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Aviation Art Prints Aviation Artists Stan Stokes

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Stan Stokes

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.

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Stan Stokes Aviation Art Prints, Paintings and Drawings
Aviation Art

Balbo's Amazing Flight by Stan Stokes.


Balbo's Amazing Flight by Stan Stokes.
One edition.
£35.00

Tigers Claws by Stan Stokes.


Tigers Claws by Stan Stokes.
One edition.
£35.00

Big Tailed Beast by Stan Stokes.


Big Tailed Beast by Stan Stokes.
3 editions.
2 of the 3 editions feature an additional signature.
£35.00 - £110.00


The Air Pirate by Stan Stokes.


The Air Pirate by Stan Stokes.
One edition.
£35.00

No Trains Today by Stan Stokes.


No Trains Today by Stan Stokes.
3 editions.
£35.00 - £400.00

Way Ahead of its Time by Stan Stokes.


Way Ahead of its Time by Stan Stokes.
3 editions.
£35.00 - £394.00


Herky's Big Day by Stan Stokes.


Herky's Big Day by Stan Stokes.
One edition.
The edition features an additional signature.
£150.00

Jacks Unusual Design by Stan Stokes.


Jacks Unusual Design by Stan Stokes.
3 editions.
2 of the 3 editions feature up to 2 additional signatures.
£35.00 - £125.00

Hurricane on my Tail by Stan Stokes.


Hurricane on my Tail by Stan Stokes.
3 editions.
2 of the 3 editions feature an additional signature.
£35.00 - £110.00


The War Up North  by Stan Stokes.


The War Up North by Stan Stokes.
2 of 3 editions available.
£35.00 - £145.00

Valiant Vindicators by Stan Stokes.


Valiant Vindicators by Stan Stokes.
2 of 5 editions available.
£35.00 - £145.00

Yamamoto's Last Flight by Stan Stokes.


Yamamoto's Last Flight by Stan Stokes.
5 editions.
2 of the 5 editions feature an additional signature.
£35.00 - £400.00


The Ringmaster by Stan Stokes.


The Ringmaster by Stan Stokes.
One edition.
£35.00

Canadian Heroes by Stan Stokes.


Canadian Heroes by Stan Stokes.
4 editions.
2 of the 4 editions feature an additional signature.
£40.00 - £160.00

Moonlight Renegade by Stan Stokes.


Moonlight Renegade by Stan Stokes.
One edition.
£35.00


Top Night Fighter by Stan Stokes.


Top Night Fighter by Stan Stokes.
6 editions.
3 of the 6 editions feature up to 3 additional signatures.
£35.00 - £320.00

1934 American Classics by Stan Stokes.


1934 American Classics by Stan Stokes.
One edition.
£35.00

Miracle in the Sand Dunes by Stan Stokes.


Miracle in the Sand Dunes by Stan Stokes.
2 of 5 editions available.
£35.00 - £130.00


Mauled by a Marauder by Stan Stokes.


Mauled by a Marauder by Stan Stokes.
4 of 7 editions available.
All 2 editions featuring an additional signature are available.
£35.00 - £145.00

A Perfect Record by Stan Stokes.


A Perfect Record by Stan Stokes.
5 editions.
2 of the 5 editions feature an additional signature.
£35.00 - £294.00

Against the Tide by Stan Stokes.


Against the Tide by Stan Stokes.
2 of 3 editions available.
£35.00 - £294.00


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Text for the above items :

Balbo's Amazing Flight by Stan Stokes.

Italo Balbo, the father of the Italian Air Force, appointed undersecretary for air in 1926, was truly amazing. His first task was to complete a study that concluded that the Aeronautica was woefully inadequate in terms of ground support facilities, supplies, spare parts, fuel, and ammunition. In addition his study concluded that the 551 aircraft of record included only 200-300 combat ready planes. Balbo, like Billy Mitchell in America, believed that a powerful argument for an air force independent from the control of either the army or the navy could be made. Many of Balbos beliefs were derived from conversations with Giulio Droughet, the famous Italian air combat theorist. In Balbos view the Aeronautica should have a first strike capability, and he shared Droughets view that the days of single plane raids were over. Future air attacks would involve waves of hundreds, if not thousands, of aircraft. By 1926 Italy had its share of accomplished aviators including De Pinedo, De Bernardi, and Ferrarin, but Balbo did not appreciate the prima donna image of these record setters. He conceived the idea of record setting massed flights to show the collective heroism of the Regia Aeronautica, and as a way to sway public opinion of his belief, and in the process earn a larger budget. The first massed flight of 61 seaplanes toured ports in the western Mediterranean in May and June of 1928. As the tour progressed the formation flying skills of the pilots improved and wherever they went they were received enthusiastically. A second massed flight of the eastern Mediterranean, utilizing 35 aircraft, took place later, and both these flights increased the prestige of the fascist regime in Italy. In December of 1928 Balbo visited America, and he immediately began planning in his mind the possibility of a massed flight to America. In 1931 Balbo took 12 SM.55X flying boats to Brazil, and by 1933 he was ready for his trip to America. Utilizing 25 aircraft Balbo once again chose the reliable SM.55X. The route would include stops in Amsterdam, Northern Ireland, Iceland, Montreal, and finally Chicago. On July 15, 1933 Balbos aerial armada arrived over Lake Michigan. Hundreds of thousands of spectators jammed the Chicago shoreline to welcome the aviators. Four days later Balbo lead his team to New York, where they made several passes over Manhattan before landing at the Coney Island seaplane base. The Italians drew huge crowds in New York, and Balbo traveled to Washington to meet with President Roosevelt and Wiley Post. Mussolini grew jealous of the attention Balbo was receiving and wired him to return to Italy. He later removed him as head of the Aeronautica and sent him to Libya as Governor. Balbos epic flights were a watershed in the transition of aviation from the pioneering efforts on single aviators to the discipline and organization required to operate a modern air force.


Tigers Claws by Stan Stokes.

