Tel : 

  UK  01436 820269

View Basket / Checkout 
 US 441436 820269

Shipping Charges

Currency Conversion
 
Product Search            

OTHER AVAIATION SECTION

YOU ARE VIEWING: AVIATION PRINTS --> OTHER AVIATION

Other Aviation Prints

PREVIEW

TITLE

VIEW IN SHOP

CODE
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 Details B0008
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 Details B0009
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 Details B0032
RAF air, sea Wessex rescue helicopter shown over the needles Willing Workhorse by Ivan Berryman. Click For Details B0095
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 Details B0097
B102. Amy Johnson by Ivan Berryman. Amy Johnson by Ivan Berryman. Click For Details B0102
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 Details B0126
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 Details B0128
B129. Concorde over Manhattan by Ivan Berryman. Concorde over Manhattan by Ivan Berryman. Click For Details B0129
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 Details B0131
French Armee de L air Curtiss Hawk 75As flown by Czech ace Frantisele Pevina and his squadron Commander Captaine Jean Accaut, dive on unsuspecting Junker Ju87Bs (Stukas) during the Battle of France 1940. Czech - Mate by David Pentland. Click For Details DHM0580
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 Details DHM0775
British Midlands 737 (300 series) en route from London to Belfast. 1993. Boeing 737 by David Pentland. Click For Details DHM0777
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 Details DHM0787
Hypothetical engagement, Soviet airforce MIG19 shoots down a USAF RB47 Stratofortress during the 1960s. Cold War Gone Hot by David Pentland. Click For Details DHM0799
Albatros DV piloted by Austro-Hungarian Ace Lt. Josef Kiss, Austrian Alps in December 1917. Christmas Kiss - Albatros DV by David Pentland. Click For Details DHM1193
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 Details DHM1302
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 Details DHM1304
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 Details DHM1305
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 Details DHM1426
DHM1451. Inbound to Bovingdon by E Nisbit. Inbound to Bovingdon by E Nisbit. Click For Details DHM1451
DHM1452. The Central Corridor Level 75 One Eleven by E Nisbit. The Central Corridor Level 75 One Eleven by E Nisbit. Click For Details DHM1452
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 Details DHM1545
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 Details DHM1549
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 Details DHM1576
One of Frances most venerated pilots in World War 1 was Capitaine Georges Guynemer whose final victory tally has never been fully established, although he has been officially credited with 53 kills. It is more likely, however, that his actual total was nearer to 88! He is shown here in his Spad S.VII having just claimed his 31st victim, a Gotha bomber. Capitaine Georges Guynemer by Ivan Berryman. Click For Details DHM1588
Surely one of the most irrepressible aces of World War 1, Frenchman Charles Nungessers victory total of 43 confirmed kills and a further 11 probables was achieved despite surviving a number of crashes and accidents from which he always bounced back in defiance of his quite severe injuries. His fame and prowess brought him a personal challenge from his German adversaries to take part in a one-on-one combat. Accepting the challenge, the lone Nungesser encountered not one, but six, enemy aircraft and promptly sent two of them down in flames. In this picture, his Emblems of Mortality personal motif is clearly seen on the side of his Nieuport 23 as he sees off an Albatross toward the end of the war. Nungesser survived the Great War, only to be lost over the Atlantic when attempting a flight to New York in 1927. Sous-Lieutenant Charles Nungesser by Ivan Berryman. Click For Details DHM1590
After service in the 96th Infantry Regiment, Smirnov joined the XIX Corps Air Squadron in 1914, shooting down twelve enemy aircraft in the course of two years. When revolution swept through Russia in November 1917, he escaped the Bolsheviks via a White counter-revolutionary route, eventually joining the RAF in England, serving at the Central Flying School at Upavon. He is shown here in his silver Nieuport 17, having just despatched a Roland C.II. Captain Ivan Smirnov by Ivan Berryman. Click For Details DHM1623
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 Details DHM1678
