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Aviation Art Prints Aviation Artists Stan Stokes

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Stan Stokes Aviation Art Prints, Paintings and Drawings Aviation Art

The First Mustang Ace by Stan Stokes. 5 editions. 2 of the 5 editions feature an additional signature. £35.00 - £400.00

Harried Argentineans by Stan Stokes. 3 of 5 editions available. £35.00 - £450.00

The Dragon and his Tail by Stan Stokes. 2 of 5 editions available. £35.00 - £145.00

Pappys P-40 by Stan Stokes. (AP) One edition. The edition features an additional signature. £600.00

Bite of the Black Widow by Stan Stokes. 5 of 7 editions available. All 2 editions featuring an additional signature are available. £35.00 - £400.00

Defiant but Doomed by Stan Stokes. 3 editions. 2 of the 3 editions feature an additional signature. £35.00 - £195.00

A Not So Routine Service Call by Stan Stokes. One edition. £35.00

Big Beautiful Doll by Stan Stokes. 2 editions. £95.00 - £400.00

Cold War Encounter by Stan Stokes. 5 editions. 2 of the 5 editions feature up to 2 additional signatures. £35.00 - £294.00

Off to the Turkey Shoot by Stan Stokes. 3 editions. 2 of the 3 editions feature an additional signature. £35.00 - £209.00

The Forgotten Fighter by Stan Stokes. One edition. £35.00

C-46 Flying the Hump by Stan Stokes. One edition. The edition features 2 additional signature(s). £200.00

Flying Luxury Liner by Stan Stokes. 2 editions. £35.00 - £145.00

The Fokker Scourge by Stan Stokes. 2 editions. £35.00 - £145.00

Ruby's Fortress by Stan Stokes. 3 of 4 editions available. The one edition featuring an additional signature is available. £95.00 - £294.00

Sentimental Journey by Stan Stokes. 4 editions. 2 of the 4 editions feature an additional signature. £35.00 - £170.00

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

Faith Hope and Charity by Stan Stokes. 4 editions. 3 of the 4 editions feature an additional signature. £35.00 - £130.00

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

Triple Dates With Destiny by Stan Stokes. One edition. The edition features an additional signature. £160.00

T-Birds by Stan Stokes. One edition. £35.00

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Text for the above items :

The First Mustang Ace by Stan Stokes. The ubiquitous North American P-51 Mustang, which many consider to be the best all-around fighter of WW II, owes its origins to the British Air Ministry. Following Britains entry into WW II in 1939, the RAF was interested in purchasing additional fighter aircraft from American sources, particularly the Curtiss P-40. Curtiss, which was busy, was unable to guarantee timely delivery so the British approached North American Aviation as a possible second source for the P-40. North American chose to propose its own fighter design which would use the same Allison engine as the P-40. Utilizing new laminar flow wings, the North American fighter was expected to have performance better than the P-40. Developed in record time the new aircraft was designated as a Mustang I by the Brits, whereas the USAAF ordered two for evaluation which were designated XP-51 Apaches. Intrigued with the possibility of using this aircraft also as a dive bomber, North American proposed this to the USAAF which decided to order 500 of the P-51 aircraft to be modified for dive bombing use. Designated as the A-36 Invader, this version of the Mustang utilized dive flaps, and bomb racks under each wing. Some reinforcing of the structural members was also required because of the G-forces to be encountered in dive bombing. A-36s entered combat service with the USAAF prior to any P-51s. In early 1943 the 86th and 27th Fighter Bomber Groups of the 12th Air Force began flying A-36s out of Northern Africa. Despite some early problems with instability caused by the dive flaps, the A-36 was effective in light bombing and strafing roles. It was not, however, capable of dog fighting with German fighters, especially at higher altitudes. Despite these drawbacks one USAAF pilot, Captain Michael T. Russo, who served with the 16th Bomb Squadron of the 27th Fighter Bomber Group, was credited with five confirmed aerial victories in the A-36, thereby becoming the first mustang ace. In Stan Stokes painting, Russos third victory is depicted over a JU-52 at the Aversano Airfield in Italy. The early USAAF fighter versions of the Mustang were designated as P-51As. About 650 were delivered to the RAF and 350 to the USAAF. With its Allison engine the early P-51s were no match for German Bf-109s or FW-190s. The performance drawbacks of the Mustang were especially apparent at higher altitudes. The RAF equipped some Mustangs with the more powerful Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. This dramatically enhanced the Mustangs high altitude performance. This new engine was utilized in the P-51B, the first effective fighter version of this aircraft. Also developed were inexpensive wing mounted drop tanks which extended the Mustangs range into the heart of Germany, so it could accompany American bombers on daylight raids. Late in 1943, North American redesigned the top of the rear fuselage of the Mustang, and added a bubble canopy. This variant became the P-51D and proved to be an effective dog fighting aircraft against any of the Luftwaffes propeller driven fighters.

