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CVA-66 America is silhouetted against the sunset with a cruiser and destroyer in background. An F04 takes the cat stroke, while an A-4 prepares for launch. On Deck are an A-3 Sky Warrior and 2 RA-55. America on the Move by William S Phillips. Click For Details AX0002
One secondary market print available, numbered 50 / 1500. Union Fleet Passing Vicksburg by Tom Lovell. Click For Details AX0028
Cpt. Arleigh Burkes destroyers engage Japanese destroyers, Nov 25th 1943. The Little Beavers at the Battle of cape St George by R G Smith. Click For Details AX0068
B61. USS Oakland Escorting the Damaged USS Lexington by Ivan Berryman. USS Oakland Escorting the Damaged USS Lexington by Ivan Berryman Click For Details B0061
The view across Battleship Row, viewed from above Ford Island as the USS Nevada gallantly makes her break for the open sea, coming under heavy attack from Japanese A6M2s from the carrier Hiryu. The Nevada was eventually too badly damaged to continue and was beached to avoid blocking the harbour entrance. In the immediate foreground, the lightly damaged USS Tennessee is trapped inboard of USS West Virginia which has sunk at her moorings, leaking burning oil and hampering the daring operations to pluck trapped crew members from her decks, while just visible to the right is the stern of the USS Maryland and the capsized Oklahoma. Attack on Pearl Harbor by Ivan Berryman Click For Details B0066
Americas first true aircraft carrier, the USS Langley (CV-1) is pictured making way at sea as a pair of Douglas DT-2s pass overhead. USS Langley by Ivan Berryman Click For Details B0215
B300P. Tokyo Raid, Doolittles B25 Launch from USS Hornet by Ivan Berryman. Tokyo Raid, Doolittles B25 Launch from USS Hornet by Ivan Berryman (P) Click For Details B0300
Late October 1942 in the waters east of Guadalcanal, the Battle of Santa Cruz saw the sinking of the US carrier Hornet, in what proved to be the last major carrier battle of the South Pacific theatre. USS Hornet, Eye of the Storm by Anthony Saunders Click For Details DHM0447
By June 1944 the US Fleet had made a huge leap across the Pacific to the Marianas, a small group of Japanese held islands of which Saipan would prove the most difficult to overcome. The landing were supported by the US 5th Fleet, which included USS North Carolina together with an increasingly powerful armada of battle hardened warships. USS North Carolina ,Saipan Bound by Anthony Saunders Click For Details DHM0448
DHM517. USS Indiana, First Tour of Duty by Anthony Saunders. USS Indiana, First Tour of Duty by Anthony Saunders Click For Details DHM0517
USS Missouri and HMS King George V head south to Tokyo for the surrender, after completing the last shore bombardment of mainland Japan, 1945. Setting of the Sun by Randall Wilson. Click For Details DHM0723
USS Long Beach became the first ship to ever shoot down aircraft using missiles. She is seen firing two Talos Missiles that downed two MIGs at a range of 80 miles in May 1968. Birds Away by Randall Wilson. Click For Details DHM0726
USS Maddox engaging North Vietnamese torpedo boats with 5-in gunfire, August 2nd, 1964, in the Gulf of Tonkin. USS Maddox by Randall Wilson. Click For Details DHM0727
The USS Colorado holds the all time record of 37 consecutive days of firing at an enemy and the record of 24 direct enemy air attacks in 62 days both while at Okinawa. USS Colorado Okinawa by Anthony Saunders.  Click For Details DHM0730
In February 1945, 850 square miles of volcanic rock became the most strategically important island in the South Pacific. From Iwo Jima heavy bombers would be able to raid Japanese cities almost at will. Even with its overwhelming military might, the Americans would have to pay a heavy price for such a seemingly small island.  USS Tennessee During the Landings at Iwo Jima by Anthony Saunders. Click For Details DHM0731
USS New Jersey seen battling her way through a Hurricane in 1944. USS New Jersey, batten down the Hatches by Randall Wilson. Click For Details DHM0736
CVN 65 USS Enterprise on her first deployment in the Gulf of Tonkin. On this day she flew 165 sorties, a carrier record! Two A4 Skyhawks head towards a bombing mission while an F4 phantom rides escort. Yankie Station by Randall Wilson. Click For Details DHM0737
In support of the American landings at Utah and Omaha beaches, the USS Texas slugs it out with German heavy gun emplacements during the D-Day landings. Gunline Omaha by Randall Wilson. Click For Details DHM0738
On 17th June 1944, 780 miles west of Saipan in Mid Pacific, the Gato class submarine USS Cavalla dives after a lucky sighting of a Japanese Naval Task Force, which included the aircraft carriers Taiho, Shokaku and Zuikaku. The Cavalla then trailed the Japanese, attacking and sinking the Shokaku on the 19th. A Chance Encounter by Robert Barbour. Click For Details DHM0764
On 29th and 30th April 1944, while surfaced close to jagged reefs, and Japanese shore guns, the USS Tang rescued 22 downed flyers from Task Force 58s strikes against enemy positions on the islands - This was the largest rescue of airmen by a submarine in the war. USS Tang, The Life Guard of Truk Atoll by Robert Barbour. Click For Details DHM0767