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 Details DHM1680
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 Details DHM1738
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 Details DHM1769
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 Details DHM1774
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 Details DHM1775
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 Details DHM1797
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 Details DHM1803
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 Details DHM1804
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 Details DHM1806
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 Details DHM1811
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 Details DHM2125
A Soviet Yak 3 hurtles towards us in a typically daring head-on attack on a Bf109. Other Yaks wheel and turn frantically in search of the enemy. Casualties on both sides are evident. Away into the distant horizon stretches a vast Russian sky, painted in Roberts inimitable style: soon all will be quiet again until the next ferocious encounter. Russian Roulette by Robert Taylor. Click For Details DHM2167
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 Details DHM2222
<b>SOLD OUT. Concorde - Second to None by Stephen Brown. Click For Details DHM2234
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 Details DHM2238
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 Details DHM2281
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 Details DHM2282
Concorde and the Red Arrows minutes before the Queens Jubilee Fly past on 4th June 2003. The Jubilee Flight by Stephen Brown. Click For Details DHM2283
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 Details DHM2286
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 Brown Click For Details DHM2287
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 Details DHM2288
DHM2295. Concorde - Homeward Bound by Stephen Brown. Concorde - Homeward Bound by Stephen Brown Click For Details DHM2295
DHM2296. Concorde - On Final Approach by Stephen Brown. Concorde - On Final Approach by Stephen Brown Click For Details DHM2296
DHM2297. Concorde - Safely Home by Stephen Brown. Concorde - Safely Home by Stephen Brown Click For Details DHM2297
DHM2298. Concorde - The Last Goodbye by Stephen Brown. Concorde - The Last Goodbye by Stephen Brown. Click For Details DHM2298
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 Brown Click For Details DHM2315
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 Details DHM2334
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 Details DHM2457
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 Details DHM2458
Depicting a Pitcairn mailwing Early Morning Briefing by Barry Rowe. Click For Details DHM2461
Depicting a de Haviland US Mail - Coast to Coast by Barry Rowe. Click For Details DHM2462
December 7, 1941. Japanese Aichi dive-bombers make a final attempt to destroy the USS Nevada as she lay beached at Hospital Point. Behind her the destroyer USS Shaw is on fire, moments later she will explode. In the docks beyond, the battleship Pennsylvania, the cruiser Helena and the flagship Argonne can all be seen in the swirling palls of dense smoke. Remember Pearl Harbor! by Robert Taylor. (AP) Click For Details DHM2467
Dakota KN442 lands again at Gatow during the autumn of 1948 at the height of the Berlin Airlift as Yorks and Hastings wait to take off for the return. Each print is autographed by the pilot, navigator and signaller who flew KN442 on the airlift. KN442 is rare among airlift aircraft in that it still flies today as G-AMPZ for Air Atlantique more than 50 years on. Perpetual Motion by Robert Tomlin. Click For Details DHM2506
Dakota G-AMPZ (formerly KN442) of Air Atlantique resplendent in the commemorative livery of RAF Transport Command heads out across the English coast, back to Berlin? Still flying more than 50 years after serving valiantly on the Berlin Airlift, this aircraft carries out the bulk of the airlines passenger charters. These prints are signed by the current crew. Perpetual Motion II by Robert Tomlin. Click For Details DHM2507
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 Details DHM2510
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 Details DHM2518
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 Details DHM2522
The 2nd Squadron of Fighter-Bomber Wing 38 Friesland is the only squadron in Northern Germany to operate the Tornado weapon system. Their main task is to support the Main Defence Forces (HVK) to protect Germany and its Allies. Additionally their crews train co-operation between themselves and reaction forces of NATO and the UN. Friesland Scorpions by Robert Tomlin. Click For Details DHM2525
