First RAF Commission

There is a first time for everything! When I joined the Guild of Aviation Artists, one of my goals was to become more involved with professional pilots, and their organisations. As you might notice from my gallery, this has largely been aimed at the RAF. You can maybe then imagine how proud and excited I was when I recently handed over my first commission for the RAF.

The Squadron was 230 Sdn. operating the Aerospatiale Puma HC1 in the surveillance role. They had contacted me with regard to having a pictorial record of their recent deployment to Basrah, Iraq.

I had never painted a helicopter before, so this would be the first. My initial brief was in the hallowed rooms of The RAF Club (also a first for me!). They had a pretty good idea of what they wanted in as much as a back three-quarter view of the aircraft firing decoy flares over the city. Lots of good photographic reference was supplied from their recent tour, both of the aircraft and of Basrah from the air.

I decided to do myself a small colour rough first using Copic markers with a bit of pastel and gouache. This was to OK with the “Boss”, Wing Commander Nick Laird, but also to give myself a trial run with composition and colour. I had in my mind an image of the aircraft lit by a low late sun against a much cooler, greyer sky. The low sun would give relief to the ground detail but must not fight with the aircraft. The flares and smoke would help with this.

After making corrections and additions dealing with comments from WC Laird, I cracked on with the real thing. The squadron were very helpful with answering niggling little questions that cropped up as I went along, and I finished the painting in a little over two months. A couple more small changes saw the “Boss” give his seal of approval, and the painting a title,” Big Cats Over Basrah”

The final treat was when a crew from 230’s base at RAF Aldergrove, Northern Ireland flew down to pick up the painting from me at Southend Airport. Watching an RAF Puma joining the circuit, land and taxi in, knowing it’s just to meet you is quite a feeling, and yet another first!

Meeting the crew was a privilege. They were very complimentary and enthusiastic, and my wife and I spent a very pleasant hour chatting to them about the painting, flying the Puma, and Iraq. We also received an invitation to the dinner with 230 Sdn. to officially hang the picture Aldergrove, sometime soon.

A trip in an RAF Puma! Another First! Watch this space.

Alex Hamilton AGAvA