Curtiss had been the primary supplier of fighter aircraft to the U.S. Army Air Corps. since its inception, and the company was dismayed when the Army procured the Boeing P-26 Peashooter in 1932. Curtiss responded by hiring Mr. Donovan Berlin, a bright young engineer who was working for Northrop. Donovan developed the Hawk 75, a streamlined, low-wing, monoplane coastal defense fighter. With an enhanced Twin Wasp engine the Hawk 75 evolved into the P-36, which had a brief and fairly undistinguished career with the Air Corps. In 1938 a P-36 was retrofitted with the Allison in-line 12-cylinder, 1150 HP engine, and the P-40 was born. This was the beginning of what would eventually be a production run of more than 13,000 aircraft. Depending on its theater of operation and the particular model, the P-40 was alternatively known as the Tomahawk, the Kittyhawk, or the Warhawk. By mid-1942 P-40s were serving in every major conflict. The aircraft excelled in ground attack missions, but lacked the speed and maneuverability to challenge the top Japanese or German fighters in dogfights. As a result, P-40 pilots developed strategies which took advantage of the aircrafts structural integrity and excellent flying characteristics, while minimizing the aircrafts limitations. The final production version of the P-40 was the N model, which achieved a top rated speed of 378 MPH by eliminating two machine guns and by reducing fuel tank capacity. The American Volunteer Group was a group of American mercenary pilots which fought for the Chinese early in the War. Organized by Army Capt. C.L. Chennault, the Flying Tigers, as the group was more popularly referred to, consisted of 100 pilots and 100 P-40B aircraft. Three squadrons, the Panda Bears, the Hells Angels, and Adam and Eve, made up the unit. The primary mission of the Flying Tigers was to keep Chinas vital supply link to the outside world, the Burma road, open. Under Chennault the Flying Tigers utilized diving attacks as a means of providing tactical advantage against the lighter, faster, and more maneuverable Japanese aircraft. Prior to the group being disbanded in 1942 the Tigers had chalked up 286 confirmed victories with losses of only 23 aircraft. Pilots received a $500 bonus for every Japanese plane shot down. Depicted in Stan Stokes extraordinary painting is Ken Jernstedt, one of the 39 Flying Tiger aces of the War, with 10.5 confirmed victories. In Stokes scene Jernstedt has just achieved a victory over a Japanese Nakajima Ki-27, referred to as the Nate by the USAAC. The gnat-like Nate was the first monoplane fighter to serve with the JAAF. Although a fragile craft Chenault described the Nate as follows: ....it climbs like a rocket and maneuvers like a squirrel. The Flying Tigers did a lot of squirrel hunting in the few short months of their existence.


Big Tailed Beast by Stan Stokes.

On July 24, 1945, Air Group 87 on board the USS Ticonderoga was informed that the Hyuga, anchored off a small island near Kure, Japan, would be its target. The ship, a WW I vintage battleship which had been modernized in 1936, and later converted to part battleship and part sea plane tender, would be a formidable objective with its impressive firepower and the fact that its location would place the attackers in the line of fire of numerous shore batteries. The ship was 704 feet in length, displaced 39,000 tons, and carried a compliment of Aichi E16A1 Zuiun reconaissance aircraft which were code named Paul by the Allies. Lt Cdr. Kanaga would lead the squadrons Curtiss SB2C Helldivers on the attack. Each of the twelve Helldivers would carry a 1,000 pound bomb in the internal bomb bay, a 260 pound fragmentation bomb under one wing and a droppable wing tank under the other wing. The drop tank weighed substantially more than the 260 pounder so it was anticipated that the Helldivers might be a bit unstable on takeoff. The first aircraft launched, that of Lt. Al Matteson, went into a immediate hard right turn given the uneven wing loading, and hit the water hard. The other Helldivers managed to become airborne, and eventually joined up for the outbound leg of the mission. The plan was for the Helldivers to dive bomb the Hyuga while torpedo bombers made glide bombing attacks, as the water was too shallow for use of torpedoes. In Stan Stokes painting entitled Big Tailed Beast, an SB2C-4E piloted by Lt. H. Paul Brehm pulls out over its target. Anti-aircraft fire is fierce, and the Hyuga is partially obscured by the incredible amount of smoke being generated by its AA guns. Lt. Brehm has decided to make his dive without dive flaps, hoping to make himself a faster moving target for the Hyugas gunners. During Brehms dive, the SB2C of Lt. Vaughn, which was immediately in front of him, went straight down, crashing next to the Hyuga in a great splash of white foam. Brehm released his bomb and pulled out very low over the target. He momentarily blacked out, and his windscreen fogged over. Brehm and his gunner W. Tommy Thompson, could feel the jolt from their 1000 pounder as it scored a direct hit. Returning to their Task Force low on fuel and in bad weather, Brehm was forced to ditch his Helldiver, but he and Thompson were rescued within minutes by the USS Chauncey. The mission was successful, but was not without cost as more than half the attacking Helldivers failed to return safely. The Curtiss SB2C was the last combat aircraft produced by Curtiss-Wright for the US Navy. The aircraft entered service in late 1943 supplementing the Navys SBD Dauntless dive bomber force. More than 7,000 of these large single engine aircraft were produced, with the most widely produced variant being the SB2C-4. Helldivers were capable of carrying a 2,000 pound bomb load, and could also be modified to be used in the torpedo bombing role. Referred to as The Big Tailed Beast by many of its pilots, the Helldiver had a top speed approaching 280-MPH, but also had the reputation of being one of the most difficult carrier based aircraft to land. As a result, many of the Helldivers lost during the War were victims of landing accidents.


The Air Pirate by Stan Stokes.

The Societe Anonyme dAeroplanes Morane-Saulnier first showed its aircraft at the Salon Aeronautique in Paris in 1911. With the famous French airman Roland Garos as its test pilot, the company received a lot of interest in the products it displayed. The first production models were delivered in 1913. The Type L was a parasol monoplane, and orders were received from the French Air Corps. The Type L was the forerunner of the first true family of fighters, the Fokker Eindeckers. When War began the Type L was one of the fastest reconnaissance aircraft available. With its high speed and excellent maneuverability, the Type L was a natural to take on the role of interceptor, once it became evident that aircraft were going to be utilized for more than just reconnaissance. The Type N debuted in mid-1914. Its most characteristic feature was its incorporation of a large prop spinner which completely covered the engine. With no ailerons, all lateral control was made by warping the wings through a complex system of control wires. In early 1916 the Type I was introduced. It utilized a more powerful 110-HP rotary engine. The Type I was capable of 176-MPH, with an operational ceiling of 3,500 feet. The large prop spinner was reshaped, and the undercarriage was strengthened. These aircraft were not without their faults. Flying was exceptionally difficult in bad weather, and the wing design was modified several times to reduce the tendency of the Moraine-Saulnier to go into an uncontrollable tail spin. A number of these aircraft were flown by the Russians on the Romanian and Southwestern Fronts. The Moraine-Saulnier monoplane of Lt. Ivan W Smirnoff is depicted in action in Stan Stokes painting entitled The Air Pirate. While the vast majority of the air combat in WW I took place on the Western Front, air combat was not uncommon on the other fronts. Smirnoff, an ex-infantryman, joined XIX Squadron in 1915 as a Sergeant. He attained his first victory piloting a two-seater. His last victory, which was recorded in November of 1917, was his twelfth. Fearing that he would be executed by the Bolsheviks, Smirnoff fled Russia and served briefly with the Royal Flying Corps. In 1922 he joined the Dutch airline KLM. He flew for KLM for many years. In 1942, during WW II, Smirnoff was Captain of a KLM DC-2 which was shot down by Imperial Japanese fighters over the East Indies. Smirnoff survived this disaster, and he died in October, 1956. Smirnoff is generally acknowledged to be the top scoring Russian ace of WW I.


No Trains Today by Stan Stokes.