At dawn on the 7th December 1941, 350 Japanese warplanes flew from their carriers and attacked the US pacific fleet at Pearl harbor, on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. the attack concentrated on Battleship Row which included USS California (Left) and USS Nevada (Right) which was the only battleship to get underway during the attack. However coming under intense bomb attack she was later beached. For the Japanese the success was not total, as the US carrier fleet was out on manoeuvres on the day of the attack. Pearl Harbor, USS California, by Anthony Saunders Click For Details DHM0814
The first light of dawn silhouettes the massive outline of the Yorktown class carrier USS Enterprise, in mid April 1944 she was partnered by the new Essex Class carrier USS Lexington. Dawn Enterprise by Anthony Saunders Click For Details DHM0930
BB61 Iowa, was commissioned in February 1943 at the New York Navy yard. her first mission was to the North Atlantic in August 1943 to neutralise the threat of the German Battleship Tirpitz. By early 1944 she joined the Pacific fleet taking part in many of the major battles including Saipan, Leyte Gulf and Okinawa. She was re-commissioned in 1951 for the Korean war and again in April 1984. USS Iowa leaving New York by Anthony Saunders. Click For Details DHM0931
Two F14 Tomcats of VF-1 pass in close formation over the stern of the veteran USS Ranger (CV-61) USS Ranger by Ivan Berryman. Click For Details DHM0985
A pair of F18 Hornets overfly the Nimitz-class carrier USS Dwight Eisenhower (CV-69) with the surface combatant USS Arleigh Burke (DDF-51) off her port bow. USS Dwight Eisenhower by Ivan Berryman. Click For Details DHM0986
USS Coral Sea (CV-43 being replenished by fast combat support ship USS Seattle (DE-3) as two of the carriers compliment of F.4s of VF-111 The Sundowners makes a low pass. USS Coral Sea by Ivan Berryman. Click For Details DHM0987
USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) refuels an Adams class Destroyer during a dusk operation off the Vietnam coast as a pair of E8 Crusaders are readied for launch on the forward catapults. USS Kitty Hawk by Ivan Berryman. Click For Details DHM0988
A Vought A-7 Corsair of VA-146 makes its final approach to the sprawling deck of the USS America, (CVA-66) as she skirts Vietnamese waters in company with a little Rock-class missile / command cruiser. The A-7 became the Navys prime weapon toward the end of the war, playing a vital role in the anti-radiation Linebacker Raids. USS America by Ivan Berryman. Click For Details DHM1018
USS Forrestal in preparation to launch an F14 Tomcat while in the Mediterranean , 1991, on her 21st and final operational deployment. USS Forrestal by Ivan Berryman. Click For Details DHM1019
In February 1944, USS Baltimore and Saratoga make up part of the formidable Task Force 58, forcing their way through the central pacific to attack the Japanese bases in the Marshal Islands in support of Operation Flintlock. USS Baltimore and Saratoga in the Pacific by Anthony Saunders. Click For Details DHM1047
USS Mississippi rides at anchor. A brief rest for the crew at the port of ADM Oldendorfs T.G. The ship is preparing for the Invasion of Okinawa. USS Mississippi BB41 by Randall Wilson. Click For Details DHM1049
USS Yorktown seen accompanied by her destroyers including USS Hammann shown under attack by Japanese Torpedo Bombers (Kates) during the battle of Midway. It was in this action that USS Yorktown was lost. USS Yorktown at the Battle of Midway by Anthony Saunders Click For Details DHM1097
In a 40 knot gale, Lt Col. Doolittles B25 hauls itself into the air. The first of a 16 strong strike force en route to Tokyo. USS Hornet. Doolittles Raiders by Ivan Berryman. Click For Details DHM1106
The view across Battleship Row, viewed from above Ford Island as the USS Nevada gallantly makes her break for the open sea, coming under heavy attack from Japanese A6M2s from the carrier Hiryu. The Nevada was eventually too badly damaged to continue and was beached to avoid blocking the harbour entrance. In the immediate foreground, the lightly damaged USS Tennessee is trapped inboard of USS West Virginia which has sunk at her moorings, leaking burning oil and hampering the daring operations to pluck trapped crew members from her decks, while just visible to the right is the stern of the USS Maryland and the capsized Oklahoma. The Raid on Pearl Harbor, 7th December 1941 by Ivan Berryman Click For Details DHM1121
As the sun sets, two Tomcats pass the bow to take up their C.A.P. positions. Riding shotgun is one of two cruiser escorts. On board is C.A.W.9 as she is homebound from another successful deployment. USS John C Stennis by Randall Wilson. Click For Details DHM1124
Battleship USS Pennsylvania off Diamond Head, Hawaii. Aloha Hawaii by Randall Wilson. Click For Details DHM1231
In the spring of 1942, USS Washington was the first of Americas fast battleship fleet to participate in combat operations when she was briefly assigned to the Royal Navy. On 28th June 1942, together with HMS Duke of York, HMS Victorious and an accompanying cruiser and destroyer force, she formed part of the distant covering force to convoy PQ17, bound for Russia. In the Pacific later that same year, she became the only modern US battleship to engage an enemy capital ship, sinking the Japanese battlecruiser Kirishima. Arctic guardian - USS Washington by Anthony Saunders Click For Details DHM1265