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 Details DHM2529
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 Details DHM2540
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 Details DHM2546
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 Details DHM2547
The Red Arrows fly in formation over Boness in Windermere, Cumbria, during the 1989 season. This superb limited edition is signed by all 9 pilots of the Red Arrows. Delta Roll by Geoffrey R Hendrickx. Click For Details DHM2578
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 Details DHM2582
<b>One copy available of this sold out edition. </b> Spitfires Over Darwin by Robert Taylor. Click For Details DHM2683
Richard Taylors painting recreates an encounter on 19th February 1945. As dawn breaks over the Pacific, a determined force of Japanese Ki-44s launch a surprise attack on a large formation of USAAF B-29 Superfortresses as they approach the Japanese mainland. B-29 gunners let rip as one fighter flashes past, with a second fighter closing at high speed. Chunks of the B-29s port wing and aileron have been taken out in the initial attack, and with another Japanese fighter fast on its tail, the outcome of this particular encounter hangs in the balance. A total of ten Superfortresses fell victim that day. Threatening Skies by Richard Taylor. Click For Details DHM2709
Mig21MF, East German Airforce. Such aircraft were the mainstay of the Warsaw Pact forces from the 1960s through to the 1980s. Cold War Warrior by David Pentland. Click For Details DP0003
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 Details DP0007
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 Details DP0013
Porucznik Stanislaw Skalski of 142nd Eskrada, flying a Polish airforce PZL P-11c, downs a Messerschmitt 110 during the first days of WWII. Although officially credited as a Dornier bomber, it is now believed that the aircraft was an Me110 from 1/ZG1. The discrepancy is attributed to the fact that the reported aircraft used nose mounted cannons unlike the Dornier, and up until then the 110 was a well kept secret. Opening Gambit, Poland, 2nd September 1939 by David Pentland. Click For Details DP0017
British European Airways aircraft enroute to Northern Ireland. Vickers Vanguard 1970s by David Pentland. Click For Details DP0024
British Caledonian Airways BAC one-eleven over Aldergrove. BAC111 (One Eleven) 1980s by David Pentland. Click For Details DP0028
Ulster Airways Dakota landing at Aldergrove airport. Air Ulster DC3 Dakota, 1960s by David Pentland. Click For Details DP0029
British European Airways aircraft on the London/Belfast route. BA Trident by David Pentland. Click For Details DP0030
Cargo Carrier Northeast aircraft over Belfast Lough. Vickers Viscount by David Pentland. Click For Details DP0031
Lockheed Vega flying from America to Lithuania on a second transatlantic attempt. Lithuanica II by David Pentland. Click For Details DP0033
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 Details GC0142
GC193. British Aerospace Concorde by Gerald Coulson. British Aerospace Concorde by Gerald Coulson. Click For Details GC0193
Supersonic Concorde at Mach 2, high above the North Atlantic. Concorde by Michael Turner. Click For Details GT0069
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 Details GT0151
A Grob Viking glider belonging to the Air Cadets glides majestically over the English countryside. Air Cadet Glider by Ivan Berryman. Click For Details IBF0038
Hot air ballooning enthusiasts gather for a weekend meet. There is not much to beat the feeling of sitting in a hot air balloon basket as you float across the countryside. Hot Air Balloons by Ivan Berryman. Click For Details IBF0065
In 1948 Stalins ruthless rule over post-war Eastern Europe was extended to a blockade of the land supply routes to West Berlin in an attempt to starve the city into surrender. The freedom of West Berlins 2 million population was maintained during 1948 and 1949 by a massive airlift of food, coal and supplies over the Iron Curtain and the will of Berliners not to capitulate in the face of Stalins Cold War. The Berlin Airlift - Tempelhof captures just one moment in the thousands of landings. The Berlin Airlift - Tempelhof 1948 by Barry Price. Click For Details LE0045
LE252. Singing Wires by Gerald Coulson. Singing Wires by Gerald Coulson. Click For Details LE0252
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 Details LE0851