The A-26 Invader was one of the most effective attack bombers to see action late in the War, and the aircraft, when fitted with eight .5 caliber machine guns in its nose, was an incredibly effective ground or surface ship attack aircraft. Douglas Aircraft developed the aircraft. The team of Edward Heinemann and Jack Northrop worked on the initial design of what would become the A-20 Havoc. Northrop then left Douglas to form his own company. Heinemenn and project engineer Robert Donovan began work on the A-26 project in 1941. It would incorporate several of the A-20s features yet it would be as advanced as possible with many state-of-the-art concepts. A mid-mounted, laminar-flow airfoil wing was utilized with double slotted electrically controlled flaps. Defensive armament was limited to remotely controlled dorsal and ventral turrets both under the control of a gunner located in the rear of the fuselage. Approval to develop prototypes was received from the Army in June of 1941. Three were built at Douglas El Segundo, California plant and were designated the XA-26. Heinemanns design team had built in a lot of flexibility into the A-26s design. The aircraft could be easily modified to vary its role. A three-man attack bomber version with a Plexiglas nose could be modified into a two-man night fighter version with radar in the nose and four ventral-mounted 20mm cannons, or modified once again into a ground attack aircraft with a variety of nose-mounted armaments. Work on the three prototypes was slowed by the War, but the aircraft was ready to go into production by mid-1942. Screw-ups within the Army and a lack of manufacturing equipment delayed the start of production until 1943. The Army decided to cancel the night fighter version of the A-26 and proceed with production of both a bomber and ground attack versions of the aircraft that would be named the Invader. The A-26B with the nose-mounted armament generally was fitted with either six or eight machine guns. The B variant could carry a 6,000-pound bomb load powered by its twin 2000-HP Pratt and Whitney R-2800-27 engines. With a maximum speed of 322-MPH the aircraft had a service ceiling of 25,000 feet and a maximum range of approximately 3000 miles. The A-26C variant was the glass nosed bomber version. In total 1,355 B versions were built along with 1,336 C versions. After the War the A-26s designation changed to the B-26 - leading to some confusion with the Martin-built B-26. In Stan Stokes painting entitled No Trains Today, a pair of A-26Bs rip into an Axis freight train behind enemy lines in 1945. The A-26 would go on to serve in the Korean War and several of these splendid aircraft remain air-worthy to this day.


Way Ahead of its Time by Stan Stokes.

Aviation artist Stan Stokes has appropriately entitled his outstanding painting of an SR-71 Blackbird as, Way Ahead of its Time. The Blackbirds origins, amazingly, date back to the 1950s. At that time the U.S. government was very concerned about nuclear developments in the Soviet Union, and a high altitude reconnaissance aircraft was needed to overfly the Soviet Union. The Lockheed Corporation responded by developing the U-2, which was akin to a high powered glider. The U-2 was based on cost effective adaptations of currently available technologies, and was very effective initially, but as surface-to-air missile capability improved, the U-2 became vulnerable. What was needed was a long-range, very fast, very high altitude aircraft, capable of outrunning Soviet surface-to-air missiles. Mr. Kelly Johnson, Lockheeds project engineer who oversaw the famous skunkworks, presented a proposal to the U.S. government in 1959 regarding the development of a state-of-the-art ultra high speed and ultra high altitude aircraft. The plane, initially designated the A-12, first appeared as the YF-12 interceptor, but the government decided not to fund the YF-12. The design, however, became the SR-71, and the first production Blackbird took to the skies in 1964. The aircraft incorporated many design features never utilized on any aircraft up to that time. For example, at cruising speed the Blackbirds skin would reach nearly 1000 degrees, so the aircraft had to be constructed primarily from a titanium alloy. The SR-71 gets so hot, in fact, that the plane is one foot longer at cruising speed than it is on the ground. For twenty-six years this secretive aircraft held many of the worlds records for both speed and altitude. It is believed that about thirty two Blackbirds were produced, and about twenty of these were still in service with the Air Force in 1990. With the development of more capable satellites, and the high cost of maintaining the Blackbird fleet, the Air Force suspended Blackbird operations in 1990. On the final Air Force flight of a Blackbird, from California to Washington, D.C., this incredible aircraft once again set a speed record in making the trip in only sixty-eight minutes. Mr. Stokes has depicted in his painting a SR-71 Blackbird flying at 80,000 feet and at Mach 3.1 over the west coast of the United States. The plane as depicted is piloted by Col. Robert Powell, who is believed to have logged over 1.0 million miles in his 1,020 hours of flight time. Becoming a Blackbird pilot was about as difficult as becoming an astronaut, and Col. Powell personifies the talented and dedicated pioneers, who much like the Blackbird, were way ahead of their time.


Herky's Big Day by Stan Stokes.

The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, or Jug7 as it was more popularly called, was the mount of many of the American aces of WW 11. The P-47 represented the crowning achievement from two aircraft designers, Alexander Kartvelli and Alexander De Seversky, both immigrants from Russia. It came on the heels of two other aircraft, the P-35 and P-43, which were satisfactory pre-war designs, but not up to the new standards required to compete against Bf-109 fighters in Europe or Mitsbushi Zeroes in the Pacific. The P-47 was the largest and heaviest single seat American fighter of the War. Powered by a huge 2000-HP radial engine, more than 15,000 Jugs were produced. The first production variant was the P-47B which had a razorback fuselage. During tests the aircraft attained a speed of 429-MPH with a maximum range at 10,000 feet of 835 miles. Later variants included a C and D model with the razorback fuselage. Belly tanks and wing tanks became standard equipment as the range of this fighter was stretched for bomber escort missions in Europe. In mid- 1943 one of the biggest pilot complaints about the aircraft was remedied when a bubble top canopy and redesigned fuselage was incorporated into the D model. This dramatically improved rearward vision of the pilots. These aircraft were armed with 8 machine guns, and could carry up to 2500 pounds of additional fuel or ordinance. Herschel Herky Green was one of the top USAAF aces in Europe with a total of 18 confirmed aerial victories (3 in P-40s, 10 in P-47s, and 5 in P-5 Is.) Green was born in 1920 in Mayfield, Kentucky. While studying mechanical engineering at Vanderbilt University he learned to fly in the Civilian Pilot Training Program. He joined the Army as an aviation cadet in 1941 and earned his wings an a commission at Foster Field in 1942. One of Greens first assignments was flying P40s in North Africa. He scored a total of three victories in P-40s before his squadron transitioned to the Jug. As depicted in Stan Stokes painting, appropriately entitled Herkys Big Day, Green downed six enemy aircraft on one mission over Northern Italy on January 30, 1944. Greens flight initially encountered a group of Ju-52 transports, and Green bagged four of them. About thirty minutes later the ace encountered a lone Macchi 202. In a low level turning duel Green eventually got in position and nailed the Italian fighter. Its wing dipped, caught the ground, and sent the Macchi into a terrible cartwheel of destruction. Heading home Green encountered a Do-217, which quickly became victim number 6. Green went on to later add four more P-47 victories, and after his group changed to the P-51 he scored an additional five, making him an ace in both the Jug and the Mustang. Green remained in the Air Force following the War, serving as Deputy Commander of the 4th Fighter Group at Selfridge Field. He also held a number of important staff positions prior to his retirement in 1964. Since that time he has been a successful businessman. Greens numerous decorations include the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Purple Heart, The Air Medal with 25 Oak Leaf Clusters, and the French Croix de Guerre with Palm. Green resides in Southern California.


