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McDonnell F18 Hornet in aviation art
prints by Michael Rondot, Philip West and Ivan Berryman. McDonnell F18 Hornet shown in
formation and with USS Dwight D Eisenhower, available from aviation
prints.co.uk.
One of the most potent multi-mission fighters ever built, the rugged
McDonnell Douglas F-18 Hornet has been a mainstay of the US Navy and
Marine Corps during the last two decades.
USS Dwight Eisenhower by Ivan Berryman. A pair of F18 Hornets overfly the
Nimitz-class carrier USS Dwight Eisenhower
(CV-69) with the surface combatant USS Arleigh Burke (DDF-51) off her
port bow.
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| Angels and Knights by Stan Stokes. In 1946 Navy brass selected Lt. Cdr. Roy Butch Voris, a fighter pilot with WW II experience, to organize a flight exhibition team. The twenty-six-year-old Voris wasted no time in forming his team, and developed an exciting low altitude acrobatic demonstration utilizing the F6F Hellcat fighter. Recognizing the need for a minimum of distractions, Voris selected only bachelors for his embryonic flight team. When the group put on their first demonstration, Voris commanding officer called them a bunch of crazy S.O.B.s who were going to kill themselves. Nonetheless, the show was impressive and the Navy moved ahead. Lacking a name for this new group a contest was held, but no names were submitted which the pilots all liked. One day Voris #2 - Wick Wickendall - saw an ad for a night club called the Blue Angel in a magazine. From that day forward the name Blue Angels was official. The team quickly transitioned to the faster F8 Bearcat, but when the Korean War began, the group was temporarily disbanded, and its pilots formed the nucleus of VF-191 Satans Kittens. Following the war Voris was asked again to reactivate the team, this time utilizing the Panther jet. In 1955 the Angels transitioned to their first supersonic aircraft the F-8 Cougar. In 1957 they switched to the F-11, and in 1969 they began flying the F-4 Phantom II. Plagued with maintenance difficulties the group dropped the F-4 in 1974 in favor of the diminutive A-4 Skyhawk. In 1985 the Blue Angels began utilizing the McDonnel Douglas F/A-18 Hornet, one of the most capable fighter and attack aircraft in the world. Flying at speeds in the 400-500 MPH range with only 36 inches of separation during most of their shows, the pilot are subject to G forces equal to eight times the weight of gravity. However, the Blue Angels perform without the use of G-suits. The Blues are made up of an all volunteer group. Pilots typically have 8-10 years of fighter experience (1500 or more hours), are carrier qualified, and have had time as instructors. The Blue Angels follow an intensive training program. They fly six days a week, with only a 2-3 week break in November of each year. The Blue Angel pilots and their ground support crew spend about 300 days a year away from home. The support team, which flies from show to show in a specially modified C-130 nicknamed Fat Albert, is of vital importance. A Blue Angels show has never been canceled due to a maintenance or equipment problem, and no spectators have ever been injured during a demonstration. In 1992 the Blue Angels were given the opportunity of visiting the former Soviet Union to become the first American flight demonstration team to perform over Moscow. This was a significant event as it truly signified the change taking place in the former Soviet Union, and the new post Cold War relationship which was evolving. Lead by Cdr. Greg Wooldridge, the Blue Angels took Moscow by storm. A series of exchange flights took place with the Russian pilots having their first exposure to American-built aircraft, and the Blue Angels having opportunity to fly in SU-27s and Mig-31s, two of the hottest Russian aircraft. As depicted in Stan Stokes highly-detailed painting entitled Angels and Knights, a Blue Angel F/A-18 and a Russian Knight SU-27 make a low altitude pass over Red Square, in a symbolic gesture signifying the end of the Cold War. Signed limited edition of 4750 prints. Print size 16 inches x 11.5 inches (41cm x 30cm) Supplied with signed and numbered certificate of authenticity.. Price £40.00  Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
Limited edition of 100 giclee paper prints. Size 21 inches x 14 inches (53cm x 36cm). Price £109.00 Signed by Captain R M Butch Voris USN. Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 45 inches x 30 inches (114cm x 76cm). Price £624.00 Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 36 inches x 24 inches (91cm x 61cm). Price £484.00 Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
