The Zoo's Hellcat Fighter

I finally had time to get back to Kalamazoo, Michigan's Air Zoo to do some sketching and painting. The museum has given me permission to work inside the barriers that they have around the various aircraft that they have on display. Makes it fun for me because I can get in close to see the details.

This is my attempt at the Air Zoo's F6F-5 Hellcat. It's one of the museum's trio of World War II Navy fighters that include the Hellcat, Corsair, and Wildcat fighters. The Hellcat was important to the Navy in the Pacific because it was an aircraft that could maneuver and out maneuver the famous Japanese Zero fighter. A lot of Hellcats were built but few survive. What's neat about this Hellcat and the rest of the museum's trio of fighters is that they are all still flyable. Also neat is each of the fighters has its own mannequin pilot...makes you look twice to see if someone is really in the cockpit!

Drawing Exercise

I've been up north at a professional ski instructors clinic since the tail end of last week. Before I went north though I was back at Kalamazoo's Air Zoo for another morning of sketching.

This is nose wheel detail of a Navy T-28 that the museum has in its collection. The T-28 was a trainer for the Navy as well as being used by the other services for similar purposes. The plane is large and though I titled this post "Drawing Exercise" it was fun and challenging to work up this sketch. Lots of details with connectors, bolts, pumps, etc. in the nose wheel. The work also jogged memories of the short period of time after I was commissioned in the Air Force that I served as an aircraft maintenance officer. Good memories!

Air Zoo C-47

This sketch was done yesterday morning at one of my favorite spots...Kalamazoo, Michigan's Air Zoo aircraft museum.

The Air Zoo houses a wide variety of aircraft but I particularly enjoy their WW II aircraft. This piece is of the Zoo's C-47. The aircraft shows the colors and markings that it would have displayed during the June, 1944 D-Day invasion of Europe. At that point in time the aircraft would have been carrying paratroopers headed for various invasion drop zones.

The C-47, the military version of the venerable Douglas DC-3, was flown by the Army Air Corps throughout Europe and the Pacific during the war. The aircraft continued service with the Air Force post the war and was still flying combat missions during the Vietnam conflict. Pretty amazing considering the DC-3 design first took to the air in 1935. The airplane is considered by many to be one of the most reliable ever built.

I have to pass on my thanks to the Air Zoo. They've kindly given me permission to work inside the barriers that surround the aircraft. Being able to get close is a big help with details and it's great to be able to bring along a chair that I can sit in while I'm working!

Out to Pasture

While waiting for my wife this morning I decided to head over to Kalamazoo's Air Zoo museum.

The Air Zoo houses an excellent collection of aircraft and aircraft related items. As I'm retired from 20 years in the Air Force I do have a lot of interest in things that fly. So I went to look at the aircraft that are on static display. The birds in this sketch are parked next to the building where Air Zoo staff members work on restoring various aircraft. The planes are long retired...and are showing their age.

First in the row is an F-84, behind it is a Lear Jet, and last is a B-57. I thought the repeating tail pattern was interesting.

After sketching retirees I decided it would be interesting to do a detail sketch of the F-84's nose wheel. Here it is. It was interesting, but have to say my hands got cold drawing...it was only 43 this morning.