The Atlantic ocean was the lifeline between Britain and America, as well as millions of tons of raw materials, GIs were also transported over in all manor of hastily converted liners. Protecting the troops from marauding u-boats and German surface ships was of paramount importance to the allied fleets. Although USS New York spent a good deal of the war in the Atlantic, she also participated in the Torch landings off North Africa and took part in the Pacific campaign, seeing action at both Iwo Jima and Okinowa. Escort for the Troops - USS New York by Anthony Saunders Click For Details DHM1266
USS Kearsarge CV33, USS Princeton and USS Rochester CA124 in Korea 1952 with bearcats over the top. USS Kearsarge by Randall Wilson. Click For Details DHM1328
USS Independence launches multiple aircraft, RA5C Vigilante from the waist cat, and a Crusader from the bow while deployed in the Gulf of Tonkin, Vietnam. USS Independence by Randall Wilson. Click For Details DHM1341
A splendid little war was how John Hay, ambassador to Britain, described the Spanish-American war of 1898. Though the war was small in scope it was large in consequences; it promoted the regeneration of the American Navy and the emergence of the United States as a major world power. Fought primarily at sea, the war created an American naval legend in its opening encounter between the pacific squadrons of Spain and the United States at Manila Bay on the 1st of May 1898. At sunrise Admiral Dewey, leading the American fleet in his flagship the USS Olympia, had caught the Spanish fleet, under Admiral Patricio Montojo, by surprise - still anchored off Sangley Point at Manila Bay in the Philippine Islands. Defeat for the Spanish was total and heralded the end of a once extensive Spanish empire in the Americas. Montojos flagship, Reina Cristina, is seen here under fire from the Olympia. The Battle of Manila Bay by Anthony Saunders Click For Details DHM1347
USS Intrepid was laid down in 1941 and was one of a class of 24 ships of the Essex class. This was the largest fleet of aircraft carriers ever constructed and proved the industrial might of the United States beyond doubt. Carrying 90 aircraft each, they formed the main air strength and striking power of the US Pacific Fleet against the Japanese. The Intrepid saw her first action in January 1944 supporting operations at Kwajalein. While operating in raids on Truk in February 1944 Intrepid was hit by a torpedo which damaged her steering gear, requiring repairs which kept her from the war zone until June. She then took part in operations off the Palaus, the Philippines, Okinawa and Formosa. She was struck twice by kamikazes in late 1944. Returning to action in March 1945, she participated in strikes against the Japanese home islands and Okinawa, suffering another kamikaze hit in April of 1945 - she survived the most hits of any other US carrier in the war. Here the Intrepid is seen in October 1944 whilst with TG38.2 flanked by the cruiser USS Vincennes and the destroyer USS The Sullivans. The Mighty Intrepid by Anthony Saunders Click For Details DHM1348
Known as the Silent Service the men of the United States Submarine Force were the unsung heroes of the US navy. In World War Two, Submarine Force alone was responsible for sinking over fifty percent of Japanese Shipping - but the success came at a high price - one in five submarines did not survive the war. Here USS Wahoo, arguably the most famous US Submarine of the war, is seen surveying a kill during her fifth war patrol in 1943. Night of the Hunter USS Wahoo. by Anthony Saunders. Click For Details DHM1384
CVN78 Steams at full power on her 1st deployment. USS Ronald Reagan by Randall Wilson. Click For Details DHM1399
Launched on the 29th of January 1944, USS Missouri was the last and one of the finest battleships of any fleet. With a top speed of 33 knots, she earnt the name Fast Battleship, as the Iowa class to which she belonged were known. Bristling with an assortment of anti-aircraft, Missouri was as much a floating anti-aircraft battery as a battleship. With these qualities Missouri was well equiped to counter the desperate aerial attacks faced when she joined the Pacific Fleet. Here Missouri is seen repelling a kamikaze attack on the 11th of April 1945, with the destroyers Melvin (left) and McCord. Although one of the kamikazes did get through the curtain of shell fire, little damage was sustained. Boiling Point - USS Missouri by Anthony Saunders Click For Details DHM1417
DHM1730GL. US Steel by Randall Wilson. US Steel by Randall Wilson. (GL) Click For Details DHM1730
One of the last aircraft to come aboard following the days combat actions was the (photo-bird) RF-8G Crusader. Unarmed apart from cameras and film, the eyes of the fleet pilots roamed far and wide throughout Vietnam to bring back vital post-strike photographs and reconnaissance information. The USS Coral Sea represented one of 21 attack and anti-submarine carriers deployed to the Gulf of Tonkin. Their crews displayed courage, duty, sacrifice and service. Honor the Brave by Philip West. Click For Details DHM2209
The USS Wasp launches Spitfires of 601 and 603 Squadrons towards Malta in a desperate, but successful, attempt to defend the beleagurered island, April 1942. Operation Calendar by Simon Atack. Click For Details DHM2260