LEX15. Hero of the Sky - Concorde by Barry Price. Hero of the Sky - Concorde by Barry Price. Click For Details LEX0015
A wintery morning take-off portrayal of a Boeing E-3A Sentry AWACS aircraft. Boeing E-3A Sentry by Michael Rondot. Click For Details MR0016
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 Details MR0034
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 Details MR0058
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 Details MR0062
<b>Last copies of this otherwise sold out edition available.</b> 747 Classic by Michael Rondot. Click For Details MRX0004
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 Details MRX0005
N68. British Airways Concorde by Barry Price. British Airways Concorde by Barry Price. Click For Details NTR0068
N86. Delta Golf by Barry Price. <b>The first British production Concorde G-BBDG. Delta Golf by Barry Price. Click For Details NTR0086
<b>SOLD OUT. Concorde Formation by Robert Taylor. Click For Details RST0017
A four-man Special Forces patrol exit a C-130 Hercules to perform a HALO freefall insertion from 25,000ft. HALO (High Altitude, Low Opening) operations enable Special Forces to be covertly inserted into hostile territory, often under the cover of darkness. Equipped with oxygen and heavily laden with weapons, ammunition, explosives, task specific equipment and other supplies. Special Forces HALO by Stuart Brown Click For Details SBR0008
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 Brown Click For Details SBR0009
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 Details SOR0001
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 Details STK0009
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 Details STK0010
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 Details STK0011
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 Details STK0013
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 Details STK0017
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 Details STK0018
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 Details STK0048
James Edgar (Johnnie) Johnson was the Royal Air Forces top fighter ace in Europe with 38 confirmed victories during the War. Johnson was called up in 1939 following his training with the RAF Volunteer Reserve. Having been hospitalized for much of the Battle of Britain, Johnsons first serious action was in mid-1941 when he often flew with Douglas Baders section. Johnson was promoted quickly and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross following his fifth victory in 1941. In early 1943 Johnson was put in command of a wing of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Flying the high-performance Supermarine Spitfire Mark IX, Johnson achieved 18 victories in seven months of flying. Many of Johnsons victories were achieved against the Messersmitt Bf-109. Promoted to Group Captain in early 1945, Johnson was put in command of the 125 Wing for the duration of the War. The Supermarine Spitfire is the only Allied fighter to have been continuously produced from before 1939 to after 1945. In total more than 22,000 of these splendid aircraft were built. The chief designer of the Spitfire was R.J. Mitchell, a brilliant engineer who joined the Supermarine company in 1916, and by 1920 was its chief engineer. Mitchell fashioned a number of high performance maritime aircraft, culminating with the sleek S series of float planes. This is the float plane which ultimately won permanent possession of the coveted Schneider Trophy for Britain, and established a new world speed record in excess of 400 MPH in 1931. In that same year the Air Ministry issued a specification for a new high-performance day/night fighter. Mitchells design, the Type 224, lost out in the competition to the Gloster Gladiator biplane. In 1936 the new Rolls Royce Merlin engine was fitted to a prototype 224, and the Spitfire was born. Achieving a speed of 396 MPH, the RAF was impressed, and initial orders for the first Spitfires were placed. Sadly, R.J. Mitchell succumbed to cancer in 1937 at the age of only 42. With the onset of the War, Spitfire production soared, and the aircraft was steadily improved. The Mark IX, as depicted in Stan Stokes painting entitled Canadian Heroes, first entered service in July 1942. The Mark IX was identifiable because of its four-bladed prop and its twin radiators. Introduced partially in response to Germanys introduction of the Focke Wolfe FW 190, the Mark IX was produced in greater numbers (5,665) than any other particular Spitfire model. As depicted in Stokes painting Johnnie Johnson has just attained another victory over a Bf-109 while flying with the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1944. The painting is dedicated to the many Canadians which served with the RAF during the War. Canadian Heroes by Stan Stokes. Click For Details STK0113
