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US Navy
Naval Art  Artists Stan Stokes  US Navy |
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Miracle in the Sand Dunes by Stan Stokes. Orville and Wilbur Wright were two enterprising Americans from the Midwest who made a living operating a bicycle shop. They were fascinated with the possibility of flight and they built their first glider in 1900. They were inspired by the work of a German, Otto Lilienthal, who had studied the wing and had built effective gliders that had reached more than 1000 feet in altitude. Following Lilienthals death the torch of aeronautical progress was passed to an American civil engineer named Octave Chanute. The French-born Chanute had come to America in 1838, and only became interested in flight in 1889. In 1894 he published a book entitled Progress in Flying Machines, which became the reference manual for all potential future aeronautical pioneers. Another early pioneer was Samuel P. Langley. He was a professor who became Secretary of the Smithsonian in 1887. In 1891 he began to experiment in aeronautics, and by 1896 he had developed a number of large powered flying models that he launched from a boat on the Potomac River. Langley received $50,000 from the War Department in 1897 to build a man-carrying aircraft. By October of 1903 Langleys Aerodrome was completed and prepared for a catapult launching on the Potomac. Despite careful preparations a line snagged during take off and the craft immediately crashed. Two months later on December 8, 1903 Langley made a final try with a rebuilt Aerodrome. This time the aircraft split into two upon launching. The Wright brothers developed a rudimentary wind tunnel to test their glider designs. This also helped the Wrights understand how to control an aircraft during flight, a small detail often overlooked by other early pioneers - sometimes with fatal consequences. On December 17, 1903 the Wright Brothers took their latest aircraft powered with a small petrol engine to the Kill Devil Hills sand dunes at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Winning the coin toss Wilbur won the honors for the first flight. On a cold and windy December morning the small engine was started and the aircraft was launched down a short wooden monorail track. The machine lifted into the air and remained airborne for about 12 seconds. Covering a mere 120 feet. Three more flights occurred that day, the last lasting nearly one minute and covering more than 850 feet. History would mark this as the beginning of the aviation age, as the advent of controlled powered flight in heavier than air aircraft. By 1908 the Wright Brothers had received an Army contract for more than $30,000 to build Wright Flyers. Unfortunately, the Wrights would spend most of their latter years in legal patent fights with aviation pioneer Glen Curtiss. Curtiss went on to build a successful aviation company, whereas the Wright Brothers were relegated to a lesser role. |
Cats First Cruise by Stan Stokes. Grumman Aircraft has had a long tradition of providing rugged aircraft for naval aviators. These Grumman planes were all named Cats. The F-14 Tomcat, the latest in the long line of Grumman carrier cats, evolved from Grummans involvement as a subcontractor in the ill-fated TFX development program. Ever since the WW II Battle of Midway, the Navy has been concerned about the vulnerability of its carriers to attack. Super carriers, the largest mobile machines ever developed by mankind, are vulnerable to attack from ground, sea or air-launched missiles. To protect its carriers, the Navy has long recognized the critical need for high speed, long-range, heavily-armed, interceptors. The first two jet-powered aircraft to fill this role were the F-8 Crusader and the F-4 Phantom II. The F-14 Tomcat was developed to provide an improved interceptor capable of carrying the heavier Phoenix missile, and advanced avionics. The first Tomcat prototype flew on December 21, 1970. By late 1972 full scale production of the F-14 had commenced. The Tomcat is big and heavy. It can operate at altitudes in excess of 50,000 feet, can exceed speeds of 1,500 MPH, and has a maximum range in excess of 2,000 miles. Despite its size and high performance the Tomcat is an agile bird. With its variable-geometry wings, the F-14 can be configured on the fly to change its flying and handling characteristics. The aircraft is equipped with a 20mm cannon, and can carry a large assortment of highly lethal guided missiles. The aircraft got its Tomcat name because of Admiral Tom Connollys involvement in the project, and the fact that Grumman was the