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Jagdeschwader 26, or JG 26, was one of the Lufwaffes elite fighter forces. Nicknamed the Abbeville Boys, or the Abbeville Kids, JG 26 gained tremendous notoriety early in the War while operating out of Abbeville in Northern France. Although JG 26 never operated with more than 124 fighter aircraft, the unit dominated its airspace over Northern France and Belgium for more than a two year period. Adolf Galland was one of Germanys top fighter aces of the War, with more than 100 confirmed victories. For most of his flying career Galland was associated with JG 26. By year-end 1940 he had attained 57 victories, and was awarded the Oak Leaves, the highest award of the time. Galland took over command of JG 26 in August 1940 during the Battle of Britain. In Stan Stokes painting, entitled Defiant, But Doomed, Galland is depicted during a mission with the Abbeville Kids on August 28, 1940. Flying low cover for a formation of Heinkel bombers Galland was shocked to see a squadron of 12 Royal Air Force Defiants flying directly below the bombers. The Defiant was a unique British aircraft which was utilized as a daylight fighter incorporating four machine guns enclosed in a top mounted hydraulic turret operated by a gunnery officer. Despite serving admirably during the Dunkirk evacuation, the Luftwaffe had devised tactics which made the Defiant only marginally successful. By utilizing its turret guns RAF 264 Squadron was preparing to decimate the Heinkels with an attack on their vulnerable underbellies. Climbing straight up into the formation Galland broke up the attack. Minutes later he was engaged with the Defiant piloted by 264 Squadron Commander Garvin. Although struck four times by the Defiants machine guns, Galland was ultimately victorious. Gallands JG 26 flew the Messerschmitt Bf-109 (also often referred to as the ME-109) of which over 30,000 were produced. The first large scale production model of the 109 was the E series. Powered by a 12 cylinder water cooled engine the 109e was capable of 360 MPH, and had a ceiling of 33,000 feet. The 109 was very maneuverable and had a very strong airframe capable of sustaining high G maneuvers. Utilizing a low-wing cantilever design, the 109 had retractable landing gear and initially was produced with fuselage mounted machine guns. Galland complained about this configuration and actually modified several of his aircraft to incorporate wing mounted machine guns, which would provide a wider field of fire. A few of these aircraft were utilized during the Spanish Civil War in 1939, and proved vastly superior to anything they faced. The 109, unlike many other fighters which were in service at the start of the War, remained effective for the entire War, and in fact became a de facto standard by which many other aircraft would be judged. Adolf Galland was promoted to General of the Fighter Arm in late 1941, and became preoccupied with fighter tactics for the duration of the War.

Defiant but Doomed by Stan Stokes. (C)
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The F-117A was developed by the Lockheed Advanced Development Projects team, better known as the Skunk Works. This was a top secret program, and the aircraft flew for several years before its existence was known to the public. Early work on the project began in 1977 with the development of two 60% scale aircraft. Under the code name Have Blue the two prototype scale aircraft were built in a matter of months at Lockheeds Burbank facility. The first test flight was made in early 1978 by Bill Park. The Have Blue aircraft proved undetectable by any airborne radar in existence other than that on an E-3 AWACS. The F-117A was authorized into production in 1978. It is one of the most unique looking aircraft in the world because it was designed as a stealth aircraft. It is made of geometrically flat panes with sharply swept wings. The facing of the aircrafts fuselage results in the disbursement of much of the radar energy which strikes the F-117A. Radar absorbing materials are used throughout and the propulsion system was ingeniously designed to dramatically reduce the aircrafts infrared footprint. The F-117A is a fairly large bird for a single seat aircraft with its 65 ft length and 43 ft wingspan. It reportedly handles well with flight characteristics similar to other delta wing aircraft like the F-106. The F-117A is capable of high subsonic flight (646 MPH) and has a range of approximately 1000 miles. The aircraft is equipped for aerial refueling. The F-117A is powered by two GE F404-F1D2 engines which are non-after burning versions of the engines used in the F/A-18. The bomb capacity is a total of 4,000 pounds. Designed to operate as a covert aircraft providing surgical first strikes against heavily defended radar and communications centers the F-117A was put to the test during Operation Desert Storm. The 37th Tactical Fighter Wing, under the command of USAF Col. Alton C. Whitley, Jr., flew the first strike missions against Baghdad, hitting important communications and control centers, radar sites, and antiaircraft batteries. Utilizing laser guided 2,000 LB bombs, about thirty F-117As participated in the first nights attacks. Despite an enormous amount of anti-aircraft fire, the F-117As under Whitleys command carried out their missions flawlessly, and not a single aircraft was lost to enemy fire. The Stealth fighters blinded the eyes and crushed the nerve centers of the Iraqi Air Forces during these missions, making it possible for other aircraft to carry out their missions with less likelihood of Iraqi opposition. A total of 1,271 sorties were flown by F-117As with a success rate of 80% during the war. One of the more impressive attacks was captured on film and showed a deep penetration laser guided bomb being guided through the top of an elevator shaft on the roof of the ten-story building which housed the Iraqi Air Forces headquarters. The bomb penetrated deep into the structure before detonating and blowing out all four walls of the structure. While the F-117A is no longer a secret weapon, its effectiveness may hopefully serve as a deterrent to future possible conflicts.

