Ruptured Duck
Doolittle Raiders B-25
Ruptured Duck
April 18 1942, the U.S. aircraft carrier Hornet launched a daring raid on Tokyo. On an unprecedented one way bombing raid, 16 Mitchell B-25 light bombers flew off the pitching deck led by the legendary Lt. Col. JImmy Doolittle. The mission was conceived and planned by Col. Doolittle in response to the attack on Pearl Harbor just months earlier.
The 80 volunteer airman involved in the daring raid were forced to launch early after being spotted by a patrol vessel. as a result these young men had to complete their mission and then turn to china to escape. 15 aircraft crash landed in china and one in the Soviet Union. In total 7 crew members were lost as a result of the raid.
Doolittle Raiders were successful in their primary mission, to boost the morale of the American people whom were recovering from the Pearl Harbor attack and having war thrust upon them once again.
Depicted in the 1944 film “30 Seconds over Tokyo ” Hollywood paid homage to these brave men and to its leader Jimmy Doolittle.
This Piece was commissioned by my friend Ed Kaminsky in the mid 90’s for a Doolittle Raiders Reunion he was hosting at the Military Art Gallery in Harper Woods Michigan.
I chose to depict crew number 7’s nose art the iconic “Ruptured Duck”
Highly recognizable, the agitated Donald Duck image was featured prominently in the 1944 MGM film.
I created only two of these panels. One auctioned at the event and one that remains in my personal collection.
both panels were signed by the two Raiders at the event honoring the contributions and sacrifices of the brave group of young men that followed Jimmy Doolttle off the deck of the Hornet that morning in April of 1942.
in honor of:
Colonel Henry A. ” Hank “Potter – Navigator crew # 1
Colonel Travis Hoover – Pilot crew #2
Ruptured DUCK
doolittle raiders
North American B-25 Mitchell
