Winter of 44 by Philip West. Fighter, bomber, night-fighter, reconnaissance together with many other variants made the P-38 Lightning one of the most adaptable and respected aircraft of World War 2. The P-38 serving in Europe and the Mediterranean theatre, earned it the German nickname The fork-tail devil. The total production of the P-38 was 9,924. 

The Persauders by Philip West.  Much loved by its crews, the mighty delta winged Avro Vulcan was designed to perform Britains nuclear deterrent bomber role during the Cold War. It carried out this responsibility for more than a decade. The aircraft then served as a low-level nuclear strike and maritime radar reconnaissance platform, before finally being called to war action in the Falklands conflict where it provided long-range bombing capabilities, attacking surface targets and Stanley Airport.

Those Golden Moments by Philip West.  As the sun slowly begins to rise this wintry morning over Thorpe Abbots, Norfolk, ground crew prepare B-17G The All American Girl in an almost surreal setting, for her 99th dangerous mission over enemy territory. On 10th January 1945, 19-year-old pilot, 1st Lt. John Dodrill and his crew went missing on a combat sortie to Cologne. Like many other crews, they made the ultimate sacrifice in the fight for freedom, with the Bloody Hundredth Bombardment Group playing its full part with courage and honour.

Flight Against the Bismarck by Philip West.  The Royal Navys week long chase of the formidable German battleship Bismarck culminated in the foul evening weather of 26th May 1941. Despite the deck of HMS Ark Royal pitching through 55 feet, S/Lt John Moffat was one of fifteen Swordfish pilots who took off to attack Bismarck. After 90
minutes of arduous and turbulent flying the Swordfish found their quarry and dived through the intense anti-aircraft fire to drop their torpedoes. One of these hit and jammed Bismarcks rudder and condemned the battleship to sail in slow circles. The Royal Navys own capital ships then closed in and pounded Bismarck into a burning wreck.

First Light - Battle of Britain, July 1940 by Philip West.  Another busy start to the day at Biggin Hill in the summer of 1940. The Battle of Britain is at its height and 92 Squadron Spitfires with Geoffrey Wellum in G for George, depart under early morning sunlight to engage a mass of incoming enemy aircraft over the southeast coast. By the end of 1940 the Squadron was credited with having destroyed 127 German aircraft.

Winter of 41 by Philip West.  Heavy snow during the winter of 1941 often kept pilots and their aircraft grounded, despite the best efforts of the ground crew. Spitfire G George - based at RAF Manston and assigned to Flt. Lt. Geoffrey Wellum, could only resume combat sweeps over northern Europe once the storm had passed and they were all satisfied the aircraft was safe to fly. Signed by Flt Lt Geoffrey Wellum DFC

Full Throttle (B1-B Lancer) by Philip West  This remarkable aircraft first entered combat service in 1986. Reaching speeds of Mach 1.2 at sea level the B1-B is not only the fastest bomber in American service, it also carries the largest payload of any current bomber.

Jaguar Patrol by Philip West  Originally built as a joint effort between Great Britain and France, the SEPECAT Jaguar has over the years of service, more than lived up to its powerful feline name, providing the RAF with a supersonic ground attack and reconnaissance platform. During combat and support missions the Big Cat has proven to be a very reliable and potent asset.

Tornado Strike by Philip West  Todays RAF Tornados and the aircrew that fly them offer a world-class interdiction/ground attack and reconnaissance package that is second to none. The Tornado GR4 is capable of supersonic speeds and flight at low-level, making it one of the most potent attack aircraft in the world today. New systems and weapons upgrades will ensure that the Tornado remains a versatile, effective and vital platform for many years to come.

Queen of the Skies by Philip West  Concorde looking her most majestic as she heads off into the sunset over the Atlantic Ocean.  With the afterburners having just been switched on, Concorde will quickly gain speed and height until finally reaching a maximum altitude of 60,000 feet, where, on  clear day, passengers could see the curvature of the earth.

Above and Beyond by Philip West  The SR-71 Blackbird is the worlds fastest and highest flying jet aircraft.  For over 23 years, the SR-71s gathered highly classified intelligence around the world for the United States, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Pentagon and other governmental agencies, allowing them to make crucial decisions during the Cold War.

