Tel : UK  01436 820269
US 441436 820269

Shipping Rates
Valuation of Your Collection

You currently have no items in your basket


Product Search            

OTHER AVAIATION SECTION

YOU ARE VIEWING: AVIATION PRINTS --> OTHER AVIATION

Other Aviation Prints

Early Aviation Prints

Orville and Wilbur Wright were two enterprising Americans from the Midwest who made a living operating a bicycle shop. They were fascinated with the possibility of flight and they built their first glider in 1900. They were inspired by the work of a German, Otto Lilienthal, who had studied the wing and had built effective gliders that had reached more than 1000 feet in altitude. Following Lilienthals death the torch of aeronautical progress was passed to an American civil engineer named Octave Chanute. The French-born Chanute had come to America in 1838, and only became interested in flight in 1889. In 1894 he published a book entitled Progress in Flying Machines, which became the reference manual for all potential future aeronautical pioneers. Another early pioneer was Samuel P. Langley. He was a professor who became Secretary of the Smithsonian in 1887. In 1891 he began to experiment in aeronautics, and by 1896 he had developed a number of large powered flying models that he launched from a boat on the Potomac River. Langley received $50,000 from the War Department in 1897 to build a man-carrying aircraft. By October of 1903 Langleys Aerodrome was completed and prepared for a catapult launching on the Potomac. Despite careful preparations a line snagged during take off and the craft immediately crashed. Two months later on December 8, 1903 Langley made a final try with a rebuilt Aerodrome. This time the aircraft split into two upon launching. The Wright brothers developed a rudimentary wind tunnel to test their glider designs. This also helped the Wrights understand how to control an aircraft during flight, a small detail often overlooked by other early pioneers – sometimes with fatal consequences. On December 17, 1903 the Wright Brothers took their latest aircraft powered with a small petrol engine to the Kill Devil Hills sand dunes at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Winning the coin toss Wilbur won the honors for the first flight. On a cold and windy December morning the small engine was started and the aircraft was launched down a short wooden monorail track. The machine lifted into the air and remained airborne for about 12 seconds. Covering a mere 120 feet. Three more flights occurred that day, the last lasting nearly one minute and covering more than 850 feet. History would mark this as the beginning of the aviation age, as the advent of controlled powered flight in heavier than air aircraft. By 1908 the Wright Brothers had received an Army contract for more than $30,000 to build Wright Flyers. Unfortunately, the Wrights would spend most of their latter years in legal patent fights with aviation pioneer Glen Curtiss. Curtiss went on to build a successful aviation company, whereas the Wright Brothers were relegated to a lesser role. Miracle in the Sand Dunes by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0177
Stunt pilot Eugene B. Ely, a former race car driver, worked for the Curtiss Aircraft Company as a demonstration pilot in 1910, only seven years after the Wright Brothers first flight. Ely, a tall, lantern-jawed, individual was excited about the possibility of flying an aircraft off a ship. Glen Curtiss believed that such an attempt wood be fool hearty, and the Secretary of the Navy refused to allocate any funds for such a stunt. Although Ely couldnt swim, the pilot exuded the cocky self-confidence typical of early flyers. Ely persisted in his quest and finally got the Navys first Director of Aviation to allow Ely to utilize the USS Birmingham for one day. On November 14, 1910 an 83-foot ramp was constructed over the ships forecastle. Ely readied his Curtiss pusher biplane for the momentous attempt. As bad weather began to close in the impatient flyer decided that he could not wait for the Birmingham to get underway. Ely, appropriately suited in a football helmet, fired up the engine of his fragile aircraft, strapped himself aboard, and signaled for his plane to be released. The Curtiss pusher rumpled down the short ramp, which was unfortunately downward sloping. The observers gasped as the small airplane dropped over the bow, and skimmed over the waves, and finally made it into the air. A few months later in January of 1911 Ely was determined to make the first landing of an aircraft on a ship. This time the event would take place in San Francisco harbor, and the landing would take place on the USS Pennsylvania. The date was January 18, 1911 and the exact time was 10:00 AM. A platform of about 120 feet in length was build on the stern of the Navy cruiser. A series of ropes connected to sand bags on either end were run across this ramp. Ely took off in his Curtiss pusher from a local Army airfield in San Bruno. He was bundled in heavy clothing, and because he could not swim, Ely had fashioned a bicycle inner tube into a self-made life preserver. The pilot made his way out into the Bay in his fragile craft. Spotting the Pennsylvania surrounded by dozens of spectator ships, Ely lined-up his fragile craft with the stern of the vessel, which was crowded with seamen anxious to see a first. About fifty feet short of the deck, Ely cut his throttle, but a gust of wind ballooned his flying machine. Not losing his cool, Ely held his landing altitude and snagged the 26th rope with his simple landing hook. The Curtiss stopped in about thirty feet. The sailors and onlookers cheered the event, which was declared a milestone in flight by both the ships Captain and later that day by the San Francisco press. After a nice lunch with the Captain, Ely fired up his engine and took off from the Pennsylvania, having become Americas first naval aviator. The Navy Earns its Wings by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0178

Other WW1 Aviation Prints

Albatros DV piloted by Austro-Hungarian Ace Lt. Josef Kiss, Austrian Alps in December 1917. Christmas Kiss - Albatros DV by David Pentland.Click For DetailsDHM1193
Grid Caldwell, the top New Zealand Ace with 25 victories in his SE5A of 74 Squadron, is shown taking off from his home airfield during the Great War. Keith Logan (Grid Caldwell) was born 16th October 1895. At the outbreak of World War One, Caldwell joined the territorial army. He attempted to enlist with the New Zealand expeditionary force destined for Gallipoli but was refused. In October 1915 he paid the sum of £100 to join the first class of the New Zealand Flying School. In January 1916 Grid Caldwell arrived in England and was commissioned into the Royal Flying Corps in April that year. In July 1916 he was posted to No.8 Squadron, flying BE2Cs and Ds on observation duty. It was on 18th September 1916 his first aerial victory was scored, shooting down a Roland CII. He transferred to 60 Squadron in November and flew Nieuport 17 fighters and was promoted to Captain in February 1917. During this period he scored further victories, shooting down Albatros Scouts, and on 17th September was awarded the Military Cross. In October 1917 he was posted back to England as an instructor. In March 1918, promoted to Major, he was given command of 74 Squadron RAF flying SE5As. The squadron under his command was credited with 140 aircraft destroyed and 85 out of control. This tally was scored in the last eight months of the war with the loss of only 15 pilots killed or taken prisoner. During his wartime flying, he had fought dogfights with German aces Werner Voss and Herman Becker, and he once survived a mid-air collision, bringing his badly damaged aircraft to ground level, jumping out before it crashed. He was credited with 11 aircraft destroyed, 3 shared destroyed or captured and 10 out of control, and 1 further shared out of control. During World War Two he was station commander at Woodbourne and later Wigram and posted to India in 1944. After the war he was made commander of the British Empire. He retired from the RNZAF in 1956, and sadly died of cancer in Auckland on 28th November 1980.Grid Caldwell by Graeme Lothian.Click For DetailsDHM1426
French Spad VIIs of the famous Groupe de Combat 12 Les Cigognes (The Storks) during a relative lull on the front. Shown here are some of the famous names of Escadrille N3, Capitaine Georges Guynemer (No.2) , Capitaine Alfred Auger (No.6) , Sous Lt. Georges Raymond (No.9) and Adjutant Rene Guilliaumot (No.13) Mustering of Storks, Bonnemaison, France, 4th July 1917 by David Pentland.Click For DetailsDHM1545
Credited with an impressive 34 victories, Francesco Baracca was Italys highest scoring ace in WW1 and is shown here in his distinctive Spad S.VII which carried his personal emblem, the Prancing Horse, that paid homage to his cavalry days. Upon his death in this aircraft on 19th June 1918, Baraccas mother donated the emblem to Enzo Ferrari whose cars still carry this badge the world over. Maggiore Francesco Baracca - Spad S.VII by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsDHM1576
During an amazing spree of balloon-busting during 1918, Willy Coppens gained notoriety over the Western Front for his sheer daring and marksmanship, sending no fewer than 35 observation balloons plummeting to the ground, as well as two aircraft. Here, Coppens despatches a Drachen balloon flying his modified Hanriot HD.1 No23 which he had painted blue because he so disliked the ugly, bad camouflage in which it was delivered. Despite losing a leg whilst downing his final two balloons, Coppens survived the war and lived a full life until his death in December 1986. Sous-Lieutenant Willy Coppens – Roasting A Sausage by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsDHM1680
The Italian Caproni series of bombers were the first to carry out long range missions during World War 1, frequently making round trips of over 150 miles in freezing conditions to deliver their meagre 1000lb bomb load on Austro-Hungarian targets. Here, a pair of Ca.3s return home, their gunners keeping a watchful eye for enemy fighters. The aerial gunners were particularly exposed to the sub-zero slipstream and often found it almost impossible to operate their guns because they were so cold, the rear gunners position being especially unpleasant due to his proximity to the mid engine and propeller that was just inches from his feet. Caproni Ca.3 by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsDHM1738
The Sopwith Dolphin was a radical departure from previous Sopwith design philosophies, embodying a reverse-stagger on the wings, a water-cooled Hispano-Suiza engine and an unusual, but highly popular positioning of the cockpit which gave the pilot unprecedented views. One exponent of this purposeful looking machine was Canadian Major A D Carter who claimed many of his 31 victories flying the Dolphin. He is shown here sending an Albatross to the ground on 8th May 1918 whilst flying C4017. Carter was himself shot down soon after became a prisoner of war. He was killed in 1919 whilst test flying a Fokker D.VII at Shoreham, Sussex. Major Albert Carter by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsDHM1746
The Austro-Hungarian Lloyd C.V was a two-seat observation aircraft which was unconventional both in appearance and construction. Its unusually-shaped wings were not fabric covered, but were laminated in plywood for strength and lightness. This innovation, however, caused great problems with maintenance, battle damage repair and structural fatigue caused by moisture building up inside the wing section. Despite its faults, the C.V was a fast and streamlined machine that acquitted itself well during its brief career, 144 of the type being produced by the Lloyd and WKF factories in 1917. Lloyd C.V by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsDHM1774
Designed in 1913 and constructed by the Russo-Baltic Carriage Factory in Riga, the Ilya Muromets was designed by the great Igor Sikorski, based on his earlier creation, the Bolshoi Baltiski. Conceived originally as a luxury passenger aircraft, it was to become the worlds first four-engined strategic bomber at the outbreak of World War 1 and featured a fully enclosed cabin for the pilots and internal bomb racks that could carry up to 800kg of bombs. 73 examples of this extremely successful aircraft were built and only one was lost due to enemy action during the 400 sorties flown, during which their bombing accuracy was claimed to have achieved a commendable 90 percent success rate. Sikorski Ilya Muromets by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsDHM1775
Resplendent in the striking colours of the Austro-Hungarian Navy, a pair of Phonix D.I fighters are depicted on patrol in the late Spring of 1918. Although largely unpopular with pilots, the type acquitted itself well in service, possessing a superior rate of climb to the Albatross D.III, superb stability and a very low stall speed. A significant number of victories were achieved on the type and many examples were still in service at the end of the war in November 1918. Phonix D.I by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsDHM1797
Linienschiffsleutnant Gottfried Freiherr von Banfield was one of the top scoring aces of the Austro-Hungarian Empire with 9 confirmed and 11 unconfirmed victories to his credit and was awarded the Empires highest order, the Knights Cross of the Order of Maria Theresa for his achievements. In February 1916 he was put in command of the naval air station at Trieste, a post that he held until the end of the war. He is shown here with his observer, Seekadett Heribert Strobl Edler von Ravensberg, having just claimed his first victory, an Italian observation balloon near the mouth of the Isonzo River on 27th June 1915, flying his Lohner Type T, L.47. Gottfried von Banfield by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsDHM1803
In response to a requirement for a seaplane fighter scout, Albatros developed the elegant W.4, a direct descendent of their successful D.1, incorporating many common parts with its land-based relative. About 120 of the type were constructed, many employed in the defence of important naval bases scattered along the coast of the North Sea. A small number of W.4s however fell into the hands of the Soviet Red Army in 1918 and were pressed into service on the Black Sea, based at Sevastopol, as depicted here. Albatros W.4 by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsDHM1804
Designed the brothers Henri and Maurice Farman, the F.40 embodied many of the features of contemporary designs comprising a crew nacelle with pusher propeller and a tail supported by narrow booms and struts. Forty French squadrons were equipped with the type which first entered service in 1915 but, just one year later, they were being withdrawn as rapid developments in fighter design rendered them obsolete. One such example is shown here having surprised a single-seat Taube observation aircraft, which is spotting above some abandoned trenches near a crashed Albatros C.III. The F.40s prominent position for the gunner / observer was one of its qualities and, it is said, inspired the German AGO company when designing their C.1. Farman F.40 by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsDHM1806
The highest scoring allied ace of World War 1, Rene Fonck was born on 27th March 1894 and spent his early military service with the 11th Regiment of Engineers before being sent for flying instruction in the spring of 1915. Almost as soon as he had been assigned to combat duties, he began to score and was posted to Groupe de Combat No12, the famous Storks where a combination of superb airmanship and deadly accurate gunnery ensured that his victory tally continued to grow. By the end of the war, Fonck was credited with a commendable 75 confirmed victories, but it is likely that he may have been responsible for a further possible 69 kills, which would have taken his total score to 144 – 64 more than Manfred von Richthofen, the notorious Red Baron. Capitaine Rene Fonck is shown in one of his Spad S.XIIIs chasing down a DFW C-Type. Capitaine Rene Fonck by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsDHM1811
Born in Wadowice, Galicia in 1889, Godwin Brumowski entered the military and served as an officer in the Field Artillery Regiment No. 6 on the Eastern Front during WW I. Interested in flying, Brumowski joined the Luftfahrtruppen as an observer. Learning to fly on his own, he was eventually promoted to command a fighting unit which was composed of both scout and fighter aircraft. In 1916 Brumowski visited the Western Front where he studied the tactics of the German fighting units. Very impressed by what he had seen, Brumowskis goal was to command a unit similar to von Richtofens Flying Circus. Upon his return Brumowski was put in command of another fighting unit equipped with Brandenburg D1s. The D1 was a fairly quick highly maneuverable aircraft. Unfortunately it lacked synchronized machine guns, being equipped instead with a top-wing mounted gun. This gun was not accessible by the pilot in flight to clear jams, and its location also negatively affected the aircrafts performance. Brumowski designed an insignia for his flight which included a white skull on a black background. By 1917 Brumowskis superiors agreed to put the officer in charge of a true fighter group which would be equipped with Albatros D IIIs. These nimble aircraft also had twin synchronized machine guns. Taking another page out of von Richtofens book, Brumowski quickly decided that the six aircraft under his command would be painted bright red. Flying primarily against Italian opponents, Brumowski would go on to attain forty victories, the most of any Austro-Hungarian ace. He would also survive the War, but was killed in a plane crash in 1937. The Albatros D III flown by Brumowski was produced under license by Oesterreichische Flugzeugfabrik A.G. for the Royal and Imperial Air Service of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Although similar to their German counterparts, the Austrian Albatroses differed in several respects. Power was supplied by an excellent Austro-Daimer engine which had an output of 225-HP in the Series 253 model. The aircraft was armed with twin Schwarzlase machine guns. These guns were less reliable than their German counterparts. The Austrian engineers also re-engineered the wing structure in such a way as to minimize some of the structural problems which plagued the German models. Between early 1917 and late 1918 a total of 540 Austrian produced D IIIs were built. This was arguably the best single seat fighter to serve with the Imperial Air Service during the War. It was flown by most of the top-scoring Austro-Hungarian aces. Austro-Hungarian Ace by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0009
The leading Belgian ace of WW I, Willy Coppens de Houthhulst, was born on July 6, 1882 at Watermael Belgium. The son of a successful artist, Willy was called up for military service in 1912. After several years in the infantry, Willy was able to join the air arm as a pupil pilot in 1915. He went to Britain for his flight training where he met Albert Ball. He earned his wings and returned to Belgium for advanced flight training at Etampes. Finally, he was posted to No. 6 Squadron flying the B.E. 2C on reconnaissance missions. He experienced his first aerial combat in May of 1917 when he survived an attack by four German fighters. Still disappointed about being in a reconnaissance unit, Willy was delighted in 1917 when he was transferred to Fighter Escadrille No. 1 based at Les Moeres airfield. Initially flying Neuport Scouts, the unit was re-equipped with a capable French-made single seat fighter, the Hanriot HD.1. Designed by M. Dupont in 1916, the HD.1 was a single-seat, staggered-wing, biplane powered by a 120-HP Le Rhone rotary engine. The HD.1 had an interesting open fronted cowling, and metal panels reached as far back as the cockpit. In standard configuration the HD.1 was armed with only a single Vickers machine gun, and was capable of 114-MPH. This lack of fire power caused many of the Italian pilots who flew the HD.1, including the top Italian ace to survive the War, to add a second gun. Although generally ignored in France, more than 800 were built for the Italians and more than 100 for the Belgians during WW I. Throughout the winter of 1917-18 Coppens had no meaningful enemy engagements. However, on March 18, 1918 he agreed to attack an enemy balloon. These attacks were not easy because observation balloons were almost always protected by anti-aircraft batteries. His first attack was unsuccessful, and the young pilot learned that he must get special incendiary bullets, if future attacks were to succeed. On April 11 he attained his first victory over a German fighter. In May, Coppens received a very small allocation of incendiary bullets. He decided that he would fire only four bullets at a time, and would fire only from very close range. This formula proved unstoppable for the young pilot who went on to attain 36 more victories during the remainder of 1918, making Coppens clearly the Balloon Buster Extraordinaire. Working in the Houthulst Forest region, Coppens would pounce almost every time the Germans put up an observation balloon. In September of 1918 he was awarded the Legion of Honour from Georges Clemenceau. The balloon busting ace decided to repaint his Hanriot from green to blue, because the original color reminded him of a toy snake. On October 14th, following a successful balloon attack, Coppens was hit with shrapnel. He managed to crash land his aircraft behind his own lines and he was rushed to a hospital where one of his legs was amputated. Coppens continued to fly after the War, and he also served as Belgian Air Attaché in London. He retired to Switzerland at the time the Germans invaded Belgium in 1940. Balloon Buster Extraordinaire by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0010
Igor Ivanovich Sikorsky was one of the early pioneers in the Russian aircraft industry. He was a brilliant and tenacious designer. In contrast to the accepted wisdom of the day, Sikorsky was convinced that very large multi-engine aircraft would some day become commonplace. In 1913 he had completed a 9,000 pound aircraft which was commonly referred to as the Grand. Unfortunately this aircraft was destroyed in a freak accident when the engine from another aircraft fell out of the sky and hit the Grand while it was parked in its hangar. Not deterred by this stroke of bad luck, Sikorsky went to work on an even more elaborate design. Called the Ilya Muromets (after a Russian folk hero) the second of Sikorskys Russian giants weighed slightly more than 10,000 pounds and was powered by four German-made 100-HP Argus engines. With a 102 foot wingspan and a 70-foot fuselage, the Muromets was an extraordinary aircraft for its time. An enclosed cabin was heated by the exhaust from the engines, and two balconies were available. A washroom was included and the passenger cabin was equipped with tables and chairs. Czar Nicholas II was a major supporter of aviation, but many influential people in the military questioned the value of the Muromets as a military weapon. Despite this skepticism, Sikorsky took his pet dog and sixteen passengers aloft on February 24, 1914. In June of 1914 Sikorsky piloted the Muromets on a 1,600 mile round trip flight from St. Petersburg to Kiev. Before Sikorskys triumphant return to St. Petersburg, the seeds to WW I had been sown by the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand in Sarajevo. Sikorsky immediately went to work on building new and improved models of his giant aircraft, with the specific interest now in producing a long range bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. In October of 1914 a Muromets dropped 320 pounds of bombs from an altitude of 4,000 feet at the Petrograd testing grounds. In February of 1915, as depicted in Stan Stokes painting entitled Russian Giant, a Ilya Muromets V Kievsky II model dropped 600 pounds of bombs on the railway station at Mlava, significantly damaging the facility. A total of 75 of Sikorskys giant bombers were sent to the front between 1914 and 1918. The aircraft had defensive armament with machine gunners in various positions. The bomber was typically flown with a crew of four. Only three of the aircraft sent to the front were destroyed in combat. As Revolution swept Russia near the end of WW II Sikorsky left his homeland for the United States, where he would become one of the giants of the American aviation industry. Russian Giant by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0011
The Societe Anonyme dAeroplanes Morane-Saulnier first showed its aircraft at the Salon Aeronautique in Paris in 1911. With the famous French airman Roland Garos as its test pilot, the company received a lot of interest in the products it displayed. The first production models were delivered in 1913. The Type L was a parasol monoplane, and orders were received from the French Air Corps. The Type L was the forerunner of the first true family of fighters, the Fokker Eindeckers. When War began the Type L was one of the fastest reconnaissance aircraft available. With its high speed and excellent maneuverability, the Type L was a natural to take on the role of interceptor, once it became evident that aircraft were going to be utilized for more than just reconnaissance. The Type N debuted in mid-1914. Its most characteristic feature was its incorporation of a large prop spinner which completely covered the engine. With no ailerons, all lateral control was made by warping the wings through a complex system of control wires. In early 1916 the Type I was introduced. It utilized a more powerful 110-HP rotary engine. The Type I was capable of 176-MPH, with an operational ceiling of 3,500 feet. The large prop spinner was reshaped, and the undercarriage was strengthened. These aircraft were not without their faults. Flying was exceptionally difficult in bad weather, and the wing design was modified several times to reduce the tendency of the Moraine-Saulnier to go into an uncontrollable tail spin. A number of these aircraft were flown by the Russians on the Romanian and Southwestern Fronts. The Moraine-Saulnier monoplane of Lt. Ivan W Smirnoff is depicted in action in Stan Stokes painting entitled The Air Pirate. While the vast majority of the air combat in WW I took place on the Western Front, air combat was not uncommon on the other fronts. Smirnoff, an ex-infantryman, joined XIX Squadron in 1915 as a Sergeant. He attained his first victory piloting a two-seater. His last victory, which was recorded in November of 1917, was his twelfth. Fearing that he would be executed by the Bolsheviks, Smirnoff fled Russia and served briefly with the Royal Flying Corps. In 1922 he joined the Dutch airline KLM. He flew for KLM for many years. In 1942, during WW II, Smirnoff was Captain of a KLM DC-2 which was shot down by Imperial Japanese fighters over the East Indies. Smirnoff survived this disaster, and he died in October, 1956. Smirnoff is generally acknowledged to be the top scoring Russian ace of WW I. The Air Pirate by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0013
The Lafayette Escadrille was a French air service squadron which was manned by American volunteers during WW I. Thirty-eight Americans served with the squadron during the war. Nine were killed in action and one was accidentally killed in a fall from a horse. The squadron had four French officers, and only one, Captain Georges Thenault, survived the war. The Lafayette Escadrille accounted for a total of thirty-eight victories during its service. Nearly half of these victories were accounted for by Raoul Lufbery. Born in France, Lufbery was a soldier of fortune, having joined the U.S. Army and barnstormed in the Orient. Lufbery joined the aviation service initially as a mechanic but was attached to the Lafayette Escadrille because of his prior service with the U.S. Army. Lufbery achieved 17 confirmed victories, and prior to his being killed in action in 1918, he gave instruction to some of Americas top aces of the war, including Eddie Rickenbacker. The Lafayette Escadrille used a Seminole Indian insignia until April 1917, and a Sioux Indian insignia thereafter. The squadron initially flew the famous Nieuport fighting scouts, and was equipped with the heavier and stronger Spad later in the conflict. Many of the pilots preferred to fly the Nieuport because of its tremendous maneuverability. The Nieuport 17 was one of the most distinctive single-seat fighters of the War. This French-built aircraft was utilized by British, Belgian, Italian, American, and Russian airmen. Two of the most famous British aces, Billy Bishop and Albert Ball, flew Nieuports for much of their service. The design of the Nieuport is attributed to Franz Schneider who had suggested that a good compromise between a monoplane and a biplane would be a design utilizing a large upper wing and a much smaller lower wing. The resulting aircraft was much stronger than the early monoplane designs which suffered from frequent structural failures. The Nieuport 17 was initially powered by a 130 HP Clerget or a smaller 110 HP Le Rhone engine. The Nieuport 17 entered service in May 1916. Its performance at that time was superior to any fighting aircraft. It was about 10 percent faster than any other aircraft in service and could climb to 10,000 feet in approximately ten minutes. The Germans thought enough of this aircraft that they produced an improved copy of the 13-metre Nieuport Type-11 Baby. Aviation artist Stan Stokes, in his outstanding painting entitled Stuck in the Mud, shows a Nieuport of the Lafayette Escadrille in the process of being extricated from the mud following an aborted takeoff. The Lafayette Escadrille was absorbed into the 103rd Aero Squadron USAS in 1918 with Americas official entry into the War. Stuck in the Mud by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0017
Aviation historians often overlook the contribution of the Italians to the advancement of aircraft technology. This was particularly true during aviations earliest years. Giulio Douhet was an Italian air power theorist and advocate, similar to Billy Mitchell in America. Douhet postured in the early 1900s that air power would be become the critical influence on all future wars. He argued for a first strike capability that could hit an adversary in the battlefield, at his supply lines, and at his sources of production. The Russians and the Italians were the leading nations in the development of large, long-range, strategic bombers. In Russia the primary design force behind this movement was Sikorsky (who would later immigrate to the United States) In Italy Count Gianni Caproni di Taliedo was the guiding light with more than 300 aircraft designs to his credit. Born in 1886 Caproni had built at an early age a small biplane powered by a small 25-HP engine. He was to become a pioneer in the development of multi-engine aircraft. In 1913 he designed a three-engine machine utilizing 80-HP Gnome-Rhône engines with all three engines inside the fuselage. This arrangement proved impractical and was scrapped for a more conventional system in the Ca.31, which first flew in 1914. The first operational three-engine Caproni was the Ca.32 biplane (military designation Ca.2) and it utilized 100-HP Fiat 6-cylinder, liquid-cooled engines. The 32 had a wingspan of almost 73 feet (compared to 98 feet for Sikorskys Ilya Mourometz) and a maximum speed of about 72-MPH. The 32 was armed with one or two machineguns, had a crew of 4, and a bomb capacity of 780 lbs. These aircraft were utilized in the first Italian bombing raid of the War. More than 164 Ca.32s were produced. In 1917 Caproni began a production run of 269 Ca.33s, which were similar to the 32 but with more powerful engines. Near the end of the War Caproni produced more than 225 Series 5 aircraft (some under license) Series 5 covered the Ca.44, Ca.45, and Ca.46. The 46 could carry a 1984-pound bomb load at a maximum speed of more than 94-MPH. One of the most distinctive in the series of Caproni bombers was the Ca.42. This was a triplane configuration. Thirty-two aircraft were built, and six of these were sent to the Royal Navy Air Service. The 42 was primarily used for night bombing, although a couple of variants were also produced, one of which was fitted with floats and could carry two torpedoes, and another which had a biplane tail fitted with a rear gunners position. In Stan Stokes painting one of Capronis WW I tri-engine bombers overflys the beautiful city of Venice in a scene very removed from the ravages of WW I trench warfare. Shortly after the War Caproni conceived of a plan for a huge flying boat capable of carrying 100 or more passengers on overseas journeys. The Ca-60 was a 55,000-pound behemoth powered by Liberty engines. Unfortunately production technology was not yet as advanced as Capronis farsighted thinking. The Ca-60 was destroyed during one of its early flight tests. Springtime in Venice by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0018

