The steel mill at Thai Nguyen was vital to North Vietnam and in 1967 its destruction was a top priority for the USAF. There was a problem however; it was one of the most heavily and well defended installations in the country.

On 30 March 1967, the mission to attack the Thai Nguyen steel plant fell to the legendary fighter leader and WWII Ace Robin Olds but it turned out to be one of the most hazardous raids of the Vietnam War.

“For forty miles we raced over rice paddies studded with rocky hillocks each covered with guns of every calibre shooting for all they were worth. Air bursts flashed and smoked everywhere, shrapnel and short rounds roiled the water in the paddies, and sheets of tracers came at us blurring our vision ahead. We flew right through this barrage much as the Kamikaze pilots had against our carriers in World War II, and for the only time in 900 combat flying, it flashed through my mind that none of us would survive the mission.”

Internationally hailed as one of the finest air combat scenes of the Vietnam War, Phantom Strike portrays the aftermath of the attack. With the infamous ‘Thud Ridge’ in the background, the air is alive with shell bursts and tracer fire as the three-ship strike force hurtles through the concentrated onslaught of flak. Behind them the steel mill billows flame and smoke.

Overall Size: 24″ wide x 16″ high

Thanks to the latest high-definition digital technology, this iconic image is available as part of Robert’s series of Giclée Canvas Proofs. Specifically produced to order, each copy is signed by the artist, individually numbered and stamped on the reverse, and issued with a Certificate of Authenticity.