  Buccaneer Strike Force by Philip West.  The Blackburn Buccaneer first entered service with the Royal Navy in July 1962.  Designed specifically to operate from the Royal Navy's aircraft carriers, with the ability to fly low and fats, the Buccaneer was also able to carry nuclear weapons for use against soviet naval targets.  Capable of flying 646mph at 200 feet the Buccaneer was a formidable low-level strike aircraft which quickly attracted admirers.  amongst them were the RAF and the South African Air Force, both of whom adopted the Blackburn Buccaneer for their land based operations.  just as the Buccaneer was facing retirement it was called into action again to play a vital role in Kuwait and Iraq during the 1991 Gulf War.

Farewell Concorde by Philip West.  As Concorde G-BOAF accelerates into the setting sun her speed will soon outpace the earth's rotation.  The 100 passengers will now have the unforgettable experience of watching the sun rising from the west.  At 50,000 feet, the cruising speed of Mach 2 (1,320mph) is reached; but the climb gently continues towards 60,000 feet.  Here, on the threshold of space, the passengers will dine.  Three and a half hours after take off from London, Concorde reaches New York.  On 26th November 2003 this aircraft returned to its first home, Filton, Bristol - probably never to fly again.

  The Untouchable by Philip West.  The SR-71 Blackbird is the world's fastest and highest flying jet aircraft.  For over 23 years, the SR-71s gathered highly classified intelligence around the world for the President of the United States, the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, the Pentagon and other governmental agencies, allowing them to make crucil political and military decisions during the Cold War.  At Mach 3 + cruising speed, the SR-71's leading edges heat up to over 600 degrees F, where the outside air temperature is already at -60 degrees F.  In September 1975 the SR-71 set a world speed record from New York City to London in one hour, 55 minutes.  When the SR-71 was delivered to the National Air & Space Museum in 1990, it set a coast-to-coast record, flying from Los Angeles, California to Washington, D.C., in 64 minutes, 20 seconds. 

Right Here, Right Now by Philip West.  The Apache is the world's premier Attack helicopter. Its early history was crowned during 'Operation Desert Storm' setting a combat record second to none, dispelling any doubts about the Apache's supremacy. The 'Longbow' offers even greater missionMj Nick Wharmby, Cpt Tim Peake, Mj Bill O'Brien, Cpt Chris Hearn, Mj Howard Floyd,  signed by Major  Bloo Anderson, Cpt Jan Ferraro, Cpt Jeff DeCarlo, Mj Al Whittle, Cpt Bill McPhee, Mj Mark Torpy.  capability and provides a significant contribution to any battlefield arena, anywhere in the world.

Delta Lady by Philip West.  Moments after take off, the mighty Avro Vulcan XH558 bomber begins her majestic climb through storm clouds, out over the British countryside towards the North Sea. A masterpiece of British engineering 'excellence', she acted as a nuclear deterrent throughout the Cold War until the arrival of Polaris. Prior to her retirement in 1993 she had thrilled many in air displays nationwide. XH558 has been restored to fly in display flight in 2002 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first flight of the Vulcan. Signatories: Sqn Ldr David Thomas, Wg Cdr Mike Pollitt, Sqn Ldr Andy Marson, Sqn Ldr Barry Masefield. 

Combat Rescue by Philip West.  Once downed by enemy fire in North Vietnam, surviving US pilots were largely dependent on brave Skyraider FAC and HH-53 Super Jolly helicopter crews to save them. On this occasion the crewman on the ground has just broken cover and is about to be winched to safety by the Super Jolly helicopter crew under the protective cover of the Douglas A-1 Skyraiders.

Attack on the Yalu Bridges by Philip West.  F-4U Corsair during the Korean War attacking Yalu bridges

Chippy Ho by Philip West.  One of the most potent multi-mission fighters ever built, the rugged McDonnell Douglas F-18 Hornet has been a mainstay of the US Navy and Marine Corps during the last two decades.  Philip has made a classic study of an F/A-18C Hornet from VFA-195, tactical call sign Chippies, flying a fully armed mission exercise near Mount Fuji while detached to Kadena AB, Okinawa. The colourfully painted squadron CAG bird Chippy Ho, strikes a menacing pose, equipped with AGM-88 missiles, AIM-9L Sidewinders, drop-tanks and sensor pods.  The F-18 demonstrated its effectiveness and versatility during the Gulf War when, on a strike mission and loaded with 2,000 lb bombs, two Hornets from VFA-81 dispatched two Iraqi MiG-21s with Sidewinder and Sparrow missiles, before continuing to complete their bombing mission.

