Editorial View
The Gallery's Perspective
You first notice the Wildcat’s hulking presence cutting through an open sky—its broad fuselage and folded wings read as both sturdy and purposeful against that sweep of cloud. There’s an immediate sense of urgency: a burning Zero spirals away in the distance while smaller silhouettes pepper the horizon, suggesting the chaos of an aerial dogfight. The cool, luminous blues of sky and cloud make the darkened tones of the Wildcat feel substantial and grounded, while shafts of sunlight pick out the aircraft’s aluminum surfaces and the white invasion star, giving the scene a brisk, high-altitude clarity. The composition balances drama and calm—expansive cloud forms imply height and vulnerability, yet the Wildcat’s forward tilt and visible markings convey determination and endurance. Small, energetic brushwork on the distant tracers and exhaust contrasts with the plane’s smoother rendering, emphasizing motion without losing the aircraft’s weight. The result is a vivid, immediate moment that honors the tension and bravery of aerial combat while celebrating the machine’s solid presence in the sky. It feels like a tribute to resilience: bold, clear, and unflinching.
The Artwork
About When You See Zeros, Fight Em
When You See Zeros,Fight Em<br> LIMITED EDITION CANVAS
A warhorse needn't be pretty - it earns its oats in combat. The design of Japan's elegant Mitsubishi Zero may have enabled it to out-fly the Grumman F4F Wildcat on paper. Armor, self-sealing fuel tanks, a superior ceiling and dive rate led to the development of combat tactics that made the Wildcat a dangerous opponent. And when men like Marine Corps Captain Joseph J. Foss were behind the stick, it couldn't be outfought.
William S. Phillips When You See Zeros, Fight Em depicts October 23, 1943 in the skies over Guadalcanal, when 28 Japanese Zeros and 16 Betty bombers swarmed over the island. Foss and his men were in the skies to counter attack. At one point, a Wildcat in pursuit of a Zero became potential prey himself, pursued by another Zero. Seeing this, Foss brought his plane in behind to within a few feet of the Zero and opened fire. The Zero burst into flames and the pilot bailed out, clearing Foss' plane by inches.
Foss had a great appreciation for the Wildcat"ï`s sturdy airframe. After his first victory, he got separated from his wingman"Doften a fatal mistake. Zeros ""bounced"" him and he dove for the deck, recalling that the Japanese planes were said to shed their wings in a dive. Wrong. ""The wings didn""t come off,"" reported Joe, ""and they really salted me."" Well-riddled, he crash-landed his Wildcat and remembered the lesson.
Foss would claim that wasn't a good shot. "I just got up there and stuck those guns up his tail. When you see Zeros," he told his squadron, "fight em." He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his indomitable fighting spirit in the skies over Guadalcanal in the fall of 1942. In just 63 days he shot down 26 planes.
When You See Zeros, Fight Em, an Anniversary Edition Giclee Canvas, is a gorgeous tribute to Marine Corps Ace Joseph J. Foss and the unsubduable F4F Wildcat.
William S. Phillips When You See Zeros, Fight Em depicts October 23, 1943 in the skies over Guadalcanal, when 28 Japanese Zeros and 16 Betty bombers swarmed over the island. Foss and his men were in the skies to counter attack. At one point, a Wildcat in pursuit of a Zero became potential prey himself, pursued by another Zero. Seeing this, Foss brought his plane in behind to within a few feet of the Zero and opened fire. The Zero burst into flames and the pilot bailed out, clearing Foss' plane by inches.
Foss had a great appreciation for the Wildcat"ï`s sturdy airframe. After his first victory, he got separated from his wingman"Doften a fatal mistake. Zeros ""bounced"" him and he dove for the deck, recalling that the Japanese planes were said to shed their wings in a dive. Wrong. ""The wings didn""t come off,"" reported Joe, ""and they really salted me."" Well-riddled, he crash-landed his Wildcat and remembered the lesson.
Foss would claim that wasn't a good shot. "I just got up there and stuck those guns up his tail. When you see Zeros," he told his squadron, "fight em." He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his indomitable fighting spirit in the skies over Guadalcanal in the fall of 1942. In just 63 days he shot down 26 planes.
When You See Zeros, Fight Em, an Anniversary Edition Giclee Canvas, is a gorgeous tribute to Marine Corps Ace Joseph J. Foss and the unsubduable F4F Wildcat.
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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
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This piece is artist signed and includes a Certificate of Authenticity.
Image Rights
Image copyright © 2026 by William Phillips.
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"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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