"North American B-25B Mitchell Airplane" by Steve Ferguson, Original Mixed Media Painting on Illustration Board

Presented is an original mixed media painting by Steve Ferguson, entitled North American B-25B Mitchell Airplane." The work was painted for use on the Fleetwood Commemorative Cover of the U.S. 29-cent flag stamp, issued on August 19, 1994. In the image, the famous bomber plane soars high above the water. Ferguson’s painting shows the B-25B in action. For much of WWII, the U.S. medium bomber plane, the B-25B, dominated the skies. Also called the Mitchell airplane, the B-25B was the first of this type of bomber to see widespread combat during the war. Its fame comes largely from the surprise Doolittle Raid on April 18, 1942. Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle led a raid of B-25B bombers to bypass formidable air defenses and drop bombs on Tokyo. A devastating loss for the Japanese, this attack raised morale for the American forces and was celebrated throughout the country, noting the impressive B-25B airplane and the part it played. The Mitchell airplane became one of the most dependable