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Fateful Voyage by Stan Stokes. Construction of the dirigible Hindenburg began in 1931 in Friedrichshafen, Germany. The huge dirigible took nearly five years to complete. It was 804-feet long, and at its widest point was 135-feet in diameter. The Hindenburgs gas capacity (in 16 gas cells) was more than 7 million cubic feet. Each cell was coated with a gelatin solution to insure its permeability against the volatile hydrogen gas. The Hindenburgs frame was made of a special alloy of aluminum and copper. The Hindenburg was powered by four huge 16-cylinder diesel engines. Each engine provided 1300-HP of take off power, and 850-HP for sustained cruising. A navigation room in the control car contained two gyro compasses, a radio compass, and a telephone switchboard. The radio room was directly above the control car. In the bridge located in the control car were the controls for controlling the engines, releasing ballast or hydrogen, and in adjusting rudder or elevators. Each passenger had a 78 x 66 inch cabin consisting of an upper and lower berth, a folding wash basin, and a collapsible writing table with folding chair. Rooms were for sleeping as passengers spent most of their time elsewhere on the ship. The lounge was decorated with a huge mural and was fairly spacious. It included a baby grand piano. The reading and writing room was a quiet area where passengers could write letters, and the smoking room was the only area on the ship that smoking was permitted. Kept under positive air pressure no hydrogen could enter the smoking lounge. The largest space on the ship was the dining room with promenade. On May 6, 1936 the Hindenburg departed Germany with fifty passengers and a crew of fity-five on its maiden voyage to America. The aircraft reached the Naval Air Station at Lakehurst, New Jersey approximately 61 hours later. The huge ship was eased into her hangar, and the passengers disembarked for a short plane ride to Newark Airport. On its return trip the Hindenburg completed the journey in less than 49 hours, unprecendented in the days of long distance sea travel. The Hindenburg made ten round trip crossings in 1936. In 1937 the plans called for the Hindenburg to make 18 Atlantic crossings. The first of the 1937 trips began on May 3. Thirty-six passengers and a crew of sixty-one were onboard. Headwinds were very strong on this voyage and it took three full days to reach the New York area. It was late in the afternoon and thunderstorms were reported in the area. The Hindenburg made a courtesy sightseeing tour of Manhattan and at 7:00PM headed into Lakehurst for landing. At about 200-feet in altitude a tongue of flame appeared at the stern. It spread rapidly and within a few short seconds the Hindenburg was a giant fireball, falling to earth tail first. The catastrophe was covered by film and radio broadcasts, and to this day is one of the most devastating disasters ever recorded. Miraculously, there were a fair number of survivors, but the age of the dirigible was over. |
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. |
Farewell America by Robert Taylor. The Queen Mary sails majestically past the Statue of Liberty as she departs from New York, bound for Europe, early post war. |
Outward Bound by Stan Stokes. The Boeing Model 377 Stratocruiser was the commercial version of Boeings C-97 military transport. The first 377 was test flown on July 8, 1947. Stratocruisers were delivered to airlines in 1949 and 1950. Pan American, Northwest Orient, BOAC, United, and American Overseas Airlines were all customers. They sold for approximately $1.5 million each. Stratocruisers could accommodate anywhere from 55 to 100 passengers depending on configuration. With a pressurized cabin, Stratocruisers had a ceiling of 32,000 feet, thus permitting fights above the weather. Many were equipped with sleepers for long distance flights. The 377 had a large flight deck, and a lower passenger deck which was typically used as a lounge. With a wingspan of more than 141 feet, and a gross take off weight of 120,000 pounds, the Statocruiser was a big airplane. Powered by four Pratt and Whitney R-4360 engines, Statocruisers had a maximum speed of 375-MPH, and a range of more than 4,000 miles at a cruising speed of 340-MPH. Northwest Orient Airlines took delivery of ten Statocruisers. They differed from other Model 377s because they utilized rectangular windows. Later Northwest further modified these aircraft by adding a radar dome to the nose. Northwest flew the 377s for about ten years, and eventually traded them to Lockheed which sold some of them to Aero Space Lines. The latter company extensively modified these aircraft into what was one of the most unusual appearing aircraft which was nicknamed the pregnant guppy. In addition to lengthening the aircraft, a huge new upper hull section was added. A unique feature was the ability to detach the entire rear section of the fuselage to assist in cargo loading. These bulbous aircraft were utilized to transport very large spacecraft sections from various manufacturing plants to Cape Canaveral. By the early 1960s many of the 377s were being sold off by the primary airlines to secondary carriers, cargo airlines, or charter operators. Transocean Airlines of Oakland California obtained a large number of these aircraft which they modified to high density seating for charter operations. In Stan Stokes dramatic painting a Northwest Orient Airlines Stratocruiser departs the New York area in 1952. |