Second Wave to Baghdad by Stan Stokes. (D)
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The F8F Bearcat and the F7F Tigercat were the final family members in Grummans fabulous series of prop driven USN fighter aircraft. The F7F Tigercat evolved from the work of a three-man design team at Grumman, which included Bob Hall, Dick Hutton, and Gordon Israel. The Navy gave an OK to the development of a prototype in mid-1941, however it would not be until April 1944 that the first production Tigercat was delivered. The Navy planned to use the first two hundred F7Fs as night fighters, but due to unsatisfactory carrier suitability trials; the decision was made to scale back the order and equip only shore-based Marine squadrons with this aircraft. Performance tests of the first production F7Fs were impressive. The F7F was almost 80-MPH faster than an F4U Corsair in level flight at sea level. As WW II wound down, the USN changed its plans for the F7F. Newer variants were developed with the most common being the F7F-3N. The 3N was the first F7F to pass carrier qualification on the USS Shangri La in February of 1946. The final variant was the F7F-4N that included a taller rudder, a stronger wing and fuselage, and improved landing gear and tailhook. During the Korean War these aircraft were utilized in the night fighter role. The F8F was the successor to the successful F6F Hellcat fighter which was the US Navys primary fighter during most of WW II. Grummans test pilot, Bob Hall recommended to Grummans President that the successor to the F6F be small and lightweight and faster than anything flying at that time. In competition with both Curtis and Boeing, the Grumman design utilized a 2,100-HP Pratt and Whitney radial engine driving an enormous propeller more than twelve feet in diameter. The prop was so large that the Bearcat needed very tall landing gear. During its early testing the Bearcat was capable of speeds in excess of 440-MPH. The F8F was ordered into production in mid-1944, and the Navy wanted all the Bearcats it could get before November of 1945, which was the presumed date for an invasion of Japan. One interesting design feature of the initial production Bearcats was a break-away section at each wing tip, which was designed to break-off if overstressed, in order to prevent a catastrophic failure of the complete wing. Also unique was the utilization of a bubble canopy, the first on a Navy aircraft. On February 17, 1945 LCDR Robert Elder flew the F8F in its first carrier suitability trials on the USS Charger. Despite terrible weather conditions, Elder made fifteen successful arrested landings. The F8F passed these trials with flying colors. Too late to see action in WW II, the F8F would also see service in Korea, in both the reconnaissance and night fighting roles. In Stan Stokes painting an F8F accompanies an F7F-4N during the carrier qualification of the F7F-4N on the USS Franklin Roosevelt (CV-42) in 1946.

