Midway - Strike Against the Akagi by Robert Taylor

This is one of the finest action portrayals of an SBD Dauntless dive-bomber ever published; with perforated dive flaps fully extended, you can almost feel the redoubtable Dauntless shuddering as it hurtles down almost vertically upon the already burning flight deck of the Japanese carrier Akagi to deliver the coup-de-grace during the Battle of Midway in June 1942. As the ever watchful rear gunner scans the sky behind for enemy fighters, the artist treats us to a fantastic pilot’s-eye view that few of us will ever experience!

Some of the most famous pilots of them all flew at the Battle of Midway, and this superb piece is personally signed by no less than six such men. Legendary SBD pilots Dick Best, Lew Hopkins and Bob Elder were three; as well as Bill Esders who flew TBD-1 torpedo bombers at Midway; Marion Carl, the celebrated first US Marine Corps Ace of World War II who ended his combat career with 18½ air victories and Scott McCusky with 14 air victories.

Signatures:

Lieutenant Commander DICK BEST – SBD Pilot / scored the direct hit that finished the Akagi

Captain ROBERT ELDER – TBD Pilot / the only survivor of Torpedo Squadron 3

Major General MARION CARL – Wildcat Pilot w/ 18 ½ victories

Commander BILL ESDERS – SBD Pilot who attacked the Akagi

Captain SCOTT MCCUSKEY – Wildcat Pilot w/ 13 1⁄2 victories

Rear Admiral LEW HOPKINS – SBD Pilot who attacked the Akagi