25 Missions Canvas Print

(Copyright Mel Steinhauer all rights reserved) During the air war over Europe in World War II, Boeing's B-17 Flying Fortress was an extremely popular airplane among the crew members who flew in them. The British Royal Air Force conducted night-time bombing missions over France And Germany as they had quickly discovered that day time missions were too dangerous. So, the U.S. Army's 8th Air Force commanders ordered daylight bombing to more accurately destroy the enemy's military targets and bring the war to a quicker end. However, many planes and crew were lost in the early days of the German Luftwaffe's air superiority so the morale of the U.S. air crews quickly deteriorated. In an effort to improve morale and inspire these crews, it was ordered that any crew who survived a specific number of bombing runs their tour of combat duty would end and they could return home to the United States. The results were positive and the 10 brave men who flew in a Flying Fortress named the Memphis Bel...

My love for photography began as a boy when I was taught the basics by my father. During a tour of duty with an Army Combat K9 unit in Vietnam, I bought a professional model Nikon SLR camera and dreamed of becoming an artistic photographer when I returned home. A family of my own and a new career put that dream on hold for many years, but I had always enjoyed photography as an art form. Then, after surviving another kind of war with cancer back in 1997, I began to really see the beauty in our world. Ever since then I have been inspired with a new awareness of life and an improved photographic vision. This has compelled me to find beautiful scenes wherever I go and to share my favorite creations with others who may not have the time or...