Harried Argentineans by Stan Stokes. On May 1, 1982 two Royal Navy British Aerospace Sea Harrier FRS1s, piloted by F/Lt. Paul Barton and Lt. Steve Thomas encountered two Argentinean Mirage III fighters near the Falkland Islands. The Mirage fighters were piloted by Capt. Garcia Cuerva and Lt. Carlos Perona. The two jets approached the airspace around Task Force 317, which was sailing to the Falklands to retake them from occupying Argentine forces. Sea Harriers were launched to intercept the Mirage fighters. The Mirages fired first at about five miles distance, but their missiles failed to lock on to their targets. Turning to the left the Mirage jets soon found the two Harriers on their tails. Barton fell in behind Perona and Thomas took a bead on the jet flown by Cuerva. Firing their Sidewinder, air-to-air, missiles, the Harrier pilots got a hit on Peronas Mirage. Perona ejected from his aircraft and came down in shallow water near West Falkland Island. Cuervas Mirage was damaged by the missile fired by Thomas, and he attempted to fly his damaged aircraft back to his base. Cuerva was unfortunately shot down and killed by his own anti-aircraft fire. During the Falklands War the Brits thoroughly outclassed the Argentine Air Force. The British forces without the loss of a single aircraft downed a total of 22 Argentine aircraft. Lt. Thomas downed three aircraft during the conflict, the most for any one pilot. Although the Harriers had a slower top speed than the aircraft they encountered during the War, they succeeded because their pilots were better trained for air-to-air combat, and their missiles were more effective. The Harrier was the worlds first operational V/STOL (vertical/short take-off and landing) aircraft. It evolved from the Hawker P.1127, which first flew in 1960. The Harrier proved itself in combat for the first time during the Falklands War. The aircraft and its pilots demonstrated that the V/STOL fighter could hold its own against much faster traditional jet fighters, while operating without the use of a traditional airfield. The Sea Harrier FRS1 has a maximum speed of 740-MPH at sea level, a service ceiling of 51,000 feet, a practical combat range of 260 miles, and a maximum ferry range of 2490 miles. Its maximum armament payload is 8,500 pounds (5,000 pounds in vertical take-off mode.) It is armed with two 30mm Aden cannon and 4 Sidewinder missiles. The Harrier has been produced by Hawker Siddley (later British Aerospace) in the UK, and by McDonnell Douglas for the USMC in America. This aircraft is also utilized by the Spanish Naval Air Force - the Armada Espanol.

The Dragon and his Tail by Stan Stokes. The only flyable B-24 Liberator aircraft in the world, serial no. 44-44052 is the aircraft owned and operated by the Collings Foundation, and named after The Dragon and His Tail, a lavishly decorated B-24 that flew in the Pacific during WW II. The B-24 did not get the attention or fame of the B-17 either during or after the War. With longer range and bigger bomb loads than the B-17 the B-24s were generally based far from London. As a result, most war correspondents looked for stories at the B-17 fields and avoided the long treks to the B-24 fields. The B-17 also looked more modern and more powerful, although this was not an accurate assessment. The B-24 that has been restored by the Collings Foundation was built in August 1944 by Consolidated Aircraft at the companys huge Ft. Worth assembly plant. Originally delivered to the USAAF the aircraft was shortly transferred to the Royal Air Force. Under British Flag the plane saw combat service in the Pacific in operations ranging from anti-shipping to bombing, to re-supply. At Wars end she was abandoned to an aircraft graveyard in Khanpur, India. In 1948 the aircraft was restored by the Indian Air Force and it saw service until 1968. She sat abandoned in India until 1981 when famed British aircraft collector, Doug Arnold, purchased her and had her disassembled for shipment back to England. She was sold in 1984 in as is condition to the Collings Foundation and was returned to America in 1984. Restoration commenced in 1985 with General Dynamics acting as a major sponsor of the restoration. More than 420,000 rivets were replaced during the restoration that involved rebuilding more than 80% of the aircraft's parts. The completed B-24 was originally named All American in honor of an Army Air Force B-24 of the same name. The original All American shot down fourteen enemy fighters in a raid over Germany on July 25, 1944. That aircraft was lost on a combat mission when it was shot down over Yugoslavia in October of 1944. In 1998 the Collings Foundation renamed its B-24 The Dragon and its Tail to honor an aircraft than served with the 64th Bomb Squadron of the 43rd Bomb Group in the Pacific. The original Dragon survived the War, and was the last B-24 scrapped in Arizona. In Stan Stokes marvelous painting the original Dragon is depicted during a typical anti-shipping mission.

Pappys P-40 by Stan Stokes. (AP) SLIGHT CORNER DAMAGE ON BORDER, SEE PHOTOS BELOW, NOT VISIBLE WHEN FRAMED.

