The Tuskegee Airmen

Tuskegee Titles
by Robert Bailey

Creamer's Credit

Crossfire!

Destroyer Attack

Ramitelli Rumble

Red Tail Pass

Red Tail Ruckus

Tuskegee Attack!

Tuskegee Dawn

Tuskegee Junction

Tuskegee Legacy

Tuskegee Thunder

Tuskegee Titans

Tuskegee Trigger Time

Robert Bailey has had the distinct honour of working directly with living Tuskegee Airmen in recreating their true historical experiences on canvas. Through years of collaboration, Robert now hosts the world’s largest selection of Tuskegee signed limited edition prints.

Latest Tuskegee Release

Released January 2012

TUSKEGEE DAWN

full info »

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This photo is of particular interest, because this Tuskegee pilot is wearing British or Canadian battledress. From this, we may conclude that Tuskegee pilots wore whatever they pretty much wanted to wear, while flying.

Tuskegee Scenarios

Scenarios depicting real-life Tuskegee events were worked up with approval of the Airmen prior to painting, although many of those who signed each title were seeing the completed image for the first time as they sat at the table. Tuskegee Veteran Colonel Bill Holloman directed many of the alternations and corrections as the painting-in-progress sat on the easel.

Signing Projects

Robert and his wife Michelle have attended many Tuskegee reunion conventions in order to obtain signatures for prints. This involved renting a ballroom in the same hotel where the convention was being held, whether it be in Texas, Washington, Ohio or wherever.

The Tuskegee Airmen graciously put aside their busy schedule at such events in order to wade through the hundreds of lithographs that were ready and stacked for their pencil autographs. Collectors highly prize not only the penciled autographs, but the fact that Tuskegee Airmen have actually handled each individual print.

Colonel Holloman helped to organize all of these signings. Holloman passed away in 2010; he is sorely missed.

The logistics involved in these signings were tremendous. Robert spent many hours on the phone, going through lists of pilots with Colonel Holloman and ensuring that a maximum number of men would be available in the signing room on a certain day during the reunion.

A well-worn reference photo, showing the flying gear worn by Tuskegee pilots

Each participating Tuskegee Airman took home a number of prints for himself and his family, in payment for signing. All of these had to be added to the print ‘run’ and then inspected and secured away in large foam-lined metal packing cases, to be shipped by courier to the hotel. Each case weighed seventy five pounds, and there would be five or six cases in a shipment. Robert had a triple hernia repair after the last Tuskegee convention we attended.

Many near-calamities occurred. For example, at the signing of Tuskegee Titans, it turned out that we had rented a room and signing room in the wrong hotel! The hotel name was very similar to the one in which the Tuskegee convention was being held. Luckily, it was only two blocks away, and so vans and cars were made available to transport the men.

During the Tuskegee Thunder signing, we had been approved to use a room that was also being used by the US Military. But half way through the signing, a Colonel arrived and threw us all out… including the Tuskegee pilots! So we set up trestle tables in the hotel hallway and continued that way. Soon, crowds of people were gathering around the see the signing and to purchase prints.

Red Tails movie

We are excited about the January 2012 release of the new Red Tails movie, bringing even more visibility to the Tuskegee Airmen and their legacy. Our sincere congratulations go to George Lucas, Lucasfilm, and the entire cast and crew for this major movie release.

Red Tails movie official website