I will admit, I waited a while before posting this tattoo… we wanted to display it at just the right time because we didn’t want such an amazing piece of tattoo artistry overlooked.  In fact, when I first saw this incredible tattoo of a General Electric GE90 turbofan engine as a cutaway image, I knew this was a feature to cherish.  So now, as the aviation world looks to the future this week at the Singapore Airshow in Asia… I felt it was the perfect time to post this tattoo of the ultimate evolution in commercial aircraft engines.

(click the image below for the full post and three larger photos of the tattoo in process)

And for good reason! This tattoo truly illustrates how far tattooing has evolved in the past few decades.  The amazing level of detail, shading, and technical precision that combined to create this technical triumph of turbine aircraft engine technology on a human canvas is staggering.

In fact, the subject of this tattoo and the tattoo itself are a lot alike.  The General Electric GE90 family of high-bypass turbofan aircraft engines are some of the most efficient, advanced, and powerful jet engines of the modern age of aviation.  The GE90 holds the world record for most thrust produced by a turbine engine and powered a Boeing 777-200ER that set the world record for the longest flight by a commercial airline aircraft.  On top of all this, it remains one of the largest engines ever built… and is the basis for the GEnx turbofan engine that has been developed to power the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Much like the engine, this tattoo illustrates a portion of what could be considered the peak of the art of tattooing… the line work, detail, and skill all combine to create an image that would look right at home in blueprints, 3-D CAD renderings, or detailed technical illustrations.  The fact that it was created on skin… a flexible living canvas with challenging curves and textures, proves that tattooing has not only evolved into an artform that mirrors that of other media, but perhaps even outranks in some cases because of the unique challenges that the medium presents to the artist.

Certainly the wearer, a dedicated aviation enthusiast and aspiring commercial pilot himself, made a very wise choice when he chose artist Brett J. Barr for this creation.  Brett is currently tattooing at Primal Tattoo Gallery in Orlando (Casselberry), Florida, so be sure to visit Brett’s portfolio for more amazing black and grey mechanical tattoo pieces as well as a diverse range of other amazing styles as well.  We are honored to have such a unique tattoo by such a talented artist featured here at Tattoos In Flight.

And thank you to our contributor for sending his masterpiece along as well as his patience… may the engine you have chosen to symbolize your career path, provide power and thrust on your journey into success within this fantastic industry of those who look to the sky and see more than just the clouds… they see the future!

Please click on the image above or the link below for three larger images of the tattoo in process and complete.

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Tattoos have been used to show intense loyalty to certain passionate brands and manufacturers for years.  Companies like Harley-Davidson, Cadillac and Playboy have reaped the benefits of enthusiastic fans who forever pay homage on their skin.  Today we’d like to feature a tattoo paying tribute to the logo of aircraft engine manufacturer, Pratt & Whitney.

What we in aviation know as Pratt & Whitney (click here for corporate site) was founded in 1925 by Frederick B. Rentschler in Hartford, CT.  Few people realize that the name Pratt & Whitney actually comes from Pratt & Whitney Machine Tool Company, the company that Rentschler was loaned $250,000, manufacturing space in their building, and the ability to carry their established name on his aircraft engine product… what would become the R-1340 Wasp radial engine.  Pratt & Whitney Machine Tool Co. was already well known at the time for sewing machine and gun-making machinery that spanned back to it’s own founding in 1860.

Rentschler ended the official tie-in with the machine company in 1929 and formed United Aircraft and Transport Corporation (UATC). As part of the agreement, he was able to keep the product brand of Pratt & Whitney for the engines his company would produce.  This resulted in the Pratt & Whitney name evolving into a brand that would become more famous than its namesake in modern times. Today, Pratt & Whitney is a brand that is joined by sister aviation companies Hamilton Sundstrand and Sikorsky Aircraft under the conglomerate United Technologies (corporate site) – the name that UATC evolved into.

Pratt & Whitney went on to manufacture some of the most famous radial piston engines such as R-985 Wasp Junior, R-1830 Twin Wasp, R-2800 Double Wasp, and R-4360 Wasp Major.  With the coming jet age, Pratt & Whitney met the challenge by creating turbine engines like the JT8D turbojet found on Boeing 727s and DC-9s, the JT9D – the first high bypass turbofan engine and used on Boeing 747 and C-5 Galaxy aircraft.  Today, Pratt & Whitney remains one of the three largest powerplant manufacturers producing the civil engines PW2000, PW4000, and PW6000.  On the military engine side, Pratt & Whitney manufactures the F100 (used on the F-15 and F-16), the F119 (used on the F-22 Raptor), and the F135 (used on the F-35 Lightning II).

This tattoo on the inner bicep of the arm was created by artist Lelo at Gatto Matto Tattoo Studio in Campinas - Sao Paulo, Brazil.  The wearer had been waiting to get the tattoo for 15 years, and finally made his dream come true at the age of 30.

Please click on the image above or the link below for a larger image.

