Description
JACK D. HUNTER – ORIGINAL PAINTING – FEATURING U. S. SALMSON TWO-SEATER FENDING-OFF PFALZ D-XII’S ATTACK
The late Jack D. Hunter was an amazing talent and a good friend. One of my favorite “Jack” stories occurred when his first book (The Blue Max) was being prepared for publication. As was standard for first-time authors, Jack was informed that his dust jacket would be rendered in black and white (artwork AND color were too expensive for a writer without a proven sales record). Jack, however, told the publisher that HE would provide the artwork if the dust jacket was published in color. The publisher printed 5,000 (a first-time author’s standard run) hardback copies, in color, as The Blue Max’s first edition. It became a top-seller as soon as it was published, then quickly was snapped up and turned into a major motion picture starring George Peppard, James Mason, and Ursula Andress. Jack went on to write seventeen books before his 2009 death. In addition, he became a talented aviation artist whose work resides in museums’ and enthusiasts’ art collections all over the world. Throughout his years as an artist, Jack produced paintings in two basic sizes. Today we are offering one of his paintings in the smaller, more compact size. Its simple, elegant, black, molded frame measures 14 ½” x 19 ½.”The painting’s subject is a duel between an American Salmson Observation Airplane and a Pfalz D. XII. In the action is the Salmson, decked out in camouflage and sporting the U.S. Army Air Service Roundel. The observer in the airplane’s back is manning his twin machine guns. The Pfalz D. XII has been critically wounded and is heading for a forced landing. The Pfalz D. XII was first brought into service in March 1918, at about the same time as the better-known Fokker D. VII. The Fokker was the better aircraft, but the Pfalz was still produced in large numbers (about 800). Although it was not as popular, it was a competent airplane. Jack’s signature appears in the lower left corner. The reverse features a hand-printed note by Jack D. Hunter describing the painting’s action. The description ends with his signature. Such a beautiful painting would make an outstanding addition to any collection.