Bite of the Black Widow by Stan Stokes. The Northrop P-61 Black Widow was the USAAFs first modern fighter aircraft which was specifically designed from the start to serve in the night fighter capacity. Designed by Jack Knudson Northrop, this aircraft was quite innovative. The Armys initial requirements for this night interceptor made no mention of radar, but stated that the aircraft would carry a device which would locate enemy aircraft in the dark. The P-61 indeed utilized radar, and about seven hundred of these large twin-engine aircraft were built. The recommendation to pursue development of an aircraft of this type came about from the recommendations of a special commission which visited Great Britain during the Battle of Britain. The commission identified the need for an effective night fighter capability to deter enemy night bombing raids. Although the first prototype flew in May of 1942, the Black Widow did not enter front-line service until 1944. The P-61 was the largest and most powerful fighter aircraft of WW II. The Black Widows bite was mean because of its four cannons and four machine guns. With a wingspan of sixty-six feet and a length of nearly fifty feet, this large aircraft was powered by twin 18-cylinder Double Wasp radial engines, capable of 2,000-HP each. The B model of the P-61 was capable of speeds in the 365-MPH range, and had an incredible range of 3,000 miles. This great range gave the P-61 added benefits in the Pacific theater of operations. The P-61 utilized 4-bladed, variable pitch props, and incorporated a tricycle landing gear configuration. With its distinctive double tail configuration, the Black Widow had a roughly similar appearance to the P-38 Lightning, which was sometimes utilized in the night fighter role prior to the P-61 becoming available. The XP-61 prototype took to the air in May of 1942, and the aircraft exhibited a maximum speed of 380 MPH. Despite good results from the initial flights, the P-61 took a long time to enter production. In July of 1943 the Army organized the 481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group at Orlando Field in Florida. This unit completed service tests on pre-production Black Widows, and was responsible for training flight crews. In his spectacular moon-lit painting entitled Bite of the Black Widow, aviation artist Stan Stokes depicts the P-61 flown by Major Carroll C. Smith of the 418th Squadron of the Fifth Air Force. Smith was one of two pilots in WW II to attain ace status in the Black Widow. Smith obtained a total of seven night victories. His first two were obtained while flying a night-fighter version of the P-38. Four of Smiths victories in the P-61 came on two missions during one evening in December 1944.

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

A Not So Routine Service Call by Stan Stokes. For thousands of years man has been fascinated by the heavens. Astronomy has evolved over the centuries, but all ground telescopes are handicapped because the Earths atmosphere distorts images and limits the ability to make observations. The Space Telescope was envisioned as an international effort to create a major breakthrough in astronomy. By place a huge telescope in Earth orbit, the limitations of ground-based observation would be overcome. Astronomers would be able to see objects 50 times fainter and 7 times farther away than before. The scope of the universe that could be seen would be 500 times greater than before. The Hubble Space Telescope was designed to do the job. It weighs 12.5 tons, is 43 feet long, and utilizes a huge 94.5 inch mirror. To get the Hubble into space one of NASAs space orbiters or shuttles, as they have popularly become known, was utilized. The shuttle crew did a great job, but unfortunately the telescope was flawed and could not properly focus. Fortunately the Hubble was designed to be serviced by astronauts with many of its components designed as orbital replacement units. Features such as handrails and foot restraints were built into the Hubble to assist astronauts in executing repairs. A shuttle repair mission was organized to send astronauts into space to recapture the telescope and make necessary repairs. This mission was flawlessly excuted by Endeavour in 1993. NASAs predecessor organization the NACA was organized in 1915 to focus on the science behind aircraft design. The NACA worked on airfoils, deicing, cowling design, etc. in its early years. During the Cold War the NACA flourished as it combined forces with many military programs like the X-1 and X-15. These programs moved the agency beyond its traditional research role and gave them design and program management responsibilities. When the Soviets launched Sputnik in 1957, the NACA was changed forever. Renamed NASA, the agencys budgets were greatly expanded and the new NASA was thrust into the spotlight as Americas answer to Soviet space might. NASA successfully managed the huge program to land men on the Moon. The post Apollo era was not necessarily clearly focused for NASA. While some believe the agency floundered after Apollo, NASA made important progress during this time in the areas of hypersonic flight, and their contributions resulted in jet engines with less noise, better economy reduced pollution, The shuttle program was started under the guidance of Dr. James C. Fletcher who was the administrator of NASA in the 1970s. The loss of the Challenger in 1986 was a setback for the agency, and Fletcher returned to his former position to refocus the agency, which according to its skeptics had become to large and bureaucratic. Although NASA has sometimes ventured far afield from its original mission, the science and dynamics of flight, whether for an aircraft or a spacecraft, remain the pervasive foundation of all that NASA does.

Big Beautiful Doll by Stan Stokes. Col. John D. Landers, the pilot of the Big Beautiful Doll, was born in 1920 in Wilson, Oklahoma. He attended Texas A & M and Arkansas State University before joining the Army Air Corp. In March of 1941 Landers graduated from aviation cadet training and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. With America thrust into WWII following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Landers was assigned to the 49th Fighter Group and set forth to Australia. Flying a Curtis P-40 out of bases in Darwin and Port Moresby, Landers became an ace by downing two Betty bombers and four Mitsubishi Zeros. When his first combat tour ended, Landers returned to the States as a P-38 Lightning instructor. During a second combat tour Landers was assigned to the European Theatre as Commander of the 38th Fighter Squadron of the 55th Fighter Group. On June 25th 1944 Landers downed his first German aircraft, an Fw190. Several days later he would bag three Me110s on a single day. Later in 1944 Landers was made acting Commander of the 357th Fighter Group. Flying a P-51 Mustang for the first time he obtained an aerial victory on November 18th. Landers returned to America for a brief rest following completion of his second combat tour. However, by January of 1945 he was back in action as C.O. of the 78th Fighter Group which flew out of Duxford, England. Landers attained 3 ½ additional confirmed aerial victories and destroyed many additional enemy aircraft on the ground. In fact the 78th Fighter Group destroyed 125 German aircraft on the ground on April 16th 1945, which is a record for one day. After V.E. Day Landers was given command of the 361st Fighter Group which he was preparing to take to the Pacific when the war ended. Officially credited with 14 ½ aerial victories, Landers decorations include the Silver Star with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross with three OLCs, the Purple Heart, the Croix de Guerre, and the Air Medal with twenty-one OLCs. The ace returned to civilian life after the war where he was active in the pipeline business in the Southwest. He retired in 1975, and passed away in 1989 from complications during surgery. The P-51 Mustang played a major role in the Allied victory in WWII. The P-51 was the first fighter with the range to accompany bombers into Germany, and tangle with the best of the Luftwaffes fighters on an equal basis. Many Mustangs carried unique personalized paint schemes. The Big Beautiful Doll is considered by many to be one of the classics with its checker board cowling, black rudder, and red accents.