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I thought it was a good time to change things up a bit after a string of military aircraft. Therefore, I’d like to present a tattoo of one of my favorite heavy airliners, the McDonnell Douglas DC-10.

First flown in August of 1970, the DC-10 met a specification for a long-haul airliner similar in capacity to the Boeing 747, but capable of operating from shorter runways.  In direct competition with the Lockheed L-1011 Tristar which arrived in the market a year later, the DC-10 eventually was able to distinguish itself by finding a second engine supplier (which helped cut costs) and creating a longer range aircraft earlier than the L-1011 series did.

Northwest Airlines was the final operator of the DC-10 in passenger service - with the last DC-10 being retired from service on January 8, 2007.  The remaining flyable DC-10 aircraft now fly on as modified cargo aircraft, many with FedEx alongside the MD-11 — the replacement for the DC-10.  In fact, most FedEx DC-10’s have been modified to carry the designation MD-10 which allows pilots with MD-11 type ratings to also fly the -10.  The upgrade included the upgrade of the cockpit to Advanced Common Flightdeck (ACF) standards which eliminated the flight engineer position as required on most DC-10’s.

This tattoo was passed on to us by the wearer who had a special attachment to the DC-10, Northwest Airlines, and a Captain for the airline:

My Father, a 39-year Northwest Airlines Captain passed away after a four and half year battle with cancer. He has been my greatest inspiration to follow my dreams and take to the sky to leave my own contrails. The DC-10 was his favorite aircraft and I could think of no better way to represent that than on my chest!

With Northwest Airlines being merged with Delta Air Lines in April 2008 and the retirement of the Northwest Airlines brand, it seems this tattoo will also live on as a tribute to the airline his father committed his flying talents to over nearly four decades.

The tattoo was created by artist Eddie at Skin Factory Tattoo in Las Vegas, NV.

Please click on the image above or the link below for a larger image.

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Easily the world’s most recognizable airliner - the Boeing 747 turned 40 years old on February 9th.  On that day in 1969, test pilots Jack Waddell and Brien Wygle took the aircraft aloft from the new Boeing facility built specifically for the 747 at Paine Field in Everett, WA.

Being the aircraft that inspired the term “Jumbo Jet”, the 747 revolutionized high-volume passenger air travel and continues to be operated on long-haul routes worldwide by many airlines.  The latest commercially produced version, the 747-400, concluded production in 2009 and Boeing is currently re-evaluating the 747-8 program which would continue the line, but the current economy may stall or cancel the program.

One of the most famous 747’s, Air Force One - the aircraft of the president of the United States, made the news this past week as President Barack Obama took his first trip aboard the aircraft to an event in Williamsburg, VA.  There has been talk of a possible replacement of SAM 28000 and 29000 — the specially designed 747-200B aircraft, and some believed the Airbus A380 would be a possible option. EADS (manufacturer of the A380) has stated that it will not bid, which leaves only Boeing with the 747 as the option for a replacement ship.

Today’s tattoo features the Boeing 747 and ironically comes to us from an artist in Russia — home of the Antonov An-225 Mriya — an aircraft ranked with the 747 as one of the largest aircraft ever built.  Artist Andrey Smolentsev of Mir Tattoo in Moscow, Russia created the beautiful tribute piece to the jumbo jet for us to admire today.

Please click on the image above or the link below for a larger image.

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Starting off the week is one of the rare commercial airliner tattoos we find every so often as we scour the web for new material.  This particular tattoo of a Boeing 747 airliner caught our eye and it’s owner Denise was more than happy to explain the story behind the tattoo for us.

As for the story behind it - I’ve always been obsessed with planes. My Grandfather worked at SeaTac airport and my Grandmother for Boeing. I lived in the Seattle area as a child so I think perhaps I was predisposed to thinking that Boeing makes the best planes. However, I started having a recurring nightmare of seeing a passenger jet crash. It didn’t deter my love of planes or prevent me from flying but I found the nightmare very troubling. I thought that maybe getting the 747 tattoo (my favorite plane) would serve as a talisman of sorts. I live under a flight path so I see A LOT of planes taking off and it caused some anxiety. However, since I got the tattoo my anxiety about witnessing a crash has completely vanished.

The tattoo was created by Alex McWatt of True Blue Tattoo in Queens, NY.  Make sure to check Denise’s blog out as well at: http://logicallogic.blogspot.com.

Please click on the image above or the link below for a larger image.

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Contrary to what you may read on the web, we have proof of a tattooed airline pilot!  They do exist!

We received this fantastic photo from a captain flying a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 in the UK last week. Originally tattooed as two outlined stars, he had the airplane symbol added just after Christmas as a reminder of his childhood, counting the airport signs on the way to the airport for holiday.

He mentioned that the tattoo is usually covered by his watch, allowing it to be hidden when on the job.

Are you a pilot with an aviation tattoo to share?  Send it to us at tattoosinflight@gmail.com!