Editorial View
The Gallery's Perspective
There’s an immediate sense of urgent motion the moment you meet this scene—the twin-engined bomber tilts sharply, its polished olive fuselage cutting a confident line across a pale sky. William Phillips renders the B-25 with crisp, clean detail: the glazed nose, twin props, and national insignia are all clearly observed, while the steep bank and angled tail convey the quick, precise maneuver the title describes. Below, the calm of Sagami Bay and the low coastal cliffs—softly lit and almost serene—provide a quiet contrast that makes the aircraft’s action feel all the more dramatic. The distant suggestion of Mount Fuji and scattered cloud give the composition depth and context without overwhelming the central figure of the plane. Overall, the print balances documentary clarity with a painterly sense of atmosphere, so the moment reads both as a historical episode and as a striking study of motion, light, and place.
The Artwork
About Evasive Action Over Sagami Bay
Evasive Action Over Sagami Bay Shortly after bombing the Tokyo Gas and Electric Company, Pilot Lt. Harold F. Watson banks the B-25 Whirling Dervish steeply to avoid a Japanese cruiser that lay directly on the aircraft"s escape route to China. It was the ninth of sixteen aircraft to leave the carrier USS "Hornet" on the audacious April 18, 1942 Doolittle Raid on Japan. That United States Army Air Forces bombers could launch from a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier was inconceivable at the time. President Roosevelt claimed the aircraft came from a secret airbase in the mythical Shangri-La. American bombers striking the Japanese homeland and passing within sight of Mount Fuji, the most sacred mountain in all Japan, delivered a succinct message to the warring Axis nation: America, the Sleeping Giant, had begun to stir.
"Evasive Action Over Sagami Bay" is an authentic historical document, offered as both a fine art print and canvas edition. This is a unique opportunity to own and preserve an important moment in aviation and U.S. military history. Signed by Doolittle Raiders.
Countersigners: Gen. David M. Jones, Col. William Bower, Col. Richard E. Cole, Maj. Thomas C. Griffin, MSgt. Edwin Horton
Collector Details
What to Know About This Piece
Product-specific details, edition information, provenance, and special considerations are shown here when applicable.
About the Collection
Aviation art meets nostalgic American landscapes in finely detailed compositions that capture the beauty of flight and historical moments. With a focus on military aviation fine art and vintage aircraft scenes, each painting showcases the precision and drama of flight through masterful realism. From WWII aircraft artwork to classic flight illustrations, these works bring aviation history to life with dynamic sky compositions and rich, atmospheric detail. Patriotic landscape art blends aviation heritage with timeless settings, preserving the legacy of historic air combat and peaceful moments in aviation history. Whether depicting soaring aircraft or flight-inspired landscapes, these paintings combine technical accuracy with artistic emotion, creating a compelling tribute to the golden age of aviation.
Artist Signature
Signed by the artist
This piece is artist signed and includes a Certificate of Authenticity.
Image Rights
Image copyright © 2026 by William Phillips.
Authorized Source
Authenticity & Documentation
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Limited-edition artwork includes a Certificate of Authenticity when one is issued by the artist, publisher, studio, or authorized source. Open-edition pieces may not include a certificate; this does not affect their authenticity. The Collection Shop sources artwork through artists, publishers, authorized distributors, galleries, and other approved channels. Any additional documentation included with this specific piece will be noted above.
"Phillips grew up loving art but never thought he could make it his
livelihood. At college he majored in criminology and had been accepted into
law school when four of his paintings were sold at an airport restaurant.
That was all the incentive he needed to begin his work as a fine art painter.
Bill Phillips is now a renowned aviation artist and the landscape artist of
choice for many collectors. Bill's strengths as a landscape painter, a
respect and reverence for a time and place, help him when painting aviation as
well as classic landscapes. Phillips often spends days observing landscape
subjects. Finding companionship with the land, he is able to convey the
boundlessness of nature on the painted canvas inspiring a reverence for the
natural landscape in its beholders.
After one of his paintings was presented to King Hussein of Jordan, Phillips
was commissioned by the Royal Jordanian Air Force. He developed sixteen major
paintings, many of which now hang in the Royal Jordanian Air Force Museum in
Amman. The Smithsonian Institution s National Air and Space Museum presented
a one-man show of Phillips work in 1986. He is one of only a few artists to
have been so honored.
In 1988, Phillips was chosen to be a U.S. Navy combat artist. For his
outstanding work, the artist was awarded the Navy s Meritorious Public Service
Award and the Air Force Sergeants Association s Americanism Medal. At the
prestigious annual fund raiser for the National Park Service, Bill s work has
been included in the Top 100 each year he has entered the competition and his
work has won the Art History Award twice.
Phillips was selected as the Fall 2004 Artist in Residence at the
North Rim of the Grand Canyon and tapped by the U.S. Postal Service to paint
the stamp illustrations and header design for a pane of twenty stamps in 1997
entitled Classic American Aircraft. He was chosen again in 2005 for a pane of
twenty stamps (ten designs) entitled American Advances in Aviation."
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