When I started becoming interested in tattooing in the 90’s, one of the first images that connected my passion for aviation and tattooing was the one we are featuring here today. This tattoo of aviation pioneer Charles Lindbergh by famed tattoo artist Shotsie Gorman was featured in countless magazines and exhibitions after it was completed. We’ve found a video clip where Gorman speaks about the tattoo and the challenges it presented — click here to view it.

Shotsie Gorman has relocated to Sedona, Arizona and now practices his art from Shotsies Soul Signing in the beautiful and artistic central Arizona community.

This particular photo was taken by photographer Bill DeMichele of Proteus Press. DeMichele’s work is seen each month in International Tattoo Art magazine and this month’s 15th Anniversary issue of the magazine features a full article on DeMicheles work.

For a larger view, please click on the image above or the link below.

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And we’re back!  After a week of headaches over those afore-mentioned hackers, we finally got things back under control and problem-free — and ready for action!

Speaking of action, let’s get back to basics with a classic World War II vintage Curtiss P-40E Warhawk in Flying Tigers colors.  The P-40 is one of the most popular tattoo designs (short of the P-51 Mustang) we’ve seen, so it seemed like a great choice for the first post after a week away!

Beautiful execution by artist Matthew J. Hockaday of Avatar Studios in Waterford, MI - evidently done on a client who was going to school for aviation.

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

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We’re approaching the 70th anniversary of the conception of the Consolidated B-24 Liberator — the most produced bomber aircraft of World War II.  The US Army Air Corps formally invited Consolidated to submit a design in January 1939 for a bomber with higher speed, greater range, and higher ceiling than the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress — the dominant bomber at the time.  With a first flight in late 1939, the B-24 Liberator was destined to become one of the most successful bombers of the war, with over 18,000 aircraft constructed from 1940-1945 — the highest produced multi-engine aircraft ever (a record that stands to this day).

The B-24 never received the public limelight that the B-17 got, mostly because of it’s rather boxy and ungainly look and the fact the B-17 was featured in several popular war films and documentaries. Still, the B-24 flew more missions, dropped more bombs, and was used in more theaters of operations than any other bomber.

In tribute of the Consolidated B-24 Liberator, we present to you this fantastic black and gray tattoo of the B-24.  This particular tattoo, of a D-Model (with the greenhouse style nose) was created by artist Hector Cedillo of Skin Graff Tattoo in Worcester, MA. 

Interestingly, Worcester, MA is only several towns over from Stow, MA — the home of the Collings Foundation, operators of one of the two remaining flyable B-24 Liberators in the world.  It tours the nation annually with a B-17 Flying Fortress, B-25 Mitchell, and P-51 Mustang as part of the Wings Of Freedom Tour.

Please click on the image above or the link below for a larger image plus a second detailed shot of the nose of the bomber.

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OK, so the site was down for a few hours this AM because Tattoos In Flight was hit by a malicious script that corrupted a bunch of files and probably was giving you virus warnings all over the place.  Luckily things are cleaned up and back to normal.

If you see anything snarky, please email me at tattoosinflight@gmail.com.  Thanks.

Well, I’m finally back from the big tradeshow in Orlando, FL and am ready to get back into the swing of things — and sending you the best aviation tattoos from the finest artists around the world!

Kicking off the weekend is this fantastic early World War II dogfight sleeve project!  The smooth, vibrant color used here beautifully illustrates the vintage imagery of the era. Central to the tattoo is a Moraine-Saulnier MS.315 as well as an early Luftwaffe aircraft resembling a Heinkel HE-100 perhaps.

The artist, Nikko Hurtado of Ignition Tattoo in Apple Valley, CA did an amazing job with this piece.  Take a look at Nikko’s portfolio and you’ll see more stunning work!

Nikko is one of a host of artists using the Neuma tattoo machine — the first and only pneumatic tattoo machine that’s light, fully autoclavable, and maintenance-free. The kind of work these artists are putting out is really pushing the boundaries of the artform!

Please click on the link below or the image above to see a larger image and a second image of the sleeve!

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Our editor went off to Orlando for the National Business Aviation Association convention with his aviation artwork concealed under his suit — so we might be a bit late in getting new tattoos out for the next few days.  But for some fun before the weekend, here’s a bit of a bombshell with a background of B-17s from artist Tim Harris of Hope Gallery Tattoo in New Haven, CT. 

Click on the image above for a larger view or the link below.

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If you have even the basic familiarity with history and aviation, you’ve surely heard of Charles Lindbergh and his solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927, making him the first human to make such a journey via airplane alone.  Throughout his aviation career, Lindbergh made a name as a pioneer of air routes in some of the most remote and far-away places.  Certainly he can be considered one of the greatest aviators of the 20th century.

This tattoo tribute to Lindbergh was created by artist Jason Riggs of Lazy Lightning Tattoos in Indianapolis, IN. 

Click on the image above or the link below to see a larger image.

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The commitment required for large scale tattoo work is certainly commendable — the amount of time it takes along with the pain and cost over multiple sessions makes the completed piece not only a triumph of art, but also a triumph over various hurdles along the way.  A full sleeve project is one of these large scale projects and is one of the most visible you can get — making it important to get the right artwork from the right artist!

That’s the case in this fantastic sleeve featuring all different sorts of World War II fighter and bomber aircraft.  You can see famous planes like the P-51 Mustang, B-17 Flying Fortress, P-47 Thunderbolt, and SBD Dauntless here.

The awesome sleeve was created by artist Jason Leisge of Oddball Studios in Portland, OR.

For a larger shot, click on the link below or the image above.

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We’re always on the lookout for the elusive spacecraft tattoo for Space Saturday but seem to have trouble finding appropriate tattoos to feature. We’ve seen a few tattoos of the Space Shuttle, but nothing from Apollo, Gemini, or Mercury — anyone?

Luckily we were fortunate to find this fantastic tattoo of the Space Shuttle this week and thought the colorful execution and depiction of light was nothing short of spectacular. Credit goes to artist Josh Woods of Black 13 Tattoo in Nashville, TN.

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

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Today we’re glad to feature one of the worlds most adored and beloved airplanes — the Douglas DC-3.  Also known as the C-47 Skytrain and the “Gooney Bird”, the rugged DC-3 was one of the first successful passenger airliners as well as a popular transport and paratroop aircraft during World War II.  This particular tattoo shows a DC-3 as a C-47 with a bit of WWII-vintage nose art adorning the ample forward fuselage.

The colorful tattoo along with the propeller and wings was created by artist Shawn Willmorth at The Hive Tattoo & Piercing in Moses Lake, WA.

See a larger shot of the tattoo by clicking on the link below or the image above.

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