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 Details STK0118
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 Details STK0119
In 1941 the advancing German forces had obliterated the Soviet Air Force. During the first week of fighting the Luftwaffe had destroyed more than 4000 Soviet aircraft. Huge numbers of aircraft were destroyed hopelessly on the ground, and those that took to the sky were often outclassed by superior equipment flown by more experienced pilots. The decimation of the Soviet Air Force during the fighting in 1941 was shocking, but even more remarkable is the story of the comeback of the Soviet Air Force. The Soviets had been blessed during their history with many excellent aviation designers and engineers. Zhukovsky, Sikorsky, Tupolev, Polikarpov, Mikoyan, Lavochkin, and Gurevich to name but a few. The Germans smashed the pride the nation had in its Air Forces, but the Soviets fought back. Most of the Soviet fighters at the start of the War were obsolete Polikarpov I-153s or I-16s. Some Mig 3s were available, but the Mig 3 was a poor performer at low altitudes, and was too unstable and too lightly armed to tangle with German fighters. The Lavotchkin LA-7 and the Yakovlev Yak-3 were two excellent new fighter designs that gave the Soviets some competitive edge, and an important ground support aircraft was the Il-2 Sturmovik. It is a miracle that the Soviets were able to produce these aircraft in large volumes. Production factories had to be moved east out of the range of German bombers, and the Soviets imported a large number of foreign made aircraft including the Bell P-39 Airacobra. In November of 1943 one of the fiercest aerial combat battles of all time took place. During a battle near the Kuban River, Russian and German aircraft clashed by the hundreds. For the first time since the German invasion in 1941, the Red Air Force prevailed. For the first time the Soviets took the initiative, sending wave after wave of modern new aircraft into combat against the Luftwaffe. In the air the Soviets earned their first victory over the Germans… a sign of things to come. During the Battle of Kursk in mid-1943, the Luftwaffe amassed nearly 2000 aircraft, however the Soviets had more than twice that number. This numerical superiority paid off during the fighting, In Stan Stokes painting a Mig-3 targets a Dornier Flying Pencil. More than 3000 Mig-3s were produced, but the aircraft was effective only in the role of high altitude interceptor or reconnaissance aircraft. At lower altitudes it was outclassed. The Do-17 was a prewar design that first entered service in 1937. The aircraft was enhanced with a 215 and 217 variant. The bomber version had a crew of 4 and was capable of carrying as much as a 9,000 pound bomb loads. With a maximum speed of 320-MPH the Flying Pencil could be elusive. The Pencil Eraser by Stan Stokes. Click For Details STK0123
Twenty-four hours prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor Japanese fighters near the Gulf of Siam shot down a RAF Catalina flying boat. The RAF aircraft had stumbled across the Japanese Southern Expeditionary Fleet proceeding to Malaya with a powerful invasion force. With many of its carriers approaching Pearl Harbor, the Japanese invasion force was dependent on land-based air cover. The Japanese Navys 22nd Air Flotilla had relocated to bases in French Indochina. Also within range were Army aircraft flying out of the Saigon area. The Japanese had several hundred aircraft at their disposal. On the British side there was a collection of approximately 150 mostly obsolete and poorly maintained aircraft including Brewster Buffalos, Vildebeast torpedo bombers, Blenheim light bombers, and Hudson patrol aircraft. The British had reinforced their naval forces in the area in November with the arrival of Force Z. Force Z included the old battle cruiser Repulse and the new state-of-the-art battleship Prince of Wales. It had also included the aircraft carrier Indomitable, but that ship had unhappily run aground in the West Indies. Force Z was sent north, under radio silence, to seek out the Japanese invasion force. Guided by some reports from a submarine, a force of 53 Japanese aircraft from the 22nd Air Flotilla took off on a mission to intercept the British force. Flying twin-engine G3M Nell and G4M1 Betty