Fast Cats by Stan Stokes. (B)
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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.
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No bomber made so definite a break with the past as the Convair B-58 Hustler. Reversing the trend towards ever-larger bombers, the worlds first supersonic bomber, the B-58, was ordered by the Air Force in 1954. This was also the final year of the production of the huge Convair B-36. From the beginning of its operational career, the Hustler set a string of performance records that may never be matched by another military bomber. Alone in its class, the B-58 could fly faster than twice the speed of sound, pinpoint targets from an altitude of 60,000 feet, and avoid radar detection in low level supersonic flight. Powered by four General Electric J79 engines delivering 15,600 pounds of thrust each, the Hustler was faster than any other bomber, and had a range of 4,500 miles without aerial refueling. The B-58s electronic bombing and navigational systems were ten times more precise than those on earlier bombers. To reduce drag the aircrafts designers utilized the area rule principle in the design, giving the Hustler its sleek shape. Very strong honeycomb skin material was utilized to further reduce weight and allow the bomber to withstand the high temperatures of supersonic flight. Utilizing its very strong, but extremely light weight design, a fully loaded B-58 (after in-flight refueling) would carry a gross weight equal to seven times the aircrafts dry weight. It first entered service in 1960. In September of 1962 a B-58 piloted by Fitzhugh Fulton carried an 11,000 payload to the incredible altitude of 85,000 feet, breaking the world record. With a length of 99 feet and a wing span of 57 feet, the Hustler was a small aircraft compared to the B-36. Hustlers were operated by three-man crews, including a pilot, navigator-bombardier, and defense systems operator. Each crewmen had his own cramped cockpit with its own ejection system. The B-58 was unique in that it lacked an internal bomb bay. Instead all weapons were carried in an externally mounted under-fuselage pod. The B-58 could carry a weapons load of up to 19,500 pounds. The pod could also be used to carry additional fuel. Some B-58s were equipped to carry a stand-off rocket propelled weapon (a precursor of todays modern cruise missiles) with a range of 160-miles. The Hustler utilized the delta wing configuration of Convairs fighters (F-102 & F-106.) Although the B-58 was conceived as a very high altitude long-range bomber capable of penetrating Soviet air space, it became apparent during the 1960s that Soviet ground-to-air missile technology had improved to the point that high altitude, high speed bombers would be very vulnerable to interception. This revelation led to both a re-focusing of the B-58s role to a lower altitude, radar-beating, mission, and a faster phase-out of this aircraft from service than was originally planned. This was somewhat influenced by the aircrafts price tag which was four times that of a B-52, and ten times that of a B-47. As depicted in Stan Stokes painting entitled Arctic Hustler, a B-58A flying out of Elmendorf AFB in Alaska is put through its radar-beating paces in the mid-1960s.
Arctic Hustler by Stan Stokes. (D)
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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.
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The Grumman F4F Wildcat was the third monoplane to see carrier service with the Navy. It was also the fighter aircraft which would carry the brunt of the fighting in the Pacific until 1943 when the F6F Hellcat would enter service. The Wildcat was flow by both USN and USMC aviators. The Wildcat lacked the range and maneuverability of the Mitsubishi Zeros it often faced, but the Wildcat was more heavily armed and able to take a lot more punishment than the Mitsubishis. Most of the pilots which obtained ace status while flying the F4F obtained most of their victories against Japanese bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Eight individuals were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor while displaying valor while in command of an F4F. The pilots of no other aircraft during WW II were as highly decorated. One of the most outstanding of this elite group was USMC Captain Joseph Jacob Foss. Foss, a South Dakota native, had been accepted as a naval aviation cadet following his graduation from the University of South Dakota. Foss had already learned to fly on his own, and had no difficulty earning his wings. Foss flew with VMF-121 in Guadacanal in 1942 and early 1943. He was credited with 26 confirmed aerial victories, making him the first American aviator to reach the victory record of the