The A-6 Intruder has had a long and effective career as the Navys primary attack plane. A-6s were used in Vietnam and still were effective during Desert Storm, as the avionics on these aircraft have been constantly upgraded over the years. In Stans painting an A-6 departs the USS Ranger.
Ever since the earliest days of flight, military reconnaissance has been a major application for powered aircraft. In the WW I era scouts were utilized in the beginning of the War to report the positions of opposing armies. For most of the last century aircraft utilized in the reconnaissance role were often those that had failed to perform adequately in another role, and became relegated to the reconnaissance mission. However, over time military planners began to see the necessity of aircraft specially designed to excel at spying on opposing forces. Generally this meant an aircraft capable of high altitude, fairly high speed, sufficient range, and enough stability to be an excellent photographic platform. For most of the 1950 and 1960s the US Navy was utilizing Lockheed Neptunes (P2V) for its reconnaissance needs, with the P-3 Orion coming onboard in the early 1960s. The USAF utilized the RB-66 Destroyer with its recon squadrons during the 1950s. One of the most famous of all reconnai.........
The McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk was designed by Ed Heinemann as a successor to the Skyraider attack bomber. The prototype aircraft first flew in 1954. The diminutive Skyhawk was only 42 feet in length, with a carrier friendly wingspan of 27 feet. The Skyhawk was capable of speeds close to 700 MPH, and was produced in several variants through 1979. The Skyhawk was utilized extensively in Vietnam for ground attack and support. As depicted in Stan Stokes painting entitled Fallen Eagle, the A-4 of a young Navy aviator, Everett Alvarez, has just taken off from the USS Constellation at 2:30 PM on August 5, 1964. Alvarez, a native of Salinas California, had attended the University of Santa Clara before joining the Navy. It was a day that Alvarez would not soon forget. About midnight that day the destroyers USS Maddox and USS Turner Joy were under attack from North Vietnamese patrol boats in international waters sixty miles off the coast of North Vietnam. Alvarez unit, the VA-144 Roadrunner.........
Originally conceived in the early 1950s as a replacement for the B-52 (which incorrectly was forecast by Gen. Curtis LeMay to have a limited lifespan) the B-70 Valkyrie began life as Weapon System 110A. It was designed to have the same range as the B-52, but with as high a maximum speed as possible to avoid enemy defensive fighters or missiles. However, with the advent of intercontinental ballistic missiles, and the resulting debate over the cost effectiveness and efficacy of manned bombers, the funding for the B-70 program began to be cut. These cuts seemed academic at the time because engineers had not been able to overcome the many technical problems associated with the bombers design objectives. In 1956 a report from the NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics – which would later become NASA) revealed that Mach speeds of between 3 and 5 should be obtainable by an aircraft riding its own shock wave. North American Aviation engineers discovered this report and immediately .........
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 d.........
The McDonnel Douglas F-4 Phantom II was flown by both the USN and USAF in Vietnam. The aircraft was utilized in many roles during the War. The only two aces in Vietnam both flew the F-4. Randall Duke Cunningham did the honors for the Navy, while Steve Ritchie attained five victories flying the Phantom with the USAF.
Item Code : STK0051
Flight of the Phantom by Stan Stokes. - Editions Available
The McDonnel Douglas F-4 Phantom II was produced from 1958 Thorough 1981. In excess of 5,000 aircraft were produced in twenty variants. The F-4 evolved from McDonnels earlier work on the F3H Demon and the F-101A Voodoo, an aircraft substantially heavier and larger than first generation jet fighters. The Phantom was initially intended as a fleet interceptor, but the aircraft was asked to take on additional tasks for which it was not totally optimized for. It is a testament to the basic quality of the design of the aircraft, and the skill and determination of the pilots which flew it, that the Phantom was a success in most of the varied roles it was asked to undertake. The F-4 was designed to be a platform for high-tech weaponry, with highly supersonic qualities, excellent range, and the ability to lift a large external payload. Initially only ordered by the U.S. Navy, the aircraft was carrier qualified in February 1961. In 1962 under intense pressure from the Department of Defense the .........
Print size 16 inches x 11.5 inches (41cm x 30cm) Supplied with signed and numbered certificate of authenticity.
Artist : Stan Stokes
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New Breed Bombers by Stan Stokes.
The Boeing B-47 Stratojet was the first swept-winged, jet bomber that was built in any meaningful quantity. It became the backbone of the Strategic Air Commands bomber fleet for much of the 1950s. More than 2000 B-47s were produced. The origin of the B-47 can be traced back to a request in mid-1943 by the USAAF asking several aircraft manufacturers to commence studies of the feasibility of producing a multi-engined jet aircraft for photographic reconnaissance and or medium bombing missions. By November of 1944 formal requirements were issued for a jet-powered aircraft capable of 550-MPH, a ceiling of 45,000-feet, and a range of 3,500 miles. Boeing aircraft had been experimenting with jet engines for its B-29, but had encountered problems during wind tunnel tests. In 1944 Boeing was awarded a study contract designated XB-47 for a Model 432. The 432 was a highly modified B-29 with a cluster of 4 jet engined mounted inside the fuselage. Martin, Convair, and North American all received co.........
