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"Schweinfurt Again", by Keith Ferris, ASAA, depicts the B-17G, Thunder Bird, of the 303rd Bomb Group on its 80th mission - a mission to Schweinfurt, Germany, which had claimed 163 four-engine bombers and 1500 crew members on previous missions. The 9 October 1944 mission was the 303rd Bomb Group's fifth, and Thunder Bird's second, visit to this dangerous target.

It was to prove a respite, though each day crews faced the cold, thin air, often at -40 degrees Centigrade, in patched-up, worn-out airplanes. Thunder Bird had seen as many as nine and eleven sister ships lost to fighters on previous missions, but she was to carry more than 500 crew members into combat on 116 missions before her retirement on 22 March 1945. The Thunder Bird was the focus of Keith Ferris' magnificent 25-foot by 75-foot mural, Fortresses Under Fire in the Smithsonian's National Air & Space Museum World War II Gallery. That mural, painted in 1975-76 and Keith's later jet aircraft mural in the Jet Aviation Gallery have been seen by tens of millions of viewers. Thunder Bird has probably been the most viewed B-17 ever and Keith's renditions of B-17s are unexcelled. This print accurately defines the B-17 as used in battle with it's scars and patches, flying at bombing altitude, laying a contrail for every Focke Wulf and Messerschmitt to see and follow. No finer example of a B-17 portrait painting will be found; Keith has researched this airplane down to the last rivet and you can be assured that his perspective is precise. This outstanding print by The Greenwich Workshop is available for $195.00 in a signed and numbered edition of 1000.

In January 1929, Major Carl Spaatz, USAAC, with Captain Ira Eaker as relief pilot, shown at left, and a crew of three, set a refueling endurance record of 150 hours 40 minutes in the Fokker C2-3 transport "Question Mark", flying over the Los Angeles Airport. This Fokker is now in the NASM exhibit. In 1936, Major Eaker helped pioneer blind flying techniques as he flew from New York to Los Angeles relying on instruments alone. He became a Brigadier General in 1940.

Eaker arrived in England in February 1942 to form the 8th Air Force Bomber Command; he became a Major General in December 1942 as he took over command of the 8th Air Force when Lieut. General Carl Spaatz was transferred to North Africa. Eaker was a proponent of daylight bombing and worked closely with the R.A.F. Bomber Command, headed by Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur T. Harris, which relied on night bombing. Eaker faced much criticism from several senior allied air commanders for his policy of daylight bombing but later saw his actions vindicated as fighter support grew in numbers. Later in WWII, General Eaker was transferred to take over the Mediterranean Allied Forces as General James Doolittle assumed command of the 8th AF. Between 1945 and his retirement in 1947, Eaker became Deputy Commanding General, Army Air Forces and Chief of Air Staff. He was much decorated (see autographed photo below).

During the Second World War all branches of the Canadian Military played hockey when time, location, weather and the enemy allowed. Play varied from organised leagues to pickup games and even took place in POW camps.

RCAF members stood out as being particularly zealous in finding ways to have games. In England, on one base, an outdoor rink was constructed complete with boards and fan seating. When the need for a roof was identified, they managed to scrounge up the materials required. Due to engineering concerns a support column was added that came to be placed near center ice. Needless to say this had to be avoided at all costs during a game.

When the 2nd Tactical Air Force moved to the continent after D-Day several Canadian Fighter, Fighter Bomber and Recognisance Wings went with it. During the winter of 44-45 the YMCA organised games in Holland and other locales. This lead to a playoff between the different Wings to see who would go back to England to compete against the Bomber 'Pros' from No.6 Group. 126 Wing (Spitfire) won over the other Spitfire Wings and then the Typhoon Wings' champion. They were beaten quite soundly by the 'Bomber Boys' in the final, though the trip to England probably mitigated any disappointment.

Depicted here pilots from a RCAF Typhoon Squadron take advantage of some 'Duff' weather and a patch of ice to get in a quick game. The two 'Urks' on the wing are taking a break from their duties to watch the action.

