Original Item. Only One Available. This is a signed print of “After the Mission” by Gil Cohen, signed at the bottom by the artist. The frame is well-put together and the print is very clear. This is a limited run print, numbered 194/850.

In the print, a B-17 crew is being debriefed by an intelligence officer, whose job it is to collect first-hand, while memories are still fresh, vital information on the day's action. It was not an easy mission. The men are bone-tired and spent. They would rather not be here but the 'Brass' needs to know what happened over there. Thank God for the coffee! Our pilot tries to sort things out for the intelligence officer, who documents the testimony while his British counterpart puffs thoughtfully on his pipe. The navigator nervously thumbs his zippo to light a cigarette. The waistgunner, wearing a hastily wrapped bandage, appears to be in shock, while the bombardier wearily rubs the back of his neck as he recalls the harrowing run over the target. We wonder what thoughts run through the mind of the young tailgunner as he looks out the window, hoping the engine he hears belongs to the plane of a buddy not yet home.

“Safely back home and exhausted, it's time for the bomber crews to debrief the details of their mission. Their lessons learned and intel gathered will prepare them for some of the command's next important tasks.”

The frame measures 28 ½ x 36 ¼” and is in great shape with a few scuffs and nicks in the wood as shown.

Gil Cohen is particularly well known for aviation artwork centered on the human experience of military flying rather than aircraft alone. His work frequently concentrates on aircrew preparation, return, fatigue, loss, and the relationships between men who operated wartime aircraft. After the Mission is characteristic of that approach, using the debriefing room to convey the physical and psychological aftermath of a heavy-bomber operation. Cohen's aviation work has been exhibited and collected widely, and he has also contributed artwork to the U.S. Air Force Art Program.

With its Gil Cohen signature, low-numbered 194/850 edition designation, compelling depiction of a WWII bomber-crew debriefing, and excellent framed presentation, this is a strong aviation-art piece illustrating a vital but often overlooked part of the Eighth Air Force's combat routine.