designer and builder of the F-14. The Tomcat, like the F-4 before it, carries a two-man crew. Grumman designed the aircraft with upgradability in mind. This has permitted improved engines, improved avionics, and improved missals to be incorporated into the basic air frame with remarkable effectiveness. Highly regarded aviation artist Stan Stokes, in his dramatic painting entitled Cats First Cruise, shows an F-14 of the Navys VF-1 Wolfpack squadron on final approach to the USS Enterprise. The Wolfpack, and the VF-2 Bounty Hunters were the first two squadrons of Tomcats deployed for carrier duty. Their first cruise was in 1974. By 1980 the Navy had deployed Tomcat squadrons on nearly all its active carriers. The Tomcat has proven itself in actual combat and no doubt will continue to serve as the Navys primary long range carrier-based interceptor for many more years. |
Quite a Pair by Stan Stokes. The US Navys first two effective aircraft carriers were the USS Lexington and the USS Saratoga; both converted from battle cruiser hulls in 1927. The Lexington, CV-2, was built in Quincy, Massachusetts, and commissioned in December of 1927. The Saratoga, CV-3, was built in Camden, New Jersey and commissioned in November of 1927. During fleet exercises in the early 1930s the capabilities and limitations of these two great ships had a huge impact on the evolution of carrier tactics. The speed of these big carriers allowed them to operate as an independent task force, and they would therefore need to carry an air group that would provide for a balance between offensive and defensive forces. The Lexington was in the Pacific during the attack on Pearl Harbor. She was involved in raids on Japanese strongholds in the southwestern Pacific in early 1942. She joined the Yorktown in the Battle of the Coral Sea. Her aircraft participated in attacks on the Japanese carriers Shoho, Shokaku, and Zuikaku. On May 8 the Lady Lex herself was the target of Japanese carrier aircraft. She took three bomb hits, and two torpedo hits. She was scuttled by her crew, becoming the first carrier lost by the US during the War. The Saratoga was in San Diego when the Pearl Harbor attack occurred. She served admirably in the Pacific sustaining repairable damage on several occasions. She took leave of the Pacific theater for a year to assist the British. The Big E met an ignominious demise as part of the Bikini Atoll atomic bomb tests. Showing her toughness she survived the first blast she was exposed to, but an underwater blast from only 500 yards away sunk the ship in August 1946. The Saratoga and the Lexington are depicted in Stan Stokes painting during maneuvers in the early 1930s. A Boeing FB fighter passes overhead. The Boeing Aircraft was founded in 1916 and initially built floatplanes. The companys first contract for a fighter/pursuit aircraft came in 1921 when it won the contract to build the Thomas-Morse designed MB-3 fighter. Boeings engineers began developing a fighter of their own design that would utilize a welded steel tube frame instead of the normal wooden frame. The Army tested the Model 15 prototype in 1923. Although they liked many of the features the Army opted to purchase the competing Curtiss design. They did order a couple of the Boeing planes for testing, and about a year later they placed an order for 25 PW-9s. The Navy also decided in 1924 to purchase the design, designating it as the FB-1. Improved variants were designated FB-2/3/4/5/6 etc. Boeing built a total of nearly 600 aircraft in this family, making it one of the most widely produced aircraft in the between Wars era. The FB-2/3/4 variants included modifications for carrier use and a more powerful 510-HP Packard-IA engine. With the additional power, a taller rudder assembly was deemed necessary to provide adequate flight stability. The Navy ordered twenty-seven FB-5s and began taking deliveries in 1927. The upper wing of the FB-5 variant was moved forward while the lower wing was moved backwards. In addition a slightly more powerful Packard engine was utilized. |
Stalemate at Hampton Roads by Stan Stokes. The USS Monitor and CSS Virginia. |
Flight of the Phantom by Stan Stokes. The McDonnel Douglas F-4 Phantom II was flown by both the USN and USAF in Vietnam. The aircraft was utilized in many roles during the War. The only two aces in Vietnam both flew the F-4. Randall Duke Cunningham did the honors for the Navy, while Steve Ritchie attained five victories flying the Phantom with the USAF. |
Night Strike by Stan Stokes. The A-6 Intruder has had a long and effective career as the Navys primary attack plane. A-6s were used in Vietnam and still were effective during Desert Storm, as the avionics on these aircraft have been constantly upgraded over the years. In Stans painting an A-6 departs the USS Ranger. |