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 range strategic bomber. With a design objective of having a 10,000 mile range with a 10,000 pound bomb load, the B-35 would be a true intercontinental bomber. Under the command of Northrops test pilot Max R. Stanley, the prototype aircraft exhibited a range of 7,500 miles at a cruising speed of 240-MPH. One of the most unusual-looking aircraft ever developed, the XB-35 was powered by four large piston engines powering counter rotating propellers mounted in the pusher position on the aft portion of the wing. The program was plagued with more than its fair share of problems, and it became clear that the design needed to be modified to a jet powered aircraft. Only fifteen of the piston powered aircraft were built, although at one point during the project 200 were on order. The YB-49 was the jet-powered evolution of the B-35 program, and B-35 airframes were modified to take the jet engines. Three prototypes were ultimately produced utilizing the modified B-35 airframes. The YB-49 was powered by eight Allison jet engines, and was capable of a top speed of more than 490-MPH. With a cruising speed of roughly 420-MPH, the jet-powered flying wing had a range of more than 3,000 miles. Northrops Chief Test Pilot Max Stanley piloted the YB-49 on its maiden flight on September 29, 1947, and worked with the B-49 until it was turned over to the Air Force in October of 1947. The slim silhouette of the B-49 provided a small radar target, and during tests off the California coat, the B-49 was able to penetrate air space without being picked up by radar. As depicted in Stan Stokes painting, which is dedicated to the memory of Jack Northrop and his passion for the tail-less aircraft, the B-49 is put through its paces over the mountains surrounding Edwards Air Force Base in California by USAF Chief Test Pilot Major Robert Cardenas. Cardenas flew the B-49 from December of 1947 until May of 1948. He was then scheduled to go back to school, but after one B-49 crashed in June of 1948, he was called back to continue flight tests. Cardenas, who retired from the Air Force as a Brigadier General, flew the B-49 from California to Washington, D.C. in February of 1949. While in Washington, President Truman toured the aircraft, and then requested a tree-top fly-by of the B-49 down Pennsylvania Avenue. Several weeks later Cardenas received a 35mm photo taken by a tourist of the B-49 passing just over the Capitol Building. The annonymous sender could not stand the pressure of having a picture of the Air Forces latest top secret space plane.


Hurricane on my Tail by Stan Stokes.

With Europe occupied by Nazi forces, Great Britain was the last obstacle in Hitlers plan to rule Europe. Hitlers invasion plan called for his Luftwaffe to gain control of the air over Britain in the first few weeks of attack, which would be followed by pulverizing bombing attacks on the British coastline, and finally by a blitzkrieg style invasion spearheaded by Panzer Divisions supported by fighters and dive bombers. The Germans had assembled over 100 well-equipped divisions by the Summer of 1940 for its invasion of Britain, and on August 8 the Luftwaffe attacks commenced. The Germans had underestimated the capability of the British air defense and both the will and skill of its pilots. In the first ten days of German attacks RAF Hurricanes and Spitfires shot down 697 German aircraft, while losing only 153 aircraft and 93 flight personnel of their own. By months end the German strategists shifted to all out attacks on British airfields, aircraft plants, and munitions factories. Effectively utilizing radar to pinpoint incoming strikes, and by widely dispersing their own aircraft so few could be destroyed during any single attack, the RAF fought back. During this second phase of attack the Germans lost an additional 562 aircraft compared to only 219 for the Brits. However, every German plane shot down resulted in the death or capture of its trained flight crews, but in more than half of the RAF losses the experienced pilot was saved. Forced to react to ever increasing losses, the Germans shifted their strategy to strategic night bombing raids on London and several other major cities. A year after The Battle Of Britain commenced Germany was forced to abandon major air operations directed at Britain marking this conflict the first major battle in the history of warfare fought solely by aircraft, as not a single Nazi soldier voluntarily set foot on British soil. The Hawker Hurricane while less glamorized than the Supermarine Spitfire, was the fighter most widely used by the RAF during the first two years of the War. The Hurricane was the first British fighter to exceed 300 MPH, and the first to carry eight machine guns. In excess of 14,000 Hurricanes were produced through 1944. The Heinkel He. 111 medium bomber pictured in Stan Stokes painting, Hurricane on My Tail!, was widely used by the Luftwaffe (7,300 produced) during the Battle of Britain. The 111 could carry a 5,500 pound bomb load and had a maximum speed of 252 MPH. In total the Germans lost 2,375 aircraft during the Battle of Britain. The inspiration and determination of the RAFs Hurricane and Spitfire pilots during this conflict lead to Winston Churchills often quoted remark, Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.


The War Up North by Stan Stokes.

The fighting in the Aleutian Island chain has largely been neglected by many WW II historians, as has the role of the Lockheed Ventura. The Ventura was a high performance aircraft and not that easy to learn to fly. Like the B-26 Marauder the Ventura earned a poor reputation from pilots and crews during training, but eventually became an unqualified success in the field. Despite an uncertain debut for this aircraft, during the last two and a half years of the War Venturas played a major role in the Pacific War. The Ventura was a follow-on to the successful Lockheed Hudson that had been purchased by the RAF. Whereas the Hudson was a militarized version of the Model 14 the Ventura was a militarized version of the Model 18 Lodestar. The Ventura utilized powerful 2000-HP Double Wasp radials and the designers utilized a paddle-style propeller. The paddle props coupled with the closeness of the engine nacelles to the fuselage gave the Ventura a distinctive sound. The Ventura was well armed and could carry a decent bomb load, and was fast enough to avoid many encounters with opposing fighters. The Ventura entered combat with the RAF in December of 1942. Despite the 300-MPH plus speed of the Ventura, the RAF became disenchanted with the Ventura as a low altitude attack bomber, and the USAAF stepped in to pick up the RAF production. The USAAF designated some early Venturas as B-34s and some later variants as B-37s. The US Navy negotiated an agreement with the USAAF to acquire some Venturas as a compliment to its force of PBY Catalina amphibians. The Catalinas were slow and vulnerable to attack, and the Navy felt that a fast land-based reconnaissance and patrol plane would be helpful. The Ventura also had enough offensive firepower to be utilized in the pinch as an attack bomber on enemy supply depots. The Navy adopted the PV designation for the aircraft (P for patrol and V for Vega - the division of Lockheed that produced the aircraft.) Some 1600 PV-1s were produced for the Navy between 1942 and May of 1944. The Navy added fuel capacity - giving the PV-1 a combat radius of 1600 miles. They also modified the nose of the aircraft. The bomb capacity was 3000 pounds and it was possible to carry a single torpedo in the bomb bay. The first Navy deployment of the Ventura was to the Aleutians in April 1943 (VB-135 and VB-136.) These squadrons perfected radar-bombing missions and on two other occasions attacking forces of Japanese Betty Bombers were turned back by Navy Venturas. The wicked flying weather in the Aleutians took as great a toll on our forces as did the enemy. Stan Stokes painting is intended as a tribute to those that fought in the War Up North.


