last connection - alex , dan-san , norman et al

[karrart]

Originally Posted by stephen

....W. Melville Alexander of RNAS 10's Black Flight ...
But things got really interesting when I asked him about a print that I'd just purchased through a Canadian firm depicting him in combat with a tan Albatros in June, 1917. The print was done by Canadian artist R W Bradford, and was quite popular in the late 80's and early 90's.

Not to interupt the flow of this great thread, but I thought I'd toss in that this painting was the back cover of the AAHS Journal, Fall 1966. I had that issue pulled last night for a project, and then the picture pops up this morning!
Robert Karr
I don't know, new stuff maybe one day:
The Fine Art of Aviation/Robert Karr, Grant-Free Artist

[stephen]

Wow... they were still selling quite a few of these in the late 80's, but it apparently goes back much farther than I thought. Anyone know when the piece was done?

BTW, I have tremendous respect for your support of voluntary exchange and your refusal to accept stolen money through art grants. Consider me a fan.

[Ginger.]

Stephen that was a lovely story, probably just the kind of thing Fill was hoping for when he started the thread.
Alex, if you get time, bite the bullet and let's be having some tales of the men of 56 Squadron you've talked to... if the moderators, that are so quick on the draw, spot anybody taking the piss I'm sure they'll be just as keen to stick up for you as they are for other certain parties?

['14-'18aviationcollector]

Hi Stephen,

That sure is a great story, thank you! As you said Ginger I would love to hear some stories about 56 Squadron personnel interviews as well! I certainly hope that if you do, no one attacks you. I am a huge fan of such authors as yourself, and I would love to hear anything you have to say.

On the subject of starting another forum - there was some mention of it in an earlier thread, at least a suggestion, I have actually thought about that. I haven't mentioned it before because it would surely be a huge administrative task, but still, one that might be worth considering.

Regards,

David.

[backusstudio]

It would be a shame if personal stories of the men of the 56th could not be told simply because the topic of the color of Voss' Dr.1 might come up. Maybe there's something else to discuss about the 56th?

[stephen]

Originally Posted by Ginger.

Stephen that was a lovely story, probably just the kind of thing Fill was hoping for when he started the thread.

I've run into a lot of folks who have that print but no one seems to know the real story behind it, so hopefully its of some use.

One more thing... Mel said that the sky was so full of fights on this day (June 6, 1917 I believe) that they were strung out for miles in every direction. He said that for a full thirty minutes he wandered from one fight to the next. The sky was so "lousy with Huns" that the individual dogfights lost distinction and began running together. You could fly for two minutes in any direction and get in another one just as quickly.

This created a very dangerous situation where it was nearly impossible to monitor the whole sky at any given time. Mel crept up behind the Albatros in question, which was in the same situation as he was... scanning the sky, looking for targets, and wandering from one dogfight to another. Only the German never saw Mel coming and had no clue he was there. It was an easy shot and an instant kill since the German took no evasive action whatsoever.

Sorry to string this out... I keep remembering more details from our letters.

[Kirk R. Lowry]

Originally Posted by stephen

Wow... they were still selling quite a few of these in the late 80's, but it apparently goes back much farther than I thought. Anyone know when the piece was done?

Bonjour Stephen et al

Sopwith Triplane N5487 "Black Prince" was created to appear on the cover of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society journal to mark the departure of the artist, Robert Bradford, from the board of directors of the society. The painting was donated to the National Air Museum when he became the Assistant Curator of the institution in 1964 and is currently on display in the gallery in the museum. The painting appeared, in black and white, on the cover of the CAHS journal on the Fall, 1965 issue and, in colour, on the Summer, 1996 journal. Thank you for the remarkable details provided regarding the incident depicted Stephen.

Salut!
Kirk

[karrart]

[QUOTE=stephen;464584]Wow... they were still selling quite a few of these in the late 80's, but it apparently goes back much farther than I thought. Anyone know when the piece was done?......

QUOTE]
Here's the caption inside the rear back cover- not much, but a tiny bit of info.
American Aviation Historical Society Journal vol.11 no.3 Fall 1965
Robert Karr
take the trip, see the sights:
The Fine Art of Aviation/Robert Karr, Grant-Free Artist

[jastaflieger]

Stephen,
I attach a scan of a letter from William Alexander to Len Morgan, who , via RW Bradford acquired a signed print of the Tripe directly from MR Alexander. I bought the print from the estate of Mr Morgan, and several letters of correspondance were included as governance to the piece. The letter is dated Nov 9, 1972 and the stamp on the envelope was 8 cents( canadian).
I hope the scan turns out okay, but in the letter Mr Alexander relates that he learned to fly at the Stinson School in San Antonio, earning lic # 447 on March 23, 1916 while flying from that field!!
Looking forward to meeting up with you at San Antonio!!
best regards,
jim( tumult in the clouds)
PS- the letterhead from a letter from RW BRadford states that he was the curator of the Aviation and Space division at the National Museum of Science and technology.

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Hi Fill:
A little story about Baron Willy Coppens.
We had been to Le Moeres where his airfield was. We had left there with the instruction to Follow him. Patti was with Willy. When willy talks he gestulates with both hands and this was while he was driving his four door Dodge. He had two speeds, stop and flat out. I had a hell of a time staying with him, I was driving a Fiat 128S. Finally he stoppedat a walk into a large forest. I stopped behind him, he and Patti where standing by a sign along side this walk.
I walked up to them, and he said, "Colonel, (I had told him I was a Tech.Sergeant, I don't know where he got the Colonel) do you know what this is?" I said "Of course this is Houthulst Forest, you flew a lot of combats over this Forest. Also this is your Barony." Willy responded, They could have kept the Barony, they should have given me the Forest!"
He retired from the Belgium Air Force as a Colonel. I do think he was very well off. We went on from there to Poecappell where the Guynemer Monument is. Willy greatly admired Guynemer, he was Willy's hero. It was through Willy's efforts the funds were raised and the monument was built. Willy wrote the Memorial to Guynemer. He translated it into English for us.
While Patti and I were admiring the monument, Willy dissapeared, Moments later, he came back with a fist full of postcards of the Guynemer Monument.
He handed them to Patti and I, and said, "These post cards will help you remember this day!" We had a wonder day with Willy, Patti and I will remember it forever. We had lunch in Brugges, we spent the entire day with Willy. He told us stories of the pilots, his meetings with King Albert who he adored, It was most memorable.
Blue skies Fill,
Dan-San