One of the few aircraft lacking the Navy’s cenntenial of flight paint schemes was the E-2 Hawkeye (at least I have yet to see one) here is my version. A Midway patrol plane scheme for VAW-113.

The F-22 proclaimed the USAF’s “Silver Bullet” a hoped for unbeatable fighter here in a Pre-war 1941 scheme. Imagine seeing current fighters in OD green…. Maybe the Top Gun/Red Flag boys will use them seeing as they are in colorful schemes anyway.

Here are a couple of more Heritage Schemes for USAF… first a B-52G, commemerating 91st BG and Memphis Belle. Would be interesting to see flying around….

Was inspired by another artist to create a “What if” paint scheme for one of my caricatures. A licensed built version of the Westland Wyvern. A 1950’s British carrier attack plane. The Wyvern actually say combat in the Suez Coinflict in the 50’s. Here she is in the scheme of VA-146 Blue Diamonds and built in partnership with Boeing.

A unique What If…

Just put the finishing touches on a new caricature this week. A C-47A from the 435th Troop Carrier Group and the 75th TCS. This particular aircraft was lost on Sept. 19,1944 after releasing a Glider over the LZ near Son. They were returning to base when they were hit by AA fire and spin in. No chutes were seen. Pilot: 1st LT. Romie Alexoff. CP: 2nd Lt. Leonard S Osborne, CC: T/Sgt Hans A. Brunisholz, RO: S/Sgt. Orville H. Thompson. There may have carried a nose art with the name “Sugar Blues”. Still looking for more details on that.

After doing several of my caricatures dressed in heritage markings for the Naval Centennial… I thought it would be fun to do the same thing to USAF aircraft. Here is a F-15C (mig killer) in 1930’s P-26 paint scheme… 95th Pursuit Squadron, 17th Pursuit Group, March Airfield.

Here is another “Heritage Scheme” for another F-15C Mig killer from the Gulf War. This one is 94th Pursuit Squadron, 1st Pursuit Group, Selfridge Field, Mich. in the 30’s.

Hello everyone. I must apologize for the long time between posts and adding new art. I can’t believe it has been this long. Hope is well on your end. Okay back to the update. Today we will be adding a couple of new caricatures and a couple old caricatures with new paint schemes. I have been very busy the last few weeks with at least 6 commissions. A couple will have to wait until after the holidays as they are gifts and I would hate to give away a surprise. First up are a couple for Australian helos. A CH-47D Chinook A15-103. This helo carries the paint scheme use during a Afghanistan deployment. It operates with C sq. 5th AVN Regiment “Brahmans” at RAAF base Townsville. The second Aussie helo is a S-70A-9 Blackhawk serial number A25-202. This machine is with 171st Aviation Sq. 6th AVN Regiment. The caricature is unusual as I added a flag background (at the customers request) and I really like the look and feel. It appears I have a following down under. I would like to thank both gentleman who commissioned these prints and hope all the crewman enjoy the caricatures.

Next up is a new version of my King Air. The is a UC-2F King Air with the US Navy in Japan. The aircraft, BUNO 163562 is attached to ComFairWestPac at NAF Atsugi Japan. This caricature is unique in that it was requested with a background suitable for its location. I think it came out really nice. I followed this caricature up with one of the several US Navy Centennial celebration special paint schemed aircraft. I recently saw a post on Facebook (yes I am on facebook) by the US Navy, showing a TC-12B Huron (King Air) painted in a early WWII paint scheme. Upper blue/gray over light gray with red and white rudder strips. I naturally took my King Air and painted it in the same scheme. The aircraft in the photo showed a VT-35 Stingray aircraft, but I could not make out the BuNu so I just used the same one as my King Air. So it is not 100% accurate to the VT-35 aircraft but damn close. I hope you enjoy.

