-
April 9, 1945: The chase began at 24,000 feet. Major Ed Giller was escorting B-17s to Munich when he saw an Me-262 descending over the edge of the city. Giller gave chase. The German jet was going east in a hurry and Giller was pulling almost 500 mph to keep up. Then the jet slowed to land at Munich-Riem airfield. This was the home of JV 44—the Squadron of Experts. “Going ‘balls out,’ I caught him at 50 feet just over the perimeter track,” Giller recalled. He gave the jet “a pretty strong burst” while Giller’s flight strafed field behind him. The jet bellied-in and the Mustangs kept running as flak chased their tails. But the story didn’t end there. During the occupation of Germany, Giller would have dinner with Gen. Adolf Galland, the former leader of JV 44, who was a P.O.W. at Giller’s airfield, and Galland remembered the moment exactly. He said the 262 pilot was unhurt but deserted the next day and made a beeline for Switzerland! 
Want to know "who" signed which print edition? Click the EDITIONS tab above.
Shipping added in checkout // print size: 31" x 19" // ships rolled in a tube
PRE-ORDER TODAY: PRINTS SHIP STARTING APRIL 18
-
PUBLISHER PROOFS - ONLY 100 PRINTS
Less than 5 remain - limit one per customer!
JV 44 package // Includes the autographs of 8 highly decorated WWII fighter pilots! On a signature card in marker is the extremely rare autograph of A Higher Call hero & Me 262 pilot Franz Stigler, JV 44’s technical officer. Signing on the print are P-51 pilots C.E. Bud Anderson (357th FG triple ace), Frank Gailer, Jr. (357th FG ace), Charles McGee (332nd FG “Red Tails”, 1 victory), Roscoe Brown (332nd FG “Red Tails” Me 262 victory), G.I. Gillette (4th FG, 3 victories) Dick Gibbs (flew with Maj. Giller in the 55th FG, 4 victories), and one other distinguished P-51 pilot! Includes 8th AF & JV 44 patches, wings, photos of 55th FG & JV 44 pilots, and a Certificate of Authenticity signed by artist Gareth Hector.
8th AF package // Same as above except instead of the Franz Stigler signature card is a signature card from decorated 8th Air Force P-51 pilot Joe Peterburs, who on April 10, 1945, shot down a Me 262 piloted by 206 victory German ace Walter Schuck.
ARTIST PROOFS
Only 25 limited-edition prints, each includes the autographs of 3 highly decorated WWII fighter pilots! On a signature card is P-51 pilot Joe Peterburs, who on April 10, 1945, shot down a Me 262 piloted by 206 victory German ace Walter Schuck. Signing on the print are P-51 pilots Dick Gibbs (flew with Maj. Giller in the 55th FG, 4 victories) and George Hardy (332nd FG “Red Tails”). Includes 8th AF & JV 44 patches, wings, photos of 55th FG & JV 44 pilots, and a Certificate of Authenticity signed by artist Gareth Hector.
MAIN EDITION
Only 100 limited-edition prints, each signed by P-51 pilot George Hardy (332nd FG “Red Tails”). Includes a Certificate of Authenticity signed by artist Gareth Hector.
OTHER EDITIONS
A Signer Proof edition of 50 prints and 45 canvases exist. A Main Edition of 100 prints will be released at a later date bearing 1 or 2 signatures.
-
"Clash of Experts" is hand-signed by a collection of WWII pilots! Signers vary print by print. Please click "editions" to see which veterans signed which prints.
C.E. “BUD” ANDERSON (1922 – 2024)
P-51 Mustang pilot of “Old Crow”, 363rd Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group. Flew 116 missions and scored 16+ aerial victories. Decorated 25 times, flew over 100 types of aircraft during his Air Force career, and was promoted to honorary Brigadier General in 2024.
ROSCOE BROWN, JR. (1922 - 2016)
P-51 Mustang pilot of “Bunnie”, 100th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group “Red Tails”. Shot down a Me 262 jet over Berlin in March 1945. After military service, he received his doctorate degree, and served as director or chair of more than 25 community organizations.
RICHARD CANDELARIA (1922 – 2024)
P-51 Mustang pilot of “My Pride and Joy”, 435th Fighter Squadron, 479th Fighter Group. Scored 6 victories, including a Me 262 probable. Later shot down while strafing a German airfield. Remained in the Air Force and retired a Colonel. Featured in the History Channel’s “Dogfights: P-51 Mustang”.
FRANK GAILER, JR. (1923 – 2018)
P-51 Mustang pilot of “Expectant”, 363rd Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group. Scored 5.5 victories until shot down by flak while attacking a German airfield. Remained in the Air Force, flew 235 combat missions in Vietnam and retired as a Brigadier General.
DICK GIBBS (1924 – 2023)
P-51 Mustang pilot of “Cherry”, 343rd Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group (depicted in “Clash of Experts”). Flew 40+ missions and scored 4 victories, including an ultra-rare “Mistel” Fw 190 & Ju 88 aircraft.
WILLARD “G.I.” GILLETTE (1918 – 2019)
P-51 Mustang pilot of "Betty Lou", 334th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group. Scored 3 victories in the air, 1.5 on the ground. Flew the Russian Shuttle mission. Decorated with DFC with Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medal with 4 clusters.
GEORGE HARDY
P-51 Mustang pilot of “Tall in the Saddle”, 99th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group “Red Tails”. Flew 21 missions over Germany. During the Korean War, flew 45 missions in B-29s and later in Vietnam flew 70 missions as pilot of an AC-119K Gunship. Retired as a Lt. Colonel with the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal with eleven Oak Leaf Clusters.
CHARLES MCGEE (1919 – 2022)
P-51 Mustang pilot of “Kitten”, 302nd Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group “Red Tails”. Flew 136 missions and shot down a FW 190. Remained on active duty for 30 years, fighting in both Korea and Vietnam. Earned the Legion of Merit with Cluster, three DFCs, the Bronze Star, and the Air Medal with 25 Oak Leaf clusters. Promoted to honorary Brigadier General in 2020.
JOE PETERBURS
P-51 Mustang pilot of “Josephine”, 55th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group. Flew 49 missions and shot down an Me 262 piloted by 206 victory ace Walter Schuck. Later shot down while strafing a German airfield. Remained in the Air Force, flew 76 missions over North Korea in P-51s and served in Vietnam. Retired a Colonel, decorated with the Legion of Merit, DFC, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Air Medal, P.O.W. Medal and 32 other medals and awards. Later reunited with German ace Walter Schuck and became good friends.
FRANZ STIGLER (1915 – 2008)
Me 262 pilot in JV 44, the “Squadron of Experts”. Picked by Adolf Galland to be the squadron’s technical officer. Was present during the April 9, 1945, strafing attack depicted in “Clash of Experts”. Flew more than 487 combat missions. Was made an honorary member of the 379th Bomb Group Association, in honor of his sparing of the B-17 “Ye Olde Pub,” a story told in the bestselling book “A Higher Call,” written by Valor Studios co-founder Adam Makos.
-
We've teamed up with Partial.ly to offer you a no-interest, four-month payment plan on the "Clash of Experts" Publisher Proofs! To start your plan, please read our terms below and click the appropriate Partial.ly button to begin.
PAYMENT PLAN TERMS
- Payments are automatically processed each month by Partial.ly.
- Payments are non-refundable.
- Your print will ship upon completion of your payment plan.
