U2 Spy Plane and Fighter Jets Mixed Media Painting/Photograph. Signed and inscribed with "Best Wishes/of Luck" to "Willie" from members of the U-2 unit. Inscriptions on back. Depth: 1 in. Overall size: 22 X 18 in. Sight size: 17 1/2 X 14 in. #1577 . This piece is especially unique and personal, apparently a gift to a member of the Air Force upon their retirement. At the top of the image is the Lockheed U-2, first introduced in 1956 and used for high-altitude stealth reconnaissance. On the left is a General Dynamics F-16 with no armaments. On the right are two F-15s similarly without weapons, first introduced in 1976. In the lower middle are two more unarmed F-16s (or possibly YF-16s, the prototype) at different angles. Below these multi-billion dollar aircraft are several airfields and radio towers, bouncing their sensor waves up towards the elusive U-2 monitoring from on high, surrounded by cloudy skies, a winding river, and a long mountain range. The painting is likely watercolor combined with tracings over photographs of actual aircraft in flight, given the variety of angles and sizes. Surrounding it are at least 28 distinct signatures with numerous well-wishes, reminiscences, and words of encouragement as the receiver leaves to join the private sector. They are consistently addressed to “Willie,” which suggests that this refers to Commander William “Willie” Horton who commanded the Black Cat Unit from 1977 to 1978. This would align with the historical appearances of the specific aircraft seen in the image (before the release of the F-18 or the famous B-2 bomber), and makes this a priceless piece of Air Force memorabilia. Location Box 4