|
|
|
Royal Navy Ace by Stan Stokes.
Tommy Sopwith was born in 1888. He became the second person to fly the English Channel, and he established the Sopwith Aviation Company in 1912. His first successful aircraft design was the Sopwith Tabloid. This was a very modern aircraft when introduced in 1913. With its top speed of 92-MPH the Tabloid won the 1914 Schneider Trophy race. Two other early Sopwith designs were the Bat Boat, one of the first flying boats flown by the Naval Wing, and the Three-Seater, a large observation aircraft. Sopwith proliferated many other designs during the Great War, including the Snipe, Pup, Dolphin, Salamander, Strutter, and Camel. Sopwiths triplane was introduced in 1917. It evolved from the need for an aircraft with a superior rate of climb. By reducing the length and width of the wings, and by adding a third wing, the desired results were achieved. The triplane was a sound design with good rate of climb and very good maneuverability. It was somewhat underpowered when compared with its German adversaries. It was powered with either a 110-HP or 130-HP Clerget engine. The Sopwith Triplane utilized a convention design with I-sections and longertrons made of spruce wood. The fabric was separated from the structural members by thin strips of spruce, and the forward section of the fuselage was covered with sheet aluminum. The Triplane had a steerable tailskid, and the undercarriage was built with streamlined steel tubing. This diminutive aircraft was 26 feet 6 inches in span and just under 19 feet in length. The maximum speed of the aircraft was 117-MPH; attainable at 5,000 feet altitude. With a service ceiling of 20,500 feet the Triplane had a maximum endurance of 90 minutes. Maneuverability was a hallmark of Sopwith designs and the triplane was no exception to this rule. Many Royal Naval Air Service pilots flew the Triplane. For most of 1917 the pilots of Navy 1, 8, and 10 squadrons in Flanders flew Triplanes. Sopwith also produced a 200-HP Hispano-Suiza powered triplane that had larger wings to compensate for the increased engine weight. More than 20,000 aircraft were built of Sopwith design prior to the companys merger with Hawker in 1933. Captain R.A. Little was the RNASs highest-scoring ace with a total of 47 victories. He had fifteen victories (Nos 22-36) that were attained while flying the Sopwith Triplane with No 8 Squadron RNAS between April 1917 and July 1917.
Signed limited edition of 4750 prints. Print size 16 inches x 11.5 inches (41cm x 30cm) Supplied with signed and numbered certificate of authenticity.. Price £37.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee paper prints. Size 21 inches x 14 inches (53cm x 36cm). Price £109.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 45 inches x 30 inches (114cm x 76cm). Price £624.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 36 inches x 24 inches (91cm x 61cm). Price £484.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 27 inches x 18 inches (69cm x 46cm). Price £294.00
ITEM CODE STK0022
|
|
|
Boom Boom Billy by Stan Stokes.