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 Click For Details DHM2467
DHM2468. Battleship Row - The Aftermath by Robert Taylor. Battleship Row - The Aftermath by Robert Taylor. Click For Details DHM2468
On June 19, 1944 American Navy pilots ripped into wave after wave of enemy aircraft. As each new onslaught arrived there were more fighters there to meet them. Other squadrons joined in the melee and the radio circuits crackled with shouts and cries of encouragement. Hell this is like an old time turkey shoot! yelled one pilot - and thus the battle became known as the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot. By the late afternoon two Japanese carriers had been sunk by submarines, and an incredible 373 enemy planes shot down. The U.S. Navy pilots had won an historic victory. Seen hurtling off the deck of the U.S.S. Lexington is the F6F Hellcat of Lt. Alex Vraciu of Fighting Squadron VF-16. With 12 victories already to his credit, Vraciu would add a further 6 to his tally in the space of just 8 minutes on that momentous day. Scramble for the Marianas by Nicolas Trudgian. Click For Details DHM2663
DHM4014. USS Constellation departs Hobart by Randall Wilson. USS Constellation departs Hobart by Randall Wilson. Click For Details DHM4014
USCS Ranger captained by John Paul Jones attacks and defeats HMS Drake of the Copeland Islands at the mouth of Belfast Lough. This was the first battle of the newly formed American Continental Navy. Battle of the Copeland Islands by David Pentland. Click For Details DP0005
United States Navy Battleship, USS Nevada (foreground) and cruisers, HMS Glasgow (centre) and USS Quincy assembling in Belfast Lough in preparation for D-Day. Task Force 129 by David Pentland. Click For Details DP0025
USS Sacramento (AOE-1) refueling Iowa Class battleships: USS Missouri (BB-63) and USS Wisconsin (BB-64) in the Persian Gulf, 1991. They prepare for Desert Storm, and war against Iraq to liberate Kuwait from Saddam Husseins occupying forces. Preparing for the Storm by Mark Churms. Click For Details MC0001
USS Bassett APD73 launches LCVPS to rescue 150 crew members of USS Indianapolis CA-35, sunk by a Japanese submarine, having delivered components of the Atomic Bomb. Of nearly 1200 crew aboard the Indianapolis, only 317 survived five days at the mercy of the sharks and the Pacific Ocean! Twilight of Perseverance, USS Indianapolis - Rescue at Sea by Mark Churms. Click For Details MC0002
WWII warship, USS Baltimore CA-68 (camouflage paint scheme - Measure 3 ) crashes through the waves! Violent summer typhoon rages in the Pacific Ocean, off Okinawa in 1945. The Big B - USS Baltimore Survives Typhoon by Mark Churms. Click For Details MC0003
WWII Iowa class battleship, U.S.S. Wisconsin BB-64 (camouflage paint scheme - Measure 22) shoots down a Japanese suicide plane (Francis) on a cold day in the Pacific Ocean off Japans Kyushu Island, March 18th 1945. Aircraft carriers Enterprise CV6 and Langley CVL27 can be seen in the distance.... BB64 USS Wisconsin 1945 by Mark Churms. Click For Details MC0004
At the Naval battle off Samar near Leyte, a John C. Butler Class Destroyer Escort takes on the much larger Japanese cruiser (Haguro) with 5in. gunfire and torpedoes, then picks up survivors from stricken escort carrier St. Lo. Though heavily involved in close quarter combat USS Raymond DE-341, is not hit by a single shot Miraculously Sheltered from Harm - USS Raymond by Mark Churms. Click For Details MC0005
World War Two United States Battlewagon, BB-38, engages Japanese kamikaze (vals) airplanes, at the Battle of Leyte Gulf, in the Pacific Theatre. Reign of Fire - USS Pennsylvania, Leyte Gulf, 1944 by Mark Churms. Click For Details MC0006
Independence Class light carriers in action on the Sibuyan Sea at the Battle of Leyte Gulf, October 24th 1944. USS Princeton CVL-23 burns furiously from Japanese bombs as the USS Langley CVL-27, successor to United States Navys very first aircraft carrier of the same name, launches another Hellcat on CAP (Combat Air Patrol) USS Langley II, Leyte Gulf 1944 by Mark Churms. Click For Details MC0007
The famous WWII aircraft carrier, Yorktown CV-5 (paint scheme - Measure 12 ) is at anchor at Tonga in the Pacific before the Battle of the Coral Sea. Her next valiant action will be her last. She will be sunk at the Battle of Midway by a combination of Japanese air strikes and submarine torpedoes in 1942. USS Yorktown, Tongatabu 1942 by Mark Churms. Click For Details MC0008
There are few truly defining moments in the history of a State - single episodes that touch every citizen, and cast a nations future. Epoch-making events that influence the entire world are even more uncommon. The events that took place in the space of less than two hours on the morning of December 7, 1941 were of such defining importance, their memory is now deeply embedded into the history of the Twentieth Century. At ten minutes to eight, as the US Pacific fleet lazily came awake, suddenly, and without warning, the world around them exploded with all the mighty force of thunder: Within seconds Pearl Harbor became cloaked with attacking Japanese aircraft. Before sailors could comprehend what was happening, bombs and torpedoes had ripped out the heart of the fleet: Four of eight battleships were sunk, a dozen more naval vessels lay stricken in the water, 