Inter War Aviation Prints

First flown on 26th October 1931. The De Haviland DH82 Tiger Moth was to enjoy one of the longest and most distinguished careers in aviation history. Depicted here is an example of that variant employed by an elementary and reserve flying training school during the early part of World War Two.First Wings by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsB0014
Flt Lt John Boothman completes a victory run over the packed pier at Ryde, isle of Wight as he wins the Schneider Trophy in Supermarine S6B, S1595 at a speed of 340mph. later the same day, its sister aircraft S1596 broke the world air speed record at 379 mph, flown by Flt. Lt Stainforth. Schneider Trophy Race, 1931 by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsB0097
B102. Amy Johnson by Ivan Berryman. Amy Johnson by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsB0102
De Havilland Tigermoth. Tigermoth by David Pentland.Click For DetailsDHM0778
Soviet Ace Stefanov claims two Italian SM81 Bombers during a night interception over Barcelona, Spanish Civil War 1937. Patrule De Noche by David Pentland.Click For DetailsDHM0787
The military trained many of their first world war pilots on the Jenny. Several thousand Jennies were produced and after the war many of these aircraft were purchased by some of the 20,000 airmen which left the armed services after world war one, paying a fraction of the cost for these aircraft. Barnstorming began. These pilots would make a living from Barnstorming across the US, giving rides to civilians for as much at 15 to 20 dollars a trip. This was a time when most people had not seen an aircraft let alone go up in one. Barnstorming gradually became saturated with pilots and aircraft and over a short peiod of time the prices paid for a trip in a Jenny went down toas low as 2 to 3 dollars, and making a living became hard for the pilots who could hardly pay for the fuel and living costs let alone aircraft maintenance. There were a number of fatal accidents, but Barnstorming played a vital role in aviation and probably put the idea of becoming a pilot in the minds of many young boys who would later go on to fly in combat during world war two.Balmy Days by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsDHM1032
The classic Bristol Bulldog, shown in flight above the clouds during the early 1930s. The Bulldog was a single seat day and night fighter with all metal construction and fabric covering. Manufactured by Bristol Aeroplane Co. Ltd, Filton, Bristol, her engine was a 490hp Bristol Jupiter VIIF, with a max speed of 174mph and a ceiling of 27,000 ft. She had two synchronised Vickers 0.303in machine guns. <p.<b>The signed limited edition of 850 prints are stamped by the fine art trade guild. The print was published in 1981 and sold out form the publisher many years ago. We have the last 30 prints available. </b>Bristol Bulldog by Barrie Clark.Click For DetailsDHM1167
Two Hawker Furies of No.1 Sqm, based at Tangmere in 1937. Cloud Dancers by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsDHM1357
The Hawker Horsley was the last wooden aircraft to be constructed by Hawker. It was designed initially in 1923 but modified in 1925 to meet the need for torpedoes. In January 1927, No.11 Squadron were equipped with Horsleys and then No.100 Squadron. In 1928, No.33 and No.15 Squadron were also equipped with Horsleys. The first torpedo bomber versions were used by No.36 squadron from June 1928, being sent to Singapore shortly thereafter. No Horsleys were built after February 1934. Hawker Horsley by Michael Turner.Click For DetailsDHM1467
Fairey IIIDs served from 1924 to 1930. It could be used either as a seaplane or landplane, and was employed as both. It mainly served in the Middle East and home waters, but was used for a great number of roles throughout its service. In all, 227 Fairey IIIDs were built. Fairey IIID by Michael Turner.Click For DetailsDHM1468
Hawker Harts were first used in 1930 by No.33 Squadron at Eastchurch. Many of these aircraft were used overseas in India, the Middle East and South Africa, some still operating well into World War Two. However, in Britain, most were being replaced by 1936, having been used by a total of 20 RAF and AAF Squadrons. A total of 1042 of this aircraft were built. Hawker Harts by Michael Turner.Click For DetailsDHM1470
Opened in 1932, Ryde airport became the principal airport for the Isle of Wight, with routes being operated to destinations as far away as Croydon, Bristol and Shoreham, as well as a regular commuter service that took in Southampton, Bournemouth and Portsmouth. This painting depicts a typical day early in 1936 when aircraft of both Portsmouth, Southsea and Isle of Wight Aviation Ltd and Railway Air Services were using the airport, in this case, Airspeed Courier G-ADAY and De Havilland Dragon Rapide G-ACPR City of Birmingham respectively. The airport closed officially in 1939, but may have been used sporadically after the war. The site of the airport is now occupied by Tesco and McDonalds. Ryde Airport, 1936 by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsDHM1549
An American Airlines DC-3, one of the 29 in service by 1936 with right hand doors, outbound from La Guardia Airport. Flagship Over Manhattan by Robert Watts.Click For DetailsDHM2458
Depicting a Pitcairn mailwing Early Morning Briefing by Barry Rowe.Click For DetailsDHM2461
Depicting a de HavilandUS Mail - Coast to Coast by Barry Rowe.Click For DetailsDHM2462
On the afternoon of Sunday, 13th September 1931, Flt. Lt J N Bootham, RAF, in a Southampton-built S6B seaplane, tore through the skies over the Solent to average 340.08mph round a 217-mile course. This fly-over was sufficient for Great Britain to gain the Schneider Trophy outright since it meant that the event had been won on three consecutive occasions. That it nearly didnt happen is part of the history of British Aviation, only timely sponsorship saving the whole Supermarine programme. So ended an era in aviation history which, with hindsight, proved so important for the free world as it was from this remarkably-advanced design of airframe and engine that R J Mitchells most famous aircraft of all time, the Spitfire, was developed. Without the advances brought on by the development of the Supermarine racing seaplanes, it is doubtful that the technology required for the Spitfire would have been so readily available. The Merlin and Griffon engines from Rolls Royce were also part of this programme. These were to be the mainstay of the British Aircraft Industry during World War II and become a legend in their own right. A replica of the aircraft which went on to set world air speed records can be seen in the Southampton Hall of Aviation, together with the legendary Spitfire. The Schneider Trophy was won outright by Great Britain on September 13th 1931. Flight Lieutenant J N Boothman flying S6B S1595, completed the seven laps at an average speed of 340.08mph. Fg Off Leonard Snaith and Flt Lt Freddy Long were the first and second reserve pilots of the 1931 GB Schneider Trophy team, behind J N Boothman. A Moment of Triumph by Gerald Coulson.Click For DetailsDHM2510
The Boeing Stearman PT 17 is a picture painted by Gerald Coulson essentially for the American Market and as a little self-indulgence. The U.S. equivalent to the Tiger Moth, it was typically larger and more powerful, being based around a comparatively large radial engine. Tough and easy to fly the Stearman still exists in large quantities and is used by fun fliers on both sides of the Atlantic, it being an extremely agile aerobatics machine capable of exciting continuous manoeuvres pulled along by its tremendous power. The sound of the Stearman, like the Harvard, is unmistakable with its propeller tips going supersonic at maximum revs. As trainers they were painted in the most attractive colours and against the typical Coulson sky this machine makes a brilliant impact and striking print as U.S. Army trainer 530 buzzes angrily through the sunlit skies probably taking yet another potential World War II ace on his first solo flight. Stearman PT17 by Gerald Coulson.Click For DetailsDHM2511
Supplied with companion print <a href=http://www.military-art.com/mall/images/dhm2617b.jpg target=new>Mitchells Masterpiece</a>. Rhapsody in Blue by Gerald CoulsonClick For DetailsDHM2617
Many hundreds of young aspiring men and women gained their coveted RAF wings flying the Tiger Moth. Training could be tough and one needed determination as well as skill to complete it. With their newly awarded wings, some pilots would move onto fly bombers, some to fighters like the Spitfire and Hurricane and many others to a wide variety of different aircraft types. Those Were the Days by Philip West.Click For DetailsDHM2629
GDHM9019GS. RAF Henlow, Parachuting, Empire Day, May 1938 by David Rowlands. RAF Henlow, Parachuting, Empire Day, May 1938 by David Rowlands. (GS)Click For DetailsDHM9019
Lockheed Vega flying from America to Lithuania on a second transatlantic attempt. Lithuanica II by David Pentland.Click For DetailsDP0033
Few pilots can resist the temptation for low flying should the opportunity present itself. Out of sight of the spoil-sport eyes of the authority, the rules will be broken, the artist would indulge in this chancy but undeniable thrill. A great sensation from any cockpit but for the artist nothing can compare with the effect from behind a pair of goggles to the accompaniment of humming wires around the cockpit of a Tiger Moth.Happy Days by Gerald Coulson.Click For DetailsGC0142
Flt.Lt. John Boothman takes off from Calshot in his Supermarine S6B to win the 1931 Schneider Trophy. Schneider Trophy Winner by Michael Turner.Click For DetailsGT0080
Alex Henshaw in his winning Mew Gull, swoops low over Hatfield airfield, followed by Giles Guthries Mew Gull and Les Cliffs Hawk Major. Seen on the ground are Geoffrey de Havillands Tk-2 and D.H. Comet G-ACSS. The winners race average of 252.25 mph is the fastest ever recorded by a British winning aircraft. 1938 Kings Cup by Michael TurnerClick For DetailsGT0083
A pair of 504 Squadrons Westland Wallace II aircraft on an evening sortie from their base at Hucknall. Calm Before the Storm by Michael Turner.Click For DetailsGT0084
A 209 Squadron Blackburn Iris taxiing out from Calshot in 1931. Blackburn Iris by Michael Turner.Click For DetailsGT0101
19 Sqn aircraft performing at the 1934 Hendon Air Display. Bristol Bulldogs by Michael Turner.Click For DetailsGT0102
Fairey IIIF floatplanes operating from the Nile at Khartoum. Fairey IIIF by Michael Turner.Click For DetailsGT0105
Imperial Airways Handley Page HP42 Hengist prepares to leave Croydon Airport on a misty evening in 1936. Night Mail to Paris by Michael Turner.Click For DetailsGT0151
Gerald Coulson said of this painting : <i><br>How very fortunate to be in a position to paint aviation as a result of direct experience. This aeroplane has been featured in many of my paintings. The fact that I have flown this machine for years and still do probably has something to do with it. It is, of course, the de Havilland Tiger Moth, one of the greatest aeroplanes in the world. Not one of the most comfortable, nor noted for its crisp handling qualities. It is, nevertheless, a delight in which to be aloft over a sun-dappled landscape. With the roar of the Gypsy engine, the slipstream singing through the bracing wires and the sun flashing off silvered wing, what more inspiration does an aviation artist require.</i>Singing Wires by Gerald Coulson.Click For DetailsLE0252
During the early 1930s, Imperial Airways of London introduced to its European and Eastern routes the HP42, an enormous four-engined Handley Page biplane carrying up to 38 passengers at a sedate 100mph. For the first time air travellers could enjoy Pullman comfort, the wicker-work chairs finally being dispensed with. Eight of these outstanding aircraft were built and operated from 1931 to the start of the Second World War. The European services were flown by the four known as the Heracles class with fleet names Horatius, Hengist and Helena. The Hannibal class with Horsa, Hanno and Hadrian serviced the Empire routes. They accumulated over 10 million miles of peacetime operations wthout harm to a single passenger or crew member. Safety became their byword. Depicted here is Horatius, bound for Paris from Croydon. What a sight to behold, truly a galleon of the clouds.Croydon Departure by Gerald Coulson.Click For DetailsLE0262
In 1929, Cranwells Flight Cadets flew the Avro 504N biplane with a top speed of about 100mph and it was on one of these that Douglas Bader soloed for the first time on 12th February 1929. Railway lines were useful references on these and the RAF College Cranwell was only a few minutes in the air from the East Coast Main Line. Down this line came the crack expresses of the LNER, some drawn by the companys latest express locomotive, the A1 Class, which had a similar top speed to the Avro. Chasing the Flying Scotsman by John YoungClick For DetailsLI0050
N36. Tiger Moth by Roy Garner. Tiger Moth by Roy Garner.Click For DetailsNTR0036
The little Moth represents everything a true light aircraft should have. Conventional / traditional construction of tubular steel with lots of lovely timber and doped fabric. Bolted on the front end is a wonderful oily, crackly Gypsy Major engine culminating in an aeroplane to die for! Tiger Moth by Robin Smith.Click For DetailsRS0020
During the between Wars years two aircraft manufacturers, Boeing and Curtiss, were the dominant suppliers of fighter aircraft for the United States armed forces. A series of Curtiss-manufactured hawk fighters was in service from the mid-1920s until just before WW II. The P-6E was delivered beginning in 1932 and was powered by a 675-HP Curtiss V-1570-23 Conqueror engine. This bi-plane fighter was highly maneuverable and capable of almost 200-MPH. It was armed with twin forward-firing 0.3 inch Browning machine-guns. In many respects it represented the pinnacle of American biplane fighter designs. In contrast the Boeing P-26 Peashooter was a very important transitional aircraft in the evolution of the fighter. It embodied the transition from the WW I vintage highly maneuverable biplanes to the sleek, very fast, all-metal, monoplane fighters of WW II. Surprising is the fact that the P-26 was the last fighter to be mass-produced by Boeing, the company founded in 1916 by William Edward Boeing. The Companys first large contract was secured in 1919 for the MB-3A fighter for the USAAC. Boeing utilized a unique welded tube fuselage in place of the original wood structure in the original design. Success with this program lead to additional contracts, and Boeing became a strong competitor to the much larger Curtiss Company for fighter aircraft for both the Air Corps and the Navy. The culmination of Boeings biplane fighters was attained with its Model 83 which became the Navys F4B, and the Air Corps P-12. In 1928 the company began exploring the possibility of a monoplane fighter. The Model 200 Monomail was designed as a high-speed mail plane for Boeing Air Transport (the precursor of todays United Airlines.) The initial military version that evolved from this aircraft was the P-26. The P-26 was 20% faster than Boeings P-12 biplane, but it had a slower rate of climb and a lower service ceiling. Also, the high landing speeds of the prototype resulted in production models of the P-26 being equipped with landing flaps. Boeing engineers retained some very conservative design elements in the Peashooters design such as a fixed landing gear and an open cockpit. Many of these compromises would doom the aircraft to a very short useful life, as the P-26 was quickly made obsolete by the much faster Seversky P-35 and the Curtiss P-36 fighters which appeared in 1936. The USAAC accepted a total of 139 Peashooters in 1933-34. The Navy could not be convinced to order the aircraft. Many P-26s sported the wild USAAC paint schemes which typified the between Wars period. The P-26 would see some combat with the Chinese and Philippine Air Forces. In Stan Stokes painting a P-26 of the 94th Pursuit Squadron Snow Owls lifts off from Selfridge Field while a Curtiss Hawk it would soon be replacing taxis to its parking area. Between Wars Classics by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0155
Following The War to End All Wars military expenditures were severely curtailed, and only limited funds were available to support new military aviation projects. A number of important issues, which would influence the future of aviation, were debated in both public and private forums during this period. One related to the general importance of the role of aircraft in future military conflicts. A second was the relative importance of bombers vs. pursuit aircraft, and another issue affecting aviation was the rivalry between the Navy and the Army. One of the tactics utilized by the Armys Air Corps during this period to generate positive public support for its efforts, was the massing of large airborne armadas to impress the general populace. Many such fly overs took place during this period, and many were quite extravagant in terms of the sheer number of aircraft assembled for the displays. In Stan Stokes painting appropriately entitled A Show of Strength, one of these fly overs takes place over Boston in the mid-1930s. The aircraft featured in the scene is the Martin B-10 bomber. This aircraft, although a bit funny-looking by todays standards, was unique in many respects. Designated by its designer as the Martin Model 123, it was designed as a speculation by Martin, and a prototype was given to the Air Corps for evaluation in 1932. Called the XB-907 by the Army, the prototype could attain a top speed of 197-MPH. Later modifications included more powerful, cowling-covered, Cyclone engines, and a slightly larger wing surface. A gun turret was also added to the nose, and the top speed was enhanced to 207-MPH, an impressive figure for that time. Martin won the coveted Collier Trophy for this design, but more important to the company was the award of an initial contract for 48 production versions of the aircraft. The aircraft began to reach operational units in 1935, and additional orders for more than another 100 B-10B variants were placed. Powered by twin 775-HP 9-cylinder radials, the B-10B could carry a maximum bomb load of 2,200 pounds, had a range of 590 miles, an operational ceiling of 24,000 feet, and a maximum speed of 213-MPH. This was a good sized aircraft for the time with its 71-foot wingspan and 45-foot length. In 1936 the Government authorized the B-10 for export and more than one hundred B-10s were sold overseas, with the largest numbers going to the Netherlands Antilles, Argentina, Turkey, and China. Some of these models were modified to utilize one long green house canopy instead of the two utilized on the fuselage of the standard versions. The production life of the B-10 was cut short by the introduction of the Douglas B-18 and Boeing B-17, which were more advanced designs. Also shown in Stans painting escorting the B-10 bombers over Boston are two 1930 vintage Air Corps pursuit planes; the Boeing P-26 pea shooter monoplane, and the Curtiss P-6 Hawk biplane. Show of Strength by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0156
In 1924 the US Navy took delivery of the Los Angeles, which was built by the Zeppelin Company in Germany. A partnership was formed between the Goodyear Company and the Zeppelin Company for developing rigid airships in the United States. Rear Admiral William A. Moffett was unquestioned booster of the rigid airship program in the United States during the 1920s and 1930s. As chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics Moffet had considerable influence. In 1926 he was successful at getting Congress to allocate funds for the construction of two 758-foot long rigid airships (the USS Akron and the USS Macon) with a capacity of 6.5 million cubic feet of helium, more than twice the size of the Graf Zepplin which would circle the globe in 1929. The Goodyear company commenced construction of a huge hangar at Akron which would be used for construction of the first of the two massive airships. Utilizing three keels and thirty-six longitudinal girders, the Akron had a sturdy airframe. One of the most novel features of these two new airships would be their ability to launch and recover Curtis F9C-2 Sparrowhawks, making them the first flying aircraft carriers. The Akron was completed in September of 1931, but it would be nearly a year later before the Sparrowhawks were deployed. The Akron logged about 1,700 hours of flying time, but on the night of April 1, 1933 the Akron crashed in the icy Atlantic off the New Jersey shore with few survivors. Admiral Moffett was one of the fatalities. It was the worst aviation disaster in history - at that time. Construction of the Macon was completed only weeks after the loss of its sister ship. Some improvements had been made to her design. She was lighter and faster than the Akron, and could carry up to five Sparrowhawks vs. only three for the Akron. Following testing of the new airship in the New York- New Jersey area, the Macon was ordered to newly named Moffet field in Sunnyvale, California. On July 18, 1934 the Macon utilized its Sparrowhawks to intercept a pair of US Navy ships at considerable distance off the Pacific Coast. The cruiser USS Houston was carrying Franklin D. Roosevelt on a trip from Panama to Hawaii. Startled to encounter aircraft at such a considerable distance from land, they would be even more shocked when the Sparrowhawks would deliver newspapers and mail for the President. In the late summer and fall of 1934 the Macon was sent east for fleet training exercises in the Atlantic. Utilizing a simple radio homing beacon for the first time the Macon proved beyond a doubt that the concept of air launched scouting planes was feasible. However, in February of 1935 the USS Macon met the same fate as its sister ship. While cruising up the California coast near Point Sur, the great airship encountered turbulence and began to break-up. Fortunately, only two of the eighty-three man crew were lost. Sparrowhawks of the Macon by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0158
Although the US Navy had been an early leader in supporting naval aviation, during WW I the Navy had emphasized float planes, and with the end of the War, America found itself well behind the British who had several aircraft carriers in service. In April of 1919 the Navy decided to convert a new collier, the USS Jupiter, into a flush deck aircraft carrier, the navys first. Redesignated as the USS Langley (CV-1), the ship was commissioned in March of 1922. The Langley was the Navys only carrier until 1928, and would serve in this role until 1936. With the introduction of faster and larger naval aircraft, the Langleys small size and slow speed would result in a decision to change her mission to seaplane tender. The Langley displaced only 13,000 tons, had an open hangar deck, and no island. The ships two stacks were swiveled outwards during air operations, giving pilots a small but unobstructed flight deck. Two catapults were incorporated in the initial design, but were later removed. CV-1 had a turbo electric drive system which allowed the ship a top speed of 14 knots in either direction. This was deemed important so aircraft could be launched in either direction in the event the deck became damaged. The designers initially planned for the Langley to have an air group of only eight aircraft, but this was later increased to as many as forty-two. Most of the Langleys aircraft were stowed on the flight deck, with the practice of stowing aircraft on the hangar deck not becoming common until later. In 1942 CV-1 was utilized to ferry P-40s to Java. She was lost during this mission. The Boeing FB-5 of VB-3 shown in the background in Stan Stokes wonderful painting was one of the naval variants of Boeings PW-9 series. Boeing built a total of nearly 600 aircraft in this family, making it one of the most widely produced aircraft in the between Wars era. The FB-1 was the first aircraft in this series ordered by the Navy in 1924. The FB-2/3/4 variants included modifications for carrier use and a more powerful 510-HP Packard-IA engine. With the additional power, a taller rudder assembly was deemed necessary to provide adequate flight stability. The Navy ordered twenty-seven FB-5s and began taking deliveries in 1927. The upper wing of the FB-5 variant was moved forward while the lower wing was moved backwards. In addition a slightly more powerful Packard engine was utilized. As the FB-5 takes off from the Langley, a Curtis F6C-2 Hawk passes over the ship. The F6C-2 was a variant of the F6C-1 Hawk which was modified to withstand arrested landings. While only four of these models would be produced, the Navy would go on to purchase sixty of the F6C-3 and F6C-4 variants. Americas First Flat Top by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0159
In the period following WW I, Americas military spending was severely curtailed. The Air Service of the United States Army, which had performed admirably in the latter stages of the War, was treated like an unwanted child. The Air Service had detractors within the regular Army, the Navy, and the Naval Air Service. Rivalry between the Navy and Army was fierce during these times, and competition for the limited amount of funds available for defense spending further intensified matters. Brigadier General Billy Mitchell was one of the senior officers in the US Army Air Service. A veteran of WW I, Billy was an outspoken advocate of the Air Service. Mitchell requested permission to attempt to sink the German dreadnought Ostfriesland in a demonstration off the Virginia coast. The Navy was anxious to discredit the Air Service, and even within the Army itself there were many rooting against Mitchell. Mitchells commanding officer ordered him to attack the Ostfriesland from a minimum altitude of 5000 feet, and to utilize nothing greater than 1000 lb bombs. Mitchells first attempt was not successful, but on his second attempt on June 21, 1921 he disobeyed his direct orders and used 2,000 pounders dropped from low altitude. These bigger bombs shattered the hull plates of the German ship and she sank in about twenty minutes. This infuriated the Navy, which did not anticipate this result, and also resulted in Mitchell being demoted to Colonel. For the attack Mitchell utilized six Curtis MB-2 twin-engine bombers. The MB-2 was developed by Curtis in response to the Armys request in 1917 for a medium-range bomber superior to anything available at that time. The MB-1 first flew in 1918, and in 1919 an improved variant, the MB-2, took to the air. Following the crash of the USN airship Shenandoah, Mitchell publicly criticized Admiral Moffett, head of the Navys Air Service. He also strongly criticized senior Army officers due to the terrible safety record for the Air Service. These remarks lead to the much publicized court marshall of Billy Mitchell. Mitchell was found guilty and stripped of his rank, and suspended from duty for a period of five years. Despite this set back, Mitchell continued to lobby for both a safe and strong independent Air Force. He was convinced that the outcome of the next major world conflict would be determined by air power. Many of Mitchells ideas would ultimately be implemented, and he is generally acknowledged to be the Father of the modern American Air Force. Billy Shows Them by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0160