Valiant Vindicators by Stan Stokes.

The Vought SB2U Vindicator represents one of those many 1930s era aircraft designs, that despite incorporating advanced aerodynamic design features when compared to earlier models, was technically obsolete at the start of WW II, and hence gets few favorable comments from a historical aviation combat perspective. The first production deliveries of the SB2U-1 dive-bomber took place in 1937. Powered by an 825-HP Pratt and Whitney radial, this aircraft carried a crew of two, and was capable of a maximum speed of 249-MPH and a maximum range of 1,300 miles. The Vindicators service ceiling was 27,500 feet. In early 1938 the Navy ordered 58 more Vindicators, designating this variant the SB2U-2. In 1939 Vought received a contract to supply the USMC with 57 additional Vindicators. These variants, designated the SB2U-3 would have greater fuel capacity and longer range. The 3s also were fitted with 4 forward firing machine guns instead of only one. Having advance knowledge of the Japanese plans to attack and occupy Americas Midway Islands base, the US Navy spent much of the month of May 1942 building-up the defenses on these tiny, but strategic islands. A mixed bag of USAAF, USN, and USMC aircraft had found their way to Midway in hopes of mounting an effective defense and possibly an offensive operational capability against the coming Japanese attack. The aircraft sent included many obsolescent types, but this was all that Admiral Nimitz had at his disposal. The Marine Corps Air Arm was used to getting USN pass alongs of used and worn aircraft as carrier-based units received more modern aircraft. At Midway, the Marines were no exception to this rule, and they found themselves in possession of F2A Buffalo and F4F Wildcat fighters assigned to VMF-221, and SB2U-3 Vindicators and SBD Dauntless dive bombers assigned to VMSB-241. The Vought Vindicators, nicknamed vibrators by their pilots, were technically obsolete USN hand me downs. The SB2Us were partially fabric covered, and in a power dive the wings had a nasty habit of shedding fabric, and hence lift. As a result these aircraft were patched up with a lot of tape, and the recent over painting of the rudder stripes and previous squadron markings gave them a rather ratty appearance. Warned by PBY patrol aircraft of the incoming Japanese air attack, MAG-22 scrambled all available aircraft just before 6:00AM on June 4, 1942. The 12 Vindicators available took off armed with 500-pound bombs mounted on their centerline bomb racks. In Stan Stokes painting a heavily laden Vindicator struggles for altitude in the first phase of the Battle of Midway.


Yamamoto's Last Flight by Stan Stokes.

On April 18, 1943, in one of the more interesting, daring, and ultimately controversial missions of WW II, a flight of P-38s under the command of Major John Mitchell, intercepted and destroyed the aircraft carrying Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, Commander in Chief of the Japanese Combined Fleet, and the mastermind of the attack on Pearl Harbor. American code breakers had intercepted and translated a message indicating that Adm. Yamamoto would fly from Rabaul to an airfield on the southern tip of Bouganville on the morning of April 18, 1943. Because of the great distances to be covered during this intercept mission the P-38s would have very limited time over the rendezvous area. Fortunately for the Army Air Force pilots, Yamamoto was noted for his punctuality, and if he departed Rabaul on time the mission might just work. Major Mitchell led his flight of 16 P-38s to the rendezvous, with twelve of his fighters acting as high cover to fend off escorting fighters, while four pilots were designated as the killer flight by Mitchell and were to destroy the Mitsubishi Betty which would be carrying the Admiral. Two betty bombers and six Zero fighters were encountered. Both Bettys were downed by the killer flight and one of the four P-38s in the killer flight was lost. Unfortunately, this marvelous mission has also been surrounded by more than its share of controversy. One of the three surviving pilots of the killer flight was Thomas Lamphier. Lamphier claimed that only he fired the fatal shots into Yamamotos Betty. In 1972 the Air Force reviewed all relevant information surrounding the flight, including testimony from a surviving Japanese fighter pilot on the mission and a surviving passenger on the second Betty. The official Air Force decision in 1972 was that both Lamphier and his wingman Rex Barber should share equal credit. In March of 1985 another Victory Credit Board of Review was convened, and it too concluded that the victory should be shared. Later that year new evidence was put forward in the form of a taped interview with one of the surviving Zero pilots, Kenji Yanagiya. Yanagiyas testimony clearly supported the Rex Barber account of the mission and not that of Lamphier. Lamphier, who died in 1987, continued to be outspoken until his death in his claims. In 1993, The noted aviation historian, Carroll Glines published an excellent book entitled Attack on Yamamoto. The bulk of the evidence presented in Glines book supported the conclusion that only Rex Barber probably deserves credit for the victory. More recently a board assembled by the American Fighter Aces Association met and reviewed all available facts. That Board decided that only Rex Barber deserves the official credit for downing Yamamoto. Despite all this unfortunate controversy one cannot deny that the mission to intercept Yamamoto was the longest successful mission of its type in WWII. Yamamotos death boosted morale in the United States, shocked the Japanese public, and was ultimately symbolic of the turn around in the War in the Pacific, which began at Midway in 1942, and gathered momentum in 1943.


The Ringmaster by Stan Stokes.

Born in Prussia to wealthy aristocratic parents, Manfred Freherr von Richtofen, The Red Baron, was to become the top ace of World War I, with 80 confirmed kills, and probably another 40-50 which took place over enemy lines and could not be confirmed. Richtofen was originally a cavalry officer, but with great persistence he was transferred to the air arm. After a brief period on the eastern front Richtofen was transferred to the western front in August 1915. His first confirmed victory was recorded in September 1916 and by November he recorded eleven kills, including Major Lance Hawker, the top British fighter pilot. With his keen reflexes and eyesight he quickly ascended, and by June 1917 Richtofen took control of a unit near Coutrai. This unit became known as Richtofens Circus. By July the ringmaster had his fifty-seventh victim. Despite his successes Richtofen shunned publicity and became increasingly withdrawn. Richtofen was wounded in combat and spent three weeks in the hospital recuperating. After his return to duty Manfred became a vocal proponent of the Fokker triplane. The bright red paint scheme utilized on one of Richtofens aircraft is what earned him the nick-name, The Red Baron. Richtofens brother, Lothar, was also an ace with forty victories to his credit. By April of 1918, aided by Americas entry into the War, Germany was facing overwhelming numbers of enemy aircraft, and many with performance capabilities the equal to, and in some cases superior to, their own. The Germans mounted a final desperate offensive, and on April 21,1918 The Red Baron finally fell victim to the perils of combat. Although there is considerable controversy over the Red Barons demise, it appears that Richtofen was either killed by Captain Arthur Brown, a Canadian flying with the RAF, or was shot down by Australian machine gunners while evading Captain Brown. Richtofen was provided a full military funeral by the Allies, and on the evening following his funeral a single RAF fighter dropped a small package containing photos of the funeral onto the Circus headquarters. By Wars end the Circus was credited with the destruction of 644 aircraft, but 56 of its airmen had been killed, 32 seriously wounded, and 6 captured. Richtofen is pictured in July of 1917 tangling with Sopwith Camels in the skies over Belgium. Flying his beloved Fokker triplane, the infamous Red Baron is shown positioning his aircraft for yet another victory.