Lastly today I have created a totally fictional paint scheme for my F/A-18C caricature. Using the US Navy’s Centennial paint schemes as a guide, I thought that it would be cool to see a current fighter in a historic scheme. Here is my version of a Heritage Scheme. I used the markings carried by VF-84 in the final stages of WWII. Flying F4U Corsairs off the USS Bunker Hill VF-84 aircraft were over all Gloss Sea Blue and at times carried a yellow nose band. I tried to be as accurate as possible. I based the scheme on LtCdr. Roger R. Hendrick’s aircraft. Hendrick was credited with 12 victories and 4 probables during the war. If you want to see other caricature in Heritage Schemes just let me know.

So there you have it. 5 new caricatures to tempt you. The Holidays are fast approaching. Blackheart Art caricatures make great holiday gifts. I am currently running a sale on all back stock prints. These are prints we take to air shows. I have a huge selection of 8.5×11 prints and a few 11×14’s, and a small collection of 12×17 prints left. Feel free to send me an email and I can let you know if the print you are looking for is available.

One last add. I am starting to make available some of my air show pictures. These are fine art images mostly black and white, that I feel would make good art style pictures. They are available through a web site I have used for posting sports photographs. The address is www.blackheartart.smugmug.com You can order prints directly through them as they handle everything. Prints are printed at a high quality photo lab and sent directly to you. Please feel free to swing by that site and let me know what you think.

So there you go, a healthy update just in time for the Holidays. I am hoping to have a few more updates before the new year. So keep checking back. Thanks to everyone who has supported Blackheart art in 2010.

Hello everyone. It has been awhile since I updated. Even without the updates I have been busy. Besides all the caricatures and stuff, my nephew is beginning his final year of high school and play varsity football. I have been “drafted” to help out the booster club and have designed buttons and tee shirt designs for the team. Also I have been putting together a year end annual for the players. Go RAMS!!!!!

All that aside I have been working on several caricatures. Currently I have been putting the finishing touches on a Australian Blackhawk for a customer who flies the helo. I am also working on a CH-47, again for an Australian customer, and I have a order for an A-29 Tucano that operates with the Dominican Republic AF.

Today I add a couple of different kinds of art for your pleasure. I was talking with a gentleman who makes patches and he suggested doing some caricatures that had “A little more caricature”. Sounds strange but I sat down and tried to do something other then side view. I settled on an F/A-18E as it would apply to so many squadrons today, and came up with a VFA-137 “Kestrels” CO aircraft. Please let me know what you think. If this style appeals to everyone I might try it with more aircraft. When I finished this caricature I tired my hand at using it as a basis for a patch design. I used the current VFA-137 patch design and incorporated the caricature. The unit colors on their patch were dark blue edged with orange, but I wanted to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of Naval Aviation that was coming up next year and used a lighter blue edged in gold. I think it came out pretty cool. Any squadrons out there here is a cool idea for a special patch for the coming anniversary…. hint hint hint.

Wow I just realized that I did not add two caricatures that I completed a month ago. My bad. Lately I felt the urge to re-visit some old caricatures I had done early on and try to improve the look. The Hawker Seafury was a natural choice. There are several flying today and many race at Reno. Naturally I started with a military version and picked the Mig killer Seafury flown by Lt. Peter Carmichael of No 802 Squadron. Several Mig-15’s jumped 4 Seafurys in Aug 1953, and made the mistake of tuning with the slower propeller aircraft. While several Seafurys got shots off at the Migs, the Navy decided that it was Charmichael who would get credit for the kill. After completed that Seafury I decided to turn to one of the most famous Seafurys. “Baby Gorilla” was a FB11 Seafury owned and raced by Lloyd Hamilton for many years. I want to document the different paint schemes carried by this Seafury during here flying career. First up is the paint scheme she carried after Mr Hamilton purchased the aircraft. (A quick note here: prior to this, she carried an almost identical scheme in red. ) Next I will do Baby Gorilla in her most famous sea foam green and light gray scheme similar to a military scheme. She is currently undergoing a restoration by her new owner in Europe.

Lastly just for fun I did a patriotic pin-up. I call her “Bullet Babe” every now and then you just have to play with those dangerous curves.

Look for more stuff soon. I have a request for a Bf-110 from a fan who would love to see that caricature and so maybe soon. Again as usual let me know what you would like to see.

Have a great weekend.