Cold War Encounter by Stan Stokes. General Dynamics began development of the F-106 Delta Dart in 1955, envisioning it as a modification to the F-102 Delta Dagger. The F-102 had first flown in 1953, and with the aid of a few modifications, that aircraft became capable of supersonic flight. Although similar in overall appearance to the F-12, the 106 had a redesigned fuselage allowing incorporation of the more powerful Pratt & Whitney J75. The J75 put out a maximum thrust of 24,500 pounds giving the F-106 a top speed of 1,525 MPH - almost double that of the F-102. In December of 1957 a 106 set a world speed record. Deliveries were made to the USAF in 1959 and 1960 with some 277 single seat interceptors delivered. Many other two-seater versions were also produced. This aircraft would form the nucleus of Americas all weather defensive fighter force (The Air Defense Command) for many years. The F-106 could climb to 30,000 feet in one minute, had an operational ceiling of 57,000 feet, and a typical combat radius of about 600 miles. Equipped with drop tanks, the 106 had a maximum range of about 1,700 miles. Typical armament consisted of a 20-mm M-61 multi-barrel cannon, and an internal weapon bay capable of carrying a mixture of air-to-air, or air-to-ground missiles. The life of the F-106 was extended by major rebuild programs, which added advanced avionics, improved digital systems, and advanced in-flight refueling capabilities. The F-106 was often referred to as the Cadillac of the Century Series, in reference to the series of F-100 USAF fighters dating back to the F-100. In Stan Stokes painting, appropriately entitled Cold War Encounter, a Russian Tupolev Bear Bomber tests US air defenses over Alaska. An F-106 from the Air Defense Command scrambles to intercept the unwelcome intruder. The Bear is no match for the Delta Dart, and takes a heading to leave US airspace. Designed in the early 1950s the Tupolev Tu-20 Bear bomber may have earned the distinction of being one of the loudest aircraft ever produced. With twin counter-rotating propellers on each of its four turboprop engines, the Bear could make some noise. About 300 of these large Soviet aircraft were produced and many were laden with electronics for probing Americas defensive perimeter during the peak of the Cold War years.

Off to the Turkey Shoot by Stan Stokes. At the time of the attack of Pearl Harbor the Japanese had superior aircraft and plenty of experienced pilots fresh from combat in China. By 1944 the roles were reversed. Anxious to commence B-29 bombing missions against the Japanese homeland Rear Admiral Marc Mitschers Task Force 58 was given the assignment of supporting the recapture of the Marianas. This proved to be the last major carrier battle of World War II. On June 11, 1944 large formations of Hellcats were dispatched to lure Japanese land-based fighters into combat. Enough Japanese fighters were destroyed to allow the Fifth Fleet to land 140,000 troops on Saipan and Guam on June 15th. Also on June 15th the Japanese main fleet joined up with its mobile fleet about 300-400 miles from Task Force 58. Vice Admiral Ozawa detached a force to use as bait to lure the Americans within range of the main fleet. His bait not taken, on June 19th Ozawa launched three air strikes with about 250 aircraft. The relatively inexperienced Japanese pilots now flying technically inferior aircraft were decimated by the Grumman Hellcats of Task Force 58. By days end Ozawa had lost 218 aircraft, and while unprotected his fleet had been attacked by American submarines resulting in the sinking of two of his carriers. Late in the afternoon of June 20th American Hellcats, Helldivers, and Avengers were launched at Ozawas fleet, resulting in the loss of one more carrier and severe damage to another two. As his airwings returned after dark Admiral Mitscher ordered his fleet to light-up, which enabled many of the American aircraft to return safely. About a third of the planes were forced to ditch with the loss of thirteen crewman. The Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat pictured, became the Navys primary carrier borne fighter plane during World War II. Over 12,000 Hellcats were produced, and the Hellcat was credited with 4,947 of the 6,477 kills of enemy planes downed by carrier pilots during the War. The Hellcat had a top speed of 375 MPH, a range of 1,089 miles and was armed with six machine guns. The aircraft was powered by an 18-cylinder Pratt and Whitney, air-cooled, radial engine which generated 2,000 horsepower. As depicted by Stokes is the aircraft of Squadron Commander David McCampbell of the USS Essex. McCampbell is the highest scoring US Naval aviator of all time.