famed Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, one of Joes boyhood heroes. The ground based fighter pilots in Guadacanal were often referred to as The Cactus Air Force. As the Executive Officer of VMF-121 flying out of Henderson Field, Joes amazing victory tally helped make VMF-121 the highest scoring Marine squadron of the War. The success at Guadacanal was not without a heavy price. More than 20% of VMF-121s pilots did not return from the campaign. The squadrons best combat day in Guadacanal was on October 25, 1942. Eighteen aerial victories were credited to the squadron, with Foss leading the way with five Zeros bagged on two combat missions. Because it was impossible to permanently assign aircraft at Guadacanal, Foss flew several different Wildcats, including those numbered 53, 50, and 84. Nicknamed Swivel-Neck-Joe by some his fellow pilots, Foss learned early that it did not pay to be surprised by the opposition. Foss also leaned that the most effective way to down an opposing aircraft was to get as close to it as possible before utilizing ones limited supply of ammunition. As depicted in Stan Stokes painting entitled Tough As Nails, Joe Foss is tangling with a F1M2 Pete on November 7, 1942. Joes first pass over the much slower float plane proves ineffective, and the Petes gunner actually stars the portside glass of Foss windscreen. Circling around, and approaching from below, the Pete would soon become his eighteenth victory. Returning from this mission Foss would have to ditch his aircraft. He was rescued by missionaries and returned to combat flying the next day. Joes second combat tour in 1943 was cut short due to the ongoing effects of a bout with malaria. Joe served in the Air Force Reserve after the War reaching the rank of Brigadier General. Following a successful career in both politics and professional sports, Foss has remained active and was instrumental in the formation of the American Fighter Aces Association, and has served as President of the NRA.
Tough as Nails by Stan Stokes.
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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.
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Anxious to retaliate against German bombing raids on Great Britain, the RAF devised a strategic bombing strategy of its own. Sir Arthur Harris, Chief of the RAFs Bomber Command, stated: The Nazis entered this war with the rather childish delusion that they were going to bomb everyone, and nobody was going to bomb them...they sowed the wind, and now they are going to reap the whirlwind. The Avro Lancaster Mk. B.I. heavy bomber, certainly one of the most important aircraft of World War II, played a major role in the British retaliation. The 7,366 Lancasters which were produced completed 156,000 missions, and because of their large payload dropped a total of 608,612 tons of bombs. The Lancaster evolved from the twin engine Manchester medium bomber which was modified to accept four engines. The Lancasters success stemmed partially from its large payload. Specially modified Lancasters were capable of carrying the 22,000 pound Grand Slam bomb. The Lancaster was operated by a crew of seven or eight, had a maximum speed of 286 MPH, and a range of 2,527 miles. The Lancaster was powered by four 1,640 HP Rolls Royce Merlin water cooled in-line engines. Lancasters were heavily armed with either eight or ten 7.7 MM Colt-Browning machine guns, but they proved no match for the Luftwaffes experienced fighter pilots, and the Lancasters were decimated during daytime bombing raids on Germany. The RAF responded by shifting to a policy of night time strategic bombing, and by wars end most major German cities lay in rubble. The Lancaster was simply built, easy to repair, and could absorb heavy damage. The aircraft underwent very little major alteration during its life. Both the wings and fuselage were designed in large independent sections which bolted together, which dramatically enhanced the repair of damaged aircraft. In Night Raiders, Stan Stokes captures an Avro Lancaster during one of the first night raids on Berlin. Illuminated by the full moon above and the incendiary fires below, the destructive terror of this weapon of war is vividly captured by the artist. As the war progressed Germany improved the effectiveness of its night fighter force and it was not uncommon for losses on any mission to be in the 5-10% range. The whirlwind was not without cost to the RAF. Very few RAF Lancaster crews successfully survived their tours of duty, and in 1942-43 the average life expectancy of a Lancaster aircraft was only 6-7 missions. Despite this high price, the RAFs bombing campaign against Germany clearly hastened the end of the War.
Night Raiders by Stan Stokes. (C)
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Wing Commander George W Swanwick (deceased)

