"Flak Bait" - Ernie Boyette - B-26 Marauder World War II Aviation Art

In Stock 5
Flak Bait was a B-26 Marauder aircraft that holds the record within the United States Army Air Forces for number of bombing missions survived during World War II.
Price: $20.00
Quantity

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 Poster Print of the B-26 Marauder "Flak Bait"

This print illustrates the most famous of the B-26s that flew in Europe.

12" by 18" Poster Print, signed by the artist.

Flak Bait was a B-26 Marauder aircraft that holds the record within the United States Army Air Forces for number of bombing missions survived during World War II. A B-26B manufactured in Baltimore, Maryland, by Martin, this aircraft was completed in April, 1943. It was christened Flak Bait by one of the pilots, James J. Farrell, who adapted the nickname of a family dog, "Flea Bait". Flak Bait was assigned to the 449th Bombardment Squadron, 322d Bombardment Group stationed in England.

During the course of its 202 bombing missions over Germany as well as the Netherlands, Belgium, and France, Flak Bait lived up to its name by being shot with over 1000 holes, returned twice on one engine and once with an engine on fire, lost its electrical system once and its hydraulic system twice, and participated in bombing missions in support of D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge.

Flak Bait returned to the United States in December 1946. The front portion of the fuselage is currently on display at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum.

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.

 
Product Reviews

No Reviews For This Product.

Click to review this product

Shopping cart  Shopping cart
0 Product(s) in cart
Total $0.00
» Checkout
Login Status  Login Status

Not logged in

» Login