The Forgotten Fighter by Stan Stokes. In early 1937, Bell Aircraft presented a revolutionary fighter design to the USAAC, the P-39 Airacobra. Incorporating machine guns and the most powerful cannon available, the new design by Robert Woods, utilized many revolutionary design features. The all-metal, low wing, monoplane design utilized a centrally located engine in the fuselage, a feature which enhanced maneuverability. A nine foot shaft ran through the cockpit to drive the propeller. Woods design was the first fighter to incorporate a forward tricycle landing gear, which gave the P-39 pilot great visibility while on the ground. The first prototype flew in 1938. Equipped with a supercharged Allison water-cooled V-12 rated at 1,150-HP, the prototype performed admirably. It exhibited a top speed of 390-MPH, and an amazingly quick rate of climb. Unfortunately for the Airacobra, the USAAC decided to eliminate the supercharged engine from the project, a move which would relegate the Airacobra to the distinction of being Americas forgotten fighter of WW II. Without the supercharger the P-39s performance at altitude was inferior to most of the adversaries it would face. In 1941 lend-leased Airacobras went into battle with the RAF, but were quickly withdrawn from front line duty. Many of these, and many others eventually found service with the Red Air Force. In fact the Soviets ultimately received more than half of the 9,500 aircraft produced. Alexander Pokryshkin was the second highest scoring Soviet ace of WW II with fifty-nine victories. Forty-eight of these were achieved why flying the Aircacobra. Pokryshkin was a great leader who inspired others who flew under his command. He joined the Red Air Force in 1933 and attained his first victory (over a Bf-109E) in June of 1941 while piloting a Mig-3. He was a great tactician, and a student of fighter tactics. On one occasion his unit attacked a flight of sixteen Ju-87s, and Pokryshkin bagged four. While flying in the Caucasus region he became well known to his German adversaries, who would radio, Achtung! Der Ass Pokryshkin in der luft! when they realized he was airborne. Shot down on 4 occasions, he was made squadron commander of the elite 16th Guards IAP. Considered the father of Soviet fighter tactics, thirty pilots under his command would go on to be awarded the coveted Hero of the Soviet Union medal. The P-39 also was in service with several units in the Pacific early in the War. Lacking sufficient range to be used for many escort missions, and deficient in dog fighting against the superior Japanese aircraft they faced, the P-39s were relegated by the USAAC to ground attack missions. The aircraft was withdrawn from front line service as more capable P-38s, P-47s, and P-51s became available. In spite of the deficiencies of the P-39, a derivative design, the P-63 Kingcobra, was one of only nine designs evaluated by the USAAF in 1942-43 to be put into production. Although similar in appearance the P-63 was actually a totally new design. It was not produced in any great quantity, and two hundred of these aircraft were modified into Flying Pinballs, and were used to train B-17 gunners.

C-46 Flying the Hump by Stan Stokes. The C-46 transport was one of Americas workhorses during the War.

Flying Luxury Liner by Stan Stokes. The Curtiss Condor was the civilian transport version of the B-2 bomber. It was developed in the late 1920s with the principal design staff consisting of G. Page, T. Wright, S. Vaughn, and R. Beisel. The design utilized the same metal tube and aluminum spars as in the B-2. The Condor was wider with a six foot wide fuselage, and as there was no need for gunner cockpits, the aft engine nacelles were faired in and the space utilized for mail and cargo. A significant design factor was the incorporation of 3 inches of Dry Zero soundproofing in the cabin, which made the Condor considerably quieter inside than the other passenger craft of the era. The interior of the Condor was quite spacious and luxurious with a full six feet eight inches of head room in the cabin. The Condor was arranged to carry 18 passengers with six seats arranged in three cabins. Reclining seats were utilized in the two forward cabins with the rear cabin equipped with lounge seats. Passengers had large windows for sight-seeing, and passenger lighting and air vents were utilized. The Condor also had a heated cabin, not common on most aircraft of that era, which was driven by two small boilers attached to the engine exhaust manifolds. A lavatory with hot and cold running water was also standard. The Condor first flew in July of 1929. Early production models were difficult to fly and the Curtiss Company undertook modifications to improve the flying characteristics of the aircraft. With the Great Depression underway it was not easy getting orders for this aircraft, and Eastern Air Transport ended up as the proud owner of six Condors. The Curtiss Company opted to kill the Condor program at this point and focus on a totally new aircraft, the T-32 Condor II. The Condors went on to serve Eastern well. The aircraft was reasonably reliable and was well liked by passengers. Glenn H. Curtiss made his final flight in May of 1930 in a Condor from Albany to New York, which was to commemorate his historic flight of twenty years earlier. Two months later, Curtiss, one of the early pioneers of American aviation would die at age fifty-two. In Stan Stokes painting, entitled Flying Luxury Liner, an Eastern Air Transport Condor approaches Hoover Field in Washington, D.C. in November of 1931. The T-32 Condor IIs debut was impacted by the introduction of the Douglas DC-1 in 1934. This all metal, low wing monoplane would become the DC-2 in its first production variant. The days of the passenger biplane, for al practical purposes, were over.