Canadian Heroes by Stan Stokes.

James Edgar (Johnnie) Johnson was the Royal Air Forces top fighter ace in Europe with 38 confirmed victories during the War. Johnson was called up in 1939 following his training with the RAF Volunteer Reserve. Having been hospitalized for much of the Battle of Britain, Johnsons first serious action was in mid-1941 when he often flew with Douglas Baders section. Johnson was promoted quickly and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross following his fifth victory in 1941. In early 1943 Johnson was put in command of a wing of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Flying the high-performance Supermarine Spitfire Mark IX, Johnson achieved 18 victories in seven months of flying. Many of Johnsons victories were achieved against the Messersmitt Bf-109. Promoted to Group Captain in early 1945, Johnson was put in command of the 125 Wing for the duration of the War. The Supermarine Spitfire is the only Allied fighter to have been continuously produced from before 1939 to after 1945. In total more than 22,000 of these splendid aircraft were built. The chief designer of the Spitfire was R.J. Mitchell, a brilliant engineer who joined the Supermarine company in 1916, and by 1920 was its chief engineer. Mitchell fashioned a number of high performance maritime aircraft, culminating with the sleek S series of float planes. This is the float plane which ultimately won permanent possession of the coveted Schneider Trophy for Britain, and established a new world speed record in excess of 400 MPH in 1931. In that same year the Air Ministry issued a specification for a new high-performance day/night fighter. Mitchells design, the Type 224, lost out in the competition to the Gloster Gladiator biplane. In 1936 the new Rolls Royce Merlin engine was fitted to a prototype 224, and the Spitfire was born. Achieving a speed of 396 MPH, the RAF was impressed, and initial orders for the first Spitfires were placed. Sadly, R.J. Mitchell succumbed to cancer in 1937 at the age of only 42. With the onset of the War, Spitfire production soared, and the aircraft was steadily improved. The Mark IX, as depicted in Stan Stokes painting entitled Canadian Heroes, first entered service in July 1942. The Mark IX was identifiable because of its four-bladed prop and its twin radiators. Introduced partially in response to Germanys introduction of the Focke Wolfe FW 190, the Mark IX was produced in greater numbers (5,665) than any other particular Spitfire model. As depicted in Stokes painting Johnnie Johnson has just attained another victory over a Bf-109 while flying with the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1944. The painting is dedicated to the many Canadians which served with the RAF during the War.


Moonlight Renegade by Stan Stokes.

On July 2, 1900 Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin piloted his first rigid-framed, lighter-than-air ship over Lake Constance in Germany. Seventeen years later, on June 16, 1917, Zepellins latest creation, the L-48, was readied at Nordholz, Germany for its first combat mission. The huge L-48 was one of the newest and most technically advanced German airships. Powered by five 250 HP Maybach engines, the great airship could carry 6,000 pounds in bombs, and was manned by a crew of nineteen. For this maiden mission the commodore of the North Sea Airship Division, Victor Schutze, would be joining the L-48s skipper Kapitain-lieutenant Franz George Eichler. Early in the afternoon the L-48 commenced its mission along with several other airships from the Nordholz base. The great Zeppelin would cruise at 60 MPH at 5,000 to 10,000 feet and would ascend to approximately 20,000 feet when approaching its target. This altitude would provide an effective defense against both anti-aircraft or British fighters. RAF Captain Robert Saundby, had returned from the front, to be put in charge of a very small RFC squadron at Oxford Ness. June 16 was a cloudless night, perfect for a Zeppelin attack., and at 11:15 PM Saundby launched his two active aircraft equipped with incendiary machine gun bullets. As he gazed up at the stars at 1:00 AM Saundby was startled to see a huge zeppelin outlined by searchlights only a few miles away. Awakening two of his mechanics, Saundby instructed them to fire up his single-seat DH2 fighter. Although obsolete and not equipped for night fighting, Saundby, who had never flown at night, got the little pusher-propeller fighter in the air, and began a long ascent. After fifteen minutes of flying Saundby spotted the L-48, which was by now attracting anti-aircraft fire which was exploding several thousand feet below the great airships altitude. For an hour or so, Saundby tried to coax every bit of altitude out of his little DH2, but he could not get in range. At around 3:00AM the L-48 completed its bombing runs, and the Captain set a due north course. With dawn only an hour away, Captain Eichler was anxious to get out of British airspace. A report from an observation airship which had accompanied the strike force that evening indicated favorable winds at 13,000 feet. Captain Eichler gave the orders to descend. Meanwhile, Captain Saundby who had fought the cold and wind while tailing the L-48 for nearly three hours, was startled to see the great airship descending. Pushing his DH2 to the limit, Saundby emptied 8 canisters of incendiaries at the L-48. Recognizing the attack the L-48 dumped ballast, and immediately began to ascend. Saundbys last few round met their target and the L-48 erupted. Saundby felt the surge of heat and light, and struggled to keep his little craft under control. Within minutes the L-48s maiden mission was over, as Saundby circled the 750 foot long fireball which had come down at Westford. Amazingly, two of the L-48s crewmembers survived, the only people to ever survive a zeppelin which had been ignited. One of these survivors, Kapitanlieuntenant Meith wrote a letter describing the L-48s fateful misssion, providing much of the historical basis for this incident.


Top Night Fighter by Stan Stokes.