bombers, mostly armed with torpedoes, the Japanese pilots flew southwards through darkness and heavy clouds. Finally spotting something, the aircraft proceeded to attack position, but realized at the last minute that they were preparing to attack Admiral Ozawas flagship. About the same time, Force Z made contact with two scout planes launched from Ozawas cruisers. Disappointed that they had lost any element of surprise, the British force turned back. The next day the force was spotted by Japanese reconnaissance aircraft and their position was established for another attack force of nearly 100 aircraft. The Repulse was attacked first by a low level bombing run by Nells. Two waves of torpedo bomber attacks then followed. Captain Tennant, the ships commander twisted and swerved his ship, managing to dodge all the torpedoes. A third wave resulted in a single torpedo hit; exposing the old ship to nine more torpedo bombers. Four more torpedoes struck home, and the Repulse rolled over and sunk. The Prince of Wales was attacked by an initial wave of nine torpedo bombers, and suffered two hits. Mortally wounded she was attacked by a second wave of torpedo bombers. This time 4 more torpedoes struck home. She capsized and sank a few hours after the Repulse had preceded her. The demise of the Repulse and the Prince of Wales marked the end of the Battleship Era. Never again could powerful ships feel any security as long as unopposed enemy airpower was in range. The Brits Get Burned by Stan Stokes. Click For Details STK0126
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 Details STK0128
Hitlers Operation Barbarossa was designed to destroy the Red Army utilizing huge battles of annihilation along a wide front. The plan failed for several reasons, one of which is the fact that they never gained complete air superiority over the Red Army, which showed an amazing ability to produce huge numbers of aircraft despite the destruction of many production plants. Generally speaking, public awareness and information regarding the air war in Russia during WW II is negligible in America. One of Mother Russias greatest pilots was Ivan Kozhedub, and one of its most effective aircraft was the La-7 fighter. S.A Lavochkin teamed with V.P. Gorbunov in 1938 to design and develop a new Soviet fighter. The specification called for a simple, easy-to-build aircraft, which could be built quickly in very large numbers. The design was required to utilized no alloys which might be scarce in a wartime economy. Late in 1940 the La GG-1 prototype was delivered. Although a bit slower than its Mig and Yak rivals, the Lavochkin design had decent maneuverability, and was capable of sustaining a lot of combat damage. By 1942 the La-5FN variant had evolved. The La-5FN had improved performance, handling, and pilot visibility. Utilized in the Battle of Stalingrad the Russians nicknamed the aircraft the Wooden Saver of Stalingrad. The La-5FN was powered by a Shvetson 14 cylinder radial engine capable of 1,700 HP. With a wingspan of only 32 feet the La-5 was one of the smallest and lightest fighters of WW II. This gave the aircraft some unique advantages in dogfighting situations. Lavochkin was awarded a Stalin Prize and his design and production bureau received upgraded status. In 1943 production switched to the La-7, a noticeably more attractive aircraft with a redesigned wing, a relocated oil cooler and supercharger, and heavier armament. The La-7 utilized some light alloys for the first time, and approximately 6,000 aircraft were produced. Capable of speeds of 423 MPH at 10,000 feet. Many believe that the La-7 may have been the top dogfighting fighter of WW II. In total more than 30,000 Lavochkin fighters were produced. As depicted in Stan Stokes painting entitled Ivan the Terrible, Ivan Kozhedub is piloting his Lavochkin La-7 in a dogfight with a German Fw-190. Ivan Kozhedub, with 62 aerial victories, was the top scoring Allied fighter pilot of WW II. Ivan was assigned to the front in 1943 in time for the Great Battle of Kursk. He was assigned to one of the first units to fly the new Lavochkin La-5 fighters. In July of 1943 Ivan notched his first victory, a Junkers-87. By the end of the Battle of Kursk, Kozhedub had been promoted to Eskadrill Commander, and had been awarded the Order of the Red Banner. In 1944 Ivan was assigned to a crack unit of the 176th Guards IAP. This unit was moved from place to place where they could do the most good, and as a result Kozhedub saw plenty of action. Ivan attained 45 confirmed victories while piloting the La-5, and then 17 additional ones while piloting the La-7, including one over an Me-262 Swallow jet fighter. His last two victories (long-nosed Fw-190s) came near wars end over Berlin. Kozhedub was awarded three Hero of the Soviet Union awards and the Order of Lenin. Ivan the Terrible by Stan Stokes. Click For Details STK0130
