Lightning Strike!

Lightning F6's of 51 Squadron (Firebirds) blasting into the evening sky.

With a power to weight ratio greater than one to one, the climb performance of these aircraft remains exceptional even today.

I was at an air show when the Lightnings arrived. One of them taxied into a roped off area in the crowd. There was much squealing, from the girls, as the jet exhaust blew at their skirts and re-arranged their hair. No health and safety concerns in those days! The pilot climbed out and spent a few minutes shooting the breeze, with the ground staff.

I tried to imagine what it must be like to be a handsome young man of 22 entrusted with, what had to be, the ultimate hotrod!

The painting is, 24” x 20” Acrylic on Canvas and is in the collection of the artist.

Going Solo

All young men need adventure and excitement, at some point in their lives.

Many years ago my attention was drawn to a small add, in the local paper, offering trial flights at a nearby gliding club. My first flight was in a tandem two seat sailplane, towed aloft by a light aircraft. As soon as the rumble of the undercarriage was replaced by the loud rushing of the slipstream, I knew that, at last, I had found something which would give my feckless youth meaning and purpose.

I took to the air like a duck to water. It was as if it had always been my natural element, always there just waiting to be discovered. Normally it took 40 to 60 launches to go solo, but after my 19th flight and to my total astonishment, the instructor stepped out of the rear seat, stowed his seat straps and said, 'off you go then!'

With my heart beating like a trip hammer I signalled for the winch driver to take up slack and watched as the cable went tight. Then 'All Out!' and I was off!

My first solo beat anything I had done before. It made other, more conventional, achievements, however hard won, appear as nothing by comparison. It was my first step in an on going challenge that was to give me 16 years of adventure and excitement.

"Once you have tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned forever skyward, for there you have been, and there you long to return" Leonardo Da Vinci.

For more information on this wonderful sport, follow the link to the British Gliding Association Website: http://www.gliding.co.uk/

Desmond

This is my painting of an Arab foal called Desmond. It was commissioned by his owner and is particularly poignant in that this beautiful creature died shortly after the work was completed.

Spitfire Concert

We attended an excellent outdoor prom concert, on Saturday evening, at Calke Abbey in Derbyshire, featuring the English National Orchestra and the Grace Spitfire.

It was hugely entertaining, unashamedly jingoistic and amusing on several levels. For instance, both the conductor and the solo tennor were Welsh! Lol. Also the said conductor, Jae Alexander, was openly gay and something of a commedian, refering to himself as a VIP (Very Important Pouf)!

However the star of the show was the 65 year old Spitfire ML407, flown by its owner, Carolyn Grace http://www.ml407.co.uk/. The combination of late evening sun and a backdrop of dark clouds made the beautiful aircraft even more spectacular as it looped and rolled above us, to the strains of the 'Dambusters' and William Walton's 'Spitfire Prelude and Fugue'.

The evening concluded with 'Land of Hope and Glory', 'Jerusalem' etc, much patriotic singing and flag waving, and finaly, the usual firework display.

Someone in the audience launched a number of Chinese lanterns which drifted sedately into the night sky, right into the departure flight path of East Midlands Airport!

Nevertheless, a good time was had by all, and, we even managed to get out of the car park without too much delay! :)

English Farmyard

'English Farmyard' Acrylic on Canvas 30" x 20"

Flamenco

'Flamenco' Acrylic on Canvas 36" x 20"