William Avery Bishop, the top scoring RFC ace of WW I, was born in Ontario Canada on February 8, 1894. He entered the Royal Military College in 1911 and after War broke out in Europe he was assigned to the 14th Battalion of the Canadian Mounted Rifles. Bishop applied for a transfer to the Royal Flying Corps in 1915. Following a few months of training he was made an observer and was sent to France to fly with No. 21 squadron. He was hospitalized for frostbite and later from injuries sustained in a bad landing. In late 1916 he began pilot training and in March of 1917 Bishop was posted to No. 60 squadron flying Nieuport Scouts. On March 25 he experienced his first air combat, downing an Albatros single-seater. Bishop scored thirteen victories during Bloody April, and another seven-and-a-half in May. He was awarded the DSO at this point. In early June Bishop attacked a German airfield at dawn, and shot down three Albatros aircraft taking off to challenge him. For this fete he received the Victoria Cross. In constant combat during the summer months, Bishops score rose to 45 by mid-August. He was the first to exceed the record of the famous British Ace, Albert Ball. During this period Bishop often flew as many as seven-eight hours each day. He was aggressive in the air and obviously possessed excellent flying instincts and marksmanship skills. Eleven of these 45 victories were achieved in the SE-5 with which No. 60 squadron had been re-equipped. Promoted to Major, Bishop returned to Canada for a recruiting tour. In 1918 he returned to England, first as the Chief Instructor at Aerial Gunnery School, and later as the Commander of No. 85 squadron. Once again Bishop was at his best in the air. Flying SE-5s, Bishop claimed 27 more victories during this final combat tour, including four Pfalz D.IIIs. Bishop received the DFC, and returned to the Air Ministry in England for a short time before returning to Canada in August of 1918. There he played an important role in the formation of the new Canadian Air Force. Bishops official victory total of 72, the highest for any RFC flyer in WW I, approached the official total of von Richtofen who had 80. Some historians have disputed Bishops score, indicating that he received credit for a number of victories when he was flying alone. Following the War, Bishop formed a commercial aviation company with another ace W.G. Barker. He later served with the RCAF during WW II as an Air Marshal responsible for training. Billy Bishop passed away in 1956 at the age of seventy. In Stan Stokes nostalgic painting the top RFC ace is depicted early in his career flying his Nieuport against a German Albatros.
Signed limited edition of 4750 prints. Print size 16 inches x 11.5 inches (41cm x 30cm) Supplied with signed and numbered certificate of authenticity.. Price £37.00
Limited edition of 25 giclee paper prints. Size 21 inches x 14 inches (53cm x 36cm). Price £109.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 45 inches x 30 inches (114cm x 76cm). Price £624.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 36 inches x 24 inches (91cm x 61cm). Price £484.00
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 27 inches x 18 inches (69cm x 46cm). Price £294.00
ITEM CODE STK0012
|
|
|
Fast and Furious by Stan Stokes.
Thomas Sopwith was a distinguished British aviator who organized the Sopwith Aviation Company. Sopwith produced an aircraft which won the coveted Schneider Trophy race. With the start of WW I, Sopwith Aviation shifted its focus to military aircraft, and was to become one the major suppliers to both the Royal Air Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service. In October of 1914 two Sopwith Tabloids flew a 200-mile round trip strike against the airship sheds at Dusseldorf and Cologne. The Sopwith Strutter firmly entrenched Sopwith as a producer of quality-built aircraft. The Strutter was a precursor of the Sopwith Pup, which would serve as the Royal Navys first carrier aircraft. The first production Pup was delivered to the Royal Navy in 1916. Most Pups were powered by a 80-HP Le Rhone radial engine, which gave the Pup a top speed of 115-MPH and an endurance of three hours. Many Navy Pups were modified to utilize a tripod mounted Lewis gun which could be fired forward or upwards through a cutout in the upper wing. Sopwith Pups were also utilized on battlecruisers. In fact, a Pup launched from the HMS Yarmouth downed the Zeppelin L.23 in August of 1917. The Royal Navys HMS Furious was the first dedicated aircraft carrier in the world. The Furious was initially laid down as a battlecruiser, but the design was modified during construction to include a flying deck forward of the main bridge. This configuration allowed aircraft to be launched as the Furious steamed into the wind. An attempt at recovery by having aircraft side slip on to the deck proved ineffective with one of the early attempts resulting in the death of the pilot, Squadron Commander E. H. Dunning, who had made the worlds first successful carrier landing on a ship underway only days earllier. The Royal Navy decided to further modify the Furious by adding a second deck aft of the bridge. The fore and aft decks were connected by a narrow ramp on either side of the funnel and bridge, and this permitted aircraft to be to moved between the two decks. Sets of longitudinal wires were set across the aft deck, and were designed to catch the skids of the Sopwith Pups during landings. Recovering aircraft was still tricky, and a rope barrier was erected aft of the mainmast to prevent aircraft which overshot from crashing into the superstructure of the ship. The first carrier-based naval air strike in history was carried out against the Zeppelin hangars at Tondern by the Furious on July 19, 1918. Seven Sopwith Camels, each carrying two 50-pound bombs were utilized for this mission. This important moment in the history of naval aviation is captured magnificently in Stan Stokes highly detailed painting entitled Fast and Furious.
