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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Certainly the aviation industry isn’t immune to the occasional curse word… hell, I have heard quite a few conversations between pilots and mechanics myself where every other word is a “colorful adjective.”  That said, this colorful caricature of a female aviator (also known as an Aviatrix) buzzing about and dropping the “F-Bomb” certainly is a funny commentary on the skygods of swearing!

(click the image at left for the full post and larger photo)

Other than being a cute theme for a light-hearted flying-related tattoo, this tattoo is a great example of the awesome depth of color that can be achieved by today’s pigments used in tattooing.  A wide variety of colors and hues are now being used by artists… some pigments even being developed by artists themselves!  Some of these colors would have been unheard of 20 years ago… but now, the art is truly going through a renaissance of sorts with the medium!

This awesome tattoo was created by tattoo artist Mikey Sarratt who tattoos with High Noon Tattoo Parlor in Phoenix, AZ.  High Noon Tattoo Parlor is a great collaboration of experienced artists in the Phoenix area and spans a wide spectrum of styles… check them out!

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For many who find their true home in the sky, flying is far more than a mode of transportation… it is an artform, a state of being, and the intrinsic spirit that propels them forward.  The romance of dancing around clouds and soaring above the Earth moves aviators to poetry, song, and verse to describe the unique and special emotions that float through the brain while held aloft.

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One of the most famous poems ever written about the passion for flight was “High Flight” by John Gillespie Magee, Jr. The poem, written by Magee in the Summer of 1941, was inspired by his flights as a young pilot with the Royal Canadian Air Force in a Supermarine Spitfire Mk. I.  His seventh flight in the Spitfire where he took the aircraft up to 33,000 feet moved him so much that the poem was his way of expressing the wonder that he felt as he climbed through the rarified air…

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth

And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;

Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth

of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things

You have not dreamed of—wheeled and soared and swung

High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there,

I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung

My eager craft through footless halls of air….

Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue

I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace

Where never lark nor even eagle flew—

And, while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod

The high untrespassed sanctity of space,

Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

Tragically, Magee lost his life in a midair collision on December 11, 1941 over the village of Roxholm in Lincolnshire England as he was returning to his base at RAF Digby.  He was only 19 years old.

The poem carried Magee’s memory on for many generations and will certainly stand the test of time for many more.  Aviators young and old have read it and many have developed a special connection to the poem.

Such is the case with the subject of today’s post… a young woman who used the poem to connect her with the spirit of her father.  She wrote:

My dad, who passed away six years ago, was an avid pilot. I grew up hanging around the airport and flying with him in our Cessna 310, a Diamond jet, and the B-25 Mitchell "Fairfax Ghost" (he once flew it with Travis Hoover* sitting in the co-pilot’s seat). He was a Quiet Birdman, and so the poem "High Flight" was read at his funeral. I remember him reading it to me when I was 4, and a framed copy of it was my last Father’s Day present to him.

I chose to use only the first two lines to make it my own. I’m a classical flutist, and those words evoke the feeling I get any time I perform, but also the memory of the man who encouraged me to go for my dreams.

(*editor note: Travis Hoover was one of the original crewmembers of the Doolittle Raid)

Her tattoo in memory of her father was created by tattoo artist Jason Jones of Kaleidoscope Ink in Springfield, MO.  Jason has been featured here at Tattoos In Flight several times before and our subject spoke highly of him as well: “He’s a brilliant artist and an absolute pleasure to work with” she said.

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Greetings Tattoos In Flight fans!  We know it has been a long time since we last posted and we thank you for the patience… we had some technical difficulty with our server and finally got all resolved this past week… so we are ready to fly in some new ink for the new year!

And we decided to start back up with something amazing… a fantastic full-torso tattoo tribute to helicopter heritage that arrived a while back in our inbox.  The tattoo, comprised of some stunning old school color work at the top of the chest and continuing down into a perfect illustration of the realism that high-quality black and grey tattooing can lend itself to. And cap it all off with some great lettering including a phrase from the quote “Once having tasted flight, you will walk this earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return” by Leonardo da Vinci – the ultimate quote expressing the passion for flight that aviators feel.

