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Bear Trap
By
the autumn of 1943 the eastern front was in a desperate predicament for Germany.
Crippled with a Fuhrer who insisted upon making battle plans with a disregard
for his generals'warnings, the German army endured unbelievable hardships.
In addition to facing another brutal Russian winter, battling on two fronts was
draining her ability to combat her foe to the east. Note: Oberst Hans Ulrich Rudel was the sole recipient of the
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds.
Russia,
supported by bustling war factories safe in the Ural Mountains, had allies who
were sending war materials to her growing army and air forces. The tide of
battle had taken a bad turn for the Wehrmacht.
But despite the mounting pressure and defeats, the
Germans put up a stiff resistance as they retreated further west toward their
homeland. The superior training, from Field Marshall on down to the regular foot
soldier, allowed the Germans to withdraw in an orderly fashion across natural
obstacles that otherwise could have proved disastrous.
Supported by an overtaxed Lufwaffe, the German army put
up a valiant fight. Air cover and ground attack units of the German air force
had spent many years working out their mutually supportive roles that had their
origins in the Spanish Civil War.
In Robert Baileys latest painting, titled Bear Trap,
German field artillery has surprised an advancing Russian armored column near
the town of Smolensk during October, 1943.
Panzers clash with Russian T-34s. In the foreground, a
T-34 is still racing forward, a blazing wreck. Around the perimeter of the
forest clearing are dug-in German positions, firing upon the Russians. Low left,
three Russian soldiers sneak up behind German tanks. In right mid-ground,
another T-34 is abandoned by its crew. The shadow of the giant explosions
in the background partly conceals the stalled Russian column, as troops mill
around.
Above the ground battle, Stukas from Schlachtgeschwader
2 (Oberst Hans Ulrich Rudel), escorted by Focke Wulf 190s of JG-51 (Horst
Petzschier), pound the Russian armor with cannon and bombs, effectively halting
the advance of their foe.
Near the horizon, Yak-9s swarm into th frav, and a
Sturmovik spots a Ju-52 which is dropping supplies to a German unit in a nearby
battle.
As the Russians reel in the shock of the ambush, the
Germans have resisted the charge of the Russian Bear, if only in a momentary
victory.
The Signatures:
Horst Petzschler
Oscar Boesch
Print Information:
Overall Size: 24' x 34"
400 Limited Edition prints: $175
25 Artist's Proofs: $225
40 Special Editions (re-marqued): $325