Limited edition of 100 giclee canvas prints. Size 27 inches x 18 inches (69cm x 46cm). Price £294.00 Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
ITEM CODE STK0153 |
| Magpies Over Baghdad by Michael Rondot (AP) During February 2003, fourteen RAAF F/A-18 Hornets flew to Al Udeid airbase in Qatar for air operations over Iraq as part of Operation Falconer. This was the first overseas deployment of Australian fighter aircraft for combat operations since July 1953 when RAAF Meteor F8s flew their last ground attack missions of the Korean War. The Australians were airborne from the start of the airstrikes on 20th March and continued in the thick of the action of the air campaign until the end of combat operations on 27th April, by which time they had flown 350 combat missions and dropped 122 laser guided bombs. Their missions ranged from air defence to interdiction and close air support and included operations with Australian SAS and Commando forces, as well as numerous missions flown in support of US Marines involved in fierce street fighting around Baghdad and Tikrit. The Hornets returned to Australia in May after one of the most successful combat deployments in the history of the RAAF. Limited edition of 40 artist proofs. Image size 27 inches x 20 inches (69cm x 51cm). Price £120.00
Limited edition of 25 remarques. Image size 27 inches x 20 inches (69cm x 51cm). Price £
Limited edition of 10 giclee canvas prints. Image size 30 inches x 20 inches (76cm x 51cm). Price £400.00
ITEM CODE MR0062 |
| Chippy Ho by Philip West. Chippy Ho and his wingman from VFA-195, hurtle through the sky with Mount Fuji in the background, armed and ready for action at a moments notice. The McDonnell Douglas F-18 became the backbone of the US Navy and Marine Corps for the past twenty years. These two aircraft were based at Kadena AB, Okinawa and their armament consists of AIM-9L Sidewinders, AGM-88 missiles, sensor pods and drop tanks. Signed limited edition of 500 prints. Paper size 27 inches x 18 inches (69cm x 46cm). Price £80.00 Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
ITEM CODE DHM2039 |
| Top Cover by Michael Rondot. With Top Cover, Michael Rondot portrays a pilots eye view of the speed and excitement of modern high-tech aerial warfare. High over a panorama of broken clouds, a pair of F/A-18C Hornets from VFA-81 Sunliners dive onto a group of F-16s simulating an attack on a formation of low flying A-7 Corsairs far below. The low-flying A-7s are in deep trouble, having been bounced by the F-16s, and will evade as hard as they can to shake off their opponents. For the F/A-18 Hornet pilots the priority is to kill the F-16s before they can threaten the A-7s. The Fights on! You could easily be forgiven for believing that US Navy and Marine Corps aviators enjoy an unfair advantage in life. They fly the finest aircraft around, in the most demanding and exciting roles, and they get to practice their art in some of the most beautiful and exotic parts of the world, basking in the glamour and mystique of US Naval Aviation. The reality is more down to earth. Flying the F/A-18 Hornet in both the air-defence and the ground-attack role is hard, challenging work. Pilots from the attack community have to learn the skills of air-to-air fighting, and air defenders have to learn the art of putting bombs and bullets onto a pinpoint target from a first-pass attack in bad weather. It is an uncompromising and unforgiving environment, with no room for bullshit. Signed limited edition of 500 prints. Paper size 28 inches x 20 inches (71cm x 51cm). Price £95.00
Limited edition of 50 artist proofs. Paper size 28 inches x 20 inches (71cm x 51cm). Price £120.00
ITEM CODE MR0048 |
| USS Dwight Eisenhower by Ivan Berryman. A pair of F18 Hornets overfly the Nimitz-class carrier USS Dwight Eisenhower (CV-69) with the surface combatant USS Arleigh Burke (DDF-51) off her port bow. Signed limited edition of 1150 prints. Image size 25 inches x 15 inches (64cm x 38cm). Price £95.00 Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
Limited edition of 50 artist proofs. Image size 25 inches x 15 inches (64cm x 38cm). Price £130.00 Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
Save £5 on selected prints - Was £135
Limited edition of 50 giclee canvas prints. Image size 36 inches x 24 inches (91cm x 61cm). Price £480.00 £110 Off Selected Giclee Canvas Prints - Was £590
Original painting by Ivan Berryman. Image size 36 inches x 24 inches (91cm x 61cm). Price £3800.00 Massive Summer Sale! To make way for new art projects, this painting is reduced to gallery trade price for all customers!