The USAAC became interested in intercontinental bombing in 1941 due to the threat of England falling to the Nazis. The Army Air Corps issued a request for proposals requesting an aircraft with a range of 12,000 miles at an altitude of 25,000 feet and a top speed of 450-MPH. Later these specifications were downgraded, but the Air Corps still wanted an aircraft capable of carrying a 10,000 bomb load for a 4,000 mile combat radius. Boeing, Consolidated and Douglas submitted proposals. Consolidated Aircraft won the initial award for the development of two prototypes, and work on this project began in San Diego, but was later shifted to Ft. Worth, Texas. In mid-1943, with the Boeing B-29 project facing development problems, General Hap Arnold ordered into production 100 B-36s, with deliveries expected to commence in 1946. When the war ended in 1945 many military programs were cut severely, but Cold War concerns kept the B-36 program alive. In August of 1946 the first B-36 (Peacemaker) took.........
In late 1954 requests for proposals went out for a hypersonic aircraft capable of Mach 7 and a ceiling of 50 miles. This was to be the third aircraft in the experimental series (following the X-1 and X-2), and its mission would be to explore the upper ranges of the atmosphere at hypersonic speeds. North American won the contract in 1955. The North American X-15 research aircraft, the most successful research aircraft in history, has flown faster and higher than any manned aircraft. Powered by a rocket motor generating 57,000 pounds of thrust by burning a combination of liquid oxygen and anhydrous ammonia, the X-15 was launched from a specially modified B-52 mother ship for each of its flights. Because of the high temperatures which would be encountered in flight, special alloys were incorporated in the design. At extreme altitudes, when in fact the X-15 would technically be in space, the aircraft was controlled by a thruster system using hydrogen peroxide jets. On the aircrafts first.........
The Boeing Model 377 Stratocruiser was the commercial version of Boeings C-97 military transport. The first 377 was test flown on July 8, 1947. Stratocruisers were delivered to airlines in 1949 and 1950. Pan American, Northwest Orient, BOAC, United, and American Overseas Airlines were all customers. They sold for approximately $1.5 million each. Stratocruisers could accommodate anywhere from 55 to 100 passengers depending on configuration. With a pressurized cabin, Stratocruisers had a ceiling of 32,000 feet, thus permitting fights above the weather. Many were equipped with sleepers for long distance flights. The 377 had a large flight deck, and a lower passenger deck which was typically used as a lounge. With a wingspan of more than 141 feet, and a gross take off weight of 120,000 pounds, the Statocruiser was a big airplane. Powered by four Pratt and Whitney R-4360 engines, Statocruisers had a maximum speed of 375-MPH, and a range of more than 4,000 miles at a cruising speed of 340-M.........
High altitude strategic bombing played a major role during WW II, and in the Cold War era which followed long-range, high altitude, bombers would continue to be a focus area. The Convair B-36 represented a transitional aircraft between the WW II era aircraft and the supersonic jets that would follow. Convairs B-58 Hustler was extremely fast, but the downing of Gary Powers U-2 in 1960 pointed out the possible vulnerability of all high flying bombers despite their speed. The B-58 was phased out as cost ineffective, and the backbone of Americas manned strategic bomber force became the Boeing B-52. The B-52 has had an unprecedented life span. With improved avionics and the ability to launch cruise missiles hundreds of miles away from the ultimate target, the B-52 remained viable for decades longer than expected. The Rockwell B-1 bomber, the aircraft planned to replace the aging B-52, had a very long and controversial gestation period. The B-1 was planned to thwart Soviet air defenses by c.........
The De Havilland Aircraft Company was founded by Geoffrey de Havilland, and Englishman who was born in 1882. He became fascinated with aircraft as a young man, and with the assistance of a wealthy grandfather pursued his first aircraft design. The first major success of this start-up company was the DH-4, a two seat bomber. This design was licensed to the US military, and more than 5,000 DH-4s were built. Following WW I de Havilland set up an internal engine design and manufacturing capability that was utilized to great success with their series of Moth trainers. De Havilland Aircraft was one of the early leaders in jet aircraft. They built the first jet aircraft the Comet that entered service in 1952. Unfortunately the Comet had some structural flaws that caused break-up of the aircraft in mid-flight. Withdrawing the aircraft and returning to the drawing boards cost the Company the lead and they never caught-up to either Boeing or Douglas. De Havilland Canada was set up in 1928 as a .........