Two Robert Taylor remarques are presented below; these are from a Pearl Harbor Portfolio that I delivered to a customer in 2002.

Anyone who has attended the Reno National Championship Air Races is familiar with the most spectacular race start in the world of motor sports. In the unlimited class, the racers line up in formation on the pace plane, which leads the racers into the starting position. As the formation reaches the starting point, the pace pilot calls out on the radio that line made famous by the remarkable Bob Hoover, “Gentlemen, you have a race!” It is at this moment that all the racers firewall their race engines and dive for the start pylon on the race course. What follows is the fastest race in motor sports. With engines straining at near their breaking point, the pilots fling their highly modified aircraft about the high desert course at speeds up to 500 mph--all while skimming the tops of the sage brush!

Depicted on the print are: P-51 "Strega" pilot Bill "Tiger" Destafani, number 7; Bearcat "Rare Bear" pilot Lyle Shelton, number 77; P-51 "Tsunami" pilot Skip Holm, number 18; Sea Fury "Dreadnaught" pilot Dennis Sanders, number 8; F4U "Super Corsair" pilot John Mahoney, number 1; P-51 "Risky Business" pilot Bill Rheinschild, number 45; P-51 "Pegasus" pilot Bill Speer, number 85; Yak "Perestroika" pilot Bob Yancy, number 11; F8F-1 Bearcat pilot Howard Pardue, number 66; and the pace plane T-33 "Red Knight" pilots Steve Hinton and John Crocker.

Denver Kissinger remarqued this print with a pencil drawing featuring the Gee Bee R-2, one of the most successful and most recognizable aircraft of the golden age of air racing. Going for the Gold offered at $SORRY SOLD$ was custom framed by Celebrity Sports- Frames by Frambes of Rancho Cordova, California (http://www.celebritysportsand framing.com). The framing features triple matting, UV-blocking Plexiglas and acid-free materials.

I particularly enjoy the composition of this B-17 scene, Not Without a Fight, as it accurately depicts the relative positions of the aircraft involved as the fighters are engaging the bomber; the spacing is in keeping with the vastness of the three dimensional envelope in which the airplanes are operating.

On March 23, 1944 'Paper Doll', a B-17 G-5-VE serial number 42-39954 of the 728th BS, 452nd BG, 8th AF and her crew were on their eleventh mission. The target was Brunswick in Germany, which they continued onto despite their number four engine being out.

After taking heavy damage on the way to the target, including the number one engine being shut down and the number two coming off its mounts, 'Paper Doll' dropped out of formation. Port wing leaking fuel, they descended through the undercast until they broke into a clear layer with solid cloud above and below.

They were followed by six Bf-109s, three staying as top cover while the others positioned for an attack. Coming from below and behind a Bf-109 G-6 from 4/JG 53 flown by Ofw. Stefan Litjens pressed an attack. After its firing pass it climbed into a stall about 250 feet out to port, high and behind. The Port Waist Gunner hit it in the wing, doing extreme damage and saw it spin down through the clouds.

With the bomb bay burning, fuel leak ignited and two more 109s attacking the crew abandoned ship. All ten were taken prisoner and spent 13 months as POWs.

Depicted in this painting is the moment just after Litjens has finished his firing pass and shortly before he is shot down. The 'Paper Doll' is showing her wounds though still maintaining an air of dignity and the pleasing lines of the B-17.

The definitive story of Thomas Octave Murdoch (T.O.M.) Sopwith and his airplanes was published as Sopwith - The Man and His Aircraft by Harleyford Publication in 1970; written by Bruce Robertson, this book covers the magnificent history of the exploits of this aviation pioneer and sportsman, and the extraordinary career that Sopwith had as a leader in the British aircraft industry. Yet, with his great success, Sopwith was not flamboyant but was reserved and carried on in the typical British tradition of unassuming greatness. The following paragraph leads off the book.

"Thomas Octave Murdoch Sopwith had four great assets: a private income from his father, a wealthy civil engineer; a bevy of devoted sisters conveniently placed both socially and geographically; a mechanical aptitude fostered by an education in engineering and certainly not least, an abundance of pluck and drive."