Save £2000 on this original painting! - Was £5800
Postcard size 6 inches x 4 inches (15cm x 10cm). Price £2.00 Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
**Signed limited edition of 1150 prints. (One copy reduced to clear) Image size 25 inches x 15 inches (64cm x 38cm). Price £70.00
ITEM CODE DHM0986 |
| Hornet the Hunter by Michael Rondot. Military pilots do not easily heap praise on one anothers aircraft but when the object of their attention is the McDonnell F-18 Hornet, they really do talk in superlatives. Whether displaying its awesome manoeuvrability and firepower in the air-to-air combat role, or delivering a hefty warload with unerring accuracy in the ground-attack role, this aircraft has few, if any, equals. Ask any RAF Jaguar pilot from the Gulf War what modifications he would have liked to improve the combat effectiveness of his aircraft, and the answer is invariably the same - Twin fins, bubble canopy, big engines, a powerful multi-mode radar and face-shooting missiles. In other words, Id rather be flying an F-18. Of all the single-seat combat aircraft in service today, the Hornet is universally regarded by those in the know as the most versatile and effective aircraft around. Capable of both ground-attack and day/night all-weather air-to-air missions, the hornet has earned a justifiable reputation as the most sought-after cockpit in the single-seat business. During the months before the outbreak of hostilities in the Gulf War, Hornets flew round-the-clock Combat Air Patrols to provide top cover for Allied fleets. They played a dangerous game of cat and mouse with Iraqi aircraft probing their defenses before turning away, but when the war started it was a different game and in deadly earnest. US Navy and Marine Corps F-18s were among the first Allied aircraft to cross the Iraqi border and they remained in the thick of the fighting throughout the air campaign. In addition to flying escort and sweep missions in support of strike aircraft to and from targets deep within Iraq, Hornets also flew bombing and defence suppression missions and participated in raids on Baghdad. They flew more than 10,000 sorties and 25,000 flight hours during Operation Desert Storm, and shot down two Iraqi MiG 21s to add to the proud McDonnell boast that every enemy fighter shot down in combat was downed by one of their aircraft. Signed limited edition of 500 prints. Paper size 28 inches x 20 inches (71cm x 51cm). Price £95.00 Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
Limited edition of 50 artist proofs. Paper size 28 inches x 20 inches (71cm x 51cm). Price £150.00
Limited edition of 2 artist proofs, signed by 13 aircrew. Paper size 28 inches x 20 inches (71cm x 51cm). Price £185.00
ITEM CODE MR0025 |
Chippy Ho by Philip West
One of the most potent multi-mission fighters ever built, the rugged
McDonnell Douglas F-18 Hornet has been a mainstay of the US Navy and
Marine Corps during the last two decades. Philip has made a classic study of an F/A-18C Hornet from VFA-195,
tactical call sign Chippies, flying a fully armed mission exercise near
Mount Fuji while detached to Kadena AB, Okinawa. The colourfully painted
squadron CAG bird Chippy Ho, strikes a menacing pose, equipped with AGM-88
missiles, AIM-9L Sidewinders, drop-tanks and sensor pods.The F-18 demonstrated its effectiveness and versatility during the Gulf
War when, on a strike mission and loaded with 2,000 lb bombs, two Hornets
from VFA-81 dispatched two Iraqi MiG-21s with Sidewinder and Sparrow
missiles, before continuing to complete their bombing mission.
Top Cover by Michael Rondot
With Top Cover, Michael Rondot portrays a pilot's eye view of the speed
and excitement of modern high-tech aerial warfare. High over a panorama of
broken clouds, a pair of F/A-18C Hornets from VFA-81 'Sunliners' dive onto
a group of F-16s simulating an attack on a formation of low flying
A-7 Corsairs far below. The low-flying A7s are in deep trouble, having
been bounced by the F-16s, and will evade as hard as they can to shake off
their opponents. For the F/A18 Hornet pilots the priority id to kill the
F16s before they can threaten the A7s. The fight's on! You could easily be forgiven for believing that US Navy and Marine
Corps aviators enjoy an unfair advantage in life. They fly the finest
aircraft around, in the most demanding and exciting roles, and they get to
practise their art in some of the most beautiful and exotic parts of the
world, basking in the glamour and mystique of US Naval Aviation. the
reality is more down to earth. Flying the F/A18 Hornet in both the air-defence and the ground attack role is hard, challenging work. Pilots
from the attack community have to learn the skills of air-to-air fighting,
and air defenders have to learn the art of putting bombs and bullets onto
a pinpoint target from a first pass attack in bad weather. It is an
uncompromising and unforgiving environment, with no room for bullshit.
Hornet the Hunter by Michael Rondot Military pilots do not easily heap praise on one another's aircraft,
but when the object of their attention is the McDonnell F18 hornet, they
really do talk in superlatives. Whether displaying its awesome maneuverability
and firepower in the air-to-air combat role, or delivering
a hefty war load with unerring accuracy in the ground attack role, this
aircraft has few, if any, equals. Hornet the Hunter is the 6th print in Michael Rondot's authoritative
series of Gulf War paintings. set against a deep blue sky receding into
the pink heat haze of the desert, a pair of Canadian Armed Forces CF18s
head for the danger zone on a Combat Air Patrol mission. The aircraft are
loaded for action with a full war load of AIM7 Sparrow and AIM9 Sidewinder
missiles, in addition to their 20mm M61 cannon. Each print is counter signed by operational aircrew from Desert Shield
and Desert Storm. |
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