The US Navys first two effective aircraft carriers were the USS Lexington and the USS Saratoga; both converted from battle cruiser hulls in 1927. The Lexington, CV-2, was built in Quincy, Massachusetts, and commissioned in December of 1927. The Saratoga, CV-3, was built in Camden, New Jersey and commissioned in November of 1927. During fleet exercises in the early 1930s the capabilities and limitations of these two great ships had a huge impact on the evolution of carrier tactics. The speed of these big carriers allowed them to operate as an independent task force, and they would therefore need to carry an air group that would provide for a balance between offensive and defensive forces. The Lexington was in the Pacific during the attack on Pearl Harbor. She was involved in raids on Japanese strongholds in the southwestern Pacific in early 1942. She joined the Yorktown in the Battle of the Coral Sea. Her aircraft participated in attacks on the Japanese carriers Shoho, Shokaku, and Zuikaku. On May 8 the Lady Lex herself was the target of Japanese carrier aircraft. She took three bomb hits, and two torpedo hits. She was scuttled by her crew, becoming the first carrier lost by the US during the War. The Saratoga was in San Diego when the Pearl Harbor attack occurred. She served admirably in the Pacific sustaining repairable damage on several occasions. She took leave of the Pacific theater for a year to assist the British. The Big E met an ignominious demise as part of the Bikini Atoll atomic bomb tests. Showing her toughness she survived the first blast she was exposed to, but an underwater blast from only 500 yards away sunk the ship in August 1946. The Saratoga and the Lexington are depicted in Stan Stokes painting during maneuvers in the early 1930s. A Boeing FB fighter passes overhead. The Boeing Aircraft was founded in 1916 and initially built floatplanes. The companys first contract for a fighter/pursuit aircraft came in 1921 when it won the contract to build the Thomas-Morse designed MB-3 fighter. Boeings engineers began developing a fighter of their own design that would utilize a welded steel tube frame instead of the normal wooden frame. The Army tested the Model 15 prototype in 1923. Although they liked many of the features the Army opted to purchase the competing Curtiss design. They did order a couple of the Boeing planes for testing, and about a year later they placed an order for 25 PW-9s. The Navy also decided in 1924 to purchase the design, designating it as the FB-1. Improved variants were designated FB-2/3/4/5/6 etc. Boeing built a total of nearly 600 aircraft in this family, making it one of the most widely produced aircraft in the between Wars era. The FB-2/3/4 variants included modifications for carrier use and a more powerful 510-HP Packard-IA engine. With the additional power, a taller rudder assembly was deemed necessary to provide adequate flight stability. The Navy ordered twenty-seven FB-5s and began taking deliveries in 1927. The upper wing of the FB-5 variant was moved forward while the lower wing was moved backwards. In addition a slightly more powerful Packard engine was utilized. Quite a Pair by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0161
The Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corp. was organized in late 1929. The US Navy ordered 27 production Grumman FF-1 biplane fighters in 1932, the beginning of a relationship that has endured for more than seventy years. The FF-1 was a diminutive staggerwing fighter capable of a top speed of 207-MPH. A large number of aircraft were produced for export by Grumman in the early 1930s, but the company wanted to win a contract for a new and improved USN fighter. In May of 1934 the company succeeded with a contract for 54 F2F-1s. In 1934 the company also won a contract for a new and improved F3F-1. The latter was aerodynamically improved design which overcame some of the design inadequacies of the earlier aircraft. The F3F-2 was delivered in 1937. Three units were equipped with the aircraft, VF-6 operating off the USS Enterprise, VMF-2 based in San Diego, California, and VMF-1 based in Quantico, Virginia. Grumman was working on another variant, but they became concerned about the monoplane design proposed by Brewster Aircraft, so they modified their proposal from the XF4F-1 biplane to the XF4F-2 monoplane which would become the Grumman Wildcat fighter. The F3F was a stretched version of the earlier F2F produced by Grumman and also had larger wings and more modern aerodynamic features. Initial production models were fitted with a 650-HP Pratt & Whitney radial and an 8-foot 6-inch Hamilton Standard prop. The F3F-2 was the primary variant. It utilized a 950-HP engine and was armed with one .30 caliber and one 0.50 caliber machine guns. The F3F-2 was capable of a top speed slightly in excess of 240-MPH, had a service ceiling of 30,000 feet, and an effective range of 825-miles. The F3F-2s were delivered to VF-6 aboard the USS Enterprise, VMF-1 at Quantico Virginia and VMF-2 at San Diego, California. The F3F-3 was similar in design to the F3F-2. The two aircraft were almost indistinguishable, yet the 3 was 8-MPH faster due to a tighter fitting engine cowling, some aerodynamic refinements, and the deletion of the the fuselage vents. By the end of 1941 the last of these Grumman biplane fighters had disappeared from front line service. VMF 111 and VMF 211 were the last two units to relinquish their F3Fs in July and October of 1941, respectively. The1941 color movie Dive Bomber, starring Erroll Flynn, Ralph Bellamy, and Fred McMurray, featured the F3F, and many future naval aviators were motivated to sign-up after seeing this picture. As illustrated in Stan Stokes painting, an F3F aircraft piloted by a young Naval officer of Fighting Six, James E. Howard, lifts off from the USS Enterprise during fleet maneuvers before the War. Howard flew with VF-6 from 1937 through 1941. In mid-41 he resigned his commission to join the AVG Flying Tigers in China, and upon his return to the States he accepted a commission with the USAAF as a Captain. He became commander of the 356th Fighter Squadron flying the P-51 Mustang. Howards most memorable day was on January 11, 1944 when he single handedly protected a bomber squadron from enemy fighter attack on their return from their bombing mission. Labeled a one man air force by one of the bomber pilots, Howard would be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroic acts of January 11th. Howard was the only fighter ace in the European theater to be so honored. The Last Navy Biplane Fighter by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0162
During WW I, German U-boats took a substantial toll on Allied shipping, and during the War military planners were anxious to explore the possibilities of aircraft being developed which could thwart this menace. Existing land-based patrol aircraft had given a fair account of themselves, but because of their inability to patrol areas far from land, they were of only limited use. What was needed was a very long range flying boat capable of venturing far out to sea in search of enemy shipping, and submarines. The U.S. Navy contacted aviation pioneer Glen Curtiss who was at that time working on a small sea-worthy flying boat for the United States Coast Guard. Curtiss produced two alternative designs of a long-range flying boat for the Navy, and the smaller three engine design was selected. The Navy commissioned work on four aircraft to be designated NC 1 through 4. Incorporating the new Liberty engine, these aircraft were completed at the close of hostilities. On November 27, 1918 one of these flying boats carried aloft a record-breaking 51 passengers. However, it appeared that the Wars end would slow or lead to a discontinuance of the Navys long-range patrol aircraft plans. Commander John Towers proposed that the NCs, or Nancy Boats as they were often called, be utilized in an attempt at the first transatlantic flight. Such a trip would require a long flight to the Azores, with Navy ships stationed along the route to provide navigational headings. On May 16, 1919 three of the Navys NC aircraft departed Newfoundland on the first leg of this record breaking trip. The three aircraft were forced to separate during the long and dangerous flight. NC1, commanded by Lieutenant Commander Bellinger became lost, and a decision was made to put the aircraft down. Although NC1 landed successfully the crew had misjudged sea conditions, which were too severe to attempt a takeoff. The crew of NC1 was rescued by a Greek freighter, but the aircraft was lost. The NC3 faced a not too dissimilar fate. Damaged during a forced landing, the aircraft drifted for two days before taxing into the harbor at the Azores. The third aircraft, NC4, was commanded by Albert Putty Read, and was piloted by Walter Hinton. Although only a Lieutenant Junior Grade, Hinton was an experienced aviator with significant flying boat experience. NC 4 was faster than its sister ships, and ran into severe weather near the end of its flight to the Azores requiring it to fly just above the wave tops. NC4 reached the Azores after fifteen hours aloft, and was met with great fanfare. The ship successfully journeyed on to Lisbon Portugal, completing the first successful crossing of the Atlantic by air. As pictured in Stan Stokes painting commemorating the 75th anniversary of this important achievement, NC4 touches down in Lisbon Harbor late in the day on May 27, 1919 becoming the first aircraft to cross the pond. NC4 has been restored and is on display at the US Naval Museum in Pensacola, Florida. First Across the Pond by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0169
Construction of the dirigible Hindenburg began in 1931 in Friedrichshafen, Germany. The huge dirigible took nearly five years to complete. It was 804-feet long, and at its widest point was 135-feet in diameter. The Hindenburgs gas capacity (in 16 gas cells) was more than 7 million cubic feet. Each cell was coated with a gelatin solution to insure its permeability against the volatile hydrogen gas. The Hindenburgs frame was made of a special alloy of aluminum and copper. The Hindenburg was powered by four huge 16-cylinder diesel engines. Each engine provided 1300-HP of take off power, and 850-HP for sustained cruising. A navigation room in the control car contained two gyro compasses, a radio compass, and a telephone switchboard. The radio room was directly above the control car. In the bridge located in the control car were the controls for controlling the engines, releasing ballast or hydrogen, and in adjusting rudder or elevators. Each passenger had a 78 x 66 inch cabin consisting of an upper and lower berth, a folding wash basin, and a collapsible writing table with folding chair. Rooms were for sleeping as passengers spent most of their time elsewhere on the ship. The lounge was decorated with a huge mural and was fairly spacious. It included a baby grand piano. The reading and writing room was a quiet area where passengers could write letters, and the smoking room was the only area on the ship that smoking was permitted. Kept under positive air pressure no hydrogen could enter the smoking lounge. The largest space on the ship was the dining room with promenade. On May 6, 1936 the Hindenburg departed Germany with fifty passengers and a crew of fity-five on its maiden voyage to America. The aircraft reached the Naval Air Station at Lakehurst, New Jersey approximately 61 hours later. The huge ship was eased into her hangar, and the passengers disembarked for a short plane ride to Newark Airport. On its return trip the Hindenburg completed the journey in less than 49 hours, unprecendented in the days of long distance sea travel. The Hindenburg made ten round trip crossings in 1936. In 1937 the plans called for the Hindenburg to make 18 Atlantic crossings. The first of the 1937 trips began on May 3. Thirty-six passengers and a crew of sixty-one were onboard. Headwinds were very strong on this voyage and it took three full days to reach the New York area. It was late in the afternoon and thunderstorms were reported in the area. The Hindenburg made a courtesy sightseeing tour of Manhattan and at 7:00PM headed into Lakehurst for landing. At about 200-feet in altitude a tongue of flame appeared at the stern. It spread rapidly and within a few short seconds the Hindenburg was a giant fireball, falling to earth tail first. The catastrophe was covered by film and radio broadcasts, and to this day is one of the most devastating disasters ever recorded. Miraculously, there were a fair number of survivors, but the age of the dirigible was over. Fateful Voyage by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0171
The inauguration of air mail service in the United States in 1918 would prove to be a very significant development in the evolution of the aviation industry. Spearheaded by Assistant Postmaster General Otto Praeger, Congress approved funding for a limited service between New York, Philadelphia, and Washington. The inaugural flights took place in May of 1918 utilizing US Army pilots and Curtiss JN-4H aircraft. Although initial public demand for air mail service was negligible, the Post Office demanded a damn-the-weather attitude from its pilots. This resulted in the Army withdrawing from this arrangement out of the fear of losing pilots and equipment. Not to be deterred, the Post Office ordered six new Standard bi-planes, and recruited its own pilots. Max Miller signed on as the Air Mail Services first civilian pilot, and flew his Standard from College Park Maryland on August 12, 1918, which was the first air mail flight utilizing civilian aircraft and pilots. The Standard which was designed as an Army trainer had developed a bad reputation for its Hall-Scott engine catching fire, and had been grounded by the Army. Re-fitted with the 150-HP Hispano Suiza engine, the Standard was faster than the Curtiss Jennies and had a much greater range. As the air mail service expanded westwards, the Allegheny Mountains presented a formidable obstacle for these fragile aircraft and their pilots, which had to navigate by following railroad tracks or other landmarks, often in terrible weather. Referred to as the Hell Stretch the mountains claimed many lives in what came to be termed the Suicide Club. E. Hamilton Lee was one of the early heroes of the Air Mail Service, pioneering routes between Chicago and Minneapolis and Chicago and St. Louis. Lee logged more than 4 million miles prior to his retirement in 1949. In the mid-1920s the Post Office had inaugurated night flying utilizing a unique series of beacons along its routes. The de Havilland D.H. 4 (depicted in Stan Stokes painting) became one of the mainstays of the Post Offices fleet, and constant modifications were made to these aircraft including experiments with air-to-ground radios, and ingenious navigational aids and flight instruments. In the 1920s the Post Office opened up many of its routes to private carriers, which assisted many early commercial airlines in getting started in business. In the late 1920s many new aircraft debuted as mail carriers including the Stearman C-3MB, the Pitcairn PA-5, and the Boeing 40B. The Northrup Alpha, a unique all-metal, cantilever-wing design was used to pioneer coast-to-coast routes in the early 1930s. One lasting byproduct of this era are the numerous air-mail stamps and first day covers which flew the world, and are now prized by both aviation buffs and stamp collectors alike. Flying Postmen by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0172
Following WW I the United States sharply curtailed its military budget, which slowed the progress in aviation quite a bit. However, one bright spot was the series of international race competitions, which lead to improved aircraft designs, and more powerful and reliable aviation engines. The greatest catalyst behind the technical improvements to in-line, water-cooled engines between the wars was the Schneider Trophy races. The 1925 Schneider Trophy contest was scheduled for Baltimore, Maryland in October. The United States Army and the Navy agreed to work together for the 1925 race and commissioned the construction of three Curtiss R3C-2 racers. The Curtiss racers would utilize the proven wood and plywood-skin construction with an upgraded engine capable of generating more than 600-HP. A new drop-forged, duraluminum Reed propeller was utilized, as were a slight change in pontoon design. On September 11, 1925 the new design was rolled out for its maiden test flight. Lt. Jimmy Doolittle of the Army lost the toss to Navy Lt. Al Williams, so Williams took the new bird off for its first flight. The site for the Schneider Cup was a 31 mile triangular course laid out over the Chesapeake Bay and an inlet to Baltimore Harbor. The course would be flown seven times necessitating a total of twenty-one pylon turns. The site had been built by the Baltimore Flying Club from scratch. The weather on October 24 turned awful with 60-MPH gusts. The decision was made to postpone the race until Monday the 26th. The weather was moderate on the 26th with 2-3 waves on the Bay. By noon the water had calmed, the winds had died down and the morning haze had burned off. It was perfect for racing. A Naval Air Pageant proceeded the race, and a TC-5 Navy Airship soared into position near the start/finish line. At 2:30 PM Lt. Doolittle left the hangar ramp and taxied to the start line. Giving the Curtiss full throttle Jimmy took off after a short run, and climbed quickly to about 300 feet. The other contestants followed at five minute intervals. From the beginning it appeared that Doolittle would be a runaway winner. Beating the previous record average race speed by a whopping 54-MPH, Doolittle would complete the course with an average speed of 230-MPH. The following day Doolittle would set a new world record for sea planes with 246-MPH over a straight course. The British and Italian teams took their defeat bitterly. Jimmy Doolittle, who lost only one race that he entered during his racing career, would go on to aviation greatness, leading the famous B-25 raid on Tokyo, and as C.O. of the Eighth Air Force. Jimmys Record by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0174
While considerable controversy still surrounds the disappearance of Amelia Earhart in 1937, there is no question that Amelia Mary Earhart was one of the great pioneers of American aviation. Born in Atchison, Kansas in 1897, Amelia was the daughter of a railroad attorney. She exhibited an adventurous spirit at a young age, and was able to travel extensively with her parents. In 1918 at the age of twenty-one, Amelia witnessed a flight demonstration in Toronto, and this inspired her to take a course in engine mechanics. Three years later she was in New York City studying medicine at Columbia University when she had the opportunity to take her first airplane ride to California. She immediately decided to learn to fly, and she remained in California where she obtained her pilots license in 1921. During the next few years Earhart had many jobs in many locales, but her true love was flying. Amelia was the first female passenger to cross the Atlantic in 1928, and the fame this generated allowed her to direct her attention at attempting other record-breaking feats. Amelia met George Putnam during this time, and he supported her flying efforts. They married in 1931. In 1932 Amelia became the first woman to make a solo crossing of the Atlantic flying a Lockheed Vega. Months later she became the first woman to completed a solo flight from Los Angeles to New York. Her next major record came in January, 1935 when she completed a solo flight from Honolulu to Oakland in a little over 18 hours. In 1936 Earhart was appointed to the faculty of Purdue University which provided her a Lockheed Electra as a flying laboratory. Having access to the Electra allowed Amelia to begin planning her dream flight, an around the world crossing as close to the equator as possible. In March of 1937 she embarked on a round the world trip in a westerly direction, but her aircraft was damaged on take off from Hawaii. In June a new route going in an easterly direction, starting from Miami, was mapped out by her navigator, Fred Noonan. Departing on June 1, 1937 Earhart arrived in Lae, New Guinea some 22,000 miles and 146 flying-hours later. The next leg of this record setting trip would cover 2,500 miles over the Pacific with the intended destination being the tiny Howland Island. When Earhart and Noonan failed to arrive, a massive search commenced, which was abandoned in mid-July. Presumably lost at sea, the nation mourned the loss of one of its heroes. In Stan Stokes painting entitled Lady Pioneer, Amelias beloved Model 10E Electra is depicted next to the aviators Cord automobile. This aircraft was delivered to Earhart in 1936. It was powered by twin 550 HP Wasp S3 H 1 engines, and was equipped with extended range fuel tanks, giving the craft a maximum range of 4,000 miles. The Electra was returned to Lockheeds plant in Burbank in 1937 for repairs following the accident in Hawaii. A new right wing was fitted, and repairs were made to the center fuselage and landing gear. The Civilian Aviation Administration officially canceled the registration of Earharts NR16020 in July of 1938, approximately one year after her disappearance. 1997 marked the 100th anniversary of Earharts birth and the 60th anniversary of her disappearance. Lady Pioneer by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0175
Charles Augustus Lindbergh is generally acknowledged to be the most famous American aviator of all time. Lindbergh was one of a band of flying gypsies who discovered that following WW I there was little interest by the military in aviation and very few jobs available in the fledgling commercial aviation field. These pilots, who were hooked on flying, flew the mail, offered rides at county fairs, and barnstormed around the country in an attempt to eke out a small living and cover the cost of flying. In 1919 a wealthy New York hotel owner had established a prize of $25,000 for the first non-stop flight between New York and Paris. By the mid-1920s, the technology appeared to be on the verge of permitting a successful crossing. In 1926 the famous WW I French fighter ace, Réné Fonck crashed his Sikorsky S-35 while attempting to takeoff from Roosevelt Field on Long Island, killing two of his four man crew. In April of 1927 a similar crash killed Noel Davis and Stanton Wooster. On May 8, another WW I French fighter ace, Charles Nungesser, and his copilot were killed when their flight from Paris to New York disappeared over the Atlantic. Each of these tragedies further aroused public interest in what seemed to be an impossible task. Charles Lindbergh had lots of experience flying in difficult conditions and at night from his years as a US Mail pilot. Unlike the others, Lindbergh believed that he would need to fly alone, and he opted to go with a fuel efficient single-engine aircraft. Lindbergh was an excellent planner, and his second choice for a suitable aircraft for his journey was a Ryan M-1 produced in San Diego. With much of his backing coming from St. Louis businessmen, Lindbergh named his aircraft the Spirit of St. Louis. The M-1 needed many modifications including an enlarged fuel capacity, and was fitted with a 237-HP Wright J-5C engine. To maintain the aircrafts center of gravity one of the additional fuel tanks had to be fitted in the cockpit, blocking all visibility through the windscreen. A small telescope was fitted to provide some forward visibility. Bad weather delayed Lindberghs planned takeoff from Roosevelt Field, but on the morning of May 20, 1927 a small break in the weather allowed Lindbergh to attempt his takeoff. Barely missing power lines and trees at the end of the muddy airstrip Lindbergh got airborne. Less than 34 hours later he touched down at Le Bourget Field in Paris. Throngs of people were present to greet the new hero. Overcoming bad weather, disorientation, and fatigue, Lucky Lindy had overcome the odds, and become one of the greatest American heroes of this century. An interesting historical footnote to Lindberghs journey is the fact that only two weeks after his flight, two others (Chamberlin and Levine) flew non-stop from New York to Germany. Lucky Lindy by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0176
From 1927 until the outbreak of WW II, America was captivated by the sport of air racing. Daring young pilots flying the fastest machines in the world competed for prestige and prize money. In their all-out quest for speed the designers and builders of these racing aircraft pushed the envelope of aircraft science, and were responsible for much of the progress in aviation design during this period. The Cleveland National Air Races were first held in late 1929 prior to the Great Stock Market Crash. This ten-day long event drew several 100,000 attendees. One of the features of this show was a fifty-mile, all-out, free-for-all, staged over a five-mile pylon course. This would prove to be the first Thompson Trophy Race, and it was won by Doug Davis flying a TravelAir R monoplane. Davis bested a field of military entrants by a considerable margin. The success of this initial race caused the Thompson Products Co. to petition the NAA with a proposal to make the race a 100-mile event in 1930 with a purse of $10,000, which was an enormous sum at that time. The 1932 Thompson Trophy Race is considered one of the classics in the series. Eight aircraft participated in that race, which was ultimately won by Jimmy Doolittle flying the Gee Bee R-1 racer built by the Granville Brothers in Springfield Massachusetts. Roscoe Turner, one of the great aviation showmen of the era, flew a Gilmore Oil Co. sponsored Wedell-Turner racer. Robert Hall flew his newly designed Hall Bulldog. Jim Wedell participated in his Wedell 44, as did Jim Haizlip flying a Wedell-92. Other participants included Lee Gelbach flying the Gee Bee R-2, William Ong flying his new DGA-5 Ike, and Ray Moore piloting an aluminum Rider R-1. The 1932 Thompson was the only race in which the infamous Gee Bee Model R participated. This aircraft was nasty to fly. Lowell Bayles had won the 1931 Thompson race flying a Gee Bee Z racer. However, Bayles was killed in a flying accident prior to the 1932 competition, and Bob Hall, who was formerly the Granville Brothers chief designer, left the organization to strike out on his own. Not to be left out of the 1932 race, the Granvilles developed two race aircraft the R-1 and R-2. Although similar in appearance, the R-2 was set-up for long distance racing whereas the R-1 was built for speed. The Granvilles sold the R-1 to Russell Boardman who planned to pilot it in the 1932 race. Prior to the race Boardman was hospitalized. Jimmy Doolittle became available to fly the R-1 after he crash landed his Laird racer on the eve of the races. If anyone could tame the difficult-to-fly R-1, Doolittle was probably the man. When the race began at 5:20 PM Doolittle used half power to maintain control during takeoff. On the first lap Jimmy took the lead despite flying wide turns in order to maintain control. On the second lap the R-1 began to emit a stream of gray-black smoke due to too high rich a fuel mixture. Doolittle continued to pour it on attempting to lap the entire field for a little frosting on his victory. The 1932 Thompson would be Doolittles last, and it was the only Thompson in which the infamous R-1 would compete. The Racing Age by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0179