Challenge Leaving New York in the 1850s by Roy Cross. No text for this item |
Aurelia at Camden Maine by Roy Cross. No text for this item |
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. |
Concorde over New York (Concorde Farewell) by Ivan Berryman. A sight never to be repeated as a British Airways Concorde bids farewell to new York in October 2003. |
The Eagle in San Francisco by Stan Stokes. The USCG tall ship Eagle is shown under full sail in San Francisco Bay. Alcatraz Island, site of the infamous federal prison, is in view and in the distance is the waterfront of downtown San Francisco. The Eagle, originally named the Horst Vessel and built in Germany in 1936, was received as a war reparation payment. The Eagle represents America in many tall ship events, and serves as a primary USCG training vessel. |
Ocean Monarch Leaving New York by Roy Cross. No text for this item |
Show of Strength by Stan Stokes. Following The War to End All Wars military expenditures were severely curtailed, and only limited funds were available to support new military aviation projects. A number of important issues, which would influence the future of aviation, were debated in both public and private forums during this period. One related to the general importance of the role of aircraft in future military conflicts. A second was the relative importance of bombers vs. pursuit aircraft, and another issue affecting aviation was the rivalry between the Navy and the Army. One of the tactics utilized by the Armys Air Corps during this period to generate positive public support for its efforts, was the massing of large airborne armadas to impress the general populace. Many such fly overs took place during this period, and many were quite extravagant in terms of the sheer number of aircraft assembled for the displays. In Stan Stokes painting appropriately entitled A Show of Strength, one of these fly overs takes place over Boston in the mid-1930s. The aircraft featured in the scene is the Martin B-10 bomber. This aircraft, although a bit funny-looking by todays standards, was unique in many respects. Designated by its designer as the Martin Model 123, it was designed as a speculation by Martin, and a prototype was given to the Air Corps for evaluation in 1932. Called the XB-907 by the Army, the prototype could attain a top speed of 197-MPH. Later modifications included more powerful, cowling-covered, Cyclone engines, and a slightly larger wing surface. A gun turret was also added to the nose, and the top speed was enhanced to 207-MPH, an impressive figure for that time. Martin won the coveted Collier Trophy for this design, but more important to the company was the award of an initial contract for 48 production versions of the aircraft. The aircraft began to reach operational units in 1935, and additional orders for more than another 100 B-10B variants were placed. Powered by twin 775-HP 9-cylinder radials, the B-10B could carry a maximum bomb load of 2,200 pounds, had a range of 590 miles, an operational ceiling of 24,000 feet, and a maximum speed of 213-MPH. This was a good sized aircraft for the time with its 71-foot wingspan and 45-foot length. In 1936 the Government authorized the B-10 for export and more than one hundred B-10s were sold overseas, with the largest numbers going to the Netherlands Antilles, Argentina, Turkey, and China. Some of these models were modified to utilize one long green house canopy instead of the two utilized on the fuselage of the standard versions. The production life of the B-10 was cut short by the introduction of the Douglas B-18 and Boeing B-17, which were more advanced designs. Also shown in Stans painting escorting the B-10 bombers over Boston are two 1930 vintage Air Corps pursuit planes; the Boeing P-26 pea shooter monoplane, and the Curtiss P-6 Hawk biplane. |
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. |
