OPERATION TIDAL WAVE
by Nicolas Trudgian

At first light on August 1, 1943 a force of 178 B-24 Liberator bombers lifted off dusty airstrips in the Libyan desert. The target - the oil refineries at Ploesti. Nicolas Trudgian's detailed painting Operation Tidal Wave is a moving tribute to the 1700 aircrew who flew the tortuous Ploesti Raid. Depicted exiting the target at extreme low-level are B-24s of the 44th and 98th Bomb Groups, with the 98th BG B-24 'Sandman' in the immediate foreground. In the distance other Liberators lucky enough to have survived the fiery maelstrom make their escape. Behind them fires rage among the structures of the refinery as yet more crews enter the holocaust.

Joining artist Nicolas Trudgian in signing his new limited
edition Operation Tidal Wave are FOUR distinguished U.S.A.A.F.
B-24 pilots who flew the historic Ploesti Raid