Welcome to my gallery. On August 6, 2016, the finished sculpture was unveiled in Denver. Here are preliminary photos of the finished sculpture as it was installed at the museum:
To see more detailed photos of all 12 Figures as they looked when completed in clay, click on the link at the bottom to move from Figure to Figure and enjoy a visual tour of the sculpture. Or you can navigate directly to any specific Figure using the pull-down menu under “Gallery”.
The final sculpture includes twelve highly realistic WWII fighter pilots engaged in a mission briefing. Seven are still alive. Five are already dead. All twelve are destined to die.
Although inspired by the memory of my 12 fallen comrades, these figures do not depict actual likenesses of these men. Rather, each represents elements that were common to airmen of that era, drawn from my memories of many men in many situations. I’ve made the characteristics of each man as accurate as my memory and research permits. Each figure, however, represents an airman that could have served in any theater of WWII.
As you read through each of the twelve figures described in this section, you will learn much about the life and times of what we faced in the chaos that was WWII. This project has been a deeply emotional catharsis for me and has given me the opportunity to revisit memories of that time, not only in my mind’s eye, but through the creative process of art. To the extent you understand the background of each of these figures, you will appreciate each one’s deep significance.
Maj. Fredric Arnold (ret.), Artist
The Denver Post article on “Lest We Forget:The Mission,” prompted an investigation of this website to learn more. And it is a wonderful website. The realism given to each of the 12 fighter pilots and the photographs of the beautifully formed, pre-cast clay images on each page has been overwhelmingly touching to the point that I must blink back tears to type this comment.
I intend to invite my grandson to accompany me to the Rockies Air and Space Museum as soon as possible to view this wonderful bronze tribute.
Hopefully the creation of Major Arnold’s beautiful and historic bronze statuary brings peace to him as he has certainly created a memorial to his fellow Airmen for the ages. Well done, Sir.
Thank you for your kind comment. While Dad did his best to create a beautiful work of art that touches the hearts of viewers, his fondest hope is that message of the work and the story behind it will reach young people like your grandson. In addition to the memorial, your grandson may enjoy the many aircraft and other displays at the museum as well. All good wishes.