Interestingly, Sopwith was inspired in his love of aeroplanes by John B. Moisant (checkout the Matilde Moisant link on this website), an American. Moisant made the first flight across the channel with a passenger on September 18, 1910 and, purely by chance, Sopwith had just put in at Dover with his yacht as Moisant landed at Willows Wood a few miles away. Later, in May of 1911, Sopwith gathered his aviation ventures and traveled to America to promote and learn, setting up at Hempstead Plains, the home of the Moisant flying school; unfortunately, John Moisant was killed in an airplane accident on December 31, 1910 so the two never had the opportunity to compete. Sopwith ventured around America, flying, competing, giving passenger rides, and exhibiting until October 1911 when he returned to England.

Sopwith's aviation enterprises blossomed from his flying school at Brooklands into a full-blown manufacturing operation at Kingston-Upon-Thames area as he designed his first airplane, a 3-seat biplane, in 1912 and began the Sopwith Aviation Company. Flying boats, floatplanes and biplanes were coming out of Sopwith's factory in 1913 and 1914.. His company won the Schneider Trophy at Monte Carlo in 1914 with a floatplane version of the "Tabloid".

During the First World War, Sopwith designed and produced many successful aircraft. The "Pup", "Triplane", "Camel", "Snipe", "Dolphin", and "Salamander" were the greatest contributions to eventual British air supremacy. The famous "Camel" was produced by something like nine different manufacturers for a total of 5,490 airplanes; this airplane is featured in the Robert Taylor limited edition print, High Patrol, offered here.

Following the war, after a rather unsuccessful attempt to build motorcycles, he teamed up with Harry Hawker and formed the H. G. Hawker Engineering Co., in the developement of military aircraft. Among the sucessful aircraft developed were the "Fury", "Hart", "Nimrod", and "Audax." In 1934, he bought Gloster Aircraft. The next year he purchased the Armstrong Siddeley interests and established the Hawker Siddeley Group, and in 1936 started work on a monoplane fighter, which later became the famous "Hurricane," which was a great factor in winning the Battle of Britain. During the war the Group turned out 40,000 aircraft, and in 1941 developed the first British operational jet , the "Meteor," the only Allied jet used operationally during the war.

In 1953, Sopwith received his Knighthood in the Queen's Coronation Honours List for his services to aviation.

Since that time, many successful jet aircraft and engines have been developed by the Hawker Siddeley Group, notably the "Hunter", "Sea Hawk", "Javelin," the Canadian "CF-100," and the giant four-jet "Vulcan" Bomber, and, in the jet engine field, the "Sapphire," the Canadian "Orenda," the "Viper," the "Double Mamba" and others. His company developed the Hawker Harrier -- the first jet airplane that could take off and land vertically. Sir Thomas Sopwith was Chairman of this group until 1963, at which time he accepted Presidency into the 1970s.

In 1977, British Aerospace was formed which encompassed British Aircraft Corp. (itself a 1960 amalgam of Vickers-Armstrong, English-Electric, Bristol Aircraft and Hunting Aircraft), Hawker Siddeley Aviation & Dynamics, and Scottish Aviation.

Sir Thomas "Tommy" Sopwith celebrated his hundredth birthday on January 18th, 1988. The RAF sent flights of Sopwith's airplanes past his home near London. What a history lesson that was! An array of airplanes from early flying machines to modern jets -- a parade that called up the whole history of powered flight in the life of one man. For Sopwith had a perfectly uncanny ability to read the future. He died a year later at the age of 101.

I consider Sir T.O.M. Sopwith as one of aviation's heros and a man whom I admire greatly. He was able to blend activity with all the elements of modern machinery, fast cars, fast boats, complex sailing yachts, motorcycles, and airplanes and do justice to them all. He had wealth, yet was a hard worker, an aeronautical engineer, a great manager and a visionary and at the same time he was a stable family man. What could be added to that formula?

