Michael Rondot

Gazelle Over Salisbury Plain by Michael Rondot. Fast and manoeuvrable, the Gazelle has proved itself as one of the worlds best light battlefield helicopters. Since its introduction into the Army Air Corps in 1973, Gazelles have been used in every major conflict involving British Forces from the Falklands to the Gulf Wars. Used extensively on anti-terrorist observation and troop support operations in Northern Ireland, Gazelles have also been heavily committed to NATO operations in Bosnia.

Concorde Farewell by Michael Rondot Concorde made supersonic history, bringing Mach 2 international travel in luxury surroundings at the edge of space to millions of air travellers. It is instantly recognisable, but Concorde is far more than just a sleek and pretty aircraft. Its sheer size, combined with the glorious power and noise of its Olympus engines endow Concorde with a unique charisma. There is no other aircraft capable of stopping people in their tracks and making them look to the sky in awe like Concorde taking off in full reheat. Artist Michael Rondot has captured this sense of power and energy in Concorde Farewell, a painting that pays tribute to one of the most impressive aircraft in a century of flight.

The Marham Wing Over Sandringham by Michael Rondot At the beginning of her Golden Jubilee Year, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II visited Royal Air Force Marham, the Norfolk airbase close to the Royal family's winter residence at Sandringham. RAF Marham personnel are very proud of their unique association with Her Majesty who became Honorary Air Commodore of the station in 1976. To mark the occasion of her Golden Jubilee Year this magnificent oil painting was commissioned by all ranks of RAF Marham and presented to Her Majesty. The aircraft in Michael Rondot's painting represent the five squadrons of The Marham Wing. A Canberra PR9 is portrayed lading four Tornado GR4's, with aircraft tail letters specially marked to spell E II R L for the Golden Jubilee, in a formation flown over Sandringham in Her Majesty's honour. In the background, surrounded by wooded grounds, lawned gardens and 20,000 acres of estate, stands a fine red brick and standstone house built in 1870 for Prince Edward (later King Edward VII).

Buccaneer Thunder by Michael Rondot Built to fly low and fast over very long distances, the Buccaneer reigned supreme during the Cold War years both as a carrier-borne and land-based strike aircraft. For 30 years, first with the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm then with the Royal Air Force and the South African Air Force, the Buccaneer's achievements in the low-level strike role approached the proportions of legend. Roy Boot's classic design is unbeatable in many respects even by the latest and most potent fighters and this much-loved aircraft is still immensely popular. It enjoys a unique reputation as a tough and reliable shipyard foundry-built aircraft and is sorely missed by those who flew it or worked on it and regarded it as irreplaceable. Pressed into service at short notice during the Gulf War, the Buccaneer and its aircrews finally proved in the most spectacular manner what many had been saying for years, - that the Buccaneer was a truly outstanding machine that could only be replaced by another Buccaneer. As a tribute to the mighty Buccaneer, artist Michael Rondot has painted in his Classic Combat Aircraft Series a striking and powerful image of a Buccaneer "smoking" at 540 knots at low level.

Blue -Fire! by Michael Rondot Nightmare scenario. Dusk over an empty sea. With lights out and in radio silence, three Buccaneers, each armed with 4 Sea-Eagle missiles, prepare to attack a Surface Action Group still beyond radar range. 150 miles away, 3 more Buccaneers are approaching the same target in a pincer attack timed to hit the target at exactly the same time. The first warning that the target will receive of the attack is when all 24 missiles radar seekers switch on at close range for the final phase of the attack. Whilst the Buccaneers escape unseen, the defences will be swamped with their worst nightmare - two volleys of missiles approaching without warning, at wave-top height, at 180 degrees to each other.

Michael Rondot's painting captures the moment when the leader of the first element (callsign 'Blue'), achieves firing solution and initiates the ripple launch of his formation's missiles by breaking radio silence with the traditional 208 squadron radio call of "Blue-Fire!"

Mutual Support by Michael Rondot In any conflict, accurate intelligence about the enemy is important, but during the Gulf War it was crucial to the rapid ending of hostilities with minimum Allied casualties. US Air National Guard RF-4C Phantoms, flying deep-penetration photo reconnaissance mission into Iraq and occupied Kuwait, provided much of the vital intelligence which enabled Allied ground forces to outflank and overwhelm Iraqi opposition with such devastation. Their missions were dangerous, taking them into the most heavily defended air space over Baghdad and the Kuwait Theatre of Operations in broad daylight. They were fired on by SAMs and AAA barrages, but none were lost in over 300 missions.

