Golden Eagle by Richard Taylor

A highly-restricted edition remembering the most highly-decorated German serviceman of World War II

The accomplishments of Hans-Ulrich Rudel were extraordinary: 519 enemy tanks destroyed along with a Soviet battleship, a cruiser, 70 landing craft, over 150 pieces of artillery, several armored trains, numerous bridges, and bunkers, and more than 800 vehicles. Little wonder that the Russians put a huge bounty on his head for Rudel was nothing short of a one-man terminator, destined to become the most highly-decorated German serviceman of the war. He was the first and only recipient of the Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds which was presented in person by Adolf Hitler at a lavish ceremony attended by Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel, Chief of the Supreme High Command of the German Armed Forces, his deputy Generaloberst Alfred Jodl, and Grand-Admiral Karl Donitz, Commander-in-Chief of the Kriegsmarine.

Rudel, already a successful Ju87 Stuka pilot, had almost single-handedly overseen the metamorphosis of the increasingly obsolete dive-bomber into one of the most effective tank-busting aircraft of the war. He'd done so by bolting a pair of 37mm heavy-calibre anti-tank cannons, firing armor-piercing shells, under the wings. Known as the Ju87G, its gull-winged menace is skillfully captured by talented artist Richard Taylor in his graphic drawing 'Golden Eagle' as Rudel, Gruppenkommandeur of II./SG2 at the time, departs a snow-covered runway close to the embattled front lines on the bitter Eastern Front, late 1944.

Deservedly respected for his groundbreaking technique of incorporating pencil and colorwash highlights on antique style buff paper, Richard's work is instantly recognizable by collectors around the globe. His original drawing has now been faithfully reproduced as a high quality giclée fine art print on archival paper and is issued mounted to full conservation standards. The inclusion of the rare and hard-to-come-by original autograph of Rudel himself adds further prestige to this highly-collectible edition.

Matted Signature:

Oberst HANS-ULRICH RUDEL - The most highly decorated German serviceman of World War II, the only person to be awarded the Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds. Flying his first combat mission in 1941, he became the first pilot to fly over 1,000 combat sorties in 1943, becoming Gruppenkommandeur of III./St.G.2 in 1944.