General Dynamics F-111F Aardvark

The General Dynamics F-111 "Aardvark" was a medium-range interdictor and tactical strike aircraft that also filled the roles of strategic bomber, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare in its various versions. Developed in the 1960s, it first entered service in 1967 with the United States Air Force. The F-111 pioneered several technologies for production aircraft, including variable-sweep wings, afterburning turbofan engines, and automated terrain-following radar for low-level, high-speed flight. The 27th TFW, in various designations, has been assigned to Cannon AFB for over 45 years. The 27th TFW began conversion to the General Dynamics F-111E "Aardvark" in late 1969. The F-111A and F-111E models were not to remain long at Cannon, being replaced in 1972 with the more advanced F-111D. The older F-111Es were sent to RAF Upper Heyford, England and the F-111As being sent to the 474th TFW at Nellis or were converted into EF-111A Raven electronic warfare aircraft. The 522nd, 523rd and 524th Fighter Squadrons replaced their F-111D models, receiving upgraded F-111F model after the closure of RAF Lakenheath, England. The F-111F differed from the F-111D in having more advanced electronics which were nevertheless simplified and more reliable, along with improved landing gear. The F-111F was the final F-111 variant produced for Tactical Air Command, when the Air Force approved development of the variant in 1969. On 1 November 1991, the 27th TFW was re-designated the 27th Fighter Wing as part of an Air Force-wide reorganization. In June 1992, the 27th FW became part of a new major command - Air Combat Command. The Air Force F-111 variants were retired in the 1990s. Signed and Numbered prints are available directly from the artist. See More.

The US Air Force Thunderbirds T-38

The Thunderbirds are the air demonstration squadron of the United States Air Force (USAF), based at Nellis AFB in Las Vegas, Nevada. They tour the United States and much of the world, performing aerobatic formation and solo flying in specially marked aircraft. The name is taken from the legendary creature that appears in the mythology of several indigenous North American cultures. They are the fastest flying (multiple jet) flight demonstration team in the world. Since 15 February 1974 the Thunderbirds have been a component of the 57th Wing at Nellis AFB. Since 1953, they have flown in front of more than 390 million people. Due to the 1973 oil crisis, the team only flew six air shows and was grounded for some time. However, in 1974 they switched to the more economical T-38 Talon. In 1982, the Thunderbirds suffered a catastrophic loss during pre-season training on 18 January. While practicing the four-plane diamond loop, the formation impacted the ground at high speed, instantly killing all four pilots. The cause of the crash was determined by the USAF to be the result of a mechanical problem with the #1 aircraft's control stick actuator. This resulted in insufficient back pressure by the formation leader on the T-38 control stick during the loop. Visually cueing off of the lead aircraft during formation maneuvering, the wing and slot pilots disregarded their positions relative to the ground. The team's activities were suspended for six months pending investigation of the crashes and review of the program, then reinstituted using the General Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcon. They upgraded to the F-16C (now produced by Lockheed Martin) in 1992. On 1 March 2013 the USAF announced that due to sequestration actions aerial demonstration team performances including that of the Thunderbirds would cease from 1 April 2013. See More.

Hughes OH-6A Cayuse Miss Clawd IV Capt Hugh Mills

"Miss Clawd IV" is a Hughes OH-6A Cayuse flown in Vietnam in 1972 by Capt Hugh Mills. The OH-6A was nicknamed the "Loach" from the initials LOH of Light Observation Helicopter. It was the principal scout helicopter used by the U.S. Army in Vietnam. The Loach was armed with the XM-27 Armament Subsystem comprising an M-134 mini-gun mounted on the left side of the aircraft with 2,000 rounds of ammunition. The crew normally consisted of a pilot and a crew chief who sat in the right rear seat armed with a M-60 machine gun on a bungee cord with 3,000 rounds of ammunition. In addition to this, assorted armament was carried by the crew depending upon their personal preferences. Doors were removed from the aircraft since they obstructed vision and made it difficult to get out in the event of a crash. Flying in the Aero Scouts was one of the most dangerous of all flying duties in Vietnam, only equaled by that of Dust Off pilots. In 1969 the Scout Platoon had 10 pilots at any one time. Eighty percent of that first 10 were wounded or killed. That rate remained fairly consistent. Many pilots did not stay in the unit long because it wasn't for everyone. In a 12 month period, there were approximately 20 different pilots. Lt Col Mills retired from the U.S. Army in 1993 with 26 years of service. Miss Clawd IV is now on display in the U.S. Army Aviation Museum at Fort Rucker, Alabama. Limited Edition Color Print, Signed and Numbered by the Artist. See More.