On April 6, 1924 the US Army Air Service began the first successful aerial circumnavigation of the World by heavier-than-air aircraft. Planning for this mission began in early 1923. Aware that a failure would bring negative publicity to the fledgling air service, the Army mustered a lot of resources to make this event succeed. The most suitable aircraft available for the mission was a Douglas DT-2, a Navy torpedo bomber. After modifying the aircraft for the epic journey the aircraft were designated Douglas World Cruisers. With only one engine, this two seat airplane, might at first appear to be an unusual selection, but the DT-2s were rugged, had an excellent reliability record, and could be quickly reconfigured from landing gear to floats. With the lack of suitable airfields for the trip, the use of floats would be mandatory for a good portion of the journey. The World Cruisers were fitted with huge fuel tanks (773 gallons vs the normal 96.) In addition, a modification to the radiator allowed for the size to be changed depending on the climate encountered during the circumnavigation. Two different types of propellers were also used, one with the landing gear configuration and another with the float configuration. Four aircraft set out on the journey, and were named Chicago, Boston, New Orleans, and Seattle. The four aircraft departed from Prince Rupert, Washington in April. They headed north making several stops in Alaska. The Seattle was lost during a crash in Alaska, but the crew survived. The three remaining aircraft followed the Aleutian Island chain, and had to make a refueling stop at sea off the coast of Siberia. The aircraft then proceeded southerly to Japan. Heading west to mainland Asia, they then headed on a southwest course to Hong Kong, Saigon, and Rangoon. Arriving in Calcutta, India the aircraft were then refitted with their normal landing gear. Stops at Karachi, Pakistan, Baghdad took place. Once in Europe the World Cruisers made stops in Paris and London. Refitted with their floats in Yorkshire, the three planes headed northwest, with Iceland being the next main landing area. The Boston was lost during this portion of the journey, but the crew was rescued by the USS Richmond. The two surviving aircraft, Chicago and New Orleans, which were piloted by Leslie Arnold and John Harding, now headed to Greenland then on to Canada. Arriving on September 8 in Boston, the two planes were once again refitted with their normal landing gear. Flying across the continent in short stages designed to maximize the publicity opportunities, the two remaining World Cruisers returned to Seattle on September 28, 1924. Their epic journey lasted 175 days, and covered almost 27,000 miles. A total of 73 separate flight legs, covering an average distance of 363 miles were flown. In Stan Stokes tribute to this epic journey, the World Cruisers land in Alaska in April, 1924 during the early stages of their journey. World Cruisers by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0180
Italo Balbo, the father of the Italian Air Force, appointed undersecretary for air in 1926, was truly amazing. His first task was to complete a study that concluded that the Aeronautica was woefully inadequate in terms of ground support facilities, supplies, spare parts, fuel, and ammunition. In addition his study concluded that the 551 aircraft of record included only 200-300 combat ready planes. Balbo, like Billy Mitchell in America, believed that a powerful argument for an air force independent from the control of either the army or the navy could be made. Many of Balbos beliefs were derived from conversations with Giulio Droughet, the famous Italian air combat theorist. In Balbos view the Aeronautica should have a first strike capability, and he shared Droughets view that the days of single plane raids were over. Future air attacks would involve waves of hundreds, if not thousands, of aircraft. By 1926 Italy had its share of accomplished aviators including De Pinedo, De Bernardi, and Ferrarin, but Balbo did not appreciate the prima donna image of these record setters. He conceived the idea of record setting massed flights to show the collective heroism of the Regia Aeronautica, and as a way to sway public opinion of his belief, and in the process earn a larger budget. The first massed flight of 61 seaplanes toured ports in the western Mediterranean in May and June of 1928. As the tour progressed the formation flying skills of the pilots improved and wherever they went they were received enthusiastically. A second massed flight of the eastern Mediterranean, utilizing 35 aircraft, took place later, and both these flights increased the prestige of the fascist regime in Italy. In December of 1928 Balbo visited America, and he immediately began planning in his mind the possibility of a massed flight to America. In 1931 Balbo took 12 SM.55X flying boats to Brazil, and by 1933 he was ready for his trip to America. Utilizing 25 aircraft Balbo once again chose the reliable SM.55X. The route would include stops in Amsterdam, Northern Ireland, Iceland, Montreal, and finally Chicago. On July 15, 1933 Balbos aerial armada arrived over Lake Michigan. Hundreds of thousands of spectators jammed the Chicago shoreline to welcome the aviators. Four days later Balbo lead his team to New York, where they made several passes over Manhattan before landing at the Coney Island seaplane base. The Italians drew huge crowds in New York, and Balbo traveled to Washington to meet with President Roosevelt and Wiley Post. Mussolini grew jealous of the attention Balbo was receiving and wired him to return to Italy. He later removed him as head of the Aeronautica and sent him to Libya as Governor. Balbos epic flights were a watershed in the transition of aviation from the pioneering efforts on single aviators to the discipline and organization required to operate a modern air force. Balbos Amazing Flight by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0181
The Lockheed Vega was the aircraft of choice for many of the record-setting pilots of the 1920s and 1930s. Lockheed Aircraft Corporation was organized in December of 1926. Its first plant was a delapidated building in Hollywood, California. Lockheeds two primary designers were Jack Northrop, who would later found his own company, and Gerry Vultee, who would also become a famous aircraft manufacturer on his own. The Vega was the first commercial product from the new company. Despite its streamlined appearance, the Vega utilized WW I era technology. A plywood fuselage was shaped in large concrete molds, and the wing was designed incorporating techniques pioneered by Anthony Fokker. Initially powered with a 220-HP Wright radial engine, the aircraft was designed to carry up to five people at the speed of 135-MPH. Publisher Geroge Hearst purchased the first Vega for $12,000, and entered the aircraft in an Oakland to Hawaii race. This aircraft never reached Hawaii. Despite this setback interest in the aircraft increased. George Wilkins purchased a Vega and used it to fly the polar route Point Barrow to Norway. He also utilized two Vegas for an expedition to Antarctica. Other aviators lined-up to get their hands on a Lockheed. Art Goebel and Harry Tucker set a transcontinental speed record in the Vega of less than 19 hours, becoming the first to make this trip in less than 24 hours. With the favorable publicity generated by these record setting flights, Lockheed was willing to make modifications to its aircraft to serve particular needs of the customer. Air racer Roscoe Turner flew a Gilmore sponsored Vega which had been modified into a parasol wing configuration, with an enclosed cockpit moved aft on the fuselage. One of the more famous Vegas was that owned by an oilman named F.C. Hall. The aircraft was named the Winnie Mae after Halls daughter. The man selected by Hall to pilot his Vega was Wiley Post. Post was a former Oklahoma oil field worker who lost an eye in an accident. He used the money he received for his injury to take flying lessons. In 1930 Hall sponsored Post in the National Air Races which he won. The following year Post and his navigator Harold Gatty circumnavigated the globe in 8 days - smashing the previous record held by the German dirigible Graf Zeppelin. In 1933 he accomplished a solo-circumnavigation of the globe in seven days. In 1934 and 1935 Wiley set a number of altitude records. He attained a speed of 340-MPH aided by the jet stream during a transcontinental attempt in 1935, which unfortunately ended with a crash landing and the destruction of the Winnie Mae. Later in 1935 Wiley Post was killed with his friend and well-known comedian Will Rogers in the crash of a floatplane in Alaska. Both Wiley and the Winnie Mae, however, merit an honored place in American aviation history. Wileys Wild Ride by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0183
Stan Stokes, in his painting, 1934 American Classics, beautifully portrays a Hollywood movie star and her pet dog embarking on a chartered Ford Trimotor from the Grand Central Air Terminal (owned and operated by Curtis-Wright) in California. Probably bound for a weekend visit to San Simeon, the palatial retreat of the publishing magnate, William Randolph Hearst, the trip to San Luis Obispo will take only ninety minutes. The early afternoon rains have left puddles on the tarmac, but fair skies have returned to the San Gabriel mountains, and the trip should be a smooth one. During the Great Depression the Packard Company introduced some of its most stunning and high performance automobiles. The 1934 Packard LeBaron Speedster, pictured in the painting, was one such machine. Costing nearly $8,000 the Packard LeBaron Speedster was about two to three times the price of a nice three bedroom house. Only the very wealthy could afford such luxuries during the Depression. Note that the Speedsters fenders are reminiscent of the wheel covers on racing planes during the era of the Thompson Trophy Air Races. The Speedster was powered by a 160 HP V-12 engine which displaced 445 cubic inches. Around this time it is believed that among the Hollywood notables that owned Packard Speedsters were both Clark Gable and Douglas Fairbanks. The Ford Trimotor was introduced in 1926 and between 1926 and 1933 Ford produced approximately 200 of these capable aircraft. Ford Trimotors remained in service long after they were made technically obsolete by more modern aircraft, and it is reputed that one aircraft built in 1928 was still in regular service as late as 1970. Admiral Byrd utilized a 4-AT version of the Trimotor for his 1929 Antarctic expedition. The Ford Trimotor played an important role in introducing commercial aviation to the general public during the years of the Great Depression. The basic model carried eleven passengers and a crew of two, had a cruising speed of 107 MPH, an operational ceiling of 16,500 feet, and a range of 570 miles. Due to its corrugated metal exterior skin the Trimotor was affectionately known as the Tin Goose. The Tin Goose had a wingspan of nearly 78 feet, and was fifty feet in length. In 1930 Transcontinental and Western Air (TWA) began the first coast-to-coast commercial service utilizing Ford Trimotors. The trip took only thirty-six hours, if the weather was cooperative. 1934 American Classics by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0184
Prior to WW I the US Army had purchased a total of two dozen aircraft (principally Curtiss and Wright machines) and almost half of these had been destroyed in crashes. In addition eight of the Armys fourteen pilots had been killed in flying accidents. The Navy was not much better off with a total of six operational aircraft and only nine pilots on its rolls in 1913. With each accident something was learned, and both the aircraft and their pilots slowly improved. When WW I began, the Germans had more than 500 military aircraft. The French had a similar number and the Brits had about half that amount. Despite the outbreak of War in Europe, the US Congress continued to ignore the prospects for military aviation, appropriating only scant amounts of funds. When America finally entered the Great War in April of 1917 an Aircraft Production Board was organized. The Board recommended a massive appropriation to train 7,500 men for both the Army and Navy aviation efforts, and to assist industry in the production of 3,700 aircraft in 1918, 6,000 in 1919 and 9-10,000 in 1920. When Congress reviewed the budget requests it was heavily swayed, and without a single dissenting vote, appropriated $640 million to procure more than 20,000 aircraft and 40,000 engines. The government overestimated the fledgling American aviation industrys manufacturing capacity, with the result that many of the aircraft flown by American forces in WW I would be either foreign-built, or American-built aircraft of foreign design. One notable exception to this was the Curtiss JN-4 Jenny. The Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company was one of the two dominant American aircraft producers, the other being the Wright-Martin Aircraft Company. The Jenny became the primary trainer for training American pilots during the War, and many thousands of these aircraft were produced. Following the War, many surplus Jennies were available for purchase, and these aircraft were used in many roles, including flying the US Mail. Some of the 20,000 American pilots of the Army and Naval air services that reentered civilian life after the War purchased these surplus Jennies at a fraction of their original cost, and began barnstorming the country to earn a living. Taking their fragile airplanes to all areas of the country, these barnstormers exposed aviation to the general public. Remember, at that time the majority of people had never even seen an airplane, let alone taken a ride in one. Early on, the barnstormers could charge as much as $10-20 for an airplane ride, but as competition increased prices plummeted to as little as $2-3. Living as flying gypsies, these flyers had their share of tragedies, as they often had little knowledge of, and few funds for performing, even routine maintenance on their aircraft. Nonetheless, barnstormers are an important part of American aviation history, and Stan Stokes painting captures the feel of this between-wars era. Barnstormers by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0185
The Glen L. Martin Company had a long history as a designer and manufacturer of successful flying boats. The company had developed several different flying boats for the Navy, including the PM the P3M and the XP2M. However, when the company began considering the development of a large commercial flying boat for Pan Am, there was considerable internal controversy. The Great Depression was underway and many aircraft manufacturers were going bankrupt. Glenn Martin insisted that the company proceed, and lie was highly motivated to show the world that his organization could design and produce the finest flying boat ever built. The end product of their efforts was the M-130. Credit for its design is shared with Martins Chief Engineer (L.C. Milburn), the Project Engineer (L.D. McCarthy), test pilot (WX. Ebel), and Pail Ams Chief Engineer (Andre Priester.) The first of the three MA 3 Os was the China Clipper. It made its maiden flight on December 30, 1934. The M- 130 had a wingspan of 130 feet, a gross weight of 5 1,000 pounds, and was initially powered by four Twin Wasp radials generating 830-HP each. (In 1938 more powerful engines and automatically adjustable pitch props were refitted onto all three M-130s.) The M-130 had a capacity of 32 passengers, and were equipped with 18 sleeping births. They were flown by a crew of eight professionals. The practical range of the aircraft with a normal load was about 3000-miles, which at a typical cruising speed of 130-MPH implied an endurance of almost 24 hours in the air. One unique design feature of the M-130 was the use of sponsons, or water wings, which actually helped the aircraft lift off from the water. The three M-130s were christened the China, Hawaii and Philippine Clippers by Pan Am. The China Clipper was accepted by Pan Am in October of 1935. In November this aircraft flew from Alameda, California to Manila in the Philippines; completing the 8,200 mile journey with a total flight time of 59 hours and 48 minutes. It arrived in Manila only two minutes behind its scheduled arrival time. The Philippine Clipper entered service next and was used for survey flights to map the Manila to Hong Kong route. The Hawaii Clipper entered service in October of 1936. This aircraft, unfortunately was lost during a flight in 1938 from Guarn to Manila, and its fate is unknown. The Philippine Clipper was lost in 1943 on a flight from Hawaii to San Francisco. Lost in bad weather the plane hit a mountain northwest of the city. The China Clipper was utilized by the US Navy during the War, and was returned to Pan AM in late 1943. For the next year it flew the route from Miami to Africa. On the night of January 18, 1945 the China Clipper crashed while attempting a landing in Trinidad. At the time of this tragedy the aircraft had successfully flown more than three million miles. In Stan Stokes painting the China Clipper takes off from Hong Kongs busy harbor in the late 1930s. The China Clipper may be the best known and most-loved commercial aircraft in history. It signalled the beginning of long distance commercial airline service, which by revolutionizing international passenger travel and mail delivery, made the Earth a rnuch smaller place for all of its inhabitants. Hong Kong Clipper by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0186
The Handley Page H.P. 42 biplane airliner had a reputation unmatched in its day for reliability, safety, and passenger comfort. Imperial Airways, the British flag carrier during the between war period, was one of aviations pioneers when it came to establishing long range commercial air services. With the British Empire spanning the globe, effective long distance air service was important in linking both former and current colonies. In 1928 Imperial solicited proposals for a long distance airplane capable of flying the London to India air mail route. Handley Page won the bid for a total of eight new airliners. The large bi-plane design which was agreed upon had four radial engines, with two mounted on the upper wing and two on the lower wings on each side of the fuselage. With its triple finned tail assembly, this huge biplane was quite something to see. Despite its antiquated appearance the H.P. 42 had a very impressive passenger compartment which was quite luxurious. Inlaid wood paneling, twin lavatories, a full galley, comfortable seating, passenger ventilation controls, and wide windows gave the H.P. 42 ambiance comparable to some of the ocean liners of the day. The slight kink in the aircrafts fuselage gave rise to its flying banana nickname. Four aircraft were built for Imperials eastern route structure, which included the India and South Africa routes. These aircraft were powered by 9-cylinder 550-HP Bristol radials. The other four aircraft were utilized for the London-Paris shuttle and other continental routes, and were powered by a different engine, and contained a total of 38 passenger seats instead of the 24 passenger configuration for the longer routes. The H.P. 42 had a corrugated metal skin similar to both the Ford and Junkers Tri-motor designs of that era. With a cruising speed of only about 100-MPH the passenger amenities on these aircraft were greatly appreciated, especially if a stiff headwind was encountered. The aircraft, with its large wing area, had an incredibly short take off capability, and could become airborne in only 600 feet. As depicted in Stan Stokes painting Hannibal passes over the Pyramids in Egypt on its approach into Cairo, one of the stop over points on the London to India route. This journey would take more than six days, with no flying at night. Occasionally these aircraft would make stops at unattended desert fuel depots in order to refuel. These aircraft were in service for about eight years, with most of them attaining more than one million flight miles. The eight aircraft in the fleet, Hengist, Helena, Horatius, Hannibal, Heracles, Horsa, Hanno, and Hadrian chalked up more than 100,000 flight hours covering more than 10 million miles. Only one aircraft was lost in a fatal accident, as Hannibal disappeared over the Indian Ocean while being ferried back to England. Imperials Flying Bananas by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0187
The Stearman trainer which was designated the PT-17 by the USAAF and the N2S by the USN was used for pilot training before and during WW II. More than 10,000 of these aircraft were built, and many are still air worthy today. Stearman Lesson on the Wing by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0190
Juan Trippe left Yale University in 1917 to enlist in the U.S. Navy. Trippe became a Naval Aviator on June 17, 1918. With the War nearing its end Trippe returned to Yale where he founded the Yale Flying Club. Writing in the May 1919 edition of The Yale Graphic, Juan speculated that the new Navy NC flying boats being introduced might be the first to successfully cross the Atlantic, and that eventually commercial flights across the Atlantic would be, a perfectly sane commercial proposition. Several years later Trippe was in control of Pan American Airways. Pan Am had a contract to fly mail to Havana utilizing Fokker triplanes. Trippe believed that flying boats possessed advantages in serving South America where rivers, harbors, or lagoons could make suitable airfields in locations where no adequate facilities existed. In 1927 Pan Am acquired its first flying boat, the twin-engine Sikorsky S-36. Five such aircraft were utilized to expand service to additional South American cities. A few years later Pan Am acquired the large four-engine Sikorsky S-40, which was piloted on its maiden flight from Miami to Panama by Charles Lindbergh. The S-40 was not capable of providing transoceanic service, but a later variant, the S-42, was. An S-42 was utilized to survey the San Francisco to Manila route, but the first commercial service was provided utilizing a Martin M-130, a significantly improved aircraft. The biggest and most luxurious of the Pan Am flying boats was the Boeing 314. This huge aircraft was 28 feet high, 106 feet long, and had a wingspan of 152 feet. Six of these aircraft were delivered to Pan Am in 1939, and they were utilized to provide the first transatlantic commercial service. Two of Pan Ams flying boats, or Clippers as they were more popularly referred to, are depicted in a beautiful south seas setting by aviation artist Stan Stokes. In the foreground taxing to the floating dock is the Dixie Clipper, a Boeing 314. The Dixie Clipper inaugurated the first regular transatlantic passenger service in June of 1939, and was utilized by President Roosevelt to attend the Casablanca Conference in 1943. In the background, having just lifted off, is the China Clipper, a Martin M-130. This is the aircraft which departed San Francisco for Manila in 1935, and became the first commercial passenger aircraft to cross the Pacific. In 1968 when Juan Trippe stepped down, Pan American Airways had developed an 80,000 mile international route structure which served 85 countries. Juan Trippe was a driving force behind the development of international air travel, and his marvelous flying boats played a major role in making the mans ambitions a reality. These Clippers were truly some of the classics of Americas great aviation heritage. Tahiti Clippers by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0192
The Curtiss Condor was the civilian transport version of the B-2 bomber. It was developed in the late 1920s with the principal design staff consisting of G. Page, T. Wright, S. Vaughn, and R. Beisel. The design utilized the same metal tube and aluminum spars as in the B-2. The Condor was wider with a six foot wide fuselage, and as there was no need for gunner cockpits, the aft engine nacelles were faired in and the space utilized for mail and cargo. A significant design factor was the incorporation of 3 inches of Dry Zero soundproofing in the cabin, which made the Condor considerably quieter inside than the other passenger craft of the era. The interior of the Condor was quite spacious and luxurious with a full six feet eight inches of head room in the cabin. The Condor was arranged to carry 18 passengers with six seats arranged in three cabins. Reclining seats were utilized in the two forward cabins with the rear cabin equipped with lounge seats. Passengers had large windows for sight-seeing, and passenger lighting and air vents were utilized. The Condor also had a heated cabin, not common on most aircraft of that era, which was driven by two small boilers attached to the engine exhaust manifolds. A lavatory with hot and cold running water was also standard. The Condor first flew in July of 1929. Early production models were difficult to fly and the Curtiss Company undertook modifications to improve the flying characteristics of the aircraft. With the Great Depression underway it was not easy getting orders for this aircraft, and Eastern Air Transport ended up as the proud owner of six Condors. The Curtiss Company opted to kill the Condor program at this point and focus on a totally new aircraft, the T-32 Condor II. The Condors went on to serve Eastern well. The aircraft was reasonably reliable and was well liked by passengers. Glenn H. Curtiss made his final flight in May of 1930 in a Condor from Albany to New York, which was to commemorate his historic flight of twenty years earlier. Two months later, Curtiss, one of the early pioneers of American aviation would die at age fifty-two. In Stan Stokes painting, entitled Flying Luxury Liner, an Eastern Air Transport Condor approaches Hoover Field in Washington, D.C. in November of 1931. The T-32 Condor IIs debut was impacted by the introduction of the Douglas DC-1 in 1934. This all metal, low wing monoplane would become the DC-2 in its first production variant. The days of the passenger biplane, for al practical purposes, were over. Flying Luxury Liner by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0194
Although commercial aviation progressed in Europe during the 1920s, it remained dormant in America during most of the decade. In the late 1920s two Americans, Juan T. Trippe and Ralph A. ONeill came upon the scene and both were obsessed with the idea of building a dominant American overseas airline. Trippe was born into a prominent family and had attended Yale University. Trippe formed Eastern Air Transport with some of his Yale flying club buddies, and later merged a company into Pan American Airways, a small regional carrier in the Caribbean. Trippe utilized Fokker trimotors in the early days, but as his airline expanded, flying boats became the preferred aircraft because of the fact that they did not require runways and airports. There were few useable airfields in the early days of commercial aviation, but there were plenty of rivers and harbors. Pan Am purchased an S-36 flying boat from Sikorsky Aircraft in 1927. Sikorskys next flying boat was the S-38. It was very successful and saved Sikorsky Aircraft from bankruptcy following the market crash in 1929. The S-40 was the first of the great Pan Am Clippers. Weighing more than 17 tons it was a bit larger than the S-38 and somewhat less ungainly. In flight the S-40 was something to behold. Although the S-40 was successfully deployed on Pan Ams South American routes, it was not capable of making long haul flights necessary to cross the Atlantic or Pacific. The S-42 was Sikorskys response to Pan Ams needs. The first S-42 was built in 1933, and it first flew in March of 1934. The S-42 had a full-length hull unlike the cut off hulls of the prior Sikorsky models. It was powered by four 700-HP radials and utilized the new Hamilton Standard variable pitch props. The aluminum skin of the S-42 was flush riveted to reduce drag. The S-42 was a true seaplane and its fuselage was broken up into nine watertight compartments. It set several world records for weight-to-altitude records with Charles Lindbergh at the controls for several of the record-setting flights. A total of ten S-42s would be produced, and Pan American Airways purchased all of them. They were 69-feet in length with a wingspan of 118 feet. The total wing area was 1340 square feet and the aircraft had a gross weight capacity of 42,000 pounds. Powered by four Pratt & Whitney Hornet Radials generating 750-HP each the S-42 could attain a top speed of 190-MPH in level flight. It had a service ceiling of 16,000 feet. A typical cruising altitude and speed would be more like 140-150-MPH at 5,000-feet. An S-42 was used for survey flights for Pan Ams Pacific routes. The S-42s cut almost 50% off the total travel time for Pan Ams South American long distance routes because the aircraft required fewer stops with its range of 1,120 miles. As depicted in Stan Stokes painting an S-42 makes its inaugural scheduled flight to Brazil in August 1934. The aircraft would be christened the Brazilian Clipper during its visit to Rio by Señora Getúlio Vargas, wife of the Brazilian President. Brazilian Clipper by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0196
WC6. Handley Page H.P. 42 G-AAXC Heracles of Imperial Airways at Croydon by Keith Woodcock Handley Page H.P. 42 G-AAXC Heracles of Imperial Airways at Croydon by Keith Woodcock.Click For DetailsWC0006
WC9. Hawker Fury IIs of 41 Sqn RAF by Keith Woodcock Hawker Fury IIs of 41 Sqn RAF by Keith Woodcock.Click For DetailsWC0009