Corsair on Final by Stan Stokes. SOLD OUT |
A Heritage of Excellence by Stan Stokes. CV-12 is the eighth USN warship to bear the name Hornet. She participated in numerous combat operations for the last 16months of WWII. While operating in the Far East in support of operations in Vietnam, the Hornet participated in several Apollo recovery missions including that of Apollo 11 in 1969. |
Golden Gate Corsair by Stan Stokes. The Chance-Vought F4U Corsair was arguably the finest naval aviation fighter of its era. Work on this design dates to 1938 and was headed-up by Voughts Chief Engineer, Rex Biesel. The initial prototype was powered by an 1800-HP Pratt & Whitney double Wasp radial engine. This was the third Vought aircraft to carry the Corsair name. The graceful and highly recognizable gull-wing design of the F4U permitted the aircraft to utilize a 13-foot, three-blade, Hamilton Standard propeller, while not having to lengthen the landing gear. Because of the rigors of carrier landings, this was a very important design consideration. Folding wings were also required for carrier operations. The F4U was thirty feet long, had a wingspan of 41 feet and an empty weight of approximately 7,500 pounds. Another interesting feature was the way the F4Us gear rotated 90 degrees, so it would lay flush within the wing when in the up position. In 1939 the Navy approved the design, and production commenced. The Corsair utilized a new spot welding process on its all aluminum fuselage, giving the aircraft very low drag. To reduce weight, fabric-covered outer wing sections and control surfaces were fitted. In May of 1940 the F4U made its maiden flight. Although a number of small bugs were discovered during early flight tests, the Corsair had exceptional performance characteristics. In October of 1940 the prototype F4U was clocked at 405-MPH in a speed test. The initial production Corsairs received an upgraded 2,000-HP radial giving the bird a top speed of about 425-MPH. The production models also differed from the prototype in having six, wing-mounted, 0.5 caliber machine guns. Another change was a shift of the cockpit about three feet further back in the fuselage. This latter change unfortunately made naval aviators wary of carrier landings with the F4U, due to its limited forward visibility during landings. Other concerns were expressed regarding a severe port wing drop at landing speeds and a tendency of the aircraft to bounce off a carrier deck. As a result, the F4U was initially limited to land-based USMC squadrons. Vought addressed several of these problems, and the Royal Navy deserves credit for perfecting an appropriate landing strategy for the F4U. They found that if the carrier pilot landed the F4U while making a sweeping left turn with the port wing down, that sufficient visibility was available to make a safe landing. With a kill ratio of 11 -to- 1 in WW 11 combat, the F4U proved superior in the air to almost every opposing aircraft it encountered. More than 12,000 F4Us were built and fortunately a few dozen remain in flyable condition to this date. |
Gull Winged Warrior by Stan Stokes. The F4U Corsair once again in the subject of Stans talents. This time during the Korean War. This Gull-Winged Warrior in on final to the Philippine Sea. |
USS Lexington by Stan Stokes. The Lady Lex, (CV-2) as she was popularly called, was one of only a handful of carriers available when the U.S. was plunged into WW II. Although the Lex would be lost during the War, she played an important combat role early in the War. In Stans painting, of the 2nd USS Lexington (CV-16) F6F Hellcats pass over the Lady. |
Corsair of the Intrepid by Stan Stokes. An F4U Corsair approaches the USS Intrepid during WWII in Stans dramatic depiction. |
Best of their Breed by Stan Stokes. The USS Missouri, cruises in Tokyo Bay at the time of the Japanese surrender in 1945. The Iowa Class Battleships demonstrated versatility and long useful lives. The Iowa, New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Missouri have certainly proved themselves to be the best of their breed. |
Old Ironsides by Stan Stokes. The USS Constitution, Old Ironsides plows through some moderate seas under full sail off the rocky New England coastline. The oldest commissioned ship in the US Navy, she can be toured at her dock in Boston. |
USS George H W Bush by Stan Stokes. No text for this item |
USS Constellation by Stan Stokes. No text for this item |
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