Between Wars Classics by Stan Stokes. During the between Wars years two aircraft manufacturers, Boeing and Curtiss, were the dominant suppliers of fighter aircraft for the United States armed forces. A series of Curtiss-manufactured hawk fighters was in service from the mid-1920s until just before WW II. The P-6E was delivered beginning in 1932 and was powered by a 675-HP Curtiss V-1570-23 Conqueror engine. This bi-plane fighter was highly maneuverable and capable of almost 200-MPH. It was armed with twin forward-firing 0.3 inch Browning machine-guns. In many respects it represented the pinnacle of American biplane fighter designs. In contrast the Boeing P-26 Peashooter was a very important transitional aircraft in the evolution of the fighter. It embodied the transition from the WW I vintage highly maneuverable biplanes to the sleek, very fast, all-metal, monoplane fighters of WW II. Surprising is the fact that the P-26 was the last fighter to be mass-produced by Boeing, the company founded in 1916 by William Edward Boeing. The Companys first large contract was secured in 1919 for the MB-3A fighter for the USAAC. Boeing utilized a unique welded tube fuselage in place of the original wood structure in the original design. Success with this program lead to additional contracts, and Boeing became a strong competitor to the much larger Curtiss Company for fighter aircraft for both the Air Corps and the Navy. The culmination of Boeings biplane fighters was attained with its Model 83 which became the Navys F4B, and the Air Corps P-12. In 1928 the company began exploring the possibility of a monoplane fighter. The Model 200 Monomail was designed as a high-speed mail plane for Boeing Air Transport (the precursor of todays United Airlines.) The initial military version that evolved from this aircraft was the P-26. The P-26 was 20% faster than Boeings P-12 biplane, but it had a slower rate of climb and a lower service ceiling. Also, the high landing speeds of the prototype resulted in production models of the P-26 being equipped with landing flaps. Boeing engineers retained some very conservative design elements in the Peashooters design such as a fixed landing gear and an open cockpit. Many of these compromises would doom the aircraft to a very short useful life, as the P-26 was quickly made obsolete by the much faster Seversky P-35 and the Curtiss P-36 fighters which appeared in 1936. The USAAC accepted a total of 139 Peashooters in 1933-34. The Navy could not be convinced to order the aircraft. Many P-26s sported the wild USAAC paint schemes which typified the between Wars period. The P-26 would see some combat with the Chinese and Philippine Air Forces. In Stan Stokes painting a P-26 of the 94th Pursuit Squadron Snow Owls lifts off from Selfridge Field while a Curtiss Hawk it would soon be replacing taxis to its parking area. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
Deutschland at Baltimore Harbour by Ivan Berryman. (PC) On 9th July 1916, with Captain Paul Koenig in command, the German merchant submarine Deutschland entered Baltimore Harbour after a 16-day crossing of the Atlantic from Bremerhaven on a peaceful trade mission and was greeted by a flotilla of tugs and small sight-seeing vessels. Upon arrival in the bay, the German merchant flag was hoisted and many of her 29 crew appeared on her narrow deck to enjoy the moment. The visit was greeted with considerable controversy at the time, given that Europe was at this time at war with Germany, but this unusual event passed peacefully with Deutschland returning home safely the following month. |
Gone Fishing by Stan Stokes. The De Havilland Aircraft Company was founded by Geoffrey de Havilland, and Englishman who was born in 1882. He became fascinated with aircraft as a young man, and with the assistance of a wealthy grandfather pursued his first aircraft design. The first major success of this start-up company was the DH-4, a two seat bomber. This design was licensed to the US military, and more than 5,000 DH-4s were built. Following WW I de Havilland set up an internal engine design and manufacturing capability that was utilized to great success with their series of Moth trainers. De Havilland Aircraft was one of the early leaders in jet aircraft. They built the first jet aircraft the Comet that entered service in 1952. Unfortunately the Comet had some structural flaws that caused break-up of the aircraft in mid-flight. Withdrawing the aircraft and returning to the drawing boards cost the Company the lead and they never caught-up to either Boeing or Douglas. De Havilland Canada was set up in 1928 as a subsidiary of the U.K. company. Following WW II the Canadians wished to make their own mark. They developed the Chipmunk, a successful, all metal trainer that was purchased by many countries. The Canadian company also saw the opportunity to design and build an aircraft especially built for the rugged northern bush country of Canada. The Company surveyed many bush pilots and the result was the development of the Beaver, possibly the most successful bush plane of all time. The Beaver first flew in 1947. It was an immediate hit, with its ability to handle rough terrain, and operate with floats or skis. Thirteen countries purchased the Beaver for military use, and it was nicknamed the generals jeep for its ability to shuffle top brass in and out of remote areas. The other aircraft in Stans painting is a Noorduyn Norseman. It was first flown in 1935 and went into production in 1936. The aircraft