2400 souls perished. In those terrible few moments, the tranquil scene was transformed into a boiling cauldron of explosions, fire, smoke and unimaginable destruction. Pearl Harbor became a raging inferno. Robert Taylors specially commissioned masterpiece recreated desperate moments during the second wave attack at around 9am on December 7, 1941. Having taken six torpedo hits and two bomb strikes in the first wave attack on Battleship Row, the West Virginia is ablaze, her bows already low in the water and decks awash. Ignoring the risks, crews push the navy tug Hoga alongside with fire-fighting equipment and to pick up survivors. Overhead, Japanese Zeros swoop through the smoke, aiming the second wave attack at installations on Pearl Harbors Ford Island, to complete one of historys most devastating unprovoked declarations of war. Morning Thunder by Robert Taylor. Click For Details RT0303
CV-12 is the eighth USN warship to bear the name Hornet. She participated in numerous combat operations for the last 16months of WWII. While operating in the Far East in support of operations in Vietnam, the Hornet participated in several Apollo recovery missions including that of Apollo 11 in 1969. A Heritage of Excellence by Stan Stokes. Click For Details STK0065
The Lady Lex, (CV-2) as she was popularly called, was one of only a handful of carriers available when the U.S. was plunged into WW II. Although the Lex would be lost during the War, she played an important combat role early in the War. In Stans painting, of the 2nd USS Lexington (CV-16) F6F Hellcats pass over the Lady. USS Lexington by Stan Stokes. Click For Details STK0071
The first successful carrier landing and take off took place on January 18, 1911 in San Francisco Bay. It was performed using a Curtiss biplane, which was flown by Eugene Ely, a demonstration pilot who worked for Curtiss Aircraft. A flying platform was built on the stern of the USS Pennsylvania, and a primitive arresting gear was provided by a series of ropes with sandbags attached to each end. Ely took off from Selfridge Field and made the first trap on the Pennsylvania. Following a pleasant lunch he took off from the deck and returned to Selfridge Field. This event was a watershed in the history of naval aviation. Ely would be followed over the next 9 decades by tens of thousands of naval aviators who would experience both the fear and ecstasy of a carrier landing at sea. By the time America was involved in WW II, carrier-based aviation had matured. Victory in WW II, especially in the Pacific, was influenced more by carrier-based aviation then any other factor. By the end of WW II America had a massive fleet of more than 100 aircraft carriers including the fast Essex Class big carriers and scores of light and escort carriers. During the War many of the pilots who earned their Navy wings did their carrier qualifications on the Great Lakes. Two paddle wheel steamboats were converted by the Navy to serve as training carriers. They were the USS Sable and the USS Wolverine. These ships had small decks which were fairly close to the water. A significant number of aircraft were lost during these practice sessions and as in any military training operation there were casualties. The aircraft shown being waved off in Stan Stokes painting appropriately entitled Practice Makes Perfect is an SNJ. This aircraft was one of the primary trainers of WW II, and was utilized by both the Army Air Corps (AT-6) and the Navy (SNJ), as well as many other countries. Designated the AT-6 by the USAAC this capable aircraft was also known as the Harvard and the Texan. The Australians knew the aircraft as the Whirraway. More than 15,000 of these trainers were produced, and this capable low-wing monoplane remained in service for many years following the War. North American, better known for their production of the P-51 Mustang, evolved the AT-6 from an earlier design known as the BT-9. First production models reached service in 1940. Many pilots received aerial gunnery training in the AT-6. A fair number of these aircraft are still in flying condition and can be seen at many air shows throughout the world. Due a general appearance similar to Japanese fighters and dive bombers of WW II, a few of these aircraft have been modified to look like the latter aircraft. Practice Makes Perfect by Stan Stokes. Click For Details STK0073
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto attended Harvard University where he gained a good understanding of American culture and developed an avid interest in the game of poker. Yamamoto played his cards when he outlined a plan to attack Pearl Harbor in January 1941. In April the Japanese organized a First Air Fleet with Vice Admiral Nagumo as its Commander in Chief. Commander Minoru Genda was appointed air staff officer, and because Nagumo was unfamiliar with air tactics, Genda was given responsibility for planning the attack on Pearl Harbor. Cdr. Genda immediately began perfecting the Pearl Harbor plan, and few details were overlooked. The Imperial Navys First Air Fleet consisted of six carriers. The Akagi, flagship of the strike force, was a converted cruiser which carried 63 aircraft. The Kaga also carried 63 aircraft, and was a converted battleship. The Soryu was the first carrier built from the ground up and was similar to the Hiryu. Each