I´m thirsty!

Do you know this? You had a long day and now you are thirsty. The same goes for this pictured pilots F-16 jet. You can see the KC-135 Stratotanker in the visor of the pilot as he is closing in to get some fuel. Please also note the details on the oxygen mask!
Cheers!

Minesweepers

Some of you may now the little Windows Game "Minesweeper". You find this hard to play? Then flying with the HM-14 crews may not be the right job decision for you. Their job is (besides other important tasks like humanitarian relief) too keep the sea routes clear of mines and other hazards. The Vanguards "workhorse" is the old but still agile CH-53 (at the time the improved "Echo" version).
If you like to learn more about HM-14 you can check out this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGcthQE4lR4

Good flight Ladies and Gentleman!

In Dizzy Heights...

Many may know the Aérospatiale SA.319 Alouette III. Especially the pilots of the Swiss Air Force are familiar with this old work horse. High mountains make it hard for this helicopter to keep up with newer aircraft. Nevertheless this helicopter executed his mission reliable over four decades.

From Test Pilots...

Do you know this? You want to finish something, but you don´t really have the time for doing it perfect.
Well, when I worked on this Sikorsky helicopter I really had not much time, it was late and the next day I was about to leave to Berlin for the ILA. Nevertheless I finished this one - and I didn´t regret it. When I came along the US display I met two Sikorsky test pilots, Leszek Pawula and Michael Skaggs standing by the US Army Black Hawk displayed. Of course they signed my drawing and after I gave them my card they didn´t hesitate and gave me theirs in reward. They are two very nice and calm guys. Their flight display was incredible, you wouldn´t believe what a Black Hawk is capable of doing.
I wish you two always a save flight!

"Gimme a ride, buddy!"

You asked yourself it it is possible for a plane to carry another? I mean, a helicopter - yes. But a plane? In fact the impressive Airbus Beluga can! This jet can open the section above the cockpit by clapping it upwords. This way a fuselage section of another plane can be loaded.
Impressive, isn´t it?

Phantoms Phorever

When the german F-4 Phantoms were retired in 2013 another chapter of german aviation closed phorever. This drawing was signed by three Phantom pilots in 2012 also on the wing of a real F-4 that was on duty at that time. Phly on!


(For those of you who are not familiar with the "Phantom-slang", a lot of people tend to write "Ph" instead of "F" in  Phantom related articles/patches/texts)

Horrido?

"Horrido" is what you may think at the first view. If you look closer you will notice the black-red-golden flag (even in black white this is visible) that marks this "One-O-Nine" as the "Red 7" of EADS Heritage Flight.
Who signed this? Klaus Plasa stood next to his wonderfull bird when I asked him to sign this. He even signed it on the wing of the pictured airplane for me. I also had the chance to have a short conversation with Mr. Plasa and recognized that he is a very grounded person, very natural and gentile.
Don´t miss out the chance to see him in flight the next time!

Check Six!

"Mike One, mission accomplished, let´s RTB"" or "FOX ONE, FOX ONE!" - who doesn´t dream from time to time to be a jet pilot? Cruising at Mach 2, wearing a cool flight helmet and speaking some cheesy lines via radio with your wingman, those are just romantic dreams movies like "Top Gun" inspired. In reality those pilots are highly professional and well trained, they act on their rules and must be physically fit to survive in a life-threatening job.
This drawing should show one of those cool moments when life is good and the pilot is relatively relaxed.
Please note the time on the clock. The idea to be that precise came from a czech artist, Pavel Rampír. When I showed him this drawing to get some tips on my work he said with a gentile smile on his lips and an eastern accent: "There must be a time displayed on that clock!"
Pavel is still a big inspiration for me. His drawings are simple and detailed at the same time what makes them very nice to look at. If you like to see his artworks please check out his website:

www.flying-artworks.com

Stay tuned for more art and always remember: Check Six!

Huey? I love it!

Another Bell UH-1.
This one was just a project to be accurate while drawing. Like my drawing of the MBB Bo-105 it shows something very special: a signature. This one was signed by the known german allround-pilot Dieter Verbarg.
He flew the UH-1 in the good days of german aviation. But he decided that he had a "need for speed" so he learned how to fly F-104 Starfighter. These days he owns a Bell-47.
You can visit him here:

www.bell47.de

A Flying Bull

One of my special drawings. "Why? The helicopter isn´t even much detailed!" Correct, I drew this one in the night before I visited the Aero Expo at Friedrichshafen in 2012. But what is special about this is the signature of the famous Rainer Wilke, Red Bull aerobatics pilot with the MBB Bo-105.

If you like to learn more about Rainer´s impressive skills please see these two youtube videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5bCooT2DMQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHhflBB_VpA

Fly save!

Sikorsky Mk. 41 Sea King

When I listened to a presentation about SAR from Sönke Nielsen of the famous MFG 5 (Marienefliegergeschwader 5) based at Kiel Holtenau at that time, I decided to do a drawing of the Mk. 41 Sea King of the German Navy. Navy SAR aviation is a very special task which can only be executed by the best and most experienced pilots. Poor weather conditions, strong winds and often darkness seems to make it impossible to help people in need. But those crews over and over show that they are absolutely willing to save lifes - no matter how bad the conditions may be. Hats off to those brave crews!

Bell UH-1

"Chop chop chop chop chop..." this sound is truly copyrighted by the Bell UH-1 "Huey".
Here in Germany the sound of this legendary chopper often meant one thing for the civilian population:
HELP! The Huey´s with orange doors and the three letters "SAR" flew many missions during the last decades and helped many thousands of people. In the last years the ADAC Luftrettung and the DRF (among others) more and more took over the air rescue missions over Germany. But from time to time you still hear it, this rhythmical "chop chop chop" and you know that you are save...

The OH-6 "Loach"

This OH-6 "Loach" was born only three days after my initial drawing. I tried to make the downwash of the little hopper visual by the long grass that bends. This was my second helicopter and many should follow...

It all starts...

When I finished this drawing in January 2011 I had absolutely no idea what it would lead to. It is very basic, nothing special. But the legacy of this picture is a folder full of other aircraft drawings.
I also had no idea that I would ever try to help people with these drawings by selling them, but here I am.
Edmund Burke once said that the only thing necessary for the triumph of the evil would be for the good men to do nothing.
Following this thought I try not to look away anymore (and I also encourage you to do neither) and instead help people, even if it is just a smile that I can give somebody.
I hope you will enjoy my postings and the shown artworks.