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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

The Kill

American aircraft attacks German submarine in the Atlantic Ocean
Description: Painting, Oil on Canvas; by Robert Benney; 1943; Framed Dimensions 34H X 50W
Accession #: 88-159-AP as a Gift of Abbott Laboratories
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In this dramatic presentation of a sea-sky battle, a Grumman Avenger torpedo bomber, bomb bay doors open, leaves death in its wake as it zooms away from a conclusive attack on a surfaced enemy submarine. All the vivid action in this scene has been repeated many times in actual combat by U.S. Naval airmen. Naval planes from escort aircraft carriers wreaked havoc on submarine wolf packs attacking Atlantic convoys, and they virtually blasted them from the ocean for many months. Bombers were fitted with depth charges, one of which is pictured exploding off the U-boat's beam here. In the attack, the plane's rear "stinger" gun spits death at gun crews attempting to ward off these lethal hawks from the sky.

Topic
Document Type
  • Art
Wars & Conflicts
  • World War II 1939-1945
File Formats
  • Image (gif, jpg, tiff)
Location of Archival Materials