Destination - No Fly Zone    F-15E Strike Eagle is being prepared for a patrol flight over Iraq in the No Fly Zone as part of Northern Watch. The original painting is in the U.S. Air Force Art Collection at the Pentagon. 

The scene is Incirlik, Turkey and the aircraft is an F-15E Strike Eagle. The aircraft is accurate to detail and has the 336th Fighter Squadron (Rocketeers) ensignia. The fighter is in a non-conventional, non-symmetrical configuration with reference to fuel tank and ordinance. The fighter is being prepared for a patrol mission to the No Fly Zone in Iraq as part of Operation Northern Watch.

The original painting is in the U.S. Air Force Art Collection at the Pentagon. It is an opaque watercolor (gouache) approach. The U.S. Air Force has fifty years of aviation art history at the Pentagon. The Air Force also sends aircraft art to their facilities around the world. From an art stand point, I introduced purples and hints of orange to capture the drama of early morning lighting. The aircraft coloration actually reflects a purple cast from the sun at a certain angle. Military aviation art is a paradox to my other passion of automotive art. I enjoy reflections, and today's military aircraft attempt to avoid polished surfaces.