The Art of Flying

[DocRob]

Ladies and Gentleman, get your cameras started.

The fascination of airplanes and fighting the g-force to me had always an esthetical component. Since I was a kid the design of flying machines was like a magnet to me.

Many Planes have their very distinctive way of showing elegance or purpose, sometimes both. The sheer brute force of a Convair Hustler e.g. reminds me always of a perfectly streamlined Bulldog, a Lockheed Starfighter makes me always wonder how these thin little wings might carry the bird.

These thoughts in mind I’d like to invite you to take part in starting a little collection of artful (or not only documentary) pictures showing our favorite flying subjects.

I was not sure if the placement in the Walkaround section would be ok, but in a way we do walk around the esthetics of flying and the fascination of technology paired with design.

For me building a kit has always something to do with a personal interest in a subject on an abstract level. For instance building a Corsair was a lot of fun, because I liked the concept, I liked the technically solutions transforming to a certain distinctive design like the need of a large propeller leading to the bent wing design.  

My chosen pictures are mostly black and white, because I like the dramatic effect and the idea reduction.

Feel free to add whatever comes to mind.

Greetings Rob

 

 

 

[JeroenPeters]

Wow! Absolutely cool photo of the P-38.

I don't think it will be much longer before we frown upon recessed panel lines on our models.

What is that first aircraft?

[DocRob]

Hi Jeroen,

 

the first picture is taken on an abandoned airfield now serving as an open air museum northeast of Berlin called Finowfurt.

The owner of the beautiful wingroot was former leader of the German Democratic Republic Walter Ulbricht. Said wingroot is part of an Ilyushin Il-14P, a kind of Air Force One of GDR.

[DocRob]

The P-38 is beauty and beast, packed in a very beautiful frame

The Plane of the King

[DocRob]

Some more pictures.

Feel welcome to add some more not only documentary pictures of the stuff we modelers dream of.

Cheers Rob

[crazypoet]

Beautiful beasts, these things we love...

 

i had had an opportunity to visit with the EAA B-17, Aluminum Overcast.  Beautiful ship...

 

herewith, some memories:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[crazypoet]

Thank you for putting this thread up...  similar to you, I have to have something of a love-affair with my subject, or it just doesn't work.  Everything I build has a story attached... somewhere, somehow

 

These are the things that, for me, take modeling from fine craft into a close cousin of the Storyteller's narrative art.

[DocRob]

Very nice pictures crazypoet, it gets more and more difficult to get decent pictures of iconic planes mostly due to the surroundings. Bad indoor light, crammed museums, sometimes to many people, too many (often understandable) restrictions to access.
But there are these rare chances, where everything is right, composition, lighting and then it is a pleasure to hit the trigger of the camera.

You had all that combined with the eye for the right angle and moment combined in your pictures and created something of beauty about that beautiful B-17.

That is the spirit that topic is all about.

Cheers Rob

[crazypoet]

Every now and then things come together...  Aluminum Overcast makes occasional trips down my way.  In this instance I got to spend a long morning with her, and took a flight on her out over north Georgia.  The pic from the radio operator's gun position was taken while we were headed out over the forests.  I was able to wander all over, everywhere but inside the ball and tail turrets.  

 

It was a humbling experience.  Standing and sitting in the various crew positions during the flight, navigating my way across the bomb bay catwalk, sitting up in the glazed nose...  and imagining what it may have been like, back when...  a hand on a gun, watching out the waist window...  It's transformative, things like that

 

[DocRob]

What an experience, sadly not many of us will ever make. Thank you for sharing that inspirational moment.

Cheers Rob

[MARU 5137]

Well I loved these black and white photos.

SUPERB... thank you.

[DocRob]

Thanx MARU, I may add some more shots, as you pulled the thread from the digital abyss.

Cheers Rob