carrier had a compliment of 54 aircraft. With two additional carriers, the Zuikaku and the Shokaku, the fleet had a total of 378 aircraft. Three different types of aircraft were utilized for the attack. Mitsubishi A6M2 Zeros, a highly maneuverable single seat fighter, was responsible for obtaining air control and for strafing aircraft and ground installations. Aichi D3A1 Vals, with two-man crews, were utilized for dive bombing. Nakajima B5N2 Kates were responsible for horizontal bombing and torpedo bombing. The Kate carried a crew of three and had a cruising speed of only 160 MPH. During the first wave of the attack 183 aircraft were deployed. Torpedo aircraft from the Akagi, the Hiryu, and the Kaga targeted battleship row during this first wave. As portrayed in Stan Stokes life-like painting, a Japanese Kate from the Akagi launches its torpedo from very low altitude. Not far in the distance looms the USS West Virginia and Tennessee, virtual sitting ducks. The Japanese had trained carefully, and had modified their Kai Model 2 torpedoes to accommodate the shallow waters of Pearl Harbor. While caught by surprise, the USN was fortunate that its carriers were not in port, and that the Japanese had failed to destroy many of the support and repair facilities. This stroke of good luck permitted the USN to repair many of the ships damaged in the attack quite quickly. The devastating blow Yamamoto had planned for December 7, 1941 backfired by infuriating American public opinion, and eventually lead to Imperial Japans defeat and unconditional surrender. Battleship Row by Stan Stokes. Click For Details STK0111
F-14s from the USS Kennedy pass over the ship during Operation Desert Storm. At The Break by Stan Stokes. Click For Details STK0142
Grumman Aircraft has had a long tradition of providing rugged aircraft for naval aviators. These Grumman planes were all named Cats. The F-14 Tomcat, the latest in the long line of Grumman carrier cats, evolved from Grummans involvement as a subcontractor in the ill-fated TFX development program. Ever since the WW II Battle of Midway, the Navy has been concerned about the vulnerability of its carriers to attack. Super carriers, the largest mobile machines ever developed by mankind, are vulnerable to attack from ground, sea or air-launched missiles. To protect its carriers, the Navy has long recognized the critical need for high speed, long-range, heavily-armed, interceptors. The first two jet-powered aircraft to fill this role were the F-8 Crusader and the F-4 Phantom II. The F-14 Tomcat was developed to provide an improved interceptor capable of carrying the heavier Phoenix missile, and advanced avionics. The first Tomcat prototype flew on December 21, 1970. By late 1972 full scale production of the F-14 had commenced. The Tomcat is big and heavy. It can operate at altitudes in excess of 50,000 feet, can exceed speeds of 1,500 MPH, and has a maximum range in excess of 2,000 miles. Despite its size and high performance the Tomcat is an agile bird. With its variable-geometry wings, the F-14 can be configured on the fly to change its flying and handling characteristics. The aircraft is equipped with a 20mm cannon, and can carry a large assortment of highly lethal guided missiles. The aircraft got its Tomcat name because of Admiral Tom Connollys involvement in the project, and the fact that Grumman was the designer and builder of the F-14. The Tomcat, like the F-4 before it, carries a two-man crew. Grumman designed the aircraft with upgradability in mind. This has permitted improved engines, improved avionics, and improved missals to be incorporated into the basic air frame with remarkable effectiveness. Highly regarded aviation artist Stan Stokes, in his dramatic painting entitled Cats First Cruise, shows an F-14 of the Navys VF-1 Wolfpack squadron on final approach to the USS Enterprise. The Wolfpack, and the VF-2 Bounty Hunters were the first two squadrons of Tomcats deployed for carrier duty. Their first cruise was in 1974. By 1980 the Navy had deployed Tomcat squadrons on nearly all its active carriers. The Tomcat has proven itself in actual combat and no doubt will continue to serve as the Navys primary long range carrier-based interceptor for many more years. Cats First Cruise by Stan Stokes. Click For Details STK0143
Although the US Navy had been an early leader in supporting naval aviation, during WW I the Navy had emphasized float planes, and with the end of the War, America found itself well behind the British who had several aircraft carriers in service. In April of 1919 the Navy decided to convert a new collier, the USS Jupiter, into a flush deck aircraft carrier, the navys first. Redesignated as the USS Langley (CV-1), the ship was commissioned in March of 1922. The Langley was the Navys only carrier until 1928, and would serve in this role until 1936. With the introduction of faster and larger naval aircraft, the Langleys small size and slow speed would result in a decision to change her mission to seaplane tender. The Langley displaced only 13,000 tons, had an open hangar deck, and no island. The ships two stacks were swiveled outwards during air operations, giving pilots a small but unobstructed flight deck. Two catapults were incorporated in the initial design, but were later removed. CV-1 had a turbo electric drive system which