Signed limited edition of 4750 prints. Print size 16 inches x 11.5 inches (41cm x 30cm) Supplied with signed and numbered certificate of authenticity.. Price £37.00
ITEM CODE STK0005
|
|
Boom Boom Billy by Stan Stokes.
William
Avery Bishop, the top scoring RFC ace of WW I, was born in Ontario
Canada on February 8, 1894. He entered the Royal Military College in
1911 and after War broke out in Europe he was assigned to the 14th
Battalion of the Canadian Mounted Rifles. Bishop applied for a transfer
to the Royal Flying Corps in 1915. Following a few months of training he
was made an observer and was sent to France to fly with No. 21 squadron.
He was hospitalized for frostbite and later from injuries sustained in a
bad landing. In late 1916 he began pilot training and in March of 1917
Bishop was posted to No. 60 squadron flying Nieuport Scouts. On March 25
he experienced his first air combat, downing an Albatros single-seater.
Bishop scored thirteen victories during Bloody April, and another
seven-and-a-half in May. He was awarded the DSO at this point. In early
June Bishop attacked a German airfield at dawn, and shot down three
Albatros aircraft taking off to challenge him. For this fete he received
the Victoria Cross. In constant combat during the summer months, Bishops
score rose to 45 by mid-August. He was the first to exceed the record of
the famous British Ace, Albert Ball. During this period Bishop
often flew as many as seven-eight hours each day. He was aggressive in
the air and obviously possessed excellent flying instincts and
marksmanship skills. Eleven of these 45 victories were achieved in the
SE-5 with which No. 60 squadron had been re-equipped. Promoted to Major,
Bishop returned to Canada for a recruiting tour. In 1918 he returned to
England, first as the Chief Instructor at Aerial Gunnery School, and
later as the Commander of No. 85 squadron. Once again Bishop was at his
best in the air. Flying SE-5s, Bishop claimed 27 more victories during
this final combat tour, including four Pfalz D.IIIs. Bishop received the
DFC, and returned to the Air Ministry in England for a short time before
returning to Canada in August of 1918. There he played an important role
in the formation of the new Canadian Air Force. Bishops official victory
total of 72, the highest for any RFC flyer in WW I, approached the
official total of von Richtofen who had 80. Some historians have
disputed Bishops score, indicating that he received credit for a number
of victories when he was flying alone. Following the War, Bishop formed
a commercial aviation company with another ace W.G. Barker. He later
served with the RCAF during WW II as an Air Marshal responsible for
training. Billy Bishop passed away in 1956 at the age of seventy. In
Stan Stokes nostalgic painting the top RFC ace is depicted early in his
career flying his Nieuport against a German Albatros.
Fast and Furious by Stan Stokes.
Thomas
Sopwith was a distinguished British aviator who organized the Sopwith
Aviation Company. Sopwith produced an aircraft which won the coveted
Schneider Trophy race. With the start of WW I, Sopwith Aviation shifted
its focus to military aircraft, and was to become one the major
suppliers to both the Royal Air Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service.