The aircraft belong to 192nd PRS (Nevada National Guard) and the second aircraft from the 106th TRS (Birmingham Alabama national Guard)

Michael Rondot's painting portrays a classic formation of 2 RF-4Cs in action over Iraq, flying in company to provide lookout and mutual support in case of attack. On the ground palls of sand and smoke drift away from Iraqi positions following an air strike, as the Phantoms accelerate and turn in for their battle-damage assessment photo run. In the next minutes they will come under fire from heat-seeking missiles and flak defences around the target before escaping South, back to their base at Sheikh Isa AB, Bahrain.

Phantom Thunder by Michael Rondot There are few aircraft even today that can match the sheer power and brute performance of the F4 Phantom, portrayed here on a breathtaking low level high speed 'lake burner' run.

Coltishall - End of the Line by Michael Rondot. Life on the flightline at Royal Air Force Coltishall with the 41 Squadron engineering line building in the background.

Broken Silence by Michael Rondot. The Jaguars are en-route to Cape Wrath to carry out precision-guided bombing attacks at Garbh-eilean weapons range. The lead aircraft is armed with a Paveway II laser guided bomb, whilst the No 2 is carrying a TIALD pod to laser designate their target. In the background mighty Ben Hope, soaring up to 3040 feet, forms a massive backdrop against a darkening sky as the Big Cats get down to business.

Distant Thunder by Michael Rondot This print shows a Jaguar in particularly aggressive pose during a high speed low-level training mission to demonstrate modern fast-jet operations. As a serving Jaguar pilot, artist Michael Rondot was in a unique position to take passengers flying in this remarkable ground-attack aircraft and to put their experience onto canvas. Each print is signed by the Base Commander and all 3 Squadron Commanders of RAF Coltishall.

Desert Cats by Michael Rondot Fact- no matter what type of aircraft, the world record for low flying can only ever be equalled; it cannot be beaten without hitting the ground. But getting close to it became an everyday routine for RAF Jaguar pilots on operational service in the Gulf after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. The barren featureless wastes of the desert offer few opportunities for a low-flying aircraft to hide from enemy defences by terrain screening or ducking below radar cover. The only effective counter over a flat desert is to fly so low that any missile fired at the aircraft hopefully will proximity-fuse on the ground before it reaches its target. Faced with an unprecedented threat from surface-to-air missile systems and fighter aircraft, the Jaguar pilots who deployed to Thumrait, Oman, as the spearhead of Operation Granby in August 1990 trained as they expected to fight, - at ultra low level.

In October 1990 the Jaguars moved to Al-Muharraq, Bahrain, and continued to train at ultra low level, but as the outbreak of hostilities drew close and it became apparent that US fighters were more than capable of dealing with any Iraqi air threat, they switched to medium-level tactics, preferring to take their chances with the AAA and SAM threat rather than low-flying through a hail of small-arms and short-range defensive fire around their targets in Kuwait and Iraq. Blessed with the sustained luck and inspired leadership of Wg Cdr Bill Pixton DFC AFC, the gamble paid off, 3 aircraft were hit by Iraqi AAA fire during the 6 week war, but none were lost.

The Longest Minute by Michael Rondot Michael Rondots painting depicts the moment when the last man to attack, the number 8 at the tail end of the formation watches and waits before tipping for attack. For him the longest minute is about to begin. The first four Jaguars have already attacked and are 'feet wet' returning to base, having dropped their load of 1000lb bombs on the target. During the next few minutes the second four-ship will press home their attack, releasing sixteen 1000lb airburst bombs totally devastating the target before escaping out to sea, away from the coastal AAA flak belt and back to their base at Bahrain.Michael Rondot flew on this mission and on 28 others during Operation Desert Storm. His Gulf War series of paintings reflect an authority and atmosphere which can only come from having witnessed the stark realities of war from the cockpit of a combat aircraft. The print is signed by all 22 Operational Jaguar pilots who flew combat missions during the Gulf War.

Coup de Grace by Michael Rondot Heavily armed and using Victor tankers to in-flight refuel, Jaguars flew from Al-Muharraq, Bahrain during the Gulf War, their mission to seek and destroy targets in Kuwait and southern Iraq. The results were invariably the same: the targets were hit and the Jaguars, despite coming under fire, returned safely home. Coup de Grace captures the aggressive lines of the weather beaten Jaguars against the background of a stricken Iraqi ship. Signatories: Grp Capt. William Pixton DFC AFC, Flt. Lt. Pete Tholen.

