If you are ever sketching people at an airport and you hear someone using a phone say, "Where are YOU?.. I'm at the airport... You haven't left yet?" This means that they are there way too early and are about to not only move, but go back home.
Showing posts with label Airport. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Airport. Show all posts
22 May 2018
New Plymouth Airport (NPL)
If you are ever sketching people at an airport and you hear someone using a phone say, "Where are YOU?.. I'm at the airport... You haven't left yet?" This means that they are there way too early and are about to not only move, but go back home.
8 Feb 2017
2 Feb 2017
Spitfire
I was at the Stratford Aero Club's Open Day in central Taranaki on the weekend. Just after we got there, a Spitfire arrived from just off the horizon. The pilot did some close fly-bys and tilted the wings for the cameras. I've heard fighter planes before and this one didn't have a usual deep rumble that a grunty aircraft engine would make. It sounded like there was still a lot of power there but not as loud as I expected. I've read about the Spitfires and they were quite renowned for their performance in the skies. It seemed very classy (and stealthy?) to be 'that kind of fighter plane' and yet have this nice purring engine. These are great planes!
After it landed, and parked on the airfield I started to sketch. I overheard someone say to another enthusiast that this particular Spitfire was a seven-eighth size replica with a V8 engine.
Oh.
I just kept drawing...
19 Apr 2016
26 Feb 2016
Taranaki Flying Boat
We were invited to draw a Catalina flying boat in one of the hangars at the New Plymouth airport. It was a pretty crazy old plane. It had quite a few things that looked weird but then became normal when you remembered that this is also a boat! Those little T-shaped bits near the nose where you would throw a rope around... Boat! Landing Gear folds up on the side... Boat! Door opens on the top of the plane and then you climb down into it... Boat!
The inside was really cool too. When you climbed in, you found yourself in between 2 sets of 2 facing seats. Across a mini hallway in the middle of the plane was another cabin with 4 facing seats. In this hallway you could either climb a few stairs and be in the cockpit or go into another room where the landing gear indentations were. You could climb up to the wing area and there was a window up there. Lots of hydraulic pipes here too. Past that was two more cabins of 4 seats. After that was one last room near the tail. It had 2 sideways bench seats that allowed you to look out these bubble shaped canopies. We all agreed that this must be the first-class lounge.
The older guy sweeping in my sketch joked that when he was an apprentice, he started out by sweeping, and look where he is now!
Below: A progress pic from about half-way done... The large wingspan wouldn't fit entirely in the hangar.
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20 Feb 2016
Catalina
This 1944 Canadian Vickers built Canso CV375 Catalina is being lovingly restored at New Plymouth. It is due to fly shortly to be at Warbirds at Wanaka.
It served in the Royal Canadian Airforce for anti submarine duties but spent its last years (1988 - 1993) in Africa flying the Nile between Egypt and Zimbabwe with African Safari Tours (16 passengers + four crew) and was bought from the French owner. In 1955 it was in Costa Rica then back to Canada for stevadoring and with Austin Airways of Ontario
Two 1200hp engines power the beast, and it lands in the water at 140kph - all 12 tonnes of it. It's 32m wing span looks huge. My dad was in the RNZAF in the Pacific Islands including Bouganville during WWII as a fitter armourer, and flew in Catalinas. He flew home lying by his kit bag in the nose of a Catalina as it was crowded. He described they overnighted in New Caledonia and when they attempted to take off the next morning the waves were too big so thank goodness the pilot eventually gave up, the single skin under the hull where he was lying seemed pretty thin.
56 Catalinas operated in the RNZAF, used for shipping escort, anti submarine, air sea rescue (downed pilots) and transport roles.
It has been repainted in RNZAF wartime plumage.
It served in the Royal Canadian Airforce for anti submarine duties but spent its last years (1988 - 1993) in Africa flying the Nile between Egypt and Zimbabwe with African Safari Tours (16 passengers + four crew) and was bought from the French owner. In 1955 it was in Costa Rica then back to Canada for stevadoring and with Austin Airways of Ontario
Two 1200hp engines power the beast, and it lands in the water at 140kph - all 12 tonnes of it. It's 32m wing span looks huge. My dad was in the RNZAF in the Pacific Islands including Bouganville during WWII as a fitter armourer, and flew in Catalinas. He flew home lying by his kit bag in the nose of a Catalina as it was crowded. He described they overnighted in New Caledonia and when they attempted to take off the next morning the waves were too big so thank goodness the pilot eventually gave up, the single skin under the hull where he was lying seemed pretty thin.
56 Catalinas operated in the RNZAF, used for shipping escort, anti submarine, air sea rescue (downed pilots) and transport roles.
It has been repainted in RNZAF wartime plumage.
23 Jan 2016
50th Worldwide Sketchcrawl Day.
Today was the 50th Worldwide Sketchcrawl day. I was travelling home
from Auckland, so I didn't get to join our group The Taranaki Sketchers.
While we were waiting at the airport my 6 year old Grandson and I did a quick sketch to at least have done something!
I did a quick 30 minute pencil drawing of one of the Air NZ Staff:
and he drew the fish on my watercolour pencil packet:
While we were waiting at the airport my 6 year old Grandson and I did a quick sketch to at least have done something!
I did a quick 30 minute pencil drawing of one of the Air NZ Staff:
and he drew the fish on my watercolour pencil packet:
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