Other WW2 Aviation Prints

On Stalins personal orders, Petlyako PE-8 bombers, led by the hero of the Soviet Union, Major General Mikhal V. Vodopyanov, carry out their only raid on the German capital of Berlin. Red Stars Over Berlin, 12th August 1941 by David Pentland.Click For DetailsDHM0775
The Battle for Milne Bay in New Guinea was a story of true grit, determination, and valour; it was the moment when the Imperial Japanese Army tasted defeat on land for the first time in nearly three centuries. In the space of two weeks, the Japanese attempt to capture Milne Bay was halted, and any ambitions they might have held to invade Australia thwarted. And that victory was due in no small part to the Kittyhawks of 75 and 76 Squadrons RAAF. After the Japanese had invaded the north of New Guinea, their main objective was to take Port Moresby in the south. But defeat at the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942 put an end to any invasion of Port Moresby by sea: instead they must strike across the Owen Stanley Ranges via the Kokoda Trail. Protecting Port Moresbys eastern flank was the key strategic natural harbour at Milne Bay, and in June 1942 American engineers, protected by Australian troops, began construction of the first of three proposed airstrips to be hacked out of the steaming jungle. Within a few weeks they had laid the first runway, formed by laying steel matting in almost impossible conditions. With heavy rain falling almost continuously, it was an extraordinary feat. Four days later the Kittyhawks of 75 and 76 Squadrons, RAAF, took up residence, together with a few Hudsons of 6 and 32 Squadrons to provide long-range reconnaissance. On the night of 25th August 1942, in torrential rain, a Japanese invasion force began their landin in the bay. With the Australian troops bitterly contesting every yard, the fighting was savage and bloody; conditions in the jungle battleground were wet, nuddy, and atrocious. At first light the next morning the Kittyhawks and Hudsons immediately joined the battle, flying continuous raids against the Japanese forces. Sortie after sortie, strafing and bombing the enemy troops, their landing barges and stores. For the next eleven days the bitter battle raged, the Australian troops fighting in savage hand to hand combat as the Japanese were halted at No.3 airstrips permieter. But eventually the Japanese were spent as a fighting force. With no hope of reinforcement, they were forced to withdraw. A quarter of their invasion force had been lost. Robert Taylors powerful painting depicts Kittyhawks from 75 and & 76 Squadrons RAAF, returning to No 1 Strip after attacking Japanese positions during the Battle for Milne Bay. Under the starboard wing of the lead aircraft, Polly, the smoke of action is clearly visible as the Japanese press from their landing site, along the coast towards the airstrip. Polly, now beautifully restored, resides in the Australian War Memorial Museum in Canberra, a tribute to the men and machines who stopped the Japanese in New Guinea. Milne Bay - The Turning Point by Robert Taylor.Click For DetailsDHM1769
A flight of Kittyhawks of No. 3 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force on a strike mission over the North African Desert in January 1942, in the build-p to the Battle of Alamein. No. 3 Squadron RAAF was the first in the Desert to achieve 100 confirmed victories, and continuing in combat throughout the fighting in North Africa, became the Squadron with the highest number of air victories of the Desert Air Force Squadrons. Desert Hawks by Robert TaylorClick For DetailsDHM2086
Australian Ace Dick Cresswell tangles with a Japanese Zero in the humid air of the tropics over New Guinea during an encounter in 1942. Flying a P-40E Kittyhawk with the insignia of 77 Squadron, RAAF blazoned on his aircraft, Cresswell makes a head-on pass leaving the enemy aircraft streaming smoke. Immortalised by the Flying Tigers, the P-40 was a fine combat aircraft that operated in the Pacific, European and Middle East theaters. Combat Over New Guinea by Nicolas Trudgian.Click For DetailsDHM2111
Spitfires of Johnsons Canadian Wing, complete with Normandy Invasion markings, making a sweep above the Normandy beaches on the 6th June, 1944 - D-Day. Johnson and his Canadian pilots flew sweeps on this day from dawn till dusk, limited most of the day to 2000 ft. by the cloudbase. Canadian Wing by Robert TaylorClick For DetailsDHM2126
December 7, 1941 was, said President Roosevelt a day of infamy. The surprise attack by Japanese aircraft on that fateful day, brought America into a war that was to become global. The Japanese airstrike was the first of many attacks that day against America and other Allied Forces in the Pacific. Within a few days the British capital ships Prince of Wales and Repulse were sunk, the Japanese had landed on the coast of Malaya, Guam was seized, Hong Kong taken, and landings were made in the American held Philippines. In those first grim days of the Pacific War one territory after another quickly fell to the Japanese onrush - resistance, though heroic, was almost futile as the unprepared Allies were simply overwhelmed. Retaliating as best they could, Allied Forces hit back wherever possible and one of the first successes was by Dutch Forces on 23 December, just 16 days after Pearl Harbor. A Japanese invasion fleet had been spotted steaming south towards British Borneo. Royal Netherlands Navy submarine K XIV, alerted to their position, was heading west in order to make an interception. But the Japanese changed course on to an easterly heading during the night and made for the beaches off Ktiching - the opposite direction to that of the submarine. However a patrolling Dornier 24 of the Royal Netherlands Navy sighted the fleet on its new course, and by a remarkable chance encounter also spotted the submarine on the surface, and immediately signalled the location, course and speed of the convoy. The submarine quickly engaged the Japanese in the shallow waters off the landing beach head, causing chaos amongst the fleet. Two ships were sunk and another two severely damaged. The Dornier, despite being heavily engaged by Pete floatplanes from a Japanese heavy cruiser, managed to return safely to base. Chance Encounter by Robert Taylor.Click For DetailsDHM2129
A dramatic low-level attack on a Japanese base near Rabaul is in progress by F-4U Corsairs of 16 Squadron, RNZAF. Taking the lead is Bryan Cox, as the Corsairs leave a trail of smoke and debris in their wake. Water vapor is squeezed out of the humid atmosphere as Coxs wingman banks sharply to avoid groundfire. The Kiwi Corsairs buccaneered their way through the intensly fought campaigns in the Solomons and Guadalcanal.Kiwi Strike by Nicolas Trudgian.Click For DetailsDHM2443
Mark Vc tropicalized Spitfires of No 1 wing RAAF returning from a Scramble over the city of Darwin in early 1943. The bombing of Darwin by Japanese aircraft shortly before 10:00 am on the morning of February 19, 1942, brought the northern region of Australia directly into the war in the South Pacific. The surprise attack caught the Royal Australian Air Force with only a handful of Wirraway trainers and a squadron of Hudson twin-engine bombers to defend the Northern Territories, and a Japanese invasion looked a possibility. Fortunately the USAAF 49th Group were transiting through Darwin at the time, en route to Java and, flying their P-40E fighters, they were able to hold the line until 77 Squadron Kittyhawks arrived to defend the Top End in the latter part of 1942. At the time Australias only Spitfire squadrons were operating successfully in Europe as part of RAFs 11 Group, but Churchill, recognizing the Japanese threat to Australia, dispatched three Spitfire squadrons to Darwin in the Northern summer of 1942. Simultaneously a group of talented young Australian pilots returned home from service in North Africa and Malta to join the newly formed Wing. Number One Fighter Wing, known as the Churchill Wing, became operational in January 1943, scoring their first victory on February 6th. Shortly after on March 2nd, the Wings Spitfires led by the legendary Wing Commander Clive Caldwell came up against Zeros - the first time the two types had met over Australian skies. The Spitfire pilots immediately took the upper hand, bringing down two Zeros without loss - a portend of what was to come. These early encounters were the start of what became a highly successful air defence campaign, and by the end of the year the seasoned fighter pilots of No 1 Fighter Wing had gained total air superiority, and had claimed over 100 victories. The Japanese withdrew and the attacks of Darwin ceased.Spitfires Over Darwin by Robert Taylor.Click For DetailsDHM2683
Yakolev Yak-3s of the Normandie Nedimen Regiment,, flown by French aces Marcel Albert in the foreground and Maurice Amarger down a Focke Wulf 190 over Stalluponen. Skirmish Over Stalluponen by David Pentland.Click For DetailsDP0007
Rumanian IAR 80c on a tactical reconnaissance mission is intercepted and shot down by a Soviet YAK3 over the river Dnepr. Duel on the Dnepr, Southen Russia, Summer 1943 by David Pentland.Click For DetailsDP0013
The Andrei Tupolev designed ANT-20bis, a variant of the ANT-20 Maxim Gorki. This original painting was reproduced in Aeroplane Monthly in August 1990. ANT 20bis by Keith Woodcock (P)Click For DetailsSOR0001
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto attended Harvard University where he gained a good understanding of American culture and developed an avid interest in the game of poker. Yamamoto played his cards when he outlined a plan to attack Pearl Harbor in January 1941. In April the Japanese organized a First Air Fleet with Vice Admiral Nagumo as its Commander in Chief. Commander Minoru Genda was appointed air staff officer, and because Nagumo was unfamiliar with air tactics, Genda was given responsibility for planning the attack on Pearl Harbor. Cdr. Genda immediately began perfecting the Pearl Harbor plan, and few details were overlooked. The Imperial Navys First Air Fleet consisted of six carriers. The Akagi, flagship of the strike force, was a converted cruiser which carried 63 aircraft. The Kaga also carried 63 aircraft, and was a converted battleship. The Soryu was the first carrier built from the ground up and was similar to the Hiryu. Each carrier had a compliment of 54 aircraft. With two additional carriers, the Zuikaku and the Shokaku, the fleet had a total of 378 aircraft. Three different types of aircraft were utilized for the attack. Mitsubishi A6M2 Zeros, a highly maneuverable single seat fighter, was responsible for obtaining air control and for strafing aircraft and ground installations. Aichi D3A1 Vals, with two-man crews, were utilized for dive bombing. Nakajima B5N2 Kates were responsible for horizontal bombing and torpedo bombing. The Kate carried a crew of three and had a cruising speed of only 160 MPH. During the first wave of the attack 183 aircraft were deployed. Torpedo aircraft from the Akagi, the Hiryu, and the Kaga targeted battleship row during this first wave. As portrayed in Stan Stokes life-like painting, a Japanese Kate from the Akagi launches its torpedo from very low altitude. Not far in the distance looms the USS West Virginia and Tennessee, virtual sitting ducks. The Japanese had trained carefully, and had modified their Kai Model 2 torpedoes to accommodate the shallow waters of Pearl Harbor. While caught by surprise, the USN was fortunate that its carriers were not in port, and that the Japanese had failed to destroy many of the support and repair facilities. This stroke of good luck permitted the USN to repair many of the ships damaged in the attack quite quickly. The devastating blow Yamamoto had planned for December 7, 1941 backfired by infuriating American public opinion, and eventually lead to Imperial Japans defeat and unconditional surrender. Battleship Row by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0111
The Italian campaign was conceived as a way to strike at Hitlers soft underbelly and obtain necessary airfields and port facilities to assist in the eventual invasion of Europe by the Allies. In July of 1943 while Allied forces were smashing resistance in Sicily, Mussolini plotted strategy with Hitler near Rimini. One week later Mussolini was arrested and King Victor Emmanuel took control of the Italian Armed Forces. By September the King had negotiated Italys surrender, but the Germans strengthened their forces in northern and central Italy leading to a long and difficult campaign of liberation for the Allied forces. In a country with many mountains and poor roads, air power played a major role. Little has been written about Major Adriano Visconti who was Italys highest scoring ace in WW II. Visconti flew as a reconnaissance pilot in Libya in 1940. Later he was assigned to the 7th and 16th Gruppo of the 54th Stromo C.T. Flying over Malta in 1941 and 1942 Visconti downed two RAF Hurricanes and 2 Bristol Blenheims. Later in fighting over Tunisia and Sicily, Visconti was credited with 14 more victories. When Italy surrendered in September of 1943, Visconti flew north in his Macchi 205 fighter crammed with three ground personnel. He joined the air forces of the newly organized New Fascist Republica Sociale Italiana, as a group commander. In the next year he would add seven more victories to his totals, including a P-38 and four P-47s. Visconti was assassinated in Milan in April of 1945 by anti-fascist partisans, having achieved a total of 26 confirmed aerial victories. The Aeronautica Macchi launched a development project in 1935 which led to the introduction of the M.C. 200 Saetta (Arrow) in 1937. Strong, highly maneuverable, and fast in ascent, the 200 was capable of 312 MPH powered by its 14 cylinder 870 HP radial engine. More than 1,000 of these aircraft were built. The Macchi C.202 Folgore (Thunderbolt) was introduced in 1940, and more than 1,100 were produced. It was capable of 370 MPH with an operational ceiling of 37,000 feet. The 202 was powered by a Daimler-Benz, 12-cylinder, inverted-V, liquid-cooled engine, which was capable of 1200 HP. As the war progressed the Macchi MC 205 Veltro (Greyhound) was introduced. It was an aircraft with elegant and aerodynamic lines. It differed from the 202 in many respects. Utilizing a more powerful Daimler-Benz 605-A engine rated at 1,475 HP, the Veltro was a much more capable aircraft than its predecessor. Entering combat in April of 1943 the Veltro was equipped with two 20mm canon in its wings, which replaced the 7.7mm machine guns utilized on the 202. The 205 was capable of 400 MPH, had a range of nearly 600 miles and an operational ceiling in excess of 39,000 feet. With a wingspan of 35 feet the 205 was just a bit smaller that a P-51 Mustang. At the close of WW II a small number of 205s remained in service with the 5th Flight Group of the Italian Air Force. As depicted in Stan Stokes striking painting entitled Italian Air Stallion, Visconti is depicted in his Macchi 205 Veltro in a dogfight over Northern Italy with a P-38 during a beautiful early evening sunset. Italian Air Stallion by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0118
As the war in the Pacific continued to intensify in 1943 and 1944, the naval air forces of Japan began to suffer from both quantitative and qualitative shortcomings in both aircraft and pilots that contributed to American domination of the air. The once dominant Japanese naval air arm was decimated in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, the defense of the Philippines, and other lesser battles. With American bombing forces now capable of reaching the Japanese islands with B-29 Superfortresses, the Japanese lacked any effective fighter defenses. In an effort to improve the situation and provide some semblance of air superiority, Captain Minoru Genda, the architect of the air operations for the attack on Pearl Harbor, formed a new elite fighter air group, the 343rd Kokutai, at Matsuyama in December of 1944. This group contained the best of Japans remaining fighter pilots which were personally selected for participation. Consisting of three squadrons, the 301st, 407th, and 701st hikotai, this fighter unit was Japans most proficient during the latter months of the war. The effectiveness of this unit was not solely attributable to the skill of its pilots, but also resulted from the aircraft which it flew. All three squadrons were equipped with the Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden-kai (violet lightning) model 21 fighter. These were fast, highly maneuverable, and heavily armed fighters. Unlike most earlier Japanese designs, these aircraft also provided better armor protection for the pilot. Nicknamed the George by the Allies, the N1K2-J was derived from an earlier float plane the N1K1 Kyofu. Entering service in late 1944 the George was capable of 365-MPH armed with its four 20-mm wing mounted cannon. In the hands of experienced combat pilots, the N1K2-J was the equal to the American-made Hellcats and Corsairs it faced, and was vastly superior to the aging Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero. About 400 N1K2-Js would be produced before the end of the war. The efficacy of Gendas idea was demonstrated on March 19, 1945 when fifty-four aircraft from the 343rd attacked an unsuspecting and overconfident carrier strike group of F6Fs, F4Us, and SB2-Cs in the Kure area. In a matter of minutes the American force was shredded by Gendas elite group. The Japanese claimed the destruction of forty-eight U.S. fighters and four dive bombers vs. the loss of only sixteen of its own aircraft. On June 2, 1945 a force of twenty-one N1K2-Js attacked a similarly-sized force of Corsairs. In this battle the Japanese claimed 18 victories. It was estimated that during the six month period in which the 343rd operated that a total of 170 American aircraft were downed compared to the loss of 74 Japanese pilots. Pictured in Stan Stokes painting, entitled Lance of the Samurai, is the Shiden-kai flown by Chief Petty Officer Shoichi Sugita of the 301st hikotai. During the March 19th combat Sugita claimed four F6Fs and three probables. He was later killed in action on April 15, 1945. Lance of the Samurai by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0119
As dawn broke on the morning of May 10, 1940, an irresistible tide of German armored and aerial might crashed across the frontiers of Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France. A combination of paratroopers, fast moving panzer units, truck born infantry, and mobile artillery smashed its way through the dazed and outnumbered defenders. Leading the Luftwaffe assault were waves of fast fighter aircraft, twin-engine bombers, and screaming Stukka dive bombers. Blitzkrieg had arrived. Within four short weeks Holland, Belgium, and Luxembourg had all capitulated to the victorious Wermacht, and the British Expeditionary Force had been forced to evacuate at Dunkirk. By the middle of June the battered and demoralized French Army was in full retreat and falling back towards Paris. In desperate attempts to stem the tide, valiant but outnumbered units of the Armee de lAir struck back with great courage against advancing German Panzer divisions, vainly trying to save their beloved capital city. In Stan Stokes painting entitled Against the Tide, French warplanes of two generations rendezvous over Paris before the battle begins. The Detwoitine D.520 was undoubtedly the best French fighter of WW II. Had the armistice not taken place the D.520s career would have paralleled that of its contemporaries in Germany and Britain. Production was slated to reach more than 2,000 aircraft in 1940, and plans had been put in place to have this aircraft produced in America by the Ford Motor Company. In comparative tests with the Bf-109E, the Detwoitine showed superior maneuverability, and plans were adopted for upgrading the power of its engine to provide comparable speed and rates of climb to the 109. Armed with a 20mm nose mounted cannon and four 7.5mm wing-mounted machine guns, the D.520 could obtain a top speed of 332-mph with its 910-HP Hispano-Suiza 12Y45 engine. Among Frances highest scoring fighter pilots who flew the D.520 was Sous-Lieutenanat Pierre Le Gloan. Le Gloan destroyed 11 opposing German and Italian aircraft during the Battle of France and later would fight against the British during the campaign in Vichy-controlled Syria. His final total reached 18 before his death is a flying accident in 1943. Indicative of the dramatic changes in the Armee de lAir at the start of WW II are the obsolescent Bloch MB 210 medium bombers and the Breguet Bre.693 assault aircraft. The MB 210 (numerically the most important French bomber in late 1939) with its severe angularity, slab-sided fuselage, glass-house nose, and birdcage-like turrets was a typical French bomber of the 1930s. With a crew of 5, and a maximum bomb load of 3,500 lbs the 210 had a top speed of only 210-MPH. In contrast, the Bre.693 was a sleek and modern attack aircraft with fighter-like performance. With twin 700-HP radials this heavily armed aircraft was capable of 301-MPH. Many of these aircraft were lost during the Battle of France in low level attacks on German armour. Against the Tide by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0128