(click the image for the full post & a larger photo)

Our subject today is a Commercial Helicopter Pilot, Certified Flight Instructor in Rotorcraft as well as a successful business owner and brought his passion and family history in helicopters to life in this substantial tattoo.  The tattoo as well as his career in aviation was inspired by his grandfather who flew numerous missions in the Bell UH-1 Huey during the Vietnam War.  The formation of Hueys pictured became a symbol of the Vietnam War where the concept of the Aerial Calvary to transport troops in and out of the dense jungle really illustrated the tactical benefits of vertical flight to the world.  For many, the UH-1 was the first thing people think of when Vietnam comes to mind.

This amazing tattoo is the work of tattoo artist Chris Walkin who tattoos from Avalon Tattoo II in San Diego, CA.  Avalon is one of the most respected studios in San Diego and has been host to many of the new masters of the tattoo world through it’s history and Chris is no exception to that standard!

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Some people snip their shirt-tail off and pin it to the wall for their first solo, others (like at my flight school) were traditionally thrown by their fellow pilots into the nearby Duck Pond after doing their three stop-and-goes aloft by themselves… but some, like the subject of our tattoo feature today, choose to commemorate the first solo flight in a much more permanent and personal way.

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Tattoo artist, pilot, and flying enthusiast Jack Lowe, owner of Skin Kitchen Tattoo in Des Moines, IA, had this tattoo done on January 26, 2009 – the day he made his first solo flight.  Michelle Lowe, a fellow artist at the studio, gladly stayed late to tattoo Jack after he demanded that the tattoo be completed on the same day!

Along with the first solo date, the tattoo includes a pair of pilot wings, an altimeter, and the FAA Registration or “N-Number” of the plane he flew… N2974N, a Piper Archer II operated by Des Moines Flying Club.

Following his first solo in January, Jack passed his Private Pilot checkride on May 7th, 2009 and is now a fully FAA-licensed pilot… congratulations Jack!

I remember the day I first soloed… and always look back on that logbook entry with a big smile on my face. AOPA Pilot Associate Editor Jill Tallman recounts a group of first solo experiences in Flight Training Magazine in May 2008… a good read! 

Again, the tattoo was created by tattoo artist Michelle Hall of Skin Kitchen Tattoo in Des Moines, IA.

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I will admit that when I first saw this tattoo, I thought the aircraft pictured was a North American AT-6 Texan… one of the more common trainers of WWII vintage.  However, as I reviewed it this past week as I was preparing posts, I realized it was far more rare than an AT-6… this tattoo features the obscure Curtiss-Wright CW-22 Falcon.  Certainly one of the more unique aircraft we have featured here.

(click the image for the full post & a larger photo)

There is a reason why few people know of the CW-22 – only around 600 were built from 1940 onward, originating from Curtiss-Wright’s St. Louis factory.  Originally designed from the single-seat CW-21, the –22 was a two seat, light sport or training aircraft that found it’s way into becoming a combat trainer and light attack airplane.

The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force was the main customer of the CW-22 as 36 were exported to support their defense of the East Indies.  However, due to Japanese advancement, the exported CW-22’s were delivered to the Dutch in Australia. The CW-22B was later delivered to Turkish forces and some replaced original –22’s with the Netherlands and some even made their way to South America flying with Peru, Bolivia and Uruguay.

The US Navy bought 455 unarmed aircraft and designated them the SNC-1 Falcon and operated them as trainer aircraft.  One SNC-1 hangs in the hall of the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, FL… one of four still in existence.

This colorful tattoo of the CW-22 was created by tattoo artist Brian Mcdermott at Electra Art Tattoo in Corpus Christi, TX.

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In commemoration of the annual, World famous Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, which is happening right now in Albuquerque, NM, we are delighted to present this colorful rib tattoo featuring two hot air balloons. Propelled only by gossamer breezes and lifted by hot air contained within the colorful envelope, hot air ballooning remains one of the most serene forms of aviation today.

(click the image for the full post & a larger photo)

What makes the Albuquerque Int’l Balloon Fiesta special is the unique Autumn weather patterns that the region enjoys.  The “Albuquerque Box” where the cool morning temperatures in October promote Southerly low level winds and Northerly higher level winds – thereby allowing balloon pilots to fly in a vertical box pattern that will optimally bring them back near the launch site for landing.  This convenient meteorological phenomena eliminates the need for crews to travel far from the launch site for recovery.