This is truly an exciting portfolio for an airline buff, an art collector, or an aviation history fan. This hardcover portfolio was published in 1973 and commemorates the fiftieth anniversary of Czechoslovak Airlines (CSA), 1923 to 1973. Included are Thirty-two magnificent prints of watercolor paintings by professor Vladimir Bidlo, each printed on heavy archival watercolor paper measuring 11 23/32" x 16 9/32". The paintings depict aircraft on the ground and in the air - aircraft from most major nations are represented as used by CSA over the 50 years. Modern airliners used by CSA by 1973 were Russian jets. The first CSA airliner was the Aero-14 which held only a pilot and one passenger. American airplanes in the portfolio are the Ford 5AT, DC-2 and DC-3; the DC-3 is pictured below.

Each print is as sharp and bright as the day it was printed and each is in mint condition. An introductary leaflet is included which is printed in Czech, Russian and English. The portfolio was printed in Decin with a circulation of 5000. Also, the business card of Dr. Jan Pista, Press and Public Relations for Ceskoslovenske Aerolinie is included; the card has a written comment on the back by Dr. Pista.

Half a century. Looking into the past, everyone would be surprised by a tremendous leap the technique has made since the last 50 years. In doing it it is not necessary to seek among the history forming inventions, it suffices to consider what was well known already fifty years ago - the airplanes.

The airplanes. A persistent object of interest. The young, old, amateurs as well as experts - all who perceive more than a mere means of transport, all those look with astonishment at the historical airplanes, admire the beauty and performance of these machines and, follow with an eye of an expert the graceful outlines of the present aircraft.

Czechoslovak Airlines is one of the oldest airlines in the world and, half century of existence represents uncountable number of aircraft types that have flown many millions of kilometers and carried millions of passengers.

We would like to introduce to you a selection of the series of airplanes which have ever flown under the eregistration mark of Czechoslovak Airlines, the famous OK sign. It was, however impossible to cover virtually all the types and also the technical data description is concentrated only on the very basic features.

However, we believe that, the selection is a representative one indeed and, that a glimpse at the first CSA airplane the Aero-14 Brandenburg and at the modern TU 154 depicts in a telling way the development line of the CSA transport aircraft.

We believe that, every individual illustration has its own charm and that, the whole album will gratify our intention to please and amuse you and to make the time spent over it agreeable for you.

Three of the paintings are shown below. Professor Bidlo's style is similar to the United Airlines promotional paintings that were done by Nixon Galloway. Unusual and seldom depicted Czech airplanes are included and each is a superb rendition. This is the only one of these portfolios that I've run across. The first photo below shows the entire print, this one of the Caproni CA-97 which began CSA serivice in 1931.

A Special Portfolio Proof Remarques edition of just 50 copies of Mosquitos at Dusk, with an additional signature, issued with matching-numbered proofs from a unique commissioned pencil drawing Lone Hunter by Nicolas Trudgian, featuring the Mosquito night-fighter. Each proof drawing is signed by the RAFs highest-scoring night-fighter Ace of World War II. Signed by:

Air Commodore JOHN ELLACOMBE CB DFC*; Air Commodore E.B.‘TED’ SISMORE DSO DFC AFC ; Flight Lieutenant DOUGLAS HADLAND ; Wing Commander BRANSE BURBRIDGE DSO* DFC* (Companion Print); and Squadron Leader TOM McPHEE CB DFC* (Main Print).

The Mosquito remarque shown below is a superb piece of original pencil art by Nicolas Trudgian; Nicolas' pencil drawings are among the very best available in the aviation art world as I'm certain you will agree. Five of the RAF's top Mosquito pilots have signed these prints - the original art enhancement adds significantly to the overall desirability of this edition. This particular print, number 24/50, is in stock with the remarque below and is priced at $695.00.

July 7, 1944. Capt. Clarence E. "Bud" Anderson slides in behind a trio of ME 109s flying in perfect formation, seemingly oblivious to the huge armada of bombers and fighters in the vicinity. 357TH Fighter Group leader Tommy Hayes, spoiling for action, calls out on the radio, "Andy! Where are you?" Focused on the business at hand, Anderson replies, "Can't talk now...Gotta shoot." As he triggers his guns, the mike is still keyed, and everyone hears the rattle of his quad .50s. Old Crow gets good strikes all over the target, bringing Anderson's total claims to 12 1/4 in the air.