The Fokker Scourge by Stan Stokes. Anthony Herman Gerard Fokker was born in the Dutch East Indies in 1890. When his father retired the Fokker family returned to Holland, where Anthony attended school. He dropped out of college, and being deemed unfit for military service, worked at a number of odd jobs. Fokkers father persuaded his son to attend an automobile mechanics school in Germany, but Anthony was disappointed and convinced his father to enroll him in a school near Mainz which offered courses in aircraft construction and flying. This endeavor was not particularly successful, and Anthony decided to build his own flying machine. He found a partner in Oberlieutenant Von Daum, a fifty-year-old officer in the German military. The aircraft was completed in 1910, and Fokker flew it successfully on a number of flights. Von Daum, unfortunately, destroyed the machine on his first attempt at flying it. The two partners then teamed with a boat-builder to construct a second aircraft. In early 1912 Anthony had organized Fokker Aviatik GmbH with money advanced from his father. Fokker won his first contract for military aircraft in July 1913. Fokker became interested in the design of the Moraine-Saulnier, which exhibited flying characteristics far superior to the early Fokker designs. The Fokker M.5 (Eindecker I) emerged from the reengineering of a damaged Moraine-Sualnier. With the outbreak of WW I, the German military ordered large numbers of this aircraft for use as a scout. These Fokker scouts were good machines and well-liked by the pilots that flew them. Early in 1915 the French equipped their scouts with forward firing machine guns, and German losses in aerial combat increased sharply. The French system was simplistic and utilized shields on the propeller to deflect soft copper shells. Anthony Fokkers company was the first to introduce a workable machine gun synchronizer which would allow steel bullets to be used. The German military ordered the new Fokker fighter in large numbers, and by late 1915 the tide had shifted dramatically in favor of the Germans. The British press coined the term Fokker Scourge to describe this new menace which was increasing casualties to unprecedented numbers. Oswald Boelcke, and Max Immelmann were two German pilot aces who became very popular. Immelmann is depicted in Stan Stokes painting executing the aerial maneuver which took his name. Immelman received the Blue Max (Pour le Merite) to add to his Iron Cross following his eighth victory on January 12, 1916. He would officially be credited with fifteen victories prior to his death in June of 1916. The Germans maintained that a defective gun synchronizer caused Immelmann to shoot off his own propeller.

Ruby's Fortress by Stan Stokes. The B-17 Flying Fortress, was one of the most acclaimed aircraft of WW II. It is also one of those uniquely popular warbirds which has attracted more than its fair share of romance and nostalgia over the years. Nearly 13,000 of these aircraft were produced. The origins of the B-17 dates to 1934 when the Boeing company was authorized to build a prototype of a long-range, metal, monoplane, medium bomber which was designated Model 299. During the first public exposure of the prototype a reporter from the Seattle Daily Times coined the term flying fortress in his description of the new sleek, heavily armed aircraft. Boeings public relations department liked this reference, and shortly thereafter the aircraft became known as the Flying Fortress. Boeing received an initial order for 13 aircraft, designated the YB-17, and these aircraft were delivered in 1937. Later that year Boeing obtained orders for several enhanced models, which were designated B-17Bs. These aircraft had supercharged engines permitting higher ceilings, redesigned nose sections, hydraulic brakes, and larger rudders. With the outbreak of WWII the first Flying Fortresses were used by the RAF. Early experience by the RAF underscored the need for increased defensive firepower. Boeing responded by redesigning the entire rear fuselage on the aircraft, and incorporating a rear gun and a remotely controlled under belly turret gun. The resulting B-17E was only slightly slower than its predecessor at 317 MPH, and in mid-1942 the USAAF began moving B-17 units to the United Kingdom. These were primarily B-17Fs. Flying Fortresses had the ability to take a lot of punishment. The aircrafts flying characteristics were excellent, and it was not unusual for B-17s to return to base with large sections of wing surface or tail fin missing. The first B-17G models began to see action late in 1943, and were, along with the B-24 Liberators, carried the brunt of the USAAF daylight bombing campaign against targets of strategic significance. Such missions were exceedingly dangerous until only very late in the War. Luftwaffe pilots learned to attack B-17s head-on from the 12 oclock position, as this was the most vulnerable area to attack, and one in which crew injury was the most likely. Aviation artist Stan Stokes, in his painting entitled Rubys Fortress, shows a B-17G of the 8th Air Forces 385th Bomber Group over Germany in 1945. The aircraft in the foreground was named for Cpl. Ruby Newell of Long Beach, California. Ms. Newell was voted the most attractive WAC in England in 1944. The nose art painted by Cpl. Ploss was a fitting tribute, and such nose art was a great morale booster for bomber crews and ground support staff. Many B-17s were named after women, appropriate considering the fact that during wartime the majority of the people which built these planes were women.