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 Details STK0132
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 Details STK0137
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 Details STK0181
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 Details STK0187
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 Details STK0188
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 Details STK0189
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 Details STK0192
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 Details STK0193
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 Details STK0194
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 Details STK0196
Although it has been more than sixty years since they first flew, the DC-3 and C-47 Gooney Birds are legendary, with more than 1,000 still utilized throughout the world. In the early 1930s Boeing was working on its all metal Model 247, and the first 60 aircraft were promised to United Air Lines. Douglas Aircraft made a bold proposal to TWA, and in combination they attempted to develop an all metal passenger airliner which would out perform Boeings 247. This new prototype airliner was the DC-1, and the first aircraft was delivered in less than nine months. TWA liked what it saw and ordered twenty DC-2s, the first production variant, and the first production model flew in May 1934. The DC-2 was a money maker for the airlines and nearly two hundred were produced. In 1934 American Airlines approached Douglas Aircraft about developing an aircraft with the performance and reliability of the DC-2, but with the passenger comforts of the Curtis Condor bi-plane. Douglas Aircraft moved slowly and reluctantly, fearing that American Airlines might fail during the depression. However, finally an agreement was reached for Douglas to produce ten new DC-3s for American at a price of $79,500 each. The DC-3, although similar in general appearance to the DC-2, was in fact largely an entirely new aircraft. Utilizing new 1,000 HP Wright radial engines, the DC-3 had a cabin more similar to Pullman railway cars. Passenger lavatories were installed and increased insulation was utilized to reduce cabin noise. American Airlines formally accepted delivery of its first DC-3 in April 1936, and by 1937 production of the DC-2 had ceased. Seating was 28 on the DC-3, twice that of the DC-2. Despite a recession induced reduction in the number of passenger aircraft in service in the United States during the second half of the decade, by 1940 more than half of the passenger aircraft in service in America were Douglas DC-3s. With the outbreak of WW II Douglas was flooded with orders for a military transport version of the DC-3, the C-47. Initially called the Skytrain, the C-47 was capable of carrying 28 troops or 6,000 pounds of cargo. With more than 10,000 aircraft produced between 1935 and 1947, the DC-3 and C-47 greatly exceeded any expectations Douglas ever had for the aircraft. With the end of the war many C-47s were converted back to DC-3s, and this aircraft became the backbone of the civilian airliner fleet in almost every nation in the world. During the 1950s the Gooney Birds were slowly shifted to secondary routes as newer high performance aircraft were introduced. In Stan Stokes marvelous painting entitled Staggerwing and Gooney Bird, a United Airlines DC-3 is depicted at Santa Barbara Airport in the early 1950s. Another classic aircraft, the Beech Staggerwing is parked near the Gooney Bird. Staggerwing and Gooney Bird by Stan Stokes. Click For Details STK0197
The jet transport age got underway in earnest in 1954 when the Boeing 707 prototype (Dash 80) made its maiden flight from Renton Field in Seattle. This was the culmination of a multi-year $16 million project, and the maiden flight coincided with the 38th anniversary of the Boeing Company. Powered by four Pratt & Whitney turbojets the swept-winged aircraft was the first in more than 1,000 707 commercial transport aircraft that would be built by Boeing through May 1991. Pan American Airways inaugurated trans-Atlantic jet service, utilizing the Boeing 707, in October of 1958. Some variants of the 707 were introduced, including the 707-320 for long distance intercontinental service, and the 720 series that was lighter