was 32 feet in length and had a wingspan of more than 51 ft. A Pratt and Whitney Wasp 9-cylinder engine putting out 550-HP powered the Norseman. It had a cruising speed on 150-MPH, a service ceiling of 22,000 feet, and a range of 600 miles. With a single pilot, a Norseman could carry 8-9 passengers. A total of 904 Norseman were built. The aircraft was flown by the RCAF, USAAF and many commercial and private airlines. The Norseman had a reputation as a solid, well-built, reliable aircraft, and it was widely used in bush flying where it could be utilized with wheels, floats, or skis. Unfortunately, Glen Miller, the famous American bandleader, was lost during the War while flying in a Norseman. One theory is that Millers aircraft may have been accidentally destroyed by Lancaster Bombers dumping bombs over the English Channel prior to landing. |
New Orleans by Roy Cross. No text for this item |
Flying Into a War by Stan Stokes. John Davy Crockett was trained as a navigator by Pan Am in mid-1941 because the USAAF did not have its navigator school in operation. Davy was assigned to the 36th Bomb Squadron of the 19th Bomb Group flying the new B-17C Flying Fortress. Davy found that most Air Corps pilots were used to doing their own navigating, so his job would be easy. Davy experienced a crash in a B-17 while training, but the crew walked away from the wreck. In late 1941 his crew was informed that they would be flying to Clark Field in the Philippines. On December they left Albuquerque and flew to Hamilton Field in California. They received a briefing on expected weather and left on the evening of December 6 for their first stop at Hickham Field, Oahu Hawaii. Flying into the darkness over the vast Pacific, the pilot for the first time in Crocketts career turned the navigation over to Davy. Realizing that the Hawaiian Islands were only small dots on the charts of the vast Pacific, and that his aircraft would have little fuel reserves left when it arrived, sent chills up Crocketts spine. As dawn broke Davy saw lots of islands where there were not suppose to be any. His panic subsided when he realized that they were only clouds. The pilot, Earl Cooper, came on the intercom at that moment to ask for an ETA. As Davy responded, the gunners in the back came on the intercom to report a large formation of aircraft about ten miles north of their position. They must be Navy aircraft. Minutes later they had descended to about 1200 feet when eight fighter aircraft came straight at them with their guns blazing. As the aircraft flew bye the flight engineer, Jesse Broyls, yelled out, Rising Sun ! The zeros reformed behind the unarmed B-17, and as Cooper dove the lumbering giant towards the wave tops, Crockett could hear the thump of bullets hitting his plane. The No. 2 engine was hit and Cooper shut it down. Rounding Diamond Head at about 300-feet the crew saw smoke and fire everywhere, and Japanese planes all over the sky. They passed over Hickham Field at about 1000-feet, realizing that this was no time and place for a landing. They turned towards Ford Island and passed directly over the USS Arizona minutes after the ship had exploded. Crocketts B-17 now became a target for nervous anti-aircraft gunners on the ground, and the B-17 had its No. 4 engine shot out. Cooper prepared the crew to bail out, but he then saw an opportunity to bring the big bird into Wheeler Field. He came straight in and belly-landed the B-17 with almost no fuel left. The plane slid to a stop on the turf just short of a group of P-40s. The entire crew got out of the B-17 and ran for cover in a patch of nearby woods. The B-17s on the flight from the mainland were scattered all over the island, with most of them seriously damaged. Fortunately, there were only two casualties, a flight surgeon who was killed and a bombardier who was injured when they were strafed while running from their plane. Crockett would survive a third crash in another B-17 on December 25th when he would spend six days in a life raft. |
Attack on Pearl Harbor by Ivan Berryman The view across Battleship Row, viewed from above Ford Island as the USS Nevada gallantly makes her break for the open sea, coming under heavy attack from Japanese A6M2s from the carrier Hiryu. The Nevada was eventually too badly damaged to continue and was beached to avoid blocking the harbour entrance. In the immediate foreground, the lightly damaged USS Tennessee is trapped inboard of USS West Virginia which has sunk at her moorings, leaking burning oil and hampering the daring operations to pluck trapped crew members from her decks, while just visible to the right is the stern of the USS Maryland and the capsized Oklahoma. |
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This website is owned by Cranston Fine Arts. Torwood House, Torwoodhill Road, Rhu, Helensburgh, Scotland, G848LE Contact: Tel: (+44) (0) 1436 820269. Email: cranstonorders -at- outlook.com
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