Sentimental Journey by Stan Stokes. The distinctive tri-tailed Lockheed Constellation, viewed by many as the epitome of piston-engine airliners, was the brain child of Howard Hughes who controlled Transcontinental & Western Airlines. Hughes drew up the initial specifications for this aircraft which was designed under the guidance of C.L. Kelly Johnson. As one of the largest airplanes designed up to that point, the Connie had a number of firsts including hydraulically boosted controls, high lift wing flaps, and a fully pressurized cabin. The prototype was completed in 1942, but all production was shifted to military applications. Designated the C-69 by the USAAF, the Connie carried Orville Wright on his final flight during its service trials. The aircraft was well received and immediately set a number of performance records. With the end of the War, and the onset of the post war recession, the Connie was almost canceled. FAA certification was granted on October 14, 1945. For safety purposes, due to past fire problems with the R-3350 engines, fire detection and extinguishing systems were added. The Model 49 had a maximum takeoff weight of 86,250 lbs. Eighty-eight Model 49s were sold, with TWA and Pan Am accounting for more than half the sales. The Constellation did not have a good safety record in its first few years of operation. One unusual accident occurred when the Plexiglas astrodome broke while the navigator was taking a fix. The navigator was, unfortunately, blown out of the aircraft. With the Model 649 Lockheed utilized more powerful engines, and for the first time utilized a rubber barrier between the inner and outer skins to reduce vibration. The 649 was faster, more economical, and had a much more comfortable cabin than the first Connie. Eighteen of these aircraft were delivered to Eastern. An improved version of the 649 was introduced in response to the DC-6, and was designated as the Model 749. This model had much greater fuel capacity and range. More than one hundred of these airliners were delivered. The Model 1049, or Super Constellation, was first delivered in 1952. It was basically a Model 749 which had been stretched some eighteen feet. Increased fuel capacity and more powerful engines were utilized. Unfortunately, the initial 1049s, with a gross maximum takeoff weight of 120,000 lbs, were slower than the DC-6. Only twenty-four Model 1049s were built. In 1953 Lockheed incorporated turbo-compound engines on the Model 1049C. This upped cruising speed to nearly 300 MPH, and takeoff weight by an additional 10%. Forty-eight of these aircraft were built, but the engines suffered from reliability problems. The major production model of the Super Connie was the 1049G. The G had 609 gallon wing tip tanks which added an additional 700 miles to the Connies range. The G Model also utilized square windows. The first 1049G flew in 1954. TWA purchased 28 of the 102 Super-Gs which were built. A total of 856 Connies, including military versions, were produced. The aircraft was phased out by major airlines prior to its useful life being reached because of the introduction of passenger jets. TWA phased out all its Constellations by 1963. In Stan Stokes magnificent painting, a TWA Super Connie departs San Francisco in 1957 for points unknown.

A Big Victory by Stan Stokes. On September 18, 1944 P-51 pilots of the 375th Fighter Squadron of the 361st Fighter Group, based at Little Walden in Essex, were assigned the mission of escorting B-17s on a shuttle mission to Russia. The Mustangs would accompany the bombers to the south of Sweden where they would be picked up by an escort of Russian fighters. Urban Drew, flying a 51-D named Detroit Miss, was one of the USAAF pilots on this mission. Just before breaking off the escort Drew spotted a twin-engine German aircraft flying very low to the water. He broke off with two wingman and went down after the German plane. It turned out to be an He-111, most likely a courier plane from Scandinavia. He opened fire hitting the top gun position, circled around, and with his second burst set the aircraft afire. It tumbled into the Baltic. As Drew and his two wingman climbed back to altitude to rejoin their flight, he looked off to the right and spotted an enormous flying boat moored at a sea plane base on a lake. Drew called to his wingman and said, get lined astern immediately, and we will make one pass, and one pass only... lets see if we can burn and sink this mother. The three Mustangs commenced their attack with the element of surprise to their advantage. The three Mustangs poured about 1200 rounds of 50 caliber ammo into the behemoth, and as the third aircraft pulled up black smoke and flames were pouring from the target. It was not until that moment that anti-aircraft batteries opened fire, but the P-51s were quickly out of range. During the debriefing it was determined that their target was probably a Blohm and Voss BV-222. Years later, in 1974, while Drew was living in London, he was contacted by the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) which wanted to do a documentary. It was only then that Drew found out that the aircraft he destroyed at the Bug Seaplane Base on Lake Schaal was actually the BV-238, the largest aircraft to see service in WW II. Development work on the Blohm and Voss BV-238 began in 1940. This was planned to be a very large overseas transport aircraft, and was powered by six 1900-HP Daimler-Benz inverted V-12 engines. It would be considerably larger than the BV-222 with a wingspan of nearly 200 feet, a height of nearly 44 feet, and an empty weight of more than 110,000 pounds. Although two other aircraft, the Douglas B-19 and the Soviet ANT.20, had longer wingspans, the BV-238 was the heaviest and most powerful aircraft developed during WW II. It was during the testing phase of this aircraft at Lake Schall in 1944 that the BV-238 was strafed and destroyed by a flight of three P-51s lead by Eighth Air Force ace Urban Drew.