The Brewster Aeronautical Corp. commenced development of the F2A Buffalo in 1936 in response to a US Navy request for a carrier-based fighter capable of 300 MPH. Development took place at the time when Grumman was also working on its first carrier-based fighter for the Navy. Utilizing an all-metal, mid-wing, monoplane design, the first Brewster Buffalo prototype flew in 1937. An initial order for fifty-four aircraft was placed in mid-1938. The F2A-1 utilized a 900-HP R-H20-34 radial engine, and was armed with four machine guns. Eleven of the aircraft from the first production order were assigned to VF-3, which was based at that time on the USS Saratoga. The remaining forty-three aircraft were sent to Finland, which was fighting off an invasion by the Soviet Union. In 1940 the F2A-2 variant entered production utilizing a more powerful 1200-HP engine. Capable of 323-MPH, orders for three hundred additional aircraft were obtained, including 170 from the RAF, which at that time was in the midst of the Battle of Britain.. The Brits found the Buffalo very ineffective, and not capable of dog fighting with the faster and highly maneuverable Bf-109s it faced. The British withdrew the Buffalo from front line service, sending most of its aircraft to units in the Far East, where the Buffalo would later play a role in defending Java, Burma, Manila, and Singapore. Meanwhile the US Navy was becoming disenchanted with the aircraft due to weakness in its landing gear, and its minimal armor plating. Nonetheless, the Buffalo was one of the front line fighters the United States had in its arsenal when America entered WW II on December 7, 1941. During the only serious combat in which the Buffalo was flown by US forces, VMF-221 lost 18 of its 25 F2As during the Battle of Midway. The Buffalo proved to be no match for the faster and highly maneuverable Mitsubishi Zeroes flown by the Imperial Navy. Despite its lack luster reputation, the Buffalo was utilized effectively by the Finnish Air Force in fighting the Soviets. Some of this success is no doubt due to the relative lack of combat experience by many of the Soviet pilots, the fact that the Soviets had stuck with bi-plane fighter designs longer than other countries, and the fact that Finland had some excellent pilots of their own. The top Finnish ace, Eino Juutilainen, attained thirty-three of his incredible ninety-four victories while flying the Brewster Buffalo. Several of his victories were obtained against American-built Curtis P-40s, which had been sold to the Red Air Force. In his dramatic depiction, entitled Buffalo Ace, aviation artist Stan Stokes shows Juutilainen in action against Soviet P-40s during the defense of Finland. Buffalo Ace by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0132
More than 35,000 Ilyushin Sturmovik IL-2 ground attack aircraft were produced during WW II, the largest production run of any WW II aircraft. Often called The Flying Tank, the Sturmovik played a major role in the defeat of Nazi Germany on the Eastern front. The origins of this important aircraft date to 1938 when a design team headed by Sergei Vladimorovic Ilyushin began work on a new monoplane tactical bomber and ground attack aircraft. The initial prototype was completed in 1939, but was underpowered and had several structural flaws. With several modifications and use of a 1600-HP liquid cooled engine the final prototype was accepted and production began in 1940. Only a few hundred Sturmoviks were in service when Hitlers invasion of Russia commenced. One of the key design concepts of this aircraft was incorporation of an armored shell as both protection for engine and crew, and as a structural portion of the aircrafts design. Other aircraft designs typically added armor later, burdening the performance of the aircraft with the added weight. Sergeis design was unique, and the early variants were capable of top speeds approaching 300-MPH, and were almost invulnerable to attack from small caliber weapons. The second major variant incorporated a second crew member position as a rear gunner to fend off attacks by opposing fighters. Capable of carrying a 2000 pound bomb load to its target, special armor piercing bombs carried by the Sturmoviks were capable of knocking out any German armor, including the legendary Tiger tank, if attacked from the rear. This aircraft also carried several machine guns and cannons, making it no easy prey for opposing fighters. The final production variants of this aircraft were fitted with a 2000-HP engine and were capable of 330-MPH. In recognition of the significance of his design, Sergei Ilyushin was made a Hero of the Soviet Union. He also received a cash prize from Stalin in 1945 for his design of the final variant, the Il-II-10. A competing design was the Yak-4, a twin engined ground attack aircraft. Unlike the Sturmovik, the Yak-4 proved vulnerable to ground fire, and was withdrawn by the Red Air Force from production in 1942, and was thereafter relegated to a high altitude reconnaissance role. It is generally agreed that the Sturmovik was the most important and successful ground attack aircraft to see service in WW II. Clash of Armour by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0133
In early 1937, Bell Aircraft presented a revolutionary fighter design to the USAAC, the P-39 Airacobra. Incorporating machine guns and the most powerful cannon available, the new design by Robert Woods, utilized many revolutionary design features. The all-metal, low wing, monoplane design utilized a centrally located engine in the fuselage, a feature which enhanced maneuverability. A nine foot shaft ran through the cockpit to drive the propeller. Woods design was the first fighter to incorporate a forward tricycle landing gear, which gave the P-39 pilot great visibility while on the ground. The first prototype flew in 1938. Equipped with a supercharged Allison water-cooled V-12 rated at 1,150-HP, the prototype performed admirably. It exhibited a top speed of 390-MPH, and an amazingly quick rate of climb. Unfortunately for the Airacobra, the USAAC decided to eliminate the supercharged engine from the project, a move which would relegate the Airacobra to the distinction of being Americas forgotten fighter of WW II. Without the supercharger the P-39s performance at altitude was inferior to most of the adversaries it would face. In 1941 lend-leased Airacobras went into battle with the RAF, but were quickly withdrawn from front line duty. Many of these, and many others eventually found service with the Red Air Force. In fact the Soviets ultimately received more than half of the 9,500 aircraft produced. Alexander Pokryshkin was the second highest scoring Soviet ace of WW II with fifty-nine victories. Forty-eight of these were achieved why flying the Aircacobra. Pokryshkin was a great leader who inspired others who flew under his command. He joined the Red Air Force in 1933 and attained his first victory (over a Bf-109E) in June of 1941 while piloting a Mig-3. He was a great tactician, and a student of fighter tactics. On one occasion his unit attacked a flight of sixteen Ju-87s, and Pokryshkin bagged four. While flying in the Caucasus region he became well known to his German adversaries, who would radio, Achtung! Der Ass Pokryshkin in der luft! when they realized he was airborne. Shot down on 4 occasions, he was made squadron commander of the elite 16th Guards IAP. Considered the father of Soviet fighter tactics, thirty pilots under his command would go on to be awarded the coveted Hero of the Soviet Union medal. The P-39 also was in service with several units in the Pacific early in the War. Lacking sufficient range to be used for many escort missions, and deficient in dog fighting against the superior Japanese aircraft they faced, the P-39s were relegated by the USAAC to ground attack missions. The aircraft was withdrawn from front line service as more capable P-38s, P-47s, and P-51s became available. In spite of the deficiencies of the P-39, a derivative design, the P-63 Kingcobra, was one of only nine designs evaluated by the USAAF in 1942-43 to be put into production. Although similar in appearance the P-63 was actually a totally new design. It was not produced in any great quantity, and two hundred of these aircraft were modified into Flying Pinballs, and were used to train B-17 gunners. The Forgotten Fighter by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0137

Other Modern Aviation Prints

Landing and taking off from the hillsides, rather than established airfields, this was extremely dangerous work which involved the pilot following the terrain and contours of the land that was being dressed in order to ensure an even distribution of the chemical. Australian-born Jim McMahon, served during World War II on B.25 Mitchell bombers before pioneering crop dusting and topdressing in New Zealand with ex-military De Havilland Tiger Moths which he converted himself for the purpose. He went on to form a company called Crop Culture, which specialised in aerial spraying equipment, both in New Zealand and in the UK, before becoming a partner in the newly-formed Britten-Norman aircraft company which produced the Islander and Trislander utility transport aircraft in England. Top Dressing in New Zealand (2) by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsB0009
Landing and taking off from the hillsides, rather than established airfields, this was extremely dangerous work which involved the pilot following the terrain and contours of the land that was being dressed in order to ensure an even distribution of the chemical. Australian-born Jim McMahon, served during World War II on B.25 Mitchell bombers before pioneering crop dusting and topdressing in New Zealand with ex-military De Havilland Tiger Moths which he converted himself for the purpose. He went on to form a company called Crop Culture, which specialised in aerial spraying equipment, both in New Zealand and in the UK, before becoming a partner in the newly-formed Britten-Norman aircraft company which produced the Islander and Trislander utility transport aircraft in England. Top Dressing in New Zealand (1) by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsB0032
DHM683. Alouette III Helicopter of Rhodesian Fireforce 1979 by John Wynne Hopkins. Alouette III Helicopter of Rhodesian Fireforce 1979 by John Wynne Hopkins.Click For DetailsDHM0683
Rhodesian Air Force Paradak drop troops into conflict zone. Fireforce External 1979 by John Wynne Hopkins.Click For DetailsDHM0688
Operation AGRICOLA, On the 12th June 1999, 5th Airborne Brigade spearheaded the KFOR advance into Kosovo, by securing the Kacanik defile ahead of the ground forces. The Brigades joint airmobile operation with the UK Support helicopter Force followed a rapid strategic insertion to the theatre.. The Kacanick Defile by David Rowlands.Click For DetailsDHM1064
Operating from Liege-Bierset, Captain Jean-Claude Keke Kaisin flies the aircraft he decorated for the international celebration of No.8 Squadrons held in the UK during 1988. 8-Eight-8 by Trevor Lay.Click For DetailsDHM1678
A dramatic combat between an F-16 Falcon and a Mig23 fought over the Bekaa Valley in June 1981. In a three day period the Israeli pilots brought down over 80 Syrian aircraft without loss. Robert Taylors brilliant painting shows a close-up view of the action.Bekaa Valley by Robert Taylor.Click For DetailsDHM2125
Throughout the crisis in Bosnia helicopters of various nations provided logistic support to the ground forces, especially in the times when movement along dangerous roads was impossible. Here Puma Helicopters of the French detachment drop into a forward base to refuel before going on to their final destination. These Pumas operated out of their base in Split, Croatia, together with British and Norwegian helicopters; indeed it was common to see aircraft of several nations operating together. As the first machine UN 128, serial number 1128, comes into land at the forward refuelling base at Kiseljak, only 20km west of Sarajevo, a second, the radar equipped UN 126, serial number 1662 turns on to finals. The machines will be re-supplied in this instance by British Ground Forces, two of whom crouch against the billowing dust ready to go into action to minimise time on the ground Fill Up at Kiseljak by Robert Tomlin.Click For DetailsDHM2522
DHM2527AP. Hard to be Humble by Robert Tomlin. Hard to be Humble by Robert Tomlin. (AP)Click For DetailsDHM2527
00-DNF, one of DHL Europes fleet on loan to the Middle East, comes in to land at Kuwait International Airport, at 08:25 GMT on 20th March 1991, only days after the end of the Gulf War. Operating from Bahrain and flown by Capt. Wasberg and First Officer Pierre De Naeyer, this aircraft has the distinction of being the first civil aircraft into the liberated airport. Hastily painted under the DHL logo can be seen the words Kuwait Express, from which our painting takes its title. Kuwait Express by Robert Tomlin.Click For DetailsDHM2529
DHM2531. Millennium Mirage by Robert Tomlin. Millennium Mirage by Robert Tomlin.Click For DetailsDHM2531
This symbolic bouquet break by the Patrouille Suisse with the snow covered peaks of the Swiss Alps below signifies the retirement of the beloved Hawker Hunter from team service in 1994.Auf Wiedersehen by Philip West.Click For DetailsDHM2540
An F-84F-25 of 31st Escadrille, 10th Wing, Belgian Air Force, returns at low level over the Ardennes to its home airfield of Kleine Brogel. Low Level Recovery by Trevor Lay.Click For DetailsDHM2546
The Belgian Air Force F-104 display team, The Slivers(1968-75), roar off the runway of their base at Beauvechian for a rehersal prior to the start of another Air Show season. Pre Season Practice by Trevor Lay.Click For DetailsDHM2547
In this classic study of 2 v 2 air combat, two Mirage II fighters of the Royal Australian Air Force turn at the merge to engage a pair of evading A4 skyhawks over the Pacific. The painting features the first and last Australian built Mirages in the colours of nos. 75 and 77 squadrons. Mirage III First and Last by Michael Rondot.Click For DetailsMR0034
During February 2003, fourteen RAAF F/A-18 Hornets flew to Al Udeid airbase in Qatar for air operations over Iraq as part of Operation Falconer. This was the first overseas deployment of Australian fighter aircraft for combat operations since July 1953 when RAAF Meteor F8s flew their last ground attack missions of the Korean War. The Australians were airborne from the start of the airstrikes on 20th March and continued in the thick of the action of the air campaign until the end of combat operations on 27th April, by which time they had flown 350 combat missions and dropped 122 laser guided bombs. Their missions ranged from air defence to interdiction and close air support and included operations with Australian SAS and Commando forces, as well as numerous missions flown in support of US Marines involved in fierce street fighting around Baghdad and Tikrit. The Hornets returned to Australia in May after one of the most successful combat deployments in the history of the RAAF. Magpies Over Baghdad by Michael Rondot (AP)Click For DetailsMR0062
High Altitude Low Opening freefall insertions allow Special Forces to be deployed from altitudes of 25,000ft or higher, taking advantage of a low radar profile. Stabilised equipment containers can be filled with weapons, explosives, supplies and other task specific equipment. The containers main parachute is deployed by a barometric trigger at a preset altitude and followed under canopy by the HALO team to the landing point. HALO Night Insertion by Stuart BrownClick For DetailsSBR0009
The introduction of the Mig-15 by Communist forces during the Korean War, came as a shock to military planners in the United States. The Mig-15 showed some superior attributes even when compared to the F-86. This rude awakening increased the Air Forces interest in a new generation of fighters which would be faster and more maneuverable than any enemy aircraft which would be encountered; a true air superiority machine. Clarence Kelly Johnson, Lockheeds innovative designer who would be involved in many of the most innovative aircraft designs of the century, had been thinking along these same lines, and in late 1952 the company submitted an unsolicited proposal for a new fighter, the XF-104. An initial contract was placed for prototypes, and the first flight took place in 1954. The F-104 was unlike anything the Air Force had previously flown. A long thin needle nose, a bullet-like fuselage, a small, thin mid-fuselage mounted wing, and an unusual high mounted horizontal stabilizer characterized this revolutionary design. The XF-104 attained a speed of Mach 1.7 during its flight tests, and the Air Force gave a go-ahead for production once meaningful quantities of the J-79 engines became available. The first production Starfighters reached the Air Force in February of 1956. The fuselage was lengthened by nearly six feet to accommodate the J-79. The first large production order was for 146 F-104As. These aircraft could carry wing mounted missiles, and had provision for an internal cannon. Troubles with the gun system were never really solved and most of these first F-104s were never equipped with the cannons. The simplicity of operation of this aircraft and its phenomenal speed made it an ideal interceptor, and this capability was appreciated during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Lockheed had meaningful success marketing export versions of the Starfighter shipping significant quantities to Pakistan, Italy, Germany, Greece, Japan, Taiwan, and Jordan. American military planners were disappointed with the range of the F-104. Recognizing this, Lockheed continued to refine and improve the aircraft. The F-104C was the second major variant and first flew in 1958. The C was capable of 1,450-MPH, and had an improved range of nearly 1,400 miles with drop tanks. The C was primarily used by the 479th Tactical Fighter Wing. The 479th deployed a squadron of F-104Cs to Vietnam in 1965, where the aircraft flew more than 2,000 combat sorties before being withdrawn. The F-104s were phased out of active Air Force service beginning in the mid-60s, but many aircraft remained with Air National Guard units. The last American unit to be equipped with the F-104 was the 198th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the Puerto Rico Air National Guard. The Royal Canadian Air Force also flew the 104. Its variant lacked the cannon, which was replaced by an additional fuel tank. The RCAF flew 104s until 1986. As depicted in Stan Stokes painting, an F-104 of the 439 Squadron of the RCAF, sports a dramatic black and yellow tiger striped paint scheme during NATO exercises in Germany in 1977. Last of the Starfighters by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0048