George Swanwick was born on 10th November 1915 and was an air-gunner on Wallaces and Hinds with 504 squadron at RAF Hucknall during the 1930s. In May 1936, 504 became part of the Auxiliary Air Force, and in October 1938 converted to a fighter unit, equipped with Gauntlets. In 1938 George re-trained as a pilot, and was promoted to Sergeant Pilot in August 1939. In May 1940 George Swanwick joined 7 BGS, and on 7th September was posted to 54 Squadron at Catterick flying Spitfires. He then went to 41 Squadron at Hornchurch. Commissioned in late 1941, he was posted to 222 Squadron at North Weald in April 1942 as a Flight Commander. In July George Swanwick joined 603 Squadron in Malta and in September 1942, George was posted to 7 OTU at Port Sudan as Flight Commander. In July 1943, he joined 81 Squadron in Malta as a supernumerary. George was invalided back to the UK and following his discharge from hospital in 1944, George held various staff appointments until the end of the war. George Swanwick was granted a Permament Commission in 1949 and retired on 30th April 1970, as a Wing Commander. Sadly, George Swanwick passed away on 4th January 2011.

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US Marine Corps Wildcat Aircraft Aviation Prints by Stan Stokes and Robert Barbour.
Tough
Tough as Nails by Stan Stokes. (C)		The
The Element of Surprise by Robert Barbour.
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Gunther Rall Signed Luftwaffe Aviation Prints by Simon Atack and Stan Stokes.
Eagle

Eagle Strike by Simon Atack.		Long

Long Nose Trouble by Stan Stokes. (D)
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German Fokker WW1 Aviation Prints by Stan Stokes and Ivan Berryman.
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The Fokker Scourge by Stan Stokes.		Oberleutnant

Oberleutnant Otto Kissenberth by Ivan Berryman.
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HMS Furious Aircraft Carrier Naval Art Prints by Stan Stokes and Ivan Berryman.
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Fast and Furious by Stan Stokes.		HMS

HMS Furious with HMS Revenge by Ivan Berryman.
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Pilot Signed P-47 Thunderbolt Prints by Richard Taylor and Stan Stokes.
Days
Days of Thunder by Richard Taylor. (AP)		Bridge

Bridge Busting Jugs by Stan Stokes. (B)
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Stan Stokes Aviation Art. Collection of US Air Force and other aviation prints by artist Stan Stokes.  Stan Stokes is a California native with more than 37 years as a full time professional artist, who developed a passion for vintage cars, trains and airplanes at an early age. Model building and RC planes filled the many hours of the young enthusiasts free time. However, unlike most other young aviation enthusiasts Stokes also displayed a great gift for artistic talent. After studying art in College, Stan decided to pursue a career as a professional artist. Stokes initially focused his great talents on depicting uniquely realistic landscapes of the western desert and mountain scenes. More than thirty years ago a good friend suggested that Stan combine his passion for aviation history and flying with his artistic talents, and render an aircraft or two. The rest is history. Stan has won many prestigious awards including the Benedictine Art Award in 1975 and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museums Golden Age of Flight award in 1985. In May of 2000, Stan was honored with the National Museum of Naval Aviations R. G. Smith Award for Excellence in Naval Aviation Art. Commissioned by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, Stans 12 x 120 foot mural of the History of the Flying White House is on permanent display in the Air Force One Pavilion. In addition Stans painting of the USS Ronald Reagan is hanging in the Legacy Room of the library. In 2005 Stan also completed a painting of our nations next aircraft carrier, the USS George H. W. Bush, which is on permanent display at the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas. Stan has also completed several impressive murals for the Palm Springs Air Museum including: The Tuskegee Airmen at 12 x 60 feet and contains 51 portraits of the original Tuskegee Airmen. Dauntless at Midway at 12 x 34 feet and Corsair on Approach at 19 x 55 feet. Stans work also hangs in the Air Force art collection, the Pentagon, San Diego Aerospace Museum, and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. Stan has had the pleasure of meeting and working with many of his boyhood aviation heroes, including the late General Jimmy Doolittle, the late Pappy Boyington, Chuck Yeager, and many many others. A true aviation history buff, Stan often spends more time pouring over research materials for his paintings to assure their accuracy to the smallest detail than he does behind the canvas. Noted for his incredible detail and strikingly realistic illustration, Stans canvases have a life-like three-dimensional effect that often leaves viewers spellbound. Today his work encompasses not only aviation and space but also portraits, landscapes, ships, classic cars and his new collection of cat-related fine art paintings. Stan particularly enjoys the tough assignment. During his 37 years as a professional artist, he has been asked to produce literally hundreds of paintings documenting historical events, people and places. Although Stan has logged many hours flying his own airplanes, in recent years pleasure flying has had to take a backseat to the artistic demands of his backlog. Stan was commissioned to paint more than twenty original paintings for an aviation museum being in the Philippines. Since the mid-1980s NASA has also tapped Stans talents from time to time and he has completed more than fifteen paintings ranging from the space shuttles to the SR 71 Blackbird. Stan has also painted numerous works for the cutting edge genius in aviation and space design, Burt Rutan.

Cranston Fine Arts are proud to be a major distributor of Stan Stokes art prints in Europe and Worldwide.  

 

 

 

 

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