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

In the business world, second, third, fourth...generation leadership is weighty stuff.  There's a cynical axiom that runs its way aroun...

Done!  The F-51 Joe flew while pioneering the South Dakota Air National Guard (circa 1947) is now aloft in the internet's data pool.  A...

Joe Foss's F-51 is about...hmmm.  I'll call it 45% complete.  There's too much to improve/do that I won't list it all, but...

Oh man, if I could do it over...! Recently, I was fortunate enough to get a rare Commission - to do the suite of aircraft flown by the So...

Satan's Chill'en is alive.  I have much to write about this airplane, but the bulk will wait. Two weeks ago, Dick Rostrom was lea...

And there it is.  "28" - a workaday F6F-5 as flown by Lt. Harold Thune of the USS Intrepid, circa Fall, 1944. Yesterday morning,...

Done!  Sort of.  I'm not happy with the wing and I might redo it.  But for now, I'm content to put "1" up for  readers to ...

Two airplanes at once is proving to be difficult and I don't quite like it.    I enjoy the feeling of focusing on one airplane - after ...

First, would I do this for a living?  I mean - real living? Damn right.  Gawd, I love this part of American history and...you should too....

My call for help in capturing the half-naked pinup girl painted on Satan's Chille'n was as expected - so, thank you to those who hel...

Regarding the picture above - on the left is my wretched pencil-work of the nose art of Satan's Chille'n.  The boxing "bomber-...

I couldn't bear the previous paltry sketch, so I fleshed out the study a bit tonight. These little pencil sketches are important to me ...

The study sketch above is of a B-17G that flew with the 401st Bomb Group based at Deenethorpe, Northhamptonshire, England.  Specifically, t...

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...