combat, “Bud” Anderson either led his flight, the squadron or sometimes the whole Group on every mission he flew. His ground crew maintained “Old Crow” with perfection. Anderson never had to abort a combat mission because of mechanical problems or any other reason.
Anderson ended his second tour of the war as a Triple Ace and a Major at the age of 23. Anderson stayed in the Air Force and commanded an F-86 squadron. He enjoyed a long career as a test pilot in the fifties. “Bud” also commanded two Tactical Fighter Wings, and flew combat missions in the F-105 Thunderchief in South East Asia.
Anderson was decorated 25 times. He earned the Legion of Merit with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Distinguished Flying Cross with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Bronze Star, the Air Medal with 15 Oak Leaf Clusters and the French Croix de Guerre as well as numerous campaign and service ribbons. After 30 years of continuous service, Bud retired as a Colonel on March 1, 1972.
All artwork is subject to availability at time of order. Although seller strives to remain currrent as to inventory, seller reserves the right to cancel a sale if item is no longer available at time of purchase.
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