Civilian Aviation Prints

Tiger Moth sprays a potato field in southern England, early 1960s. Australian-born Jim, served during World War II on B.25 Mitchell bombers before pioneering crop dusting and topdressing in New Zealand with ex-military De Havilland Tiger Moths which he converted himself for the purpose. He went on to form a company called Crop Culture, which specialised in aerial spraying equipment, both in New Zealand and in the UK, before becoming a partner in the newly-formed Britten-Norman aircraft company which produced the Islander and Trislander utility transport aircraft in England. Crop Culture - Tiger Moth by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsB0008
Landing and taking off from the hillsides, rather than established airfields, this was extremely dangerous work which involved the pilot following the terrain and contours of the land that was being dressed in order to ensure an even distribution of the chemical. Australian-born Jim McMahon, served during World War II on B.25 Mitchell bombers before pioneering crop dusting and topdressing in New Zealand with ex-military De Havilland Tiger Moths which he converted himself for the purpose. He went on to form a company called Crop Culture, which specialised in aerial spraying equipment, both in New Zealand and in the UK, before becoming a partner in the newly-formed Britten-Norman aircraft company which produced the Islander and Trislander utility transport aircraft in England. Top Dressing in New Zealand (2) by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsB0009
Landing and taking off from the hillsides, rather than established airfields, this was extremely dangerous work which involved the pilot following the terrain and contours of the land that was being dressed in order to ensure an even distribution of the chemical. Australian-born Jim McMahon, served during World War II on B.25 Mitchell bombers before pioneering crop dusting and topdressing in New Zealand with ex-military De Havilland Tiger Moths which he converted himself for the purpose. He went on to form a company called Crop Culture, which specialised in aerial spraying equipment, both in New Zealand and in the UK, before becoming a partner in the newly-formed Britten-Norman aircraft company which produced the Islander and Trislander utility transport aircraft in England. Top Dressing in New Zealand (1) by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsB0032
B102. Amy Johnson by Ivan Berryman. Amy Johnson by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsB0102
The end of an era. British Airways Concorde G-BOAG moments before touching down at Heathrow for the very last time.Final Touchdown by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsB0126
A sad, but magnificent sight on 24th October 2003 as the last three British Airways Concordes bring commercial supersonic travel to a close, as they taxi together to their final dispersal at Heathrow. Concorde Farewell by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsB0128
B129. Concorde over Manhattan by Ivan Berryman. Concorde over Manhattan by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsB0129
Concorde sweeps majestically over central London as this wonderful aircraft comes to the end of its career in October 2003. Buckingham Palace is immediately beneath the aircraft, with the River Thames, Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and the London Eye in the middle distance.  Concorde over London by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsB0131
British Midlands 737 (300 series) en route from London to Belfast. 1993. Boeing 737 by David Pentland.Click For DetailsDHM0777
Depicting the short S45 Solent 2 G-AHIS (Scapa), BOAC Flying Boat, passing over the Queen Elizabeth on Southampton Water, Late 1940s The Golden Age by Ivan BerrymanClick For DetailsDHM0935
Shortly after 2.00pm on Friday 24th October 2003, supersonic commercial aviation was brought to a close as three British Airways Concordes touched down within minutes of each other at Londons Heathrow Airport for the last time. Here, BA Captain Mike Bannister bring G-BOAG  home for the final touchdown. Concorde - The Final Touchdown by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsDHM1302
A sight never to be repeated as a British Airways Concorde bids farewell to new York in October 2003. Concorde over New York (Concorde Farewell) by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsDHM1304
A sight never to be repeated. Concorde G-BOAE gracefully drifts above London with Buckingham Palace immediately below, Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, the River Thames and the London Eye in the middle distance. On 24th October 2003, the world said goodbye to this elegant airliner, bringing to a close almost thirty years of commercial supersonic travel. Concorde over London by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsDHM1305
DHM1451. Inbound to Bovingdon by E Nisbit. Inbound to Bovingdon by E Nisbit.Click For DetailsDHM1451
DHM1452. The Central Corridor Level 75 One Eleven by E Nisbit. The Central Corridor Level 75 One Eleven by E Nisbit.Click For DetailsDHM1452
Opened in 1932, Ryde airport became the principal airport for the Isle of Wight, with routes being operated to destinations as far away as Croydon, Bristol and Shoreham, as well as a regular commuter service that took in Southampton, Bournemouth and Portsmouth. This painting depicts a typical day early in 1936 when aircraft of both Portsmouth, Southsea and Isle of Wight Aviation Ltd and Railway Air Services were using the airport, in this case, Airspeed Courier G-ADAY and De Havilland Dragon Rapide G-ACPR City of Birmingham respectively. The airport closed officially in 1939, but may have been used sporadically after the war. The site of the airport is now occupied by Tesco and McDonalds. Ryde Airport, 1936 by Ivan Berryman.Click For DetailsDHM1549
A specially commissioned study of her Majesty The Queens Flight on the occasion of its 50th Anniversary. Featured are all the main aircraft to have been in service with the flight. Queens Flight by Robert Taylor.Click For DetailsDHM2160
Reaching speeds up to Mach 2 - 1,280 mph - Concorde took just three and a half hours to reach New York. Farewell Concorde by Philip West.Click For DetailsDHM2222
<b>SOLD OUT.Concorde - Second to None by Stephen Brown.Click For DetailsDHM2234
Climbing towards 60,000 feet and the edge of space Concorde G-BOAD traveled where no other commercial aircraft could go. Its enormously powerful engines enabled Concorde to reach the speed of sound - Mach 1 (about 675 mph) During the lifetime of Concorde the fleet carried just over 2.5m passengers. Concorde - Pride of Britain by Stephen Brown.Click For DetailsDHM2238
Concorde looking her most majestic as she heads off into the sunset over the Atlantic Ocean. With the afterburners having just been switched on, Concorde will quickly gain speed and height until finally reaching a maximum altitude of 60,000 feet, where, on clear day, passengers could see the curvature of the earth. Queen of the Skies by Philip West.Click For DetailsDHM2281
Concorde (G-BOAF) passes gracefully over Isambard Kingdom Brunels Clifton Suspension Bridge en route to her final destination just a few miles away at Filton, Bristol. Concorde - The Last Flight Home by Stephen Brown.Click For DetailsDHM2282
Concorde and the Red Arrows minutes before the Queens Jubilee Fly past on 4th June 2003. The Jubilee Flight by Stephen Brown.Click For DetailsDHM2283
Full of grace and beauty Concorde G-BOAF taxis toward her final resting place at Filton airfield, Bristol. Proudly waving Union Jack flags from the cockpit are pilot Captain Les Brodie and Concorde chief pilot Captain Mike Bannister. No one who saw Concorde on Wednesday November 26th 2003 could fail to be moved by the sight of this magnificent aircraft as she moved these last few yards with the greatest of dignity under the gaze of the world’s media and thousands of local well-wishers. Concorde - The Pride of Bristol by Stephen Brown.Click For DetailsDHM2286
The scheduled Concorde flights to and from New York were by far the most important for both British Airways and Air France. Taking full advantage of Concordes speed and the time difference between London and New York, some business people would arrive in New York on the early morning flight, do a days work and then take the evening flight back to London. Concorde - The Golden Years by Stephen BrownClick For DetailsDHM2287
Commemorating The Fastest Ever Transatlantic Crossing by A Commercial Aircraft. Captain Les Scott, Senior First Officer Tim Orchard and Senior Engineering Officer Rick Eades made history on the 7th February 1996, when they flew Concorde G-BOAD from New York to London in a record-breaking 2 hours,52 minutes and 59 seconds; the fastest ever transatlantic crossing by a commercial aircraft. Concorde - The Supersonic Thoroughbred by Stephen Brown.Click For DetailsDHM2288
DHM2295. Concorde - Homeward Bound by Stephen Brown. Concorde - Homeward Bound by Stephen BrownClick For DetailsDHM2295
DHM2296. Concorde - On Final Approach by Stephen Brown. Concorde - On Final Approach by Stephen BrownClick For DetailsDHM2296
DHM2297. Concorde - Safely Home by Stephen Brown. Concorde - Safely Home by Stephen BrownClick For DetailsDHM2297
DHM2298. Concorde - The Last Goodbye by Stephen Brown. Concorde - The Last Goodbye by Stephen Brown.Click For DetailsDHM2298
DHM2315. Concorde - The Final Touchdown by Stephen Brown. November 26th 2003 will remain etched in the memory of countless thousands of people as the day this magnificent aircraft landed back in Bristol for the very last time. Concorde - The Final Touchdown by Stephen BrownClick For DetailsDHM2315
The sight of Concorde descending over London will forever remain etched in the memory of all who were fortunate to see this amazing aircraft. At Mach 2 Concorde could fly at 23 miles a minute – one miles every 2.5 seconds. A truly astonishing aircraft and one which to this day is sadly missed by its regular passengers and millions of admirers all over the world. Concorde - Early Morning Arrival by Stephen Brown.Click For DetailsDHM2334
Robert Watts captures the romance of that golden era of passenger flight in his nostalgic painting of a L-1049 Constellation. Seen in American Airlines colors, a Connie descends over London in the soft early morning light after an overnight flight from New York. Without todays constraints of air traffic control, pilots had some latitude with the routes and altitudes they flew, and on this particular morning the pilot takes advantage of a beautiful sunrise to give his passengers a view of London and the winding river Thames, as he turns west for a landing into Londons Heathrow airport. Early Morning Arrival by Robert Watts.Click For DetailsDHM2457
An American Airlines DC-3, one of the 29 in service by 1936 with right hand doors, outbound from La Guardia Airport. Flagship Over Manhattan by Robert Watts.Click For DetailsDHM2458
The Boeing Stearman PT 17 is a picture painted by Gerald Coulson essentially for the American Market and as a little self-indulgence. The U.S. equivalent to the Tiger Moth, it was typically larger and more powerful, being based around a comparatively large radial engine. Tough and easy to fly the Stearman still exists in large quantities and is used by fun fliers on both sides of the Atlantic, it being an extremely agile aerobatics machine capable of exciting continuous manoeuvres pulled along by its tremendous power. The sound of the Stearman, like the Harvard, is unmistakable with its propeller tips going supersonic at maximum revs. As trainers they were painted in the most attractive colours and against the typical Coulson sky this machine makes a brilliant impact and striking print as U.S. Army trainer 530 buzzes angrily through the sunlit skies probably taking yet another potential World War II ace on his first solo flight. Stearman PT17 by Gerald Coulson.Click For DetailsDHM2511
October 24th 2003, and British Airways Concorde G-BOAG makes its final scheduled flight from New York to London under the command of Chief Concorde pilot and General Manager of Concorde Operations, Captain Mike Bannister. With Manhattan now far below, Mike punches through the clouds to take Speedbird 002, Concorde G-BOAG, together with its complement of celebrity passengers through Mach 2 for the last time. Concorde - The Last Flight Home by Robert Tomlin.Click For DetailsDHM2518
00-DNF, one of DHL Europes fleet on loan to the Middle East, comes in to land at Kuwait International Airport, at 08:25 GMT on 20th March 1991, only days after the end of the Gulf War. Operating from Bahrain and flown by Capt. Wasberg and First Officer Pierre De Naeyer, this aircraft has the distinction of being the first civil aircraft into the liberated airport. Hastily painted under the DHL logo can be seen the words Kuwait Express, from which our painting takes its title. Kuwait Express by Robert Tomlin.Click For DetailsDHM2529
Unquestionably the most beautiful commercial aircraft ever to enter service, during 27 years of flying passengers supersonically, Concorde earned a unique place in aviation history. To watch this remarkable aircraft thunder down the runway at Londons Heathrow airport, with afterburners belching flame in a crescendo of deafening sound, but for her distinctive airline livery one could be excused for thinking a mighty warbird was scrambling. Yet aboard, a hundred passengers, relaxing in sumptuous comfort, are looking forward to arrival in New York effectively before they left - such was the speed of this remarkable airliner as she travelled westward faster than the sun. Speedbird by Simon Atack.Click For DetailsDHM2582
British European Airways aircraft enroute to Northern Ireland. Vickers Vanguard 1970s by David Pentland.Click For DetailsDP0024
British Caledonian Airways BAC one-eleven over Aldergrove. BAC111 (One Eleven) 1980s by David Pentland.Click For DetailsDP0028
Ulster Airways Dakota landing at Aldergrove airport. Air Ulster DC3 Dakota, 1960s by David Pentland.Click For DetailsDP0029
British European Airways aircraft on the London/Belfast route. BA Trident by David Pentland.Click For DetailsDP0030
Cargo Carrier Northeast aircraft over Belfast Lough. Vickers Viscount by David Pentland.Click For DetailsDP0031
Lockheed Vega flying from America to Lithuania on a second transatlantic attempt. Lithuanica II by David Pentland.Click For DetailsDP0033
GC193. British Aerospace Concorde by Gerald Coulson. British Aerospace Concorde by Gerald Coulson.Click For DetailsGC0193
Supersonic Concorde at Mach 2, high above the North Atlantic. Concorde by Michael Turner.Click For DetailsGT0069
Imperial Airways Handley Page HP42 Hengist prepares to leave Croydon Airport on a misty evening in 1936. Night Mail to Paris by Michael Turner.Click For DetailsGT0151
During the early 1930s, Imperial Airways of London introduced to its European and Eastern routes the HP42, an enormous four-engined Handley Page biplane carrying up to 38 passengers at a sedate 100mph. For the first time air travellers could enjoy Pullman comfort, the wicker-work chairs finally being dispensed with. Eight of these outstanding aircraft were built and operated from 1931 to the start of the Second World War. The European services were flown by the four known as the Heracles class with fleet names Horatius, Hengist and Helena. The Hannibal class with Horsa, Hanno and Hadrian serviced the Empire routes. They accumulated over 10 million miles of peacetime operations wthout harm to a single passenger or crew member. Safety became their byword. Depicted here is Horatius, bound for Paris from Croydon. What a sight to behold, truly a galleon of the clouds.Croydon Departure by Gerald Coulson.Click For DetailsLE0262
London has enjoyed a long association with Concorde, not just as the major base for the aircraft at Heathrow, but also as a participant in the citys major celebrations. Whether it is a royal or national event, a Concorde fly-past is usually one of the highlights of the day; sometimes alone but often in formation with the Red Arrows.Pride of Britain by Adrian Rigby.Click For DetailsLE0851
LEX15. Hero of the Sky - Concorde by Barry Price. Hero of the Sky - Concorde by Barry Price.Click For DetailsLEX0015
Concorde made supersonic history, bringing Mach 2 international travel in luxury surroundings at the edge of space to millions of air travellers. It is instantly recognisable, but Concorde is far more than just a sleek and pretty aircraft. Its sheer size, combined with the glorious power and noise of its Olympus engines endow Concorde with a unique charisma. There is no other aircraft capable of stopping people in their tracks and making them look to the sky in awe like Concorde taking off in full reheat. Concorde Farewell by Michael Rondot.Click For DetailsMR0058
<b>Last copies of this otherwise sold out edition available.</b> 747 Classic by Michael Rondot.Click For DetailsMRX0004
You can almost hear the Rolls-Royce RB211-524H engines accelerate to full power in this dramatic study by Michael. British Airways 767 Pilots are also qualified to fly the Boeing 757, which is featured in the background of this superb print. They frequently fly a 757 for the first part of the day, and then a 767 for the remainder, or vice versa. In British Airways service, the Boeing 767 is a remarkably versatile aircraft, used on both shorthaul and longhaul routes. West from London Heathrow to Vancouver, on the far West coast of Canada, or East of the City of Madras in India, the 767 effortlessly swallows the miles. Both the 757 and the 767 can perform fully automatic landings in the exterme weather conditions of fog and low cloud, and are cleared to operate dowm to the almost incredible visibility of just 75 metres, when most other aircraft would be grounded. Extended Time Operations, or ETOPS for short, is another familiar operation for both the 757 and 767. The 767 was one of the first twin-engine passenger aircraft allowed to operate on the demanding North Atlantic routes, and has built a strong reputation for being reliable and dependable aircraft. 767 by Michael Rondot.Click For DetailsMRX0005
N68. British Airways Concorde by Barry Price. British Airways Concorde by Barry Price.Click For DetailsNTR0068
N86. Delta Golf by Barry Price. <b>The first British production Concorde G-BBDG. Delta Golf by Barry Price.Click For DetailsNTR0086
This programme chronicles the remarkable history of Concordes development. The years of painstaking research at the frontiers of technology and design and the aircraft itself, one of the most elegant and graceful ever to sail the skies, is assessed in detail illustrating the Concorde Experience which for thousands of travellers remains the ultimate in air travel. The Concorde StoryClick For DetailsPVD1020
<b>SOLD OUT. Concorde Formation by Robert Taylor.Click For DetailsRST0017
While considerable controversy still surrounds the disappearance of Amelia Earhart in 1937, there is no question that Amelia Mary Earhart was one of the great pioneers of American aviation. Born in Atchison, Kansas in 1897, Amelia was the daughter of a railroad attorney. She exhibited an adventurous spirit at a young age, and was able to travel extensively with her parents. In 1918 at the age of twenty-one, Amelia witnessed a flight demonstration in Toronto, and this inspired her to take a course in engine mechanics. Three years later she was in New York City studying medicine at Columbia University when she had the opportunity to take her first airplane ride to California. She immediately decided to learn to fly, and she remained in California where she obtained her pilots license in 1921. During the next few years Earhart had many jobs in many locales, but her true love was flying. Amelia was the first female passenger to cross the Atlantic in 1928, and the fame this generated allowed her to direct her attention at attempting other record-breaking feats. Amelia met George Putnam during this time, and he supported her flying efforts. They married in 1931. In 1932 Amelia became the first woman to make a solo crossing of the Atlantic flying a Lockheed Vega. Months later she became the first woman to completed a solo flight from Los Angeles to New York. Her next major record came in January, 1935 when she completed a solo flight from Honolulu to Oakland in a little over 18 hours. In 1936 Earhart was appointed to the faculty of Purdue University which provided her a Lockheed Electra as a flying laboratory. Having access to the Electra allowed Amelia to begin planning her dream flight, an around the world crossing as close to the equator as possible. In March of 1937 she embarked on a round the world trip in a westerly direction, but her aircraft was damaged on take off from Hawaii. In June a new route going in an easterly direction, starting from Miami, was mapped out by her navigator, Fred Noonan. Departing on June 1, 1937 Earhart arrived in Lae, New Guinea some 22,000 miles and 146 flying-hours later. The next leg of this record setting trip would cover 2,500 miles over the Pacific with the intended destination being the tiny Howland Island. When Earhart and Noonan failed to arrive, a massive search commenced, which was abandoned in mid-July. Presumably lost at sea, the nation mourned the loss of one of its heroes. In Stan Stokes painting entitled Lady Pioneer, Amelias beloved Model 10E Electra is depicted next to the aviators Cord automobile. This aircraft was delivered to Earhart in 1936. It was powered by twin 550 HP Wasp S3 H 1 engines, and was equipped with extended range fuel tanks, giving the craft a maximum range of 4,000 miles. The Electra was returned to Lockheeds plant in Burbank in 1937 for repairs following the accident in Hawaii. A new right wing was fitted, and repairs were made to the center fuselage and landing gear. The Civilian Aviation Administration officially canceled the registration of Earharts NR16020 in July of 1938, approximately one year after her disappearance. 1997 marked the 100th anniversary of Earharts birth and the 60th anniversary of her disappearance. Lady Pioneer by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0175
Charles Augustus Lindbergh is generally acknowledged to be the most famous American aviator of all time. Lindbergh was one of a band of flying gypsies who discovered that following WW I there was little interest by the military in aviation and very few jobs available in the fledgling commercial aviation field. These pilots, who were hooked on flying, flew the mail, offered rides at county fairs, and barnstormed around the country in an attempt to eke out a small living and cover the cost of flying. In 1919 a wealthy New York hotel owner had established a prize of $25,000 for the first non-stop flight between New York and Paris. By the mid-1920s, the technology appeared to be on the verge of permitting a successful crossing. In 1926 the famous WW I French fighter ace, Réné Fonck crashed his Sikorsky S-35 while attempting to takeoff from Roosevelt Field on Long Island, killing two of his four man crew. In April of 1927 a similar crash killed Noel Davis and Stanton Wooster. On May 8, another WW I French fighter ace, Charles Nungesser, and his copilot were killed when their flight from Paris to New York disappeared over the Atlantic. Each of these tragedies further aroused public interest in what seemed to be an impossible task. Charles Lindbergh had lots of experience flying in difficult conditions and at night from his years as a US Mail pilot. Unlike the others, Lindbergh believed that he would need to fly alone, and he opted to go with a fuel efficient single-engine aircraft. Lindbergh was an excellent planner, and his second choice for a suitable aircraft for his journey was a Ryan M-1 produced in San Diego. With much of his backing coming from St. Louis businessmen, Lindbergh named his aircraft the Spirit of St. Louis. The M-1 needed many modifications including an enlarged fuel capacity, and was fitted with a 237-HP Wright J-5C engine. To maintain the aircrafts center of gravity one of the additional fuel tanks had to be fitted in the cockpit, blocking all visibility through the windscreen. A small telescope was fitted to provide some forward visibility. Bad weather delayed Lindberghs planned takeoff from Roosevelt Field, but on the morning of May 20, 1927 a small break in the weather allowed Lindbergh to attempt his takeoff. Barely missing power lines and trees at the end of the muddy airstrip Lindbergh got airborne. Less than 34 hours later he touched down at Le Bourget Field in Paris. Throngs of people were present to greet the new hero. Overcoming bad weather, disorientation, and fatigue, Lucky Lindy had overcome the odds, and become one of the greatest American heroes of this century. An interesting historical footnote to Lindberghs journey is the fact that only two weeks after his flight, two others (Chamberlin and Levine) flew non-stop from New York to Germany. Lucky Lindy by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0176