Major Heinz Schnaufer, with 121 victories, was the top-scoring night fighter ace of all time. He became a Luftwaffe pilot in 1942 and obtained his first victory in June of that year. By August his victory count had reached twenty-two and he was put in command of the 9th Staffel of the IV/BJG1. On the evening of December 16, 1943 Schnaufer downed four RAF Lancaster 4-engine bombers, and on February 21, 1945 he claimed a total of nine Lancasters in one evening. He received the highest award which could be obtained, the Diamonds to the Knights Cross, upon attainment of his 100th victory. Schnaufer survived the War, but was killed in a motoring accident in 1950. As depicted by Stan Stokes in his dramatic painting entitled Top Night Fighter, Schnaufer, who primarily flew the night fighter version of the Messerschmitt Bf-110 Zerstorer, homes in on an RAF Lancaster heavy bomber. The Bf-110 grew out of Herman Gorings specifications for a multipurpose aircraft capable of penetrating deep into enemy airspace to clear the sky of enemy fighters in advance of German bomber formations. The aircraft would also be utilized as a long range interceptor, and as a ground support and ground attack bomber. The Bf-110 prototype first flew in 1936. The prototype was under powered with its Daimier Benz DB 600A engines. Several months passed before a go ahead was given for large scale production which commenced in 1938. Utilizing improved DB 601 engines, the early production 110s were as fast as any single engine fighter at that time, and had superior fire power. Their biggest apparent weakness was in the areas of armor protection for the crew, and in terms of maneuverability when compared to single seat fighters. The 110 was produced in large numbers and in many different variants. The 110D was the long range model. An additional belly tank was fitted to that aircraft, with several later variants having the more traditional drop tanks. The first serious test for the Bf-110 came during the Battle of Britain. About 300 Bf-110s were involved. They became easy prey for Hurricane and Spitfire pilots, and Bf-109s were often required to assist the 110s in their own defense. On August 15, 1940, which became known as Black Tuesday, the Bf-110s were ravaged by the RAF, and for the month over 100 aircraft were lost. On the Eastern Front the Bf-110 performed admirably in the early stages of Operation Barbarossa. With the Soviet Air Force weakened in the first several weeks of the attack, 110s were effectively utilized in a ground attack role. Ultimately, the Luftwaffe re-equipped a significant number of its 110s as night fighters. The aircraft performed well in this role because it was a good gun platform with sufficient speed to overtake the RAF night bombers. Such night missions were typically carried out with no Allied fighter escort, so the 110 night fighters would not have to engage or elude Allied fighters in this role.


1934 American Classics by Stan Stokes.

Stan Stokes, in his painting, 1934 American Classics, beautifully portrays a Hollywood movie star and her pet dog embarking on a chartered Ford Trimotor from the Grand Central Air Terminal (owned and operated by Curtis-Wright) in California. Probably bound for a weekend visit to San Simeon, the palatial retreat of the publishing magnate, William Randolph Hearst, the trip to San Luis Obispo will take only ninety minutes. The early afternoon rains have left puddles on the tarmac, but fair skies have returned to the San Gabriel mountains, and the trip should be a smooth one. During the Great Depression the Packard Company introduced some of its most stunning and high performance automobiles. The 1934 Packard LeBaron Speedster, pictured in the painting, was one such machine. Costing nearly $8,000 the Packard LeBaron Speedster was about two to three times the price of a nice three bedroom house. Only the very wealthy could afford such luxuries during the Depression. Note that the Speedsters fenders are reminiscent of the wheel covers on racing planes during the era of the Thompson Trophy Air Races. The Speedster was powered by a 160 HP V-12 engine which displaced 445 cubic inches. Around this time it is believed that among the Hollywood notables that owned Packard Speedsters were both Clark Gable and Douglas Fairbanks. The Ford Trimotor was introduced in 1926 and between 1926 and 1933 Ford produced approximately 200 of these capable aircraft. Ford Trimotors remained in service long after they were made technically obsolete by more modern aircraft, and it is reputed that one aircraft built in 1928 was still in regular service as late as 1970. Admiral Byrd utilized a 4-AT version of the Trimotor for his 1929 Antarctic expedition. The Ford Trimotor played an important role in introducing commercial aviation to the general public during the years of the Great Depression. The basic model carried eleven passengers and a crew of two, had a cruising speed of 107 MPH, an operational ceiling of 16,500 feet, and a range of 570 miles. Due to its corrugated metal exterior skin the Trimotor was affectionately known as the Tin Goose. The Tin Goose had a wingspan of nearly 78 feet, and was fifty feet in length. In 1930 Transcontinental and Western Air (TWA) began the first coast-to-coast commercial service utilizing Ford Trimotors. The trip took only thirty-six hours, if the weather was cooperative.


Miracle in the Sand Dunes by Stan Stokes.

Orville and Wilbur Wright were two enterprising Americans from the Midwest who made a living operating a bicycle shop. They were fascinated with the possibility of flight and they built their first glider in 1900. They were inspired by the work of a German, Otto Lilienthal, who had studied the wing and had built effective gliders that had reached more than 1000 feet in altitude. Following Lilienthals death the torch of aeronautical progress was passed to an American civil engineer named Octave Chanute. The French-born Chanute had come to America in 1838, and only became interested in flight in 1889. In 1894 he published a book entitled Progress in Flying Machines, which became the reference manual for all potential future aeronautical pioneers. Another early pioneer was Samuel P. Langley. He was a professor who became Secretary of the Smithsonian in 1887. In 1891 he began to experiment in aeronautics, and by 1896 he had developed a number of large powered flying models that he launched from a boat on the Potomac River. Langley received $50,000 from the War Department in 1897 to build a man-carrying aircraft. By October of 1903 Langleys Aerodrome was completed and prepared for a catapult launching on the Potomac. Despite careful preparations a line snagged during take off and the craft immediately crashed. Two months later on December 8, 1903 Langley made a final try with a rebuilt Aerodrome. This time the aircraft split into two upon launching. The Wright brothers developed a rudimentary wind tunnel to test their glider designs. This also helped the Wrights understand how to control an aircraft during flight, a small detail often overlooked by other early pioneers - sometimes with fatal consequences. On December 17, 1903 the Wright Brothers took their latest aircraft powered with a small petrol engine to the Kill Devil Hills sand dunes at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Winning the coin toss Wilbur won the honors for the first flight. On a cold and windy December morning the small engine was started and the aircraft was launched down a short wooden monorail track. The machine lifted into the air and remained airborne for about 12 seconds. Covering a mere 120 feet. Three more flights occurred that day, the last lasting nearly one minute and covering more than 850 feet. History would mark this as the beginning of the aviation age, as the advent of controlled powered flight in heavier than air aircraft. By 1908 the Wright Brothers had received an Army contract for more than $30,000 to build Wright Flyers. Unfortunately, the Wrights would spend most of their latter years in legal patent fights with aviation pioneer Glen Curtiss. Curtiss went on to build a successful aviation company, whereas the Wright Brothers were relegated to a lesser role.


Mauled by a Marauder by Stan Stokes.