and faster and could operate in and out of shorter length runways. The KC/C-135 tanker and transport aircraft were based on the 707. More than 800 of these aircraft were built during a long production run. The 707 became the first jet aircraft utilized for Presidential transport and served in that capacity until 1990 when two 747-200s replaced the 707s. The history of Air Force One dates to 1944 when a C-54 was put into operational service for flying President Franklin Roosevelt. Nicknamed the Sacred Cow, this C-54 was the first Air Force One. Later, Harry Truman would fly in a DC-6 nicknamed Independence. Dwight Eisenhower utilized two prop driven aircraft nicknamed Columbine I and Columbine II. President Kennedy became the first jet age President when his VC-137 (Boeing 707) went into service. It was Kennedys aircraft that popularized the term Air Force One. In 1962, a C-137C, with the tail number 26000 went into service. It is perhaps the best-known and most historically significant presidential aircraft. It carried President Kennedy to Dallas on November 22, 1963, and while returning his body, following the assassination, was the site for the swearing in of Lyndon Johnson as President. This same aircraft flew LBJs body back to Texas for burial following his state funeral in January of 1973. In 1972 President Nixon made historically significant trips to the Soviet Union and the Peoples Republic of China in this aircraft. Tail number 26000 was relegated to a lesser role in the Air Mobility Command and was not fully retired from service until 1998. She is on display at the U.S. Air Force Museum in Ohio. In Stan Stokes dramatic painting Air Force One makes a low altitude pass over Mt. Rushmore. Air Force One by Stan Stokes. Click For Details STK0199
The De Havilland Aircraft Company was founded by Geoffrey de Havilland, and Englishman who was born in 1882. He became fascinated with aircraft as a young man, and with the assistance of a wealthy grandfather pursued his first aircraft design. The first major success of this start-up company was the DH-4, a two seat bomber. This design was licensed to the US military, and more than 5,000 DH-4s were built. Following WW I de Havilland set up an internal engine design and manufacturing capability that was utilized to great success with their series of Moth trainers. De Havilland Aircraft was one of the early leaders in jet aircraft. They built the first jet aircraft the Comet that entered service in 1952. Unfortunately the Comet had some structural flaws that caused break-up of the aircraft in mid-flight. Withdrawing the aircraft and returning to the drawing boards cost the Company the lead and they never caught-up to either Boeing or Douglas. De Havilland Canada was set up in 1928 as a subsidiary of the U.K. company. Following WW II the Canadians wished to make their own mark. They developed the Chipmunk, a successful, all metal trainer that was purchased by many countries. The Canadian company also saw the opportunity to design and build an aircraft especially built for the rugged northern bush country of Canada. The Company surveyed many bush pilots and the result was the development of the Beaver, possibly the most successful bush plane of all time. The Beaver first flew in 1947. It was an immediate hit, with its ability to handle rough terrain, and operate with floats or skis. Thirteen countries purchased the Beaver for military use, and it was nicknamed the generals jeep for its ability to shuffle top brass in and out of remote areas. The other aircraft in Stans painting is a Noorduyn Norseman. It was first flown in 1935 and went into production in 1936. The aircraft was 32 feet in length and had a wingspan of more than 51 ft. A Pratt and Whitney Wasp 9-cylinder engine putting out 550-HP powered the Norseman. It had a cruising speed on 150-MPH, a service ceiling of 22,000 feet, and a range of 600 miles. With a single pilot, a Norseman could carry 8-9 passengers. A total of 904 Norseman were built. The aircraft was flown by the RCAF, USAAF and many commercial and private airlines. The Norseman had a reputation as a solid, well-built, reliable aircraft, and it was widely used in bush flying where it could be utilized with wheels, floats, or skis. Unfortunately, Glen Miller, the famous American bandleader, was lost during the War while flying in a Norseman. One theory is that Millers aircraft may have been accidentally destroyed by Lancaster Bombers dumping bombs over the English Channel prior to landing. Gone Fishing by Stan Stokes. Click For Details STK0200

RETURN TO MAIN MENU