A detail of Anderson's P-51 is presented below.

“Flying through storm-tossed skies, Phantoms of VF-96, the Flying Falcons, return from a strike over North Vietnam,” Bill said. “Aircraft #5800, ShowTime 100, was the ‘CAG bird’ flown by LT. Randy Cunningham and LT(JG) Willie Driscoll when, on May 10th, 1972, they downed three MiG-17s, added to their previous two, they became America’s first Vietnam aces.”

The Greenwich Certificate of Authenticity carries the following information: "Major Gregory Boyington's record (which included his Flying Tiger tally also) stood at twenty-eight (two reported after the war) enemy planes when he went down on January 3, 1944. Boyington had succeeded in Parachuting from his burning Corsair. He dropped into Saint George Channel, off Rabaul, and he was worked over for about a quarter of an hour by four strafing Zekes. Although unhit, Boyington was taken prisoner by a submarine which surfaced near him and he spent the rest of the war as a celebrity prisoner, although not an especially well-treated one.

"A Staunch individualist, Boyington (called "Pappy" by his men beause of his advanced age of thirty-one) had returned to the Marines after he had bid a not too fond farewell to the Flying Tigers. While he rankled under siscipline and adhering to the book, he was a born flyer and unique leader. He may not have fitted into the organization of a squadron, but he could lead one. In recognition of this, he was given permission to organize his own unit of misfits, appropriately dubbed "the Black Sheep" but more formally Marine Fighter Squadron 214 (VMF-214).

"When Bougainville's airstrips were sufficiently secure, Major General Ralph J. Mitchell, Marine commander of the aerial operations in the Solomons, instituted the first harassing fighter sweeps over Rabaul. The first of these - December 17, 1943 - in which Boyington participated consisted of no less than sevety-six planes. With this formidable array of air power, the Japanese were not anxious to take off despite Boyington's profane invitations to "come up and fight." Boyington believed in smaller, more flexible and better-matched formations - which he got for future fighter sweeps upon Rabaul, as well as for escort missions with bombers. This was found to be more efficient, and Boyington's Black Sheep scored heavily against the Zekes. Between the first strike on December 17 and the first of the new year, fighter sweeps over Rabaul claimed nearly 150 Japanese planes shot out of the air."

A life-size bronze bust of "Pappy" Boyington, depicting him as Black Sheep commander in 1943, is shown on the Original Art page of this website.

The limited edition print, Pacific Morning: Black Sheep on the Prowl, with five World War II VMF-214 pilot signatures, is available for $295.00 LOW SUPPLY.

Artist Dan Zoernig has created a fine tribute to the hard working ground crews of World War II, Time to Go To Work, featuring the P-51 of Bud Anderson, the Old Crow, of the 363rd Sqdn, 357th FG. The following caption is part of the limited edition (only 250) digital reproduction which measures 13" x 19" overall in size, an excellent size for framing.

The P-51 Mustangs of the 357th Fighter Group were normally cared for by a crew chief , assistant crew chief and armorer. This illustration honors all crew chiefs, specialists and support personnel. They worked relentlessly in the open during the day or night, in all kinds of weather with great dedication in a trade equally as important as a pilot's ability. Without them there would be no flying. There were no eight-hour days as suggested by the flashlight carried by the crew chief on the right, for Britain's strict black-out precluded any other kind of lighting during the many nights of work preparing the Mustangs for the next day's mission. Each of Bud Anderson's Old Crows had long combat lives in the 363rd Squadron. Never once in 116 combat missions did either ship ever abort or return early due to mechanical problems. Such a record is attributed to a pilot who did not abuse his aircraft and to the dedicated care of its ground crew: T/Sgt Otto Heino, S/Sgt Melvin Schueneman and S/Sgt Leon Zimmerman. S/Sgt Schueneman became a casualty of the war when he perished in an AT-6 crash in Jan. 1945 when returning from field maintenance work in France.