Eagle Intercept by Philip West.  At the height of the Cold War the Russian Tupolev Tu-95 Bear long-range bombers roamed the world's skies. On constant alert, the interceptors of the First Air Force were tasked with the air defence of continental United States.  Depicted in a magnificent cloudscape, a pair of F-15A Eagles of 125th Fighter Wing based at Jacksonville IAP, Florida, intercept a Russian Tupolev Tu-95 Bear en route non-stop from Moscow to Havana, Cuba. High over the Atlantic, the F-15 pilots give the Russian crew a reminder of what to expect if push comes to shove.  F-15 Eagles proved their superiority whenever put to the test, recording a 60:1 kill ratio against Syrian flown Soviet built fighters over the Lebanon, and again during the Gulf War claiming 33 Iraqi aircraft destroyed.

Habu 972 at Mach 3.0 by Philip West.  Richard Graham and RSO Don Emmons cruising their SR-71 in after-burner, gathering intelligence over the Soviet nuclear facility at Kamchatka, December 15, 1976.

At 80,000ft Rich Graham's SR-71 Blackbird is all but invisible to the three MiG fighters seen contrailing at 45,000 ft below. Under radar control, the MiGs make a futile attempt to intercept, but with the SR-71 travelling at three times the speed of sound along the edge of the stratosphere, there is nothing they can do. At this great height the crew of Habu 972 can clearly see the pronounced curvature of the earth and, in broad daylight above them, the brightest stars shining in the heavens. The SR-71 Habu 972, now resides in the National Air & Space Museum, Washington DC.

Lone Star Lady by Philip West.  Led by the Lone Star Lady, B52 Stratofortresses based at Anderson Air Force Base on the island of Guam, head for Hanoi, North Vietnam, during the Strategic Air Command's Operation Linebacker II during the winter of 1972.  By the end of December 1972, after 729 operational sorties during eleven days of continual air strikes on Hanoi and Haiphong, the B52 bombers of Strategic Air Command finally brought North Vietnam to its knees. They had fired off well over 1200 surface to air missiles, virtually exhausting their ground defenses, and it became clear that any renewal of air strikes would devastate the country. The North Vietnamese were at last ready for peace.

 Honor the Brave by Philip West.  One of the last aircraft to come aboard following the day's combat actions was the (photo-bird) RF-8G Crusader. Unarmed apart from cameras and film, the eyes of the fleet pilots roamed far and wide throughout Vietnam to bring back vital post-strike photographs and reconnaissance information. The USS Coral Sea represented one of 21 attack and anti-submarine carriers deployed to the Gulf of Tonkin. Their crews displayed courage, duty, sacrifice and service.

Return of the Bounty Hunter by Philip West.  A pair of F-14 Tomcats of VF-2 Bounty Hunters return to the USS Constellation from a CAP mission in the Indian Ocean, 1997.  Two F-14D Tomcats, with tail hooks lowered, prepare to recover aboard the USS Constellation at the end of a mission during a deployment that took the carrier to the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea in 1997. Generally accepted as the world's finest long range interceptor, the Tomcat has celebrated 25 years of F-14 front-line service.

Ark Royal by Philip West.  HMS Ark Royal IV - Flagship of the Flag Officer Aircraft Carriers - a mobile airfield and a most impressive sight as she launches a Phantom from one of her catapults.  She had a standard displacement of 43,000 tons, a beam of 168 feet, and was 846 feet long.  Ships company numbered 2,570 and her Air Group consisted of Phantom Interceptors, Buccaneer strike and Gannet AEW aircraft together with Wessex SAR and Sea King ASW helicopters.  She served her Nation and the Royal Navy for 23 years and sailed 900,000 miles of valuable service, finally being decommissioned in 1979.