Limited Edition Fine Art Prints

[Darrell White]

I'm now taking pre-orders to get a bundle together of this F4J MiG Killer historical piece. They will be signed and numbered by me, along with the optional authentic signature of Capt. John Cummings. size of prints are 22" x 28" (56cm x 71cm) and will have 2-1/2" white margins all around. Giclee prints on acid free matte (non-glare) and printed with 8 color pigmented inks and ultra high resolution. Shipped in a tube worldwide. Not framed. Details below.

"Shamrock 201: Fangs Out"

Original work is Oil on stretched canvas, 36"x48"... started back last June and been working on it off and on since. Has about 500 hours in it, not including research involved.

The original painting is going to a museum in May for a NAVY and MARINE aviation symposium and will be there for about a year and then find a permanent home at the National Marine Corp Museum in Quantico VA, outside of Washington DC.

Here's a synopsis of the MiG kills recounted to me by John to get the painting historically correct:

On September 11th, 1972, Major Lee T. “Bear†Lasseter and his RIO, Capt. John D. “Little John†Cummings were flight lead along with their wing, Capt. Scott Dudley and his RIO, Capt. Diamond Jim Brady. The mission was a MIGCAP into Route Package 6, giving air support and escort for A7’s on a bombing run to a SAM storage/assembly location.

Before reaching the CAP station, the MIGCAP controller onboard the USS England called out a vector for bandits 61 miles to the west. The two McDonnell/Douglas F4-J’s ingressed to intercept. The bandits, three MiG-21’s were circling Phuc Yen Airfield, approximately 10 miles North East of downtown Hanoi, hoping to bait the F4’s into Triple A fire, along with SAM’s. During the initial engagement, the three MiG-21’s were in a trailing formation. Their flight lead was a shiny silver 21, the second a black 21, and the third 21 was blue in color. The trailing blue 21 scattered immediately once in visual range and was never seen again. The black 21 broke formation and left the flight lead, but kept in a circular orbit in the near vicinity.

Lasseter and Cummings had locked up the silver flight lead 21, during a hard left hand turn, with each trying to gain the advantage over the opponent and each waiting for an opportunity. During this time, there was extremely heavy Triple A in the form of thick flak from unknown locations on the ground targeting the F4’s. Both countermeasures doors were open, constantly popping flares and chaff to throw off any possible tracking SAM’s from the ground when launched. When good tone came through the headset, two AIM-7 Sparrows were fired, but each failing to hit home during the high-G turn. The MiG was able to stay right within the envelopes of the initial missile lock, but once fired, was able to tighten the turn to break the lock. Once regaining lock and tone, two more Sparrows were fired and they either failed to track or detonated prematurely. Two AIM-9 Sidewinders were then fired, but also failed to find their mark. By this time, six missiles were fired and unexpectedly, the MiG broke his turn and headed after Lasseter and Cummings’ wing, Dudley and Brady, who called “Bingo†and headed for the coast. It is suspected that the MiG driver assumed they were empty on missiles, as Navy F4’s carried 6 missiles, typically, but the marine F4’s usually carried eight (four AIM-7’s and four AIM-9’s). Once the lead 21 eased up on the turn to get into position on Dudley and Brady’s F4, Lasseter and Cummings had loud growling tone in the headset and fired the number 7 missile, an AIM-9 Sidewinder which hit home, directly into the exhaust of the shiny silver MiG-21. The 21 had detonated, leaving only the section of the cockpit intact. Altitude was approximately 500 feet, and it headed straight down with no ejection seen.

On their way to rejoin with Dudley and Brady, they had eyes on the initial black MiG-21, who was in nearby orbit earlier, which was now making a run on Dudley and Brady from their 6 o’clock. Lasseter called to Dudley to break port!! The black MiG-21 overshot. Lasseter called for Cummings to lock up the remaining Sidewinder and once they had tone, fired the remaining missile. On it’s way and tracking accurately, the black 21 popped off several countermeasure flares and broke hard right. The missile hit, but the 21 was last seen in the air trailing a wisp of smoke.

Once Lasseter and Cummings joined up with their wing, Dudley and Brady, they headed toward the rugged area over Haiphong to make their way back towards the coast. At this point they were low on fuel, due to the dogfights and with afterburner on, and had SAM territory to cross. Electronic Countermeasure alerts were frequent with the warnings of SAM and Triple A locks against their F4’s. While watching each other’s 6 o’clock for SAM launches, Brady called out SAM!! Almost immediately, Lasseter and Cummings’ F4 was badly hit in the tail by an SA-2 Surface to Air Missile and left the wings full of holes. The telepanel and all fire warnings were now going off and Dudley called out that it was burning real bad in the aft section around the engines. The F4 was uncontrollable at first, but Lasseter managed to regain control and stuck with it to head feet wet out to the ocean as far as possible. After clearing the coast and staying with it, the tail section broke off causing the F4 to pitch forward into a nose down inverted spiral with increasing negative G-forces, as both Lasseter and Cummings were being forced against the seat straps struggling to pull the face curtain ejection handles with everything they had. They successfully ejected and were later picked up out of the ocean by an armed and armored “Big Mutha†rescue helicopter.

Dudley and Brady also had to be pulled from the ocean as their F4 also took several hits and weren’t able to make it to the refueling tanker.

For the day’s actions, Lasseter and Cummings were credited with 1-1/2 MiG Kills. “Bear†Lasseter later assumed command of VMFA-333 and was awarded the Marine Aviator of the Year Award for 1972. This historic dogfight and resulting MiG kills were the only Marine only engagement during the Vietnam War that resulted in the downing of MiG’s.

22" x 28" Limited Edition of only 333 pieces. Once the edition has been run, they will not be reinstated.

Signed and numbered by the artist. Comes with matching numbered letter of authenticity. Authentic signature of Capt. John Cummings also available.

$140.00 USD shipped within continental US (free shipping/insurance). World Wide shipping available, contact for shipping quotes to your region.

With signature of John Cummings, please add $30.00 USD and allow 12-14 days extra to receive. Can also reserve an edition number if it's still available.

Also available is a canvas edition, 36" x 48" x 1-1/2" deep gallery wrap. This is a giclee reproduction as close to the original work as possible, stretched canvas and varnished, ready to hang. No frame required. Signed by artist only, not numbered (open edition) $925.00 + shipping/insurance. Contact for shipping quotes

Sorry, no refunds. If, for some reason, a print were to get damaged or lost in the mail, a new one will be reissued of the same number and resent.

I'd like to get an initial bundle going on this one as it's a new release. Giving the members here a first run before it becomes publicly available in galleries.

[richter111]

Beautiful artwork, wish I had the coin!

[Darrell White]

Beautiful artwork, wish I had the coin!

Much appreciated. It should be available for maybe a couple of years before the edition runs out, so if in the future you'd like one, let me know

[jbrundt]

Boy, that would go great with my Tamiya F-4J.....

http://aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal6/540..._Brundt/00.shtm

Jeff

[Darrell White]

Boy, that would go great with my Tamiya F-4J.....

http://aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal6/540..._Brundt/00.shtm

Jeff

Very nice! I see you did 3911, which if I remember correctly, was Lasseter and Cummings' replacement F4, after 5526 was downed.

[HOLMES]

SLEEK and very stylish painting Darrell.