Cdr. Guy P. (Lucky Pierre) Bordelon was the only naval aviator to attain ace status during the war in Korea. Piloting Annie Mo, his F4U-5N night fighter version of the Corsair, Bordelon recorded five aerial victories. In so doing Bordelon became the last Corsair ace, and the last pilot to become an American ace while flying a propeller driven aircraft. Navy and Marine aviators were primarily focused on ground support and ground attack missions during the war, leaving the job of mig killing to the USAF. During three years of combat in Korea, naval aviators flew more than 250,000 combat sorties, delivering more than 326 million pounds of bombs to their targets. Naval aviation is generally credited with destroying 2,600 enemy vessels, 2,000 bridges, 250 tanks, and 74 aircraft destroyed on the ground. These missions were not without a price as more than 500 aircraft were lost to ground fire during the war. The U.S. Navy utilized a wide array of aircraft in Korea, as it transitioned from p.........
In his very nostalgic mid-fifties painting appropriately entitled T-Birds, highly-acclaimed aviation artist Stan Stokes portrays a 1955 Ford Thunderbird on the tarmac next to a T-33 T-Bird jet trainer, while four USAF Thunderbirds roar by over head flying their F-100Cs. The 1955 Ford Thunderbird was Fords response to the introduction in 1953 of the Corvette by General Motors. The Thunderbird incorporated a powerful V-8 engine compared to the Corvettes 6 cylinder power plant, and with its contemporary styling the Thunderbird outsold the Corvette in 1955. Late in 1955 Ford made the distinctive porthole removable hardtop available, solving the poor visibility problem encountered with the original hardtop. The 1955 Ford Thunderbird is generally acknowledged to be one of the ten most significant American automobiles introduced in the 20th century. The T-33 was the USAFs first jet trainer designed from the start as a training aircraft. Nearly 6,000 T-33 T-Birds were produced and this reliab.........
Print size 16 inches x 11.5 inches (41cm x 30cm) Supplied with signed and numbered certificate of authenticity.
Artist : Stan Stokes
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Jacks Unusual Design by Stan Stokes.
John K. Jack Northrop was one of the pioneers in American aircraft design and production. He was the chief designer for Lockheed, developing that companys first aircraft, the Vega. In 1939 he formed his own aircraft company. Jacks passion was the tail-less aircraft, or flying wing, a concept he supported passionately. The B-2 bomber of today exhibits many of the design attributes which were pioneered by Jack Northrop in many of his ill-fated, but highly-charged forays in the world of the flying wing. The N1-M was a small flying wing prototype which Northrop demonstrated in 1940-41. The N-9M was built in several different versions to test out some design concepts for Jacks ultimate goal, development of the long-range B-35 flying wing bomber. Northrop eventually succeeded in winning an initial government contract to develop the very large B-35 Flying Wing. This 172 foot wingspan aircraft with a takeoff weight in excess of eighty tons, was conceived by Northrop as the ultimate long ra.........
The F4U Corsair once again in the subject of Stans talents. This time during the Korean War. This Gull-Winged Warrior in on final to the Philippine Sea.
Item Code : STK0069
Gull Winged Warrior by Stan Stokes. - Editions Available
The McDonnel Douglas F-15 Eagle has been the USAFs primary air superiority fighter for more than two decades. McDonnell Douglas won the competition to develop this aircraft in 1969 over competing proposals from North American Rockwell and Fairchild Hiller. The Eagle was designed to counter the threat of new Soviet fighters like the Mig-25. The first development versions of the Eagle flew in 1972. Designed as a single pilot, twin-turbofan, all weather fighter, the Eagle had far superior acceleration and maneuverability compared to the aircraft it would replace. The F-15A was capable of speeds in excess of 1600-MPH and had an operational ceiling of nearly 70,000 feet. Although the attack role was a secondary design consideration, the Eagle can carry an impressive bomb load of more than eight tons (externally mounted.) The F-15 is a large, very sophisticated aircraft, whereas the General Dynamics F-16, a much simpler, smaller, and less complicated design, was planned to compliment the F.........
In 1946 Admiral Richard Byrd lead a 4,000-man mission to Antarctica to map the continent. This was the fourth of Byrds polar explorations, and his most ambitious. The expedition was named, Operation High Jump. One of the ships involved was the USS Pine Island, a PBM seaplane tender under the command of H.H. Caldwell. The three PBMs of the Pine Island were given the task of photo mapping the eastern side of the Antarctic continent, and the ship had moved as far south as possible to establish a base of operations. The ship anchored on the leeward side of a huge iceberg to provide a suitable area for the launch and recovery of the PBMs. The first flight was made by George-1 on December 30, 1946 without incident. The second flight of this aircraft with a different crew would prove to be a life and death struggle. Under the command of Ralph Frenchy LeBlanc, co-piloted by Bill Kearns, and with Captain Caldwell aboard as an observer, the second flight of George-1 began under hazardous sea co.........
