Major Michael Joseph Bosiljevac, F-105G, Wild Weasel

Then Captain Michael J. Bosiljevac, F-105G, EWO, Wild Weasel. The F-105G was the designation given to F-105Fs which were fitted with greatly improved avionics, and carried Radar Homing and Warning Systems and defensive electronic countermeasure jamming equipment. The aircraft’s job was to escort other Air Force planes and suppress enemy air defenses, primarily surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and anti-aircraft artillery (AAA). Mike’s job as Electronic Warfare Officer included monitoring the F-105G’s sophisticated, technologically advanced avionics equipment and the aircraft’s external environment. He would inform the pilot of changes in the threats posed by enemy aircraft and/or ground-based defenses, in order to adjust the F-105G’s tactical posture. It was September 29, 1972, approximately 10,000 feet over North Vietnam west of Hanoi. An Air Force F-105G, one of a flight of four, was streaking through the sky on a SAM missile suppression mission. Mike Bosiljevac was the Electronic Warfare Officer. Lt. Colonel Jim O’Neil was the pilot. Closing on the target, O’Neil fired a Shrike AGM-45—an American anti-radiation missile designed to home-in on hostile anti-aircraft radar. Moments later a North Vietnamese SAM missile exploded 50 to 100 feet under the aircraft. Shrapnel raked the F-150Gs underside. There was an explosion. Warning lights flashed. Two parachutes opened. Col. O’Neil saw Captain Bosiljevac descending below him. He saw that some of Mike’s parachute lines had been cut to allow him to better manage his descent. Sometime around November 1972, less than two months after Mike had been shot down, his wife received a letter from Randolph Air Force base. It was startling in several respects. Essentially, the letter advised Kay Bosiljevac to send a “Care” package to Mike. It directed her to Ehrling Berquist Hospital, at Offut Air Force Base, where she was to pick up two pre-prepared sacks of medicine which were waiting for her, to be included in the package. The United States Air Force—which until then had denied knowledge of where Captain Bosiljevac was being held—also gave Kay very clear instructions about how to address the package: Camp of detention for U.S. pilots in Democratic Republic of Vietnam, Hanoi, Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Read more...

Northrop P-61 Black Widow

The P-61 was the first U.S. aircraft designed from the beginning as a night fighter, the Black Widow was a result of the experience of the RAF with radar equipped fighters. The first P-61's entered service with the 18th Fighter Group in the South Pacific and sooned gained successes there as well as in Europe. The P-61 was the first US aircraft specifically designed as a night fighter. As large as a medium bomber, it was actually very maneuverable. The key to the P-61's success was the Western Electric SCR-720 airborne intercept radar. In 1946, 36 aircraft of a slightly modified design were built as the F-15 Reporter photoreconnaissance aircraft. P-61s were also used for ejection-seat tests and for a research program that studied the effects of thunderstorms on aircraft structures after the war. In 1946, a dozen P-61Cs were transferred to the Marines as trainers and were designated F2Ts. This P-61B-15 was one of the few attrition replacements that actually made it to the 422nd NFS following the unit's movement closer to the frontline in France. "Little Audrey" was also unusual in that she had additional nose art-most P-61s within the squadron boasted names only.The P-61 was phased out of USAF service in 1952, and the last F-15 was retired in 1955. A C-model that never saw combat, is on display at the US Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson, in Dayton, Ohio. Another is on display at the Smithsonian's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Washington DC. Limited Edition Color Print, Signed and Numbered by the Artist. See more...

Embroidered CV-22B Osprey

I've dabbled in designing embroidered aircraft artwork. I created this embroidery using the 4D Software that I purchased along with my wife's Viking Husqvarna Designer SE sewing machine. I used the line art I initially designed for the CV-22 Osprey aircraft artwork. I've only produced the Osprey so far... one of these days I'll do another aircraft profile!

Bell Helicopter AH-1Z Viper SuperCobra

In 1996, the USMC launched the H-1 upgrade program by signing a contract with Bell Helicopter for upgrading 180 AH-1Ws into AH-1Zs. The AH-1Z first flew on 8 December 2000. Three prototype aircraft were delivered to NAVAIR's Naval Air Station Patuxent River in July 2002 for the flight test phase of the program. Low-rate initial production followed beginning in October 2003, with deliveries to run through 2018. Limited Edition. Signed and Numbered by the Artist. See more...

McDonnell-Douglas F-4C Phantom II

Between 1952 and 2006, Air Forces Iceland provided air defense for Iceland, operated Keflavik Airport, and furnished base support for all U.S. military forces in Iceland participating in its defense under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Also Air Force component of NATO Iceland Defense Force. Air Defense Command (ADC), later renamed Aerospace Defense Command used the facility for air surveillance of Iceland and the North Atlantic, employing F-102 Delta Dagger and then F-4C Phantom II fighters as interceptors. On 12 November 1954, the 57th FIS was moved to Keflavik Airport, Iceland, replacing the 82nd Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. The mission of the 57th FIS was an interceptor squadron charged with the monitoring of the Greenland, Iceland, United Kingdom (GIUK gap) in the North Atlantic that formed a naval warfare choke point during the Cold War. Over 1,000 intercepts of Soviet aircraft took place inside Iceland's Military Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). The first F-4C Phantom II aircraft was assigned to the squadron on 16 April 1973, as TAC was replacing the C's with F-4E models at the end of the Vietnam War. By 30 June, the squadron had six F-4Cs and additional F-4s were received in the third quarter of 1974. The last of the F-102s were replaced in early 1975 when additional F-4Cs were received from TAC squadrons at Luke AFB and George AFB; the last F-4C arriving in March 1976. On 1 October 1979 Tactical Air Command (TAC) absorbed ADC's assets, and the F-4E Phantom II aircraft of the 57th Fighter Interceptor Squadron (57 FIS). In early 1978 preparations for the exchange of the F-4C for F-4Es were underway with the first two aircraft landing on 21 March. These aircraft were better equipped than the C models, with solid state radios and tactical navigation equipment, lead computing optical gunsight and ILS. Twelve aircraft arrived between April and July, and the last F-4Cs left on 14 June. Signed and Numbered prints are available directly from the Artist. See more...

