Description
How do you capture the excitement of the AeroShell Aerobatic Team on paper? It’s not easy, but Sam manages to make these four AT-6 Texans come to life. The aircraft, manned by highly skilled pilots, are zooming across the sky in a diamond formation on their way to a slow roll. The original painting was commissioned by Eastern Aviation Fuels, the nationwide distributor for Shell aviation products.
About The Aeroshell Aerobatic Team
The Team has been entertaining crowds with their precision performances for over 25 years across North America. These pilots soar through the sky with spectacular maneuvers. They perform a series of loops, rolls, and bomb bursts in close formation for a classic aerobatic routine.
The AeroShell Aerobatic Team is a familiar name in air show lineups, having performed in the industry for many years. Alan Henley founded the team after meeting Steve Gustafson at an air show in Mississippi. Shell Oil Company’s AeroShell Lubricants is proud to have sponsored the AeroShell Aerobatic Team since 2003.
About The AT-6 Texan
The AT-6 training aircraft saw its beginning with the development of North American Aviation‘s “NA-16” trainer in 1935. The plane was further developed into the NA-26. This model, in turn, was eventually ordered by the Navy as the SNJ-1 series, and by the U.S. Army Air Corps as the BC-1 Basic Combat Trainer. Further improvements and modifications led to a string of variations, which eventually resulted in the first AT-6 Advanced Trainer.
The “AT” designation reflects the intended role for North American Aviation’s new airplane. It was for students who had successfully trained in the simpler Primary Trainers who would then graduate up the AT-6. This plane was a more complex aircraft, with features such as retractable landing gear, larger engine, variable-pitch propeller and hydraulics. Those who mastered the AT-6 would then go on to specialized training in fighters, bombers, transports, etc.
The first 517 of the new AT-6A aircraft were manufactured at North American’s Inglewood, CA factory. The remaining airplanes would be built in new factories in Texas, which led to the common nickname of “Texan” for all models of the plane. A wide number of varieties of the AT-6 were built as the model was continually improved, including many built overseas under license from North American.
About the Aerobatic Magic Prints
The 18” x 22.5” prints are available in a Limited Edition size of 100 Signed & Numbered and 10 Artist Proofs.
Another North American plane painted by Sam Lyons
The North American P-51 D Mustang is also available on this website: https://lyonsstudio.com/product/shining-stallion/
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