New Lockheed U-2 Painting

[Daver]

Hi Guys - Here's latest painting just finished up. U-2 over the Sinai Peninsula for the Air Force - to commemorate the 40th anniversary of 'Operation Olive Harvest' - missions first flown in 1974 to keep an eye on Egypt and Israel after the Yom Kippur War.

Cheers & Happy New Year!

[RAD2LTR]

Re: New Lockheed U-2 Painting

Nice U2R. Very cool painting, thanks for sharing. I have two things though, I think your markings are wrong, the number on the tail would have been a simple straight number in '74, not the later variation that you have. If it were a CIA bird, there would be no visible identification at all. Also, if its meant to be 80-1087, that air frame wasn't built till sometime in '86 or '87. To have a U2R in '74 its serial number would have been between 68-10329 and 68-10340 (I think they only made 12 U2Rs in the initial production run that started in 1967 and ended sometime in either '70 or '71. The TR-1s didn't come along till 1980) http://www.blackbirds.net/u2/u2_phot...o-gallery.html

Sorry to nit pick. As I said, very cool painting.

Will

[RAD2LTR]

Re: New Lockheed U-2 Painting

Not to wander too far off topic, I saw 80-1086 at Travis AFB a couple years ago.



Will

[Daver]

Re: New Lockheed U-2 Painting

Hi Will - You are correct - However, the painting actually depicts a later day Olive Harvest mission - The Air Force specifically wanted that tail number and a later time frame. There's a ghost image of an older U-2 hidden in the painting to represent a mission from 1974. Believe me - this went through quite the process of being gone over with a fine tooth comb and being critiqued by the Air Force 'Powers That Be' to insure it's accuracy - They're going to display the original at the 40th Anniversary Ceremony at RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus this April.

Thanks! Cheers!

[RAD2LTR]

Re: New Lockheed U-2 Painting

Ok, got it. That makes more sense. It took some looking but I found the ghost in the pic. Clever way of hiding it.

Will

[Daver]

Re: New Lockheed U-2 Painting

Thanks! Took me awhile to get it just right.

[ShermB]

Re: New Lockheed U-2 Painting

Always appreciate views of new works, Daver. You da man!

[supercub]

Re: New Lockheed U-2 Painting

Ok, I'll bite, where's the ghost?
By the way, that's a great painting.....very nice.
Brian

[Daver]

Re: New Lockheed U-2 Painting

Thanks Betty! Thanks Brian!

Ohhhhh........Ok. Here's what it looks like - but you still have to find it.

[ShermB]

Re: New Lockheed U-2 Painting

Very clever, you sneaky little debbil.

[dineega]

Re: New Lockheed U-2 Painting

Great work Superdave!!

[supercub]

Re: New Lockheed U-2 Painting

Found it......hard to see in the small picture I have..........I should have enlarged it. Thanks for the hint.
Brian

[RAD2LTR]

Re: New Lockheed U-2 Painting

Ok, I'll bite, where's the ghost?
By the way, that's a great painting.....very nice.
Brian

It took me a good 15 minutes of looking to find that. I'm bummed he gave it up. It was very cleverly hidden.

Will

[boomtown]

Re: New Lockheed U-2 Painting

Very cool Dave! I was lucky enough to see a U-2 circling over Beale AFB today. Always a treat.

[Daver]

Re: New Lockheed U-2 Painting

OK - Here's the painting I did for the U-2's 50th Anniversary Reunion in '05 - there's a ghost image hidden in here too. This time I won't hint.