The B-26 Marauder, dubbed the widow maker by its detractors, was developed by the Glen L. Martin Company beginning in 1939. The first B-26 was completed in November of 1940. The early models had very high wing loading, and were tricky to fly. Added armament increased weight even further leading to an alarming rate of accidents during training. Increasing engine power, wingspan and rudder height solved many of the problems. The B-26 was capable of speeds in excess of 320-MPH, and with a normal crew compliment of six and a bomb load of 4,000 pounds the aircraft, had a range in excess of 1100 miles. Despite the controversy surrounding the B-26, the aircraft served admirably during WW II, and in fact had the lowest loss ratio of any American aircraft. The 386th Bomb Group was organized on December 1, 1942 under the command of Lt. Col. Lester J. Maitland. The 386th, known as The Crusaders, trained at MacDill Field near Tampa Florida. The accident rate during training of earlier B-26 units was alarmingly high, leading to the phrase one a day in Tampa Bay. With improved training methods for both flight and maintenance crews, and with improvements to the B-26s engines and electrical systems, the accident rate began to decline, and the 386th attained 10,000 flight hours of training without an accident. The Crusaders went to Lake Charles, Louisiana for the second phase of their training. On April 20, 1943 the Crusaders completed their training and crews were dispatched to either Selfridge Field in Michigan or the Martin plant in Omaha to pick-up their B-26Bs and Cs for the long flight to England. The 386th had an incredible combat record, flying 409 combat missions against Axis targets such as bridges, railroad yards, and other tactical targets. Most bombing missions were done at an altitude of 10,000-13,000 feet. On 11/29/43 the Crusaders flew a mission which was very memorable for the crew of Sexation. As depicted in Stan Stokes painting, appropriately entitled Mauled by Marauders, the Sexation was attacked by several German Fw-190 and Bf-109 fighters. With the loss of one engine, significant wing damage, and hydraulic system failure, Sexation was a sitting duck. However, Bill Norris, the tail gunner on the B-26, kept the fighters at bay, shooting down 3 enemy fighters and one probable on the mission. This made Norris the top gun of the 386th. The crew was able to nurse the aircraft back to England where they made a belly landing. Both Norris and the aircrafts commander, Pete LaFramboise, received the Silver Star for this mission. This print is dedicated to the memory of Col. Maitland and the 191 Crusaders who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country during WW II.


A Perfect Record by Stan Stokes.

At the time of World War II there was still a great deal of prejudice in America, and this extended to all the branches of the military. Although black soldiers and seaman fought with dignity and bravery during WW I, many thought that blacks were incapable of handling difficult assignments. It was therefore with great uncertainty and trepidation that the Army Air Corps authorized the training of black pilots in 1941. The Air Corps proposed that a segregated training program be established. Judge William Hastie, Dean of the Howard University Law School, who was serving as a Civilian Assistant for Negro Affairs to the Secretary of War, protested about the segregated training, but his complaints were ignored. Hastie also proposed that the Army consider affiliating with the Tuskegee Institute which had already established a pilot training program. The Army allocated $1 million for the construction of the Tuskegee Army Air Field. The men sent to Tuskegee had to pass rigorous physical tests and pass nine weeks of ground school. They then received their basic flight instruction from instructors with the Civilian Instructor Corps. Those who passed moved on to more sophisticated military training for another seventy hours of flight time. A third phase of advanced training followed after which pilot cadets received their wings and were appointed to an initial rank of either 2nd Lieutenant or Flight Officer. Only about 60% of the cadets made it through the program, and many were killed or injured in flying accidents during training. Captain Noel Parish who oversaw much of the training at Tuskegee was a vocal supporter of the men under his command. Despite their ability to successfully handle the Air Corps training program, considerable hostility was still evident and the Army was reluctant to assign Tuskegee graduates to combat units. This created a difficult morale problem for those who had earned their wings and were now anxious to see combat. Finally, in the spring of 1943, the 99th Fighter Squadron headed for North Africa. In June of 1943 the 99th finally saw combat flying P-40s. On July 2 Lt. Charles Hall became the first black aviator to record an aerial victory in WW II. The 99th played an important role in preparing for the invasion of Sicily. The 332nd Fighter Group (under the command of then Lt. Col. Benjamin O. Davis, Jr.) consisting of the 100th, 301st, and 302nd fighter squadrons entered combat in Italy flying P-39s in early 1944. By mid-1944 the Group was receiving P-47s, but in another about face the Air Corps quickly substituted P-51s. At this time the 99th FS was folded into the 332nd FG. From mid-1944 until the end of the War in Europe the Tuskegee Airmen of the 332nd FG flew an incredible number of missions. They generally escorted Fifteenth Air Force bombers on their attacks into Germany from bases in Italy. The red-tailed fighters of the 332nd FG had the distinction of having a perfect record - losing no escorted bombers to enemy fighter attack during the entire War. In Stan Stokes painting, the P-51 piloted by Charles E. McGee, who would also go on to fly combat missions in both Korea and Vietnam, is depicted over a Czech airfield on August 24, 1944. On this mission McGee would down an Fw-190.


Against the Tide by Stan Stokes.

As dawn broke on the morning of May 10, 1940, an irresistible tide of German armored and aerial might crashed across the frontiers of Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France. A combination of paratroopers, fast moving panzer units, truck born infantry, and mobile artillery smashed its way through the dazed and outnumbered defenders. Leading the Luftwaffe assault were waves of fast fighter aircraft, twin-engine bombers, and screaming Stukka dive bombers. Blitzkrieg had arrived. Within four short weeks Holland, Belgium, and Luxembourg had all capitulated to the victorious Wermacht, and the British Expeditionary Force had been forced to evacuate at Dunkirk. By the middle of June the battered and demoralized French Army was in full retreat and falling back towards Paris. In desperate attempts to stem the tide, valiant but outnumbered units of the Armee de lAir struck back with great courage against advancing German Panzer divisions, vainly trying to save their beloved capital city. In Stan Stokes painting entitled Against the Tide, French warplanes of two generations rendezvous over Paris before the battle begins. The Detwoitine D.520 was undoubtedly the best French fighter of WW II. Had the armistice not taken place the D.520s career would have paralleled that of its contemporaries in Germany and Britain. Production was slated to reach more than 2,000 aircraft in 1940, and plans had been put in place to have this aircraft produced in America by the Ford Motor Company. In comparative tests with the Bf-109E, the Detwoitine showed superior maneuverability, and plans were adopted for upgrading the power of its engine to provide comparable speed and rates of climb to the 109. Armed with a 20mm nose mounted cannon and four 7.5mm wing-mounted machine guns, the D.520 could obtain a top speed of 332-mph with its 910-HP Hispano-Suiza 12Y45 engine. Among Frances highest scoring fighter pilots who flew the D.520 was Sous-Lieutenanat Pierre Le Gloan. Le Gloan destroyed 11 opposing German and Italian aircraft during the Battle of France and later would fight against the British during the campaign in Vichy-controlled Syria. His final total reached 18 before his death is a flying accident in 1943. Indicative of the dramatic changes in the Armee de lAir at the start of WW II are the obsolescent Bloch MB 210 medium bombers and the Breguet Bre.693 assault aircraft. The MB 210 (numerically the most important French bomber in late 1939) with its severe angularity, slab-sided fuselage, glass-house nose, and birdcage-like turrets was a typical French bomber of the 1930s. With a crew of 5, and a maximum bomb load of 3,500 lbs the 210 had a top speed of only 210-MPH. In contrast, the Bre.693 was a sleek and modern attack aircraft with fighter-like performance. With twin 700-HP radials this heavily armed aircraft was capable of 301-MPH. Many of these aircraft were lost during the Battle of France in low level attacks on German armour.

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