Faith Hope and Charity by Stan Stokes. With Italys entry into WW II on June 10, 1940, the epic two-and-one-half-year siege of Malta began. Symbolizing the defiant resistance of the people and defenders of that tiny island, the legend of Faith, Hope, and Charity grew from a handful of Gloster Sea Gladiators which initially comprised Maltas sole aerial defense. Until the arrival of the more modern Hawker Hurricanes, these obsolescent biplanes fought the Regia Aeronautica alone in the skies above Malta. Only six or seven Gladiators were assembled from the shipment of eighteen crated aircraft which had been delivered by the HMS Glorious. Others were utilized for spare parts, and three had been dispatched, still crated, to Egypt. Though hugely outnumbered, the defenders fought on, raising the morale of the citizens of Malta, and denying the Italians mastery of the sky. Suffering from a constant shortage of spare parts, tools and equipment, the devoted ground support crews were never able to keep more than three Gladiators operational at any point in time. Only one of these Gladiators was totally lost in aerial combat, and the sole surviving aircraft was presented to the people of Malta, and today stands in their National War Museum as a proud symbol of courage and endurance. In Stan Stokes painting, a Sea Gladiator, piloted by Flight Lt. James Pickering, tangles with a Fiat C.R. 42 over Malta in 1940 while an Italian Savoia S.79 tri-engined bomber passes by in the background. The Gloster Gladiator represented the zenith of development of the classic biplane fighter aircraft, a design formula which characterized an entire era from WW I until the advent of the monoplane fighter just before WW II. Glosters naval model of the Gladiator was equipped with a Bristol Mercury VIIIA engine providing a maximum speed of 253 MPH, a rate of climb of 2300 feet per minute, an operational ceiling of 32,200 feet, and a range of 415 miles. The Gladiator was armed with four .303 inch Browning machine guns, and incorporated several advanced features including an enclosed cockpit and wing flaps. One top RAF ace, Sqd. Ldr. Pattle, attained eleven victories flying the Gladiator. A total of 527 Gladiators were produced, and the aircraft served in twelve different countries. The Italians were overly persistent in their emphasis on biplane fighters, stemming from their successes with these highly maneuverable machines during the Spanish Civil War. Employing distinctive Warren-truss type interplane bracing the C.R. 42 was powered by a Fiat A74 R.C. 38 engine providing a maximum speed of 274 MPH and a range of 485 miles. The C.R. 42 was more lightly armed than the Gladiators it opposed, possessing only two 12.7mm Breda machine guns. The C.R 42 served on all of Italys fronts including North and East Africa, France, Britain, the Balkans, and Russia. Exported to Hungary, Sweden and Belgium, the C.R. 42 ironically served alongside the Gladiator in other theaters of operation during WW II.

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.

Triple Dates With Destiny by Stan Stokes. Chuck Older was born in California in 1914. He graduated from UCLA and entered the U.S. Marine Corps. in 1940. He earned his wings as an aviation cadet, and was assigned to VNIF-1. In mid-1941, anxious to see some action, Chuck resigned his USNIC commission and joined Claire Chennaults American Volunteer Group. He was assigned to the 3rd Pursuit Squadron Hells Angels and experienced his first combat in December of 1941. In the first two combat missions he flew on December 23 and December 25, 1941, Older would be credited with downing five Japanese aircraft becoming one of the first two AVG aces. He bagged four more enemy aircraft prior to mid-1942 when the AVG was disbanded. In mid-1942 Older returned to the States and accepted a commission with the USAAF. He commanded a P-38 squadron for a time, and in 1944, having been promoted to Major, he was sent back to China to serve once again with General Claire Chennault, this time with the 14th Air Force. Chuck served as Deputy Commander and Group Operations Officer for the 23rd Fighter Group. Flying P-5 Is for the first time, he downed as Oscar over Yochow on July 28, 1944. Promoted to Lt. Colonel, Older would down four more aircraft in December including three more Oscars and a Lilly. In January of 1945, Older bagged three different types of enemy aircraft on a single mission, including a Sonia, a Betty, and a Tess on the outskirts of Shanghai. His attack on the Sonia is depicted in Stan Stokes painting entitled Triple Dates With Destiny. Some artistic license has been utilized in the depiction. The artist has chosen to depict in the scene Olders regular aircraft, rather than the borrowed one he actually flew on the mission. Chucks regular mount had actually been destroyed the day before during a ground attack . Later, Older would lead the first attack on Shanghai with a flight of sixteen Mustangs. This successful mission caught the Japanese by surprise, and resulted in the destruction of more than seventy aircraft on the ground and five more in the air. Following the War, with a total of 18.25 aerial victories, Older left the Air Force. He earned a Law Degree from the University of Southern California, and entered the law profession. In 1952 he was recalled for the Korean War, and served with the 352nd Bomb Group based in Japan. He returned home and practiced law for fifteen years before Governor Ronald Reagan appointed him to the bench, as a Judge of the Superior Court in Los Angeles. Judge Older served the court for twenty years hearing both criminal and civil cases. He presided over the highly publicized Charles Manson murder case. Chuck retired from the bench in 1987 and continues to live in Los Angeles. His numerous decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross with one oak leaf cluster, the Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the British Distinguished Flying Cross, the Chinese Air Force Medal and the Order of the Cloud Banner. In 1996, the USAF honored Older and other AVG members, and Chuck received the USAF Distinguished Flying Cross for his service with the AVG.

T-Birds by Stan Stokes. 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 reliable aircraft remained in service for more than forty years. The T-33 first flew in 1949 and production by Lockheed continued until 1959. The T-33 was derived from the F-80 Shooting Star, and became Lockheeds second biggest selling aircraft, second only to the P-38 Lightning. The T-33 was approximately 38 feet in both length and wingspan and was capable of speeds of around 550 MPH. There were very few military pilots in the U.S. between 1955 and 1980 which did not have some time in a T-33. The two seat T-33s, as depicted in Mr. Stokes painting, were often utilized for VIP flights for journalists prior to USAF Thunderbird performances. The F-100, also nicknamed the Hun, debuted in 1953. The F-100 was designed from the onset as a supersonic fighter. Initial flight testing revealed instability at supersonic speeds, and modifications were made to the initial production models which included larger wingspan, and larger fin and rudder areas. The F-100Cs shown in the painting were flown by the USAF Thunderbird precision flying team for several years. The C model was the fastest of all Super Sabres, although the D model was produced in the largest numbers with nearly 1,300 being produced. The Super Sabre was equipped for aerial refueling, a novelty at the time, but something which became mandatory for future generations of jet combat aircraft.

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