The Lockheed Vega was the aircraft of choice for many of the record-setting pilots of the 1920s and 1930s. Lockheed Aircraft Corporation was organized in December of 1926. Its first plant was a delapidated building in Hollywood, California. Lockheeds two primary designers were Jack Northrop, who would later found his own company, and Gerry Vultee, who would also become a famous aircraft manufacturer on his own. The Vega was the first commercial product from the new company. Despite its streamlined appearance, the Vega utilized WW I era technology. A plywood fuselage was shaped in large concrete molds, and the wing was designed incorporating techniques pioneered by Anthony Fokker. Initially powered with a 220-HP Wright radial engine, the aircraft was designed to carry up to five people at the speed of 135-MPH. Publisher Geroge Hearst purchased the first Vega for $12,000, and entered the aircraft in an Oakland to Hawaii race. This aircraft never reached Hawaii. Despite this setback interest in the aircraft increased. George Wilkins purchased a Vega and used it to fly the polar route Point Barrow to Norway. He also utilized two Vegas for an expedition to Antarctica. Other aviators lined-up to get their hands on a Lockheed. Art Goebel and Harry Tucker set a transcontinental speed record in the Vega of less than 19 hours, becoming the first to make this trip in less than 24 hours. With the favorable publicity generated by these record setting flights, Lockheed was willing to make modifications to its aircraft to serve particular needs of the customer. Air racer Roscoe Turner flew a Gilmore sponsored Vega which had been modified into a parasol wing configuration, with an enclosed cockpit moved aft on the fuselage. One of the more famous Vegas was that owned by an oilman named F.C. Hall. The aircraft was named the Winnie Mae after Halls daughter. The man selected by Hall to pilot his Vega was Wiley Post. Post was a former Oklahoma oil field worker who lost an eye in an accident. He used the money he received for his injury to take flying lessons. In 1930 Hall sponsored Post in the National Air Races which he won. The following year Post and his navigator Harold Gatty circumnavigated the globe in 8 days - smashing the previous record held by the German dirigible Graf Zeppelin. In 1933 he accomplished a solo-circumnavigation of the globe in seven days. In 1934 and 1935 Wiley set a number of altitude records. He attained a speed of 340-MPH aided by the jet stream during a transcontinental attempt in 1935, which unfortunately ended with a crash landing and the destruction of the Winnie Mae. Later in 1935 Wiley Post was killed with his friend and well-known comedian Will Rogers in the crash of a floatplane in Alaska. Both Wiley and the Winnie Mae, however, merit an honored place in American aviation history. Wileys Wild Ride by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0183
Stan Stokes, in his painting, 1934 American Classics, beautifully portrays a Hollywood movie star and her pet dog embarking on a chartered Ford Trimotor from the Grand Central Air Terminal (owned and operated by Curtis-Wright) in California. Probably bound for a weekend visit to San Simeon, the palatial retreat of the publishing magnate, William Randolph Hearst, the trip to San Luis Obispo will take only ninety minutes. The early afternoon rains have left puddles on the tarmac, but fair skies have returned to the San Gabriel mountains, and the trip should be a smooth one. During the Great Depression the Packard Company introduced some of its most stunning and high performance automobiles. The 1934 Packard LeBaron Speedster, pictured in the painting, was one such machine. Costing nearly $8,000 the Packard LeBaron Speedster was about two to three times the price of a nice three bedroom house. Only the very wealthy could afford such luxuries during the Depression. Note that the Speedsters fenders are reminiscent of the wheel covers on racing planes during the era of the Thompson Trophy Air Races. The Speedster was powered by a 160 HP V-12 engine which displaced 445 cubic inches. Around this time it is believed that among the Hollywood notables that owned Packard Speedsters were both Clark Gable and Douglas Fairbanks. The Ford Trimotor was introduced in 1926 and between 1926 and 1933 Ford produced approximately 200 of these capable aircraft. Ford Trimotors remained in service long after they were made technically obsolete by more modern aircraft, and it is reputed that one aircraft built in 1928 was still in regular service as late as 1970. Admiral Byrd utilized a 4-AT version of the Trimotor for his 1929 Antarctic expedition. The Ford Trimotor played an important role in introducing commercial aviation to the general public during the years of the Great Depression. The basic model carried eleven passengers and a crew of two, had a cruising speed of 107 MPH, an operational ceiling of 16,500 feet, and a range of 570 miles. Due to its corrugated metal exterior skin the Trimotor was affectionately known as the Tin Goose. The Tin Goose had a wingspan of nearly 78 feet, and was fifty feet in length. In 1930 Transcontinental and Western Air (TWA) began the first coast-to-coast commercial service utilizing Ford Trimotors. The trip took only thirty-six hours, if the weather was cooperative. 1934 American Classics by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0184
The Glen L. Martin Company had a long history as a designer and manufacturer of successful flying boats. The company had developed several different flying boats for the Navy, including the PM the P3M and the XP2M. However, when the company began considering the development of a large commercial flying boat for Pan Am, there was considerable internal controversy. The Great Depression was underway and many aircraft manufacturers were going bankrupt. Glenn Martin insisted that the company proceed, and lie was highly motivated to show the world that his organization could design and produce the finest flying boat ever built. The end product of their efforts was the M-130. Credit for its design is shared with Martins Chief Engineer (L.C. Milburn), the Project Engineer (L.D. McCarthy), test pilot (WX. Ebel), and Pail Ams Chief Engineer (Andre Priester.) The first of the three MA 3 Os was the China Clipper. It made its maiden flight on December 30, 1934. The M- 130 had a wingspan of 130 feet, a gross weight of 5 1,000 pounds, and was initially powered by four Twin Wasp radials generating 830-HP each. (In 1938 more powerful engines and automatically adjustable pitch props were refitted onto all three M-130s.) The M-130 had a capacity of 32 passengers, and were equipped with 18 sleeping births. They were flown by a crew of eight professionals. The practical range of the aircraft with a normal load was about 3000-miles, which at a typical cruising speed of 130-MPH implied an endurance of almost 24 hours in the air. One unique design feature of the M-130 was the use of sponsons, or water wings, which actually helped the aircraft lift off from the water. The three M-130s were christened the China, Hawaii and Philippine Clippers by Pan Am. The China Clipper was accepted by Pan Am in October of 1935. In November this aircraft flew from Alameda, California to Manila in the Philippines; completing the 8,200 mile journey with a total flight time of 59 hours and 48 minutes. It arrived in Manila only two minutes behind its scheduled arrival time. The Philippine Clipper entered service next and was used for survey flights to map the Manila to Hong Kong route. The Hawaii Clipper entered service in October of 1936. This aircraft, unfortunately was lost during a flight in 1938 from Guarn to Manila, and its fate is unknown. The Philippine Clipper was lost in 1943 on a flight from Hawaii to San Francisco. Lost in bad weather the plane hit a mountain northwest of the city. The China Clipper was utilized by the US Navy during the War, and was returned to Pan AM in late 1943. For the next year it flew the route from Miami to Africa. On the night of January 18, 1945 the China Clipper crashed while attempting a landing in Trinidad. At the time of this tragedy the aircraft had successfully flown more than three million miles. In Stan Stokes painting the China Clipper takes off from Hong Kongs busy harbor in the late 1930s. The China Clipper may be the best known and most-loved commercial aircraft in history. It signalled the beginning of long distance commercial airline service, which by revolutionizing international passenger travel and mail delivery, made the Earth a rnuch smaller place for all of its inhabitants. Hong Kong Clipper by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0186
The Handley Page H.P. 42 biplane airliner had a reputation unmatched in its day for reliability, safety, and passenger comfort. Imperial Airways, the British flag carrier during the between war period, was one of aviations pioneers when it came to establishing long range commercial air services. With the British Empire spanning the globe, effective long distance air service was important in linking both former and current colonies. In 1928 Imperial solicited proposals for a long distance airplane capable of flying the London to India air mail route. Handley Page won the bid for a total of eight new airliners. The large bi-plane design which was agreed upon had four radial engines, with two mounted on the upper wing and two on the lower wings on each side of the fuselage. With its triple finned tail assembly, this huge biplane was quite something to see. Despite its antiquated appearance the H.P. 42 had a very impressive passenger compartment which was quite luxurious. Inlaid wood paneling, twin lavatories, a full galley, comfortable seating, passenger ventilation controls, and wide windows gave the H.P. 42 ambiance comparable to some of the ocean liners of the day. The slight kink in the aircrafts fuselage gave rise to its flying banana nickname. Four aircraft were built for Imperials eastern route structure, which included the India and South Africa routes. These aircraft were powered by 9-cylinder 550-HP Bristol radials. The other four aircraft were utilized for the London-Paris shuttle and other continental routes, and were powered by a different engine, and contained a total of 38 passenger seats instead of the 24 passenger configuration for the longer routes. The H.P. 42 had a corrugated metal skin similar to both the Ford and Junkers Tri-motor designs of that era. With a cruising speed of only about 100-MPH the passenger amenities on these aircraft were greatly appreciated, especially if a stiff headwind was encountered. The aircraft, with its large wing area, had an incredibly short take off capability, and could become airborne in only 600 feet. As depicted in Stan Stokes painting Hannibal passes over the Pyramids in Egypt on its approach into Cairo, one of the stop over points on the London to India route. This journey would take more than six days, with no flying at night. Occasionally these aircraft would make stops at unattended desert fuel depots in order to refuel. These aircraft were in service for about eight years, with most of them attaining more than one million flight miles. The eight aircraft in the fleet, Hengist, Helena, Horatius, Hannibal, Heracles, Horsa, Hanno, and Hadrian chalked up more than 100,000 flight hours covering more than 10 million miles. Only one aircraft was lost in a fatal accident, as Hannibal disappeared over the Indian Ocean while being ferried back to England. Imperials Flying Bananas by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0187
The Douglas DC-6 and its successors would become the most popular and successful family of long-range civilian transport propeller driven aircraft in history. Although Lockheeds Constellation was technically superior to the Douglas DC-4, the former companys agreement with TWA prevented Lockheed from marketing the Connie to major airlines that competed with TWA. This created a window of opportunity for Douglas, and many airlines were anxious to purchase an improved version of the Douglas DC-4. During WW II Douglas built a lot of C-54 Skymaster aircraft, which was the military version of the DC-4. During the War, Douglas engineers interested the military in the concept of an improved version of the C-54 that would include a longer, and for the first time, pressurized fuselage, de-icing, and other enhancements. This improved Skymaster design evolved into the DC-6. Test flights on the first DC-6 prototype (c/n 36326) began in early 1946. This aircraft was bought by the USAAF, and later sold to a non-scheduled U.S. airline. This particular aircraft flew many millions of miles before being lost in an accident in 1978. DC-6s entered commercial service with the airlines in 1947. American and United Air Lines both introduced the DC-6 at the same time. American had orders or options on fifty planes, while United had the same on another forty. Pan Am was also an early customer as was Sabena. Early DC-6 operations had some problems. A United DC-6 caught fire and crashed in Utah with the loss of all on board while another American DC-6 caught fire and had to crash land in New Mexico. The problem resulted in a temporary grounding of the plane, and the cause of these fires was discovered and rectified. The DC-6 was widely purchased by non-U.S. airlines, and the 29th aircraft produced was named Independence, and was purchased by the USAF for use by President Truman. The first variant of the DC-6 to appear was the DC-6A, a freight version of the aircraft, which had a lengthened fuselage and greater load capacity and range. The DC-6B, which is depicted in Stan Stokes painting, was the passenger version of the DC-6A. It was one of the most successful airliners of all time. It could be configured to carry as many as 105 passengers, but was more typically operated with between 60-70 seats. A total of 288 DC-6B aircraft were produced, more than any other DC-6 or DC-7 variant. Many of these aircraft were still in service as late as 1978-79, more than twenty years after their development. The DC-6B had excellent economics. The operating cost per seat mile to fly this aircraft coupled with very good maintenance experience with both the airframe and the P&W engines, made this aircraft a money maker for most of the airlines which flew it. United and American were both big buyers of the DC-6B, and no less than ten long haul European airlines flew this great Douglas aircraft. The DC-6B had a maximum speed of 360-MPH, a typical cruising speed of 315-MPH, and a maximum payload of nearly 25,000 pounds. The maximum range of this aircraft was about 4,300 miles. Chicago Homecoming by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0188
The Boeing Model 377 Stratocruiser was the commercial version of Boeings C-97 military transport. The first 377 was test flown on July 8, 1947. Stratocruisers were delivered to airlines in 1949 and 1950. Pan American, Northwest Orient, BOAC, United, and American Overseas Airlines were all customers. They sold for approximately $1.5 million each. Stratocruisers could accommodate anywhere from 55 to 100 passengers depending on configuration. With a pressurized cabin, Stratocruisers had a ceiling of 32,000 feet, thus permitting fights above the weather. Many were equipped with sleepers for long distance flights. The 377 had a large flight deck, and a lower passenger deck which was typically used as a lounge. With a wingspan of more than 141 feet, and a gross take off weight of 120,000 pounds, the Statocruiser was a big airplane. Powered by four Pratt and Whitney R-4360 engines, Statocruisers had a maximum speed of 375-MPH, and a range of more than 4,000 miles at a cruising speed of 340-MPH. Northwest Orient Airlines took delivery of ten Statocruisers. They differed from other Model 377s because they utilized rectangular windows. Later Northwest further modified these aircraft by adding a radar dome to the nose. Northwest flew the 377s for about ten years, and eventually traded them to Lockheed which sold some of them to Aero Space Lines. The latter company extensively modified these aircraft into what was one of the most unusual appearing aircraft which was nicknamed the pregnant guppy. In addition to lengthening the aircraft, a huge new upper hull section was added. A unique feature was the ability to detach the entire rear section of the fuselage to assist in cargo loading. These bulbous aircraft were utilized to transport very large spacecraft sections from various manufacturing plants to Cape Canaveral. By the early 1960s many of the 377s were being sold off by the primary airlines to secondary carriers, cargo airlines, or charter operators. Transocean Airlines of Oakland California obtained a large number of these aircraft which they modified to high density seating for charter operations. In Stan Stokes dramatic painting a Northwest Orient Airlines Stratocruiser departs the New York area in 1952. Outward Bound by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0189
Juan Trippe left Yale University in 1917 to enlist in the U.S. Navy. Trippe became a Naval Aviator on June 17, 1918. With the War nearing its end Trippe returned to Yale where he founded the Yale Flying Club. Writing in the May 1919 edition of The Yale Graphic, Juan speculated that the new Navy NC flying boats being introduced might be the first to successfully cross the Atlantic, and that eventually commercial flights across the Atlantic would be, a perfectly sane commercial proposition. Several years later Trippe was in control of Pan American Airways. Pan Am had a contract to fly mail to Havana utilizing Fokker triplanes. Trippe believed that flying boats possessed advantages in serving South America where rivers, harbors, or lagoons could make suitable airfields in locations where no adequate facilities existed. In 1927 Pan Am acquired its first flying boat, the twin-engine Sikorsky S-36. Five such aircraft were utilized to expand service to additional South American cities. A few years later Pan Am acquired the large four-engine Sikorsky S-40, which was piloted on its maiden flight from Miami to Panama by Charles Lindbergh. The S-40 was not capable of providing transoceanic service, but a later variant, the S-42, was. An S-42 was utilized to survey the San Francisco to Manila route, but the first commercial service was provided utilizing a Martin M-130, a significantly improved aircraft. The biggest and most luxurious of the Pan Am flying boats was the Boeing 314. This huge aircraft was 28 feet high, 106 feet long, and had a wingspan of 152 feet. Six of these aircraft were delivered to Pan Am in 1939, and they were utilized to provide the first transatlantic commercial service. Two of Pan Ams flying boats, or Clippers as they were more popularly referred to, are depicted in a beautiful south seas setting by aviation artist Stan Stokes. In the foreground taxing to the floating dock is the Dixie Clipper, a Boeing 314. The Dixie Clipper inaugurated the first regular transatlantic passenger service in June of 1939, and was utilized by President Roosevelt to attend the Casablanca Conference in 1943. In the background, having just lifted off, is the China Clipper, a Martin M-130. This is the aircraft which departed San Francisco for Manila in 1935, and became the first commercial passenger aircraft to cross the Pacific. In 1968 when Juan Trippe stepped down, Pan American Airways had developed an 80,000 mile international route structure which served 85 countries. Juan Trippe was a driving force behind the development of international air travel, and his marvelous flying boats played a major role in making the mans ambitions a reality. These Clippers were truly some of the classics of Americas great aviation heritage. Tahiti Clippers by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0192
The distinctive tri-tailed Lockheed Constellation, viewed by many as the epitome of piston-engine airliners, was the brain child of Howard Hughes who controlled Transcontinental & Western Airlines. Hughes drew up the initial specifications for this aircraft which was designed under the guidance of C.L. Kelly Johnson. As one of the largest airplanes designed up to that point, the Connie had a number of firsts including hydraulically boosted controls, high lift wing flaps, and a fully pressurized cabin. The prototype was completed in 1942, but all production was shifted to military applications. Designated the C-69 by the USAAF, the Connie carried Orville Wright on his final flight during its service trials. The aircraft was well received and immediately set a number of performance records. With the end of the War, and the onset of the post war recession, the Connie was almost canceled. FAA certification was granted on October 14, 1945. For safety purposes, due to past fire problems with the R-3350 engines, fire detection and extinguishing systems were added. The Model 49 had a maximum takeoff weight of 86,250 lbs. Eighty-eight Model 49s were sold, with TWA and Pan Am accounting for more than half the sales. The Constellation did not have a good safety record in its first few years of operation. One unusual accident occurred when the Plexiglas astrodome broke while the navigator was taking a fix. The navigator was, unfortunately, blown out of the aircraft. With the Model 649 Lockheed utilized more powerful engines, and for the first time utilized a rubber barrier between the inner and outer skins to reduce vibration. The 649 was faster, more economical, and had a much more comfortable cabin than the first Connie. Eighteen of these aircraft were delivered to Eastern. An improved version of the 649 was introduced in response to the DC-6, and was designated as the Model 749. This model had much greater fuel capacity and range. More than one hundred of these airliners were delivered. The Model 1049, or Super Constellation, was first delivered in 1952. It was basically a Model 749 which had been stretched some eighteen feet. Increased fuel capacity and more powerful engines were utilized. Unfortunately, the initial 1049s, with a gross maximum takeoff weight of 120,000 lbs, were slower than the DC-6. Only twenty-four Model 1049s were built. In 1953 Lockheed incorporated turbo-compound engines on the Model 1049C. This upped cruising speed to nearly 300 MPH, and takeoff weight by an additional 10%. Forty-eight of these aircraft were built, but the engines suffered from reliability problems. The major production model of the Super Connie was the 1049G. The G had 609 gallon wing tip tanks which added an additional 700 miles to the Connies range. The G Model also utilized square windows. The first 1049G flew in 1954. TWA purchased 28 of the 102 Super-Gs which were built. A total of 856 Connies, including military versions, were produced. The aircraft was phased out by major airlines prior to its useful life being reached because of the introduction of passenger jets. TWA phased out all its Constellations by 1963. In Stan Stokes magnificent painting, a TWA Super Connie departs San Francisco in 1957 for points unknown. Sentimental Journey by Stan Stokes.Click For DetailsSTK0193