Bell ARH-70A Arapaho

The Bell ARH-70A is a light military helicopter designed for the United States Army's Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH) program. With a crew of two and optimized for urban combat, the ARH-70A was slated to replace the Army's aging OH-58D Kiowa Warrior. The ARH-70A was built with off-the-shelf technology; the airframe was based on Bell's commercially successful Bell 407. An Army press release referred to the ARH-70A by the name Arapaho. Bell's ARH demonstrator, a modified Bell 407 (s/n 53343/N91796), first flew on 3 June 2005. The first flight of the ARH-70A was on 20 July 2006, at Bell's XworX facility in Arlington, Texas, by prototype #2 (s/n 53904/N44548). Limited Edition. Signed and Numbered by the Artist. See More.

Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle

The 335th Fighter Squadron (FS), "Chiefs" fly the McDonnell-Douglas (now Boeing) F-15E Strike Eagle. The squadron provides worldwide deployable aircraft and personnel capable of executing combat missions in support of worldwide Aerospace Expeditionary Force deployments to combat areas as part of the Global War on Terrorism. The 335th was the second fighter squadron in the Air Force to receive the Strike Eagle. On 27 December 1990, the 335th deployed twenty-four F-15Es to Al Kharj Air Base in central Saudi Arabia. On the night of 16 January 1991, the 335th participated in the initial assault on Iraq during the Gulf War, hitting communications, power networks, and airfields around Baghdad. The 335th has returned to Southwest Asia several times; three times to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, and twice to Doha, Qatar, as an Air Expeditionary Force. In February 2003 the 335th again deployed to Southwest Asia for Operation Iraqi Freedom. During Iraqi Freedom and Operation Southern Watch the squadron deployed 24 F-15Es, and flew 1,500 sorties, totaling 7,000 flying hours. They dropped over 1 million pounds of precision and non-precision munitions on numerous targets such as key Iraqi leadership, command and control bunkers, artillery Republican Guard units and many others. The 335th FS is known as the "World's Leading MiG Killers" for destroying 218.5 MiGs in aerial combat. Limited Edition. Signed and Numbered prints are available directly from the Artist. See More.

Lockheed WV-2 Super Constellation

The U.S. Navy versions when initially procured were designated WV-1 (PO-1W), WV-2, and WV-3. Naval aircrews used the term "Willie Victor" based on a slang version of the phonetic alphabet and the naval version of the aircraft's pre-1962 designation of WV-1, WV-2 or WV-3. WV-2s served from 1956 to 1965 in two "barrier" forces, one off each coast of the North American continent. These barrier forces consisted of five surface picket stations each manned by radar destroyer escorts and an air wing of WV-2s that patrolled the picket lines at 1,000-4,000 m (3,000-12,000 ft) altitude in six- to 20-hour missions. Their objective was to extend early warning coverage against surprise Soviet bomber and missile attack as an extension of the DEW Line. The Atlantic Barrier (BarLant) consisted of two rotating squadron detachments, VW-13 and VW-15 home based at NAS Patuxent River, MD. and one squadron, VW-11, permanently based at Naval Station Argentia, Newfoundland. BarLant began operations on 1 July 1956, and flew continuous coverage until early 1965. See More.

Raytheon Beechcraft T-6B Texan II

Training Squadron TWO (VT-2), the Navy's oldest primary training squadron, was born from Basic Training Group TWO and commissioned on May 1, 1960, at NAS Whiting Field. VT-2's mission is to provide primary and intermediate stage flight training to selected student aviators of the United States Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and several allied nations. Training Squadron TWO graduates approximately 210 students each year. Logging nearly 2,000 flight hours each month VT-2 has flown in excess of 1,800,000 flight hours and trained more than 19,000 students since its commissioning. Signed and Numbered by the Artist. See More.