LOOKING FOR NAGUMO
$725.00
Editorial View
The Gallery's Perspective
A hush settles across these paired skies — two silver B-29s glide above a sea of clouds as the sun both rises and sets in painterly color. The planes’ sleek, reflective fuselages catch the low light, turning metal into something quietly luminous; you can almost feel the thin, cold air at altitude. The top image reads like a solitary, contemplative moment: warm golds push through dramatic clouds and crown the aircraft with a fragile halo. The lower view feels broader and a little more urgent, the bomber advancing toward a horizon layered with violet and ember tones. Together they create a contrast of stillness and motion, solitude and purpose, where light and atmosphere do the emotional work. For someone drawn to history rendered with calm dignity, these lithographs offer a restrained, cinematic view of machines in the sky that is both evocative and quietly memorable.
The Artwork
About Pacific Morning Black Sheep On The Prowl
CRAIG KODERA & WILLIAM PHILLIPS "The Men Who Brought the Dawn: Lonely Flight to Destiny" & "Dawn The World Forever Changed". Matched Set
On August 8, 1945, Russia finally joined the Allies and declared war on Japan. Despite that and the atomic bombing of Hiroshime, the Japanese still did not surrender. By 10:00 that same night, a second atomic bomb was placed in a B-29 Superfortress named .
At 3 PM, on August 4, 1945, Colonel Paul Tibbets began briefing the crew of the B-29 named Enola Gay. In the early morning hours of August 5, the crew made its final preparations. At midnight there was a final briefing. The call sign decided upon was, innocuously, "Dimples." Tibbets finished his talk: "Do your jobs. Follow your orders. Don't cut corners and don't take chances." Then the weather officer passed along last-minute information and the chaplain offered a prayer.
At 3 PM, on August 4, 1945, Colonel Paul Tibbets began briefing the crew of the B-29 named Enola Gay. In the early morning hours of August 5, the crew made its final preparations. At midnight there was a final briefing. The call sign decided upon was, innocuously, "Dimples." Tibbets finished his talk: "Do your jobs. Follow your orders. Don't cut corners and don't take chances." Then the weather officer passed along last-minute information and the chaplain offered a prayer.
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About the Collection
Craig Kodera is a renowned aviation artist, celebrated for his realistic aircraft paintings and historical flight artwork. With a background as both a pilot and illustrator, his work captures the precision, power, and beauty of aviation from a uniquely informed perspective. Specializing in military aviation art, commercial airliner illustrations, and vintage aviation scenes, Kodera’s fine art aviation prints are sought after by pilots, collectors, and aerospace enthusiasts. His ability to blend technical accuracy with artistic storytelling makes his work a stunning tribute to the world of flight.
Artist Signature
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This piece is artist signed and includes a Certificate of Authenticity.
Image Rights
Image copyright © 2026 by Craig Kodera.
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Aviation is this artist s living. Painting is a joy and a choice; not his career. Craig Kodera career is as an airline pilot, so each of his paintings reflect an intimate knowledge of how it feels to fly and what it looks like out the cockpit. "I paint what I see," he says,"and my office window is at 35,000 feet." An appreciation of aviation came easy, since Kodera was raised in what he terms an "aviation family," which included an uncle who flew with the famous Doolittle Raiders during World War II. At an age when most teens were trying to ace the driver s test, Kodera had earned his private pilot s license. A love of painting also came early. Kodera started seriously studying it at fourteen. He graduated from UCLA with a degree in mass communications and spent a year as a commercial artist before joining the Air Force Reserve, where he was assigned to the Air Rescue Service and then the Strategic Air Command. There his knowledge of air war history grew while he logged literally thousands of hours flying. Eventually Kodera left the service and joined American Airlines. When he isn t flying, he s usually painting. His artwork is part of the Smithsonian Institution s National Air and Space Museum permanent collection and hangs in many museums. He is also the charter vice president of the American Society of Aviation Artists, a member of the Air Force Art Program and serves with the Los Angeles Society of Illustrators.
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