JOSEPHINE

Lt. Joseph A. Peterburs, a pilot with the 55th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group climbs away from Kings Cliffe in his P-51D ‘Josephine’.

The fighter pilots of the Eighth Air Force came from all parts of the United States. They’d crossed three thousand miles of ocean to find themselves in Britain where the weather was often wet but at least the language was the same – almost. But they were a long way from home, their families, fiancées and sweethearts. They did, however, have one thing to treasure that was closer to hand – their aircraft – and it didn’t take long before many had been named in memories of home. Some would pass into folklore such as Miss Helen, ‘Frisco Belle, Sizzlin Liz’ and Glamorous Glen. Another was Josephine, the P-51D that Lt. Joe Peterburs of the 20th Fighter Group named after his fiancée, Josephine Heffner.

To commemorate Joe’s historic visit to the Aces High Gallery in Steventon, artist Richard Taylor has created a beautiful canvas to honour our legendary guest. Standing proud is Josephine (P-51D #44-15078), Joe’s famous Mustang in which he became one of the very few pilots to knock out an Me262 jet in combat. The victory came on Joe’s 49th mission and it’s a story worth telling: on 10 April 1945 the 20th Fighter Group was flying top cover to a force of over 450 Fortresses hitting targets at Oranienburg, near Berlin. But no sooner had the heavies started to offload their bombs than they were attacked by a large group of Me262 jets. Joe, picking out a jet, dived to intercept but not before the Me262 had claimed several B-17s. Joe, though, had the height advantage and skilfully managed to catch the Me262 from behind before letting rip with a deadly burst of machine-gun fire. His aim was good, hitting the jet’s port engine before he lost sight of it in thick cloud. 

With the encounter under his belt, Joe joined others strafing a nearby airfield, destroying five more enemy aircraft but his luck ran out; hit by groundfire he was forced to bale out, was captured, taken prisoner, but then managed to escape. Picked up by advancing Russian tanks he was given a rifle and fought alongside them for the final few days of the war.

The story might have ended there but sixty years later Joe, now a retired USAF Lt. Colonel, discovered that the damaged he’d inflicted on that jet had set it on fire, but the pilot had survived. He was none other than Oberleutnant Walter Schuck, recipient of the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves and one of the Luftwaffe’s top Aces with 206 victories to his credit. In 2005 the two men met again and became close friends.

Only THIRTY Limited Edition prints are now available…

Richard’s vibrant painting has been faithfully reproduced as a Limited Edition print which is exclusively available through Aces High ready for our event – pre-order your copy TODAY before they all sell!

Join us for the print signing…

Artist Richard Taylor AND P-51 Mustang veteran Joe Peterburs are joining us at the Steventon Gallery on Sunday 13th October and you’re invited to join us! Click HERE to find out more or to reserve your ticket!

Upgrade your copy to make it completely unique…

Every copy can be upgraded to include an ORIGINAL pencil Remarque in the lower margin of the print – our event is an ideal opportunity to discuss your specific Remarque brief with Richard.

Our framing team will also be on hand ready to discuss your bespoke requirements and any possible signature upgrades.