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The Stearman as art

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When Bill Allen submitted a photo for Picture of the Day on GeneralAviationNews.com, it quickly became apparent we needed to see more.

His photo depicted four squaretailed Stearmans in flight at the 2022 Allen Airways Flying Museum‘s Stearman Fly-In, held May 13-16 at Gillespie Field (KSEE) in San Diego, where the museum is based.

“This was an amazing opportunity to have these rare 1930s Stearmans all together,” Bill notes.

He connected us with Craig Rembold, a San Diego photographer who specializes in aviation photography.

That makes sense as Craig grew up around airplanes and worked for many years as a professional pilot flying all types of aircraft, from Cubs to executive jets — “usually with a camera nearby,” he says.

While he enjoys all forms of aviation, his passion is “aeroplanes” — the antiques and the warbirds.

Craig notes he “strives to not just document through photos, but to create images worthy of being called art.”

Check out his photos below to see the beauty and artistry of the Stearman.

(L-R) Hangar 180’s 1929 4D Junior Speedmail ‘Jimmy Allen’ with Jay Pemberton, Ben Scott’s 1930 4E Junior Speedmail with David Vopat, Allen Airways’ 1930 C3R Business Speedster with Bill Allen, and Pemberton and Son’s 1931 4DM Junior Speedmail with Addison Pemberton.
Four Boeing Model 75 Stearman preparing to depart Gillespie Field during Allen Airways Museum’s Stearman Fly-In. Front to back:, Kurt Gearheart, Larry Dustman, Joe Sottile, and Mike Hanson.
A Stearman four ship “diamond” in front of El Capitan Mountain: (L-R) #3 Joe Sottile ‘386’, #4 Mike Hanson, #1 Kurt Gearheart, and #2 Larry Dustman.
Stearman four ship echelon near El Capitan Reservoir: (L-R) #1 Kurt Gearheart, #2 Larry Dustman, #3 Joe Sottile ‘386’, and #4 Mike Hanson.
Dave Brothers and Zach Harris on a sunset flight in Dave’s 1941 Model 75. Brothers, a retired United Airlines pilot, painted his Stearman in tribute to the pilots and crews who perished during the 9/11 terror attacks with the 911 buzz number and the list of crew on the sides of his aircraft.
A close-up of Dave Brothers’ 1941 Model 75.
David Vopat in the 4E Junior Speedmail.
Zach Harris piloting Allen Airways Museum’s 1930 Stearman C3R Business Speedster at sunset over San Diego’s East County during the 2022 Stearman Fly-In.
Michael and Meagan Tracy in Allen Airways Museum’s 1945 Model 75 (Steve McQueen’s last airplane) with Darrel Cook and Zach Tracy in the 1944 Model 75. The 1944 Model 75 is known as “McClone.” It is owned by a partnership of Darrel Cook, John Collins, Rick Norris, John Hammerstrand, Kent Casady, Jim Tolesco, and Jack Draper. This airframe was picked up at the Aerospace Museum of California in Sacramento, disassembled by the team of John Collins, Kent Casady and Michael and Meagan Tracy, and then trucked to Gillespie to be returned to airworthy condition over the next five years.
Michael and Meagan Tracy in Allen Airways Museum’s 1945 Model 75 with Darrel Cook and Zach Tracy in the 1944 Model 75 known as McClone.
The “McQueen” and the “McClone.”
Bill Allen in the C3R with David Vopat on his wing in the 4E with Addison Pemberton in the 4DM hiding way down low.
(L-R): Bill Allen and the C3R, Addison Pemberton in the 4DM, Jay Pemberton in the 4D and David Vopat hiding in the back in the 4E.

To see more of Craig’s work, go to TiredIronMotorsports.com

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Comments

  1. Great photos and great planes! thanks for posting them. I hope to see you in Galesburg next week.

    Pat Carr