allowed the ship a top speed of 14 knots in either direction. This was deemed important so aircraft could be launched in either direction in the event the deck became damaged. The designers initially planned for the Langley to have an air group of only eight aircraft, but this was later increased to as many as forty-two. Most of the Langleys aircraft were stowed on the flight deck, with the practice of stowing aircraft on the hangar deck not becoming common until later. In 1942 CV-1 was utilized to ferry P-40s to Java. She was lost during this mission. The Boeing FB-5 of VB-3 shown in the background in Stan Stokes wonderful painting was one of the naval variants of Boeings PW-9 series. Boeing built a total of nearly 600 aircraft in this family, making it one of the most widely produced aircraft in the between Wars era. The FB-1 was the first aircraft in this series ordered by the Navy in 1924. The FB-2/3/4 variants included modifications for carrier use and a more powerful 510-HP Packard-IA engine. With the additional power, a taller rudder assembly was deemed necessary to provide adequate flight stability. The Navy ordered twenty-seven FB-5s and began taking deliveries in 1927. The upper wing of the FB-5 variant was moved forward while the lower wing was moved backwards. In addition a slightly more powerful Packard engine was utilized. As the FB-5 takes off from the Langley, a Curtis F6C-2 Hawk passes over the ship. The F6C-2 was a variant of the F6C-1 Hawk which was modified to withstand arrested landings. While only four of these models would be produced, the Navy would go on to purchase sixty of the F6C-3 and F6C-4 variants. Americas First Flat Top by Stan Stokes. Click For Details STK0159
The US Navys first two effective aircraft carriers were the USS Lexington and the USS Saratoga; both converted from battle cruiser hulls in 1927. The Lexington, CV-2, was built in Quincy, Massachusetts, and commissioned in December of 1927. The Saratoga, CV-3, was built in Camden, New Jersey and commissioned in November of 1927. During fleet exercises in the early 1930s the capabilities and limitations of these two great ships had a huge impact on the evolution of carrier tactics. The speed of these big carriers allowed them to operate as an independent task force, and they would therefore need to carry an air group that would provide for a balance between offensive and defensive forces. The Lexington was in the Pacific during the attack on Pearl Harbor. She was involved in raids on Japanese strongholds in the southwestern Pacific in early 1942. She joined the Yorktown in the Battle of the Coral Sea. Her aircraft participated in attacks on the Japanese carriers Shoho, Shokaku, and Zuikaku. On May 8 the Lady Lex herself was the target of Japanese carrier aircraft. She took three bomb hits, and two torpedo hits. She was scuttled by her crew, becoming the first carrier lost by the US during the War. The Saratoga was in San Diego when the Pearl Harbor attack occurred. She served admirably in the Pacific sustaining repairable damage on several occasions. She took leave of the Pacific theater for a year to assist the British. The Big E met an ignominious demise as part of the Bikini Atoll atomic bomb tests. Showing her toughness she survived the first blast she was exposed to, but an underwater blast from only 500 yards away sunk the ship in August 1946. The Saratoga and the Lexington are depicted in Stan Stokes painting during maneuvers in the early 1930s. A Boeing FB fighter passes overhead. The Boeing Aircraft was founded in 1916 and initially built floatplanes. The companys first contract for a fighter/pursuit aircraft came in 1921 when it won the contract to build the Thomas-Morse designed MB-3 fighter. Boeings engineers began developing a fighter of their own design that would utilize a welded steel tube frame instead of the normal wooden frame. The Army tested the Model 15 prototype in 1923. Although they liked many of the features the Army opted to purchase the competing Curtiss design. They did order a couple of the Boeing planes for testing, and about a year later they placed an order for 25 PW-9s. The Navy also decided in 1924 to purchase the design, designating it as the FB-1. Improved variants were designated FB-2/3/4/5/6 etc. Boeing built a total of nearly 600 aircraft in this family, making it one of the most widely produced aircraft in the between Wars era. The FB-2/3/4 variants included modifications for carrier use and a more powerful 510-HP Packard-IA engine. With the additional power, a taller rudder assembly was deemed necessary to provide adequate flight stability. The Navy ordered twenty-seven FB-5s and began taking deliveries in 1927. The upper wing of the FB-5 variant was moved forward while the lower wing was moved backwards. In addition a slightly more powerful Packard engine was utilized. Quite a Pair by Stan Stokes. Click For Details STK0161
The Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corp. was organized in late 1929. The US Navy ordered 27 production Grumman FF-1 biplane fighters in 1932, the beginning of a relationship that has endured for more than seventy years. The FF-1 was a diminutive staggerwing fighter capable of a top speed of 207-MPH. A large number of aircraft were produced for export by Grumman in the early 1930s, but the company wanted to win a contract for a new and improved USN fighter. In May of 1934 the company succeeded with a contract for 54 F2F-1s. In 1934 the company also won a contract for a new and improved F3F-1. The latter was aerodynamically improved design which overcame some of the design inadequacies of the earlier aircraft. The F3F-2 was delivered in 1937. Three units were equipped with the aircraft, VF-6 operating off the USS Enterprise, VMF-2 based in San Diego, California, and VMF-1 based in Quantico, Virginia. Grumman was working on another variant, but they became concerned about the monoplane design proposed by Brewster Aircraft, so they modified their proposal from the XF4F-1 biplane to the XF4F-2 monoplane which would become the Grumman Wildcat fighter. The F3F was a stretched version of the earlier F2F produced by Grumman and also had larger wings and more modern aerodynamic features. Initial production models were fitted with a 650-HP Pratt & Whitney radial and an 8-foot 6-inch Hamilton Standard prop. The F3F-2 was the primary variant. It utilized a 950-HP engine and was armed with one .30 caliber and one 0.50 caliber machine guns. The F3F-2 was capable of a top speed slightly in excess of 240-MPH, had a service ceiling of 30,000 feet, and an effective range of 825-miles. The F3F-2s were delivered to VF-6 aboard the USS Enterprise, VMF-1 at Quantico Virginia and VMF-2 at San Diego, California. The F3F-3 was similar in design to the F3F-2. The two aircraft were almost indistinguishable, yet the 3 was 8-MPH faster due to a tighter fitting engine cowling, some aerodynamic refinements, and the deletion of the the fuselage vents. By the end of 1941 the last of these Grumman biplane fighters had disappeared from front line service. VMF 111 and VMF 211 were the last two units to relinquish their F3Fs in July and October of 1941, respectively. The1941 color movie Dive Bomber, starring Erroll Flynn, Ralph Bellamy, and Fred McMurray, featured the F3F, and many future naval aviators were motivated to sign-up after seeing this picture. As illustrated in Stan Stokes painting, an F3F aircraft piloted by a young Naval officer of Fighting Six, James E. Howard, lifts off from the USS Enterprise during fleet maneuvers before the War. Howard flew with VF-6 from 1937 through 1941. In mid-41 he resigned his commission to join the AVG Flying Tigers in China, and upon his return to the States he accepted a commission with the USAAF as a Captain. He became commander of the 356th Fighter Squadron flying the P-51 Mustang. Howards most memorable day was on January 11, 1944 when he single handedly protected a bomber squadron from enemy fighter attack on their return from their bombing mission. Labeled a one man air force by one of the bomber pilots, Howard would be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroic acts of January 11th. Howard was the only fighter ace in the European theater to be so honored. The Last Navy Biplane Fighter by Stan Stokes. Click For Details STK0162
Teddy Roosevelts Big Stick included a worldwide tour of the American Fleet to project American power. Teddys Great White Fleet by Stan Stokes. Click For Details STK0205
STK0207. Remember the Maine by Stan Stokes. Remember the Maine by Stan Stokes. Click For Details STK0207
The USS Missouri, cruises in Tokyo Bay at the time of the Japanese surrender in 1945. The Iowa Class Battleships demonstrated versatility and long useful lives. The Iowa, New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Missouri have certainly proved themselves to be the best of their breed. Best of their Breed by Stan Stokes. Click For Details STK0208
Depicts the return of the USS Arizona to Brooklyn in 1916, where it was commissioned in May of that year. The Arizona would be sunk twenty-five years later during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. This painting is a tribute to the hundreds of USN officers and seamen still entombed on the ship. Christmas in New York by Stan Stokes. Click For Details STK0209
The USS Nevada, the only capital ship to get underway during the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor is the subject of this dramatic painting. The burning hull of The USS Arizona is in the background as the Nevada, under the command of L Cdr. Francis Thomas makes its dash for the channel. Fearing that the Nevada would be sunk in the channel, the decision was made to beach the ship near Hospital Point. Dash for Freedom by Stan Stokes. Click For Details STK0210
The USS Kidd, a Fletcher Class destroyer, takes off in rough seas after an unwanted intruder while the USS San Francisco cruises off its port side. Guardian of the Fleet by Stan Stokes. Click For Details STK0212
The USCG tall ship Eagle is shown under full sail in San Francisco Bay. Alcatraz Island, site of the infamous federal prison, is in view and in the distance is the waterfront of downtown San Francisco. The Eagle, originally named the Horst Vessel and built in Germany in 1936, was received as a war reparation payment. The Eagle represents America in many tall ship events, and serves as a primary USCG training vessel. The Eagle in San Francisco by Stan Stokes. Click For Details STK0213
The USS Monitor and CSS Virginia. Stalemate at Hampton Roads by Stan Stokes. Click For Details STK0215

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