Stories and Illustrations of combat airplanes, missiles and the people that flew them

Yesterday, Lt. Col. Robert Goebel, double-ace (11 victories) of the 31st FG, died at his California home. Bob was one of the first pilots...

Flak Shak is done.  Almost.  I might mask in a Browning .50 cal in the waist-gunner's spot if I have time before I have to get it...

Don't let the appearance of slow progress fool you - "Flak Shak" is coming along nicely!  However, the progress is not so muc...

The dynamics of a bomber crew are life in microcosm.  Inside the metal-skinned tube, a team of people work, each with their role, their fun...

I'm waiting for Harold Thune to bless my rendering of his Hellcat. With my bit of free time, this morning, I responded to an email re...

Another update!  Perhaps this will hold some interest while waiting for help with the markings from the USS Intrepid Air, Sea and Space Mu...

Wow!  From pencil studies to nearly finished in five days - that's a record for me. This 'Cat is going back into the hanger unti...

I decided to do Harold's -5 Hellcat, though still waiting for info on the markings. The cowl is grafted onto my pencil sketch for two...

While waiting on some information on exactly which of Harold Thune's F6F to do, I decided to do the quick pencil study above to get int...

Last month, I announced to my wife, "No more airplanes for a long while." Funny how things work because the ears of Fate must hav...

Though it needs a few more highlights (to knock down the gray), this is a reasonable-enough rendering of Lt. David Carey's A-4E Skyhaw...

Readers:  work on Dave's A4 will resume shortly!  And believe it or not, the first print is spoken for (crazy to trust in the final outc...

Well, there it is.  The fuselage.  Sort of. The stencils were added early to help me get a grip around the Skyhawk's subtle curves.  ...

Update - Well, so far, I've "Thrown out and started over" 3 times.  I'm barely hanging onto this version. In case you...

Up until now, I haven't had the time to really focus on Dave Carey's   A-4E.  So, I'm sketching myself back into the groove, g...

Well, the airplane above is a departure. Believe me, I have plenty of WW2 airplanes "to do."  However, this Vietnam-era A4 Sky...

Of all the airplanes I've ever done, the one above is the most... awesome .  Not 'awesome' in the way Sean Penn in "F...

Insomnia is my friend.  Not.  Maybe.  I don't know. Anyway, I made progress last night on Dick Cole's B-25B.  At least this far!  ...

Well, I'm certainly excited about the subject of this preliminary sketch - it's the B-25B flown by Jimmy Doolittle during the Apri...

The relationship between pilot and crew is oft-told.  You can't read an aviator's biography or watch a History Channel presentatio...