DOUGLAS VC-118 (DC-6) “INDEPENDENCE” After Harry Truman assumed the office of the President, it was determined that a more high performance aircraft would be in order so on July 4, 1947, a new Douglas VC-118 (DC-6) transport was commissioned as the Presidential aircraft. It was called the “Independence” in honor of Truman’s hometown. This aircraft […]
DOUGLAS C-54C “SACRED COW” The first aircraft built and used for the president. Its first Presidential flight was in February 1945 to fly FDR to a conference at Yalta to meet again with Churchill and Stalin. The U.S.S. Quincy carried the President to Malta where the “Sacred Cow” took over and flew him to Yalta, […]
Boeing 314 Dixie Clipper The Boeing 314 Dixie Clipper was one of twelve 314 Clipper flying boats built by Boeing in the late 1930’s. Nine of these Clippers were built for Pam American World Airways. The Pan Am airplanes were furnished with luxury interiors for long distance transoceanic flights. Their seats in the main cabin […]
It’s a little hard for me to believe it, but it has been 15 years since I created the “History of the Flying White House” mural for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library! It is an oil painting 12 feet tall by 120 feat long. It makes a 90 degree arc under the tail of their […]
Gathering of Tuskegee Airmen in 2008 at Tuskegee Army Airfield, Tuskegee Alabama. The property had been in private ownership for quite a while, but the property owner graciously opened it up to the Airmen. This is where they had their advanced training in AT-6 Texans and P-40 Warhawks.
9 years ago, I created this painting of Roscoe Brown’s P-51D Mustang in the midst of shooting down an Me 262 jet. The jet was climbing toward a formation of B-17s which slowed it down and made it a prime target for Roscoe.The P-51D has always been one of my favorite subject to paint. It’s […]
Here is one of my favorite painting subjects – the North American Aviation B-25 Mitchell bomber of WWII. This painting was for a pilot’s group and honored the people who built and flew the B-25. Its most notable exploit was its use by Jimmy Doolittle and his Tokyo Raiders, but it served with distinction all […]
I just finished this painting of a C-47 Dakota dropping Pathfinder paratroops in the wee hours of the night before the full invasion started for D-Day. The Pathfinders mission was to set up light signals to be followed by the large formations of C-47 so that they would have an idea of where to drop […]
One of my paintings honoring the Tuskegee Airmen is of Walter Palmer standing by his P-51C Mustang “Duchess II”. On July 18, 1944, Walter shot down am Messerschmitt 109 with this Mustang. He flew P-39’s, P-40’s, P-47’s and P-51’s with the 100th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group completing 158 combat missions with over 400 combat […]