The Fiesta traces it’s roots back to 1972 when KOB, the local radio station, approached Sid Cutter, an owner of Cutter Flying Service (now Cutter Aviation) and the first person in New Mexico to own a hot air balloon, to fly his balloon “Roadrunner” as part of the station’s 50th anniversary festivities.  As the discussion continued, it was decided to expand it in an attempt to break the record for the largest gathering up until then… a 19 balloon gathering in England.

The original event in 1972 drew 13 balloons from around the United States, but the event grew rapidly after that point. Balloon attendance reached it’s peak of 1,013 balloons in 2000, but a cap of 750 entrants was established after that as a way to promote “quality over quantity.”

In addition to the nine-day event being the World’s largest gathering of hot air balloons, it is also widely considered to be the World’s most photographed event… with the sight of hundreds of colorful balloons in the air to be one of the most breathtaking sights in aviation.

This beautiful tattoo on the ribs of a fit female balloon enthusiast was created by tattoo artist Ant Iannucci of Ascension Tattoo in Orlando, FL.

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The invention of the helicopter, to me, is one of the best examples of the power of the human mind and our ingenuity. To envision, design, build and fly something that can maneuver so precisely all while battling the various challenges it faces through the laws of physics: torque and gyroscopic force, ground resonance, and all the complex aerodynamics of a rotary wing – it just boggles the mind!  Obviously, those who work intimately with rotorcraft have the utmost respect for the type as well… and we are proud to feature the tattoos of one such individual here today.

(click the image above for the full post and larger photos)

As you see, the tattoo is a collection of helicopter and vertical flight imagery done in black and gray.  Central in the backpiece is the “aerial screw” concept as envisioned by artist, inventor, visionary and dreamer of flight, Leonardo da Vinci, in the 1480’s.  Though the design never worked, his concept was one of the first explorations into the idea of flying vertically as opposed to horizontally like a bird as tried by early experimenters in aviation. 

Nearly 300 years later, starting around 1760, a succession of inventors experimented with vertical flight through models and sometimes full-sized (but many time unsuccessful) craft.  A full history of this era in helicopter experimentation can be found at Wikipedia by clicking here.

It wasn’t until the experiments of the French brothers Jacques and Louis Breguet in 1907 and those of fellow French inventor Paul Cornu in the same year, that actual flight (though limited to a hover of a few feet) with a person aboard was proven.  It drove other inventors forward in experimenting with improvements that led to the modern definition of the helicopter controls that we know today: the cyclic, the collective, the anti-torque pedals, and the throttle.

The first true “modern” successful helicopter, the Sikorsky VS-300, was created and flown in 1940 by Russian immigrant and noted aircraft designer Igor Sikorsky.  His design used the simplified single main rotor configuration combined with a single vertical tail rotor for anti-torque. The Sikorsky R-4, derived from the VS-300, became the first helicopter to be mass produced and 131 were manufactured by Sikorsky for military use.

In the years since, helicopter development paralleled that of fixed wing aircraft and advancements in speed, capacity, maneuverability and safety have taken it from it’s roots as an unstable experiment to, perhaps, the most valuable asset in aviation today.  It’s ability to operate into areas not accessible by land or by traditional aircraft make it a crucial vehicle for use in military, rescue, exploration and urban transport flight operations.

Certainly our subject today feels the same way about his connection to the helicopter as it’s become a valuable asset in his life as well.  With over 20 years of experience in helicopters, his experienced ranged from Army service overseas for seven years to more recent work with the H-65 in Miami, Puerto Rico and Mobile, AL.  He even took part in Hurricane Katrina recovery with helicopters; a highlight of his service in his opinion. As he said about his experiences…

There is nothing as liberating as the freedom of movement that a helicopter offers – in all three dimensions, literally at your fingertips. I’m not sure where my life would be right now without my rotary-wing background…I guarantee it would be much duller.

The left side of his back is devoted to the Army – a Boeing CH-47 Chinook with a slingloaded howitzer under it. The right side of his back honors the United States Coast Guard (USCG) with an HH-65 Dolphin hoisting it’s rescue basket with a survivor. “The yin/yang of helicopter flight in the military – taking lives/saving lives” as he put it… a testament to the versatility of the design.

At the top are his wings from both the Army and the Navy, blended to together to represent their respective side.

The compilation of the helicopter tattoo work was created by artist Dave Tedder of All or Nothing Tattoo in Smyrna, GA and was done over a 5.5 hour sitting in April of 2007.  Thanks for sending us the great tattoo and the great story!

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

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