Sopwith Pup... Unknown Artist

rainbase · 27 August 2008, 01:41 PM

A buddy brought me this painting last night. He was clearing out a house and thought of me when he spied this. I believe it is acrylic, done on a thick sort of press board. It measures 20 X 16 inches and I suspect it was never finished (there are pencil marks including a machine gun which was not painted. There's no signature and there's no date.

Lovely gift, eh? I've never had any original aero-artwork before and am thrilled to have this piece sitting over my desk! I think it's just charming.

Walfisch · 30 August 2008, 01:44 PM

Nice gift! It appears to be the #4 Pup that Dick King built and flew at Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome from @1966-73. In '73 he rebuilt it and with new fabric in a lighter scheme.

rainbase · 30 August 2008, 09:09 PM

Wow Mr. Walfisch, thanks for the info. It never occurred to me that this painting was based on an existing aircraft; and a contemporary one at that! Here in eastern Connecticut we're not so far from Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, so I imagine you're right on the mark. Hats off to you, sir.

AAC Cadet Leader · 31 August 2008, 01:08 AM

you know, jan, in addition to being one of cole's longest-time pilots and one of the friends who helped a great deal to build ORA, dick king was also a very good artist and did many aviation drawings and paintings. he even published some aviation coloring books and notecards. i wonder what the possibility is that you have an actual dick king painting.

you might want to PM geoff_king here and ask if it looks like it could be one of his dad's paintings.

rainbase · 31 August 2008, 02:21 PM

Hi Martha,
Thanks for the extra input. Now I am just that much more curious about this little gem. I will put the question to Geoff and see what he thinks.

Martha, are you over near ORA somewhere? From your posts over time I get the impression that you were somewhat of an insider there. I am so jealous! Everything I've read has really impressed me what a dynamic, great group of people the ORA crowd were. I so well remember that Nation Geographic (Oct. '72 maybe?) with the feature on the aerodrome. Over the years if I found myself in a library with an archive I would just... look at those great pictures one more time!).

The painting I was just given; I'm already getting immense pleasure from it hanging over my desk, but if it has that ORA connection I will just be so delighted!

ONEALM · 31 August 2008, 09:03 PM

Jan -

Walfisch knows of what he speaks. He was employed at ORA for many years and knew Dick and that Pup very well.

I've seen a few of Dick's paintings - we traded notes since we are both painters - and if this is one of his, he was in a hurry. It's nicely done, but it doe not look like Dicks work to me.

If Geoff jumps in, he'll certainly know better than I would though, so my opinon should not be considered a definitive as to the painter.

Walfisch might have a though in that direction too. He knew Dick well, saw a lot of his work and has a fair eye for art......

-Mike

Walfisch · 1 September 2008, 07:30 AM

Mike and Jan, thanks for the kind words. I am not sure that this was done by Dick King. Geoff King would know best. The wide open runway and hanger layout is certainly not Old Rhinebeck. The artist was inspired to suggest another field entirely...perhaps a WW1 'drome'. I suspect if this was a Dick King painting, he might have been inspired to depict the layout of Old Rhinebeck's runway/hangers. Speculation only.