Boeing B-29 Superfortress "FIFI"

The Commemorative Air Force B-29 is one of the largest airplanes to see service during World War II. A very advanced bomber for this time period, it included features such as a pressurized cabin, an electronic fire control system, and remote controlled machine-gun turrets. Though it was designed as a high-altitude daytime bomber, in practice it actually flew more low-altitude nighttime incendiary bombing missions. By 1946, more than 3,900 B-29s had been built and delivered into service. When the Confederate Air Force (now the Commemorative Air Force) began searching for a B-29 for the collection of WWII aircraft, the war had been over for 21 years. The Superforts that helped end it had long since yielded to new generations of jet-powered strategic bombers, and vanished. According to the Air Force, no B-29s remained in inventory ~ even at storage or disposal depots. In 1971, a pilot reported sighting a number of what might be B-29s on the California desert near China Lake. The CAF learned the aircraft were indeed Superforts that had been parked at a Navy weapons center for 17 years. After much negotiation (the Air Force still owned the planes; the Navy had to agree to release one), much paperwork and a painstaking process of elimination to find the best survivor, the CAF became the owner of B-29 SN44-62070. That was just the beginning of the task. A CAF maintenance team arrived at China Lake on March 31, 1971. In only nine weeks, with the help of CAF volunteers, they restored all systems and replaced fuel, oil and hydraulic hoses. They restored the controls and installed instruments. They ran the engines, tested propellers and landing gear, and had new window bubbles made. By August 3, 1971, SN44-62070 was ready to fly again. The complete restoration to CAF standards of airworthiness was a long and expensive project involving more than three years of fund-raising and hard work. Late in 1974, the CAF's B-29 was christened "FIFI" and joined the other WWII fighters and bombers to preserve the memories and teach of lessons of mankind's greatest war.Limited Edition, Signed and Numbered Prints, Boeing B-29 Superfortress "FIFI", Licensed by CAF. See more...

CV-22B Osprey "Mojave Maude"

The 412th Test Wing plans, conducts, analyzes, and reports on all flight and ground testing of aircraft, weapons systems, software and components as well as modeling and simulation for the USAF. There are three core components for this mission: flying operations, maintenance, and engineering. CV-22, BuNo 165839, Serial Number 90025, "Mojave Maude" was originally delivered to the United States Marine Corps as an MV-22B. The CV-22B is powered by a pair of 6,200-horsepower Rolls Royce-Allison AE1107C turboshaft engines. It was converted to a CV-22B test article. The aircraft was assigned to the 18th Flight Test Squadron, Detachment1. The conclusion of the CV-22 flight test program occurred in September, 2007. Limited Edition, Signed and Numbered prints are available directly from the Artist. See more...

AH-6J Little Bird

The MH-6 Little Bird, and its attack variant, the AH-6, are single-engine light helicopters used for special operations aviation in the United States Army. Originally based on a modified OH-6A, it was later based on the MD 500E, with a single five-bladed main rotor. This agile, unarmed helicopter is outfitted with outboard "benches" designed to ferry up to three commandos on each side. There is also an attack variant, the AH-6. Painted black for nighttime operations, this small aircraft can conduct rapid insertions and extractions of special operations forces into areas its larger brother, the MH-60 Black Hawk, cannot. The AH/MH-6J is an improved Special Forces transport and attack versions. Updated light attack helicopter based on the MD 530MG and equipped with an improved engine, FLIR, and a GPS/inertial navigation system. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) is a special operations unit of the United States Army that provides helicopter aviation support for general purpose forces and Special Operations Forces. Its missions have included attack, assault, and reconnaissance, and are usually conducted at night, at high speeds, low altitudes, and on short notice. The 160th SOAR is headquartered at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The 160th SOAR (A) is also known as the Night Stalkers and their motto is Night Stalkers Don't Quit.The unit was officially established on 16 October 1981, when it was designated as the 160th Aviation Battalion. In 1986, it was re-designated as the 160th Aviation Group (Airborne); in May 1990, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne). The 160th SOAR(A) consist of a Headquarters located at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The 1st and 2nd Battalions are located at Ft. Campbell as well. The 3rd Battalion is located at Hunter Army Air Field, Georgia and the 4th Battalion is located at Fort Lewis, Washington.The 160th first saw combat during 1983's Operation Urgent Fury, the U.S. invasion of Grenada. In 1987 and 1988, its pilots took part in Operation Earnest Will, the protection of re-flagged Kuwaiti tankers in the Persian Gulf during the Iran/Iraq War. In June 1988, the unit executed Operation Mount Hope III. The Night Stalkers spearheaded Operation Just Cause, the 1989 invasion of Panama, and they were also used in Operation Desert Storm in 1991. In October 1993 in Somalia, Night Stalkers became involved in the Battle of Mogadishu, which later became the subject of the book Black Hawk Down. The Night Stalkers have been called upon for numerous missions throughout the first decade of the 21st Century. Limited Edition. Signed and Numbered by the Artist. See more...