In October of 1914 two Sopwith Tabloids flew a 200-mile round trip
strike against the airship sheds at Dusseldorf and Cologne. The Sopwith
Strutter firmly entrenched Sopwith as a producer of quality-built
aircraft. The Strutter was a precursor of the Sopwith Pup, which would
serve as the Royal Navys first carrier aircraft. The first production
Pup was delivered to the Royal Navy in 1916. Most Pups were powered by a
80-HP Le Rhone radial engine, which gave the Pup a top speed of 115-MPH
and an endurance of three hours. Many Navy Pups were modified to utilize
a tripod mounted Lewis gun which could be fired forward or upwards
through a cutout in the upper wing. Sopwith Pups were also utilized on
battlecruisers. In fact, a Pup launched from the HMS
Yarmouth downed the Zeppelin L.23 in August of 1917. The Royal Navys
HMS Furious was the first
dedicated aircraft carrier in the world. The Furious was initially laid
down as a battlecruiser, but the design was modified during construction
to include a flying deck forward of the main bridge. This configuration
allowed aircraft to be launched as the Furious
steamed into the wind. An attempt at recovery
by having aircraft side slip on to the deck proved ineffective
with one of the early attempts resulting in the death of the pilot,
Squadron Commander E. H. Dunning, who had made the worlds first
successful carrier landing on a ship underway only days earllier. The
Royal Navy decided to further modify the Furious
by adding a second deck aft of the bridge. The fore and aft decks were
connected by a narrow ramp on either side of the funnel and bridge, and
this permitted aircraft to be to moved between the two decks. Sets of
longitudinal wires were set across the aft deck, and were designed to
catch the skids of the Sopwith Pups during landings.
Recovering aircraft was still tricky, and a rope barrier was
erected aft of the mainmast to prevent aircraft which overshot from
crashing into the superstructure of the ship. The first carrier-based
naval air strike in history was carried out against the Zeppelin hangars
at Tondern by the Furious on
July 19, 1918. Seven Sopwith Camels, each carrying two 50-pound bombs
were utilized for this mission. This important moment in the history of
naval aviation is captured magnificently in Stan Stokes highly detailed
painting entitled Fast and
Furious.
Royal Navy Ace by Stan Stokes. Tommy Sopwith was born in 1888. He became the second person to fly
the English Channel, and he established the Sopwith Aviation Company in
1912. His first successful aircraft design was the Sopwith Tabloid. This
was a very modern aircraft when introduced in 1913. With its top speed
of 92-MPH the Tabloid won the 1914 Schneider Trophy race. Two other
early Sopwith designs were the Bat Boat, one of the first flying boats
flown by the Naval Wing, and the Three-Seater, a large observation
aircraft. Sopwith proliferated many other designs during the Great War,
including the Snipe, Pup, Dolphin, Salamander, Strutter, and Camel.
Sopwiths triplane was introduced in 1917. It evolved from the need for
an aircraft with a superior rate of climb. By reducing the length and
width of the wings, and by adding a third wing, the desired results were
achieved. The triplane was a sound design with good rate of climb and
very good maneuverability. It was somewhat underpowered when compared
with its German adversaries. It
was powered with either a 110-HP or 130-HP Clerget engine. The Sopwith
Triplane utilized a convention design with I-sections and longertrons
made of spruce wood. The fabric was separated from the structural
members by thin strips of spruce, and the forward section of the
fuselage was covered with sheet aluminum. The Triplane had a steerable
tailskid, and the undercarriage was built with streamlined steel tubing.
This diminutive aircraft was 26 feet 6 inches in span and just under 19
feet in length. The maximum speed of the aircraft was 117-MPH;
attainable at 5,000 feet altitude. With a service ceiling of 20,500 feet
the Triplane had a maximum endurance of 90 minutes.
Maneuverability was a hallmark of Sopwith designs and the
triplane was no exception to this rule. Many Royal Naval Air Service
pilots flew the Triplane. For most of 1917 the pilots of Navy 1, 8, and
10 squadrons in Flanders flew Triplanes. Sopwith also produced a 200-HP
Hispano-Suiza powered triplane that had larger wings to compensate for
the increased engine weight. More than 20,000 aircraft were built of
Sopwith design prior to the companys merger with Hawker in 1933. Captain
R.A. Little was the RNASs highest-scoring ace with a total of 47
victories. He had fifteen victories (Nos 22-36) that were attained while
flying the Sopwith Triplane with No 8 Squadron RNAS between April 1917
and July 1917.
|
|