Jaguars Over Kilduff by Michael Rondot since its introduction in the 1970s to front-line service in the ground attack, nuclear strike and reconnaissance roles, the Jaguar has defied sceptics and proved itself to be one of the finest tactical aircraft in the history of the Royal Air Force. Battle-tested in the Gulf War, where 618 sorties were flown without loss by just 12 aircraft, the Jaguar has a reputation as a rugged, effective and exceptionally reliable combat aircraft.

The painting portrays the Jaguar at 450 knots and 250 feet during a four aircraft low level sortie over Southern Scotland. Jaguars are from number 6, 41(F) and 54(F) squadrons based at RAF Coltishall, Norfolk. Signed by two distinguished Jaguar pilots: Air Chief Marshal Sir John Thompson GCB CBE AFC, Wing Commander Steve Griggs AFC.

Jaguars Over Bosnia by Michael Rondot Royal Air Force Jaguar strike aircraft in action over Bosnia on close air support and reconnaissance operations. All prints bear the colour Royal Crests of Royal Air Force Coltishall and Number 6, 41 and 54 Jaguar Squadrons. Prints can be personalised with remarque drawing of individual squadron aircraft.

54(F) Squadron Farewell by Michael Rondot A famous fighter squadron with a glorious history, No.54(F) Squadron began its distinguished career in the fierce fighting on the Western Front during World War I. In 1940, flying Spitfires, it was the highest scoring RAF fighter squadron in the Battle of Britain and went on to become one of the few squadrons to fly Spitfires operationally during the whole of World War II. Always a front line squadron, No.54(F) Squadron flew Tempests, Vampires, Meterors and Hunters before graduating from F4 Phantoms to Jaguars in 1974. Commanded by Wg Cdr Terry Carkton, it became the first RAF Jaguar Squadron at Coltishall, so continuing its tradition of flying only fighter/ground attack aircraft during its distinguished history.

Magpies Over Baghdad by Michael Rondot During February 2003, fourteen RAAF F/A-18 Hornets flew to Al Udeid airbase in Qatar for air operations over Iraq as part of Operation Falconer. This was the first overseas deployment of Australian fighter aircraft for combat operations since July 1953 when RAAF Meteor F8s flew their last ground attack missions of the Korean War. The Australians were airborne from the start of the airstrikes on 20th March and continued in the thick of the action of the air campaign until the end of combat operations on 27th April, by which time they had flown 350 combat missions and dropped 122 laser guided bombs. Their missions ranged from air defence to interdiction and close air support and included operations with Australian SAS and Commando forces, as well as numerous missions flown in support of US Marines involved in fierce street fighting around Baghdad and Tikrit. The Hornets returned to Australia in May after one of the most successful combat deployments in the history of the RAAF.

Top Cover by Michael Rondot With Top Cover, Michael Rondot portrays a pilot's eye view of the speed and excitement of modern high-tech aerial warfare. High over a panorama of broken clouds, a pair of F/A-18C Hornets from VFA-81 'Sunliners' dive onto a group of F-16s simulating an attack on a formation of low flying A-7 Corsairs far below. The low-flying A7s are in deep trouble, having been bounced by the F-16s, and will evade as hard as they can to shake off their opponents. For the F/A18 Hornet pilots the priority id to kill the F16s before they can threaten the A7s. The fight's on!

You could easily be forgiven for believing that US Navy and Marine Corps aviators enjoy an unfair advantage in life. They fly the finest aircraft around, in the most demanding and exciting roles, and they get to practise their art in some of the most beautiful and exotic parts of the world, basking in the glamour and mystique of US Naval Aviation. the reality is more down to earth. Flying the F/A18 Hornet in both the air-defence and the ground attack role is hard, challenging work. Pilots from the attack community have to learn the skills of air-to-air fighting, and air defenders have to learn the art of putting bombs and bullets onto a pinpoint target from a first pass attack in bad weather. It is an uncompromising and unforgiving environment, with no room for bullshit.

Hornet the Hunter by Michael Rondot Military pilots do not easily heap praise on one another's aircraft, but when the object of their attention is the McDonnell F18 hornet, they really do talk in superlatives. Whether displaying its awesome maneuverability and firepower in the air-to-air combat role, or delivering a hefty war load with unerring accuracy in the ground attack role, this aircraft has few, if any, equals. Hornet the Hunter is the 6th print in Michael Rondot's authoritative series of Gulf War paintings. set against a deep blue sky receding into the pink heat haze of the desert, a pair of Canadian Armed Forces CF18s head for the danger zone on a Combat Air Patrol mission. The aircraft are loaded for action with a full war load of AIM7 Sparrow and AIM9 Sidewinder missiles, in addition to their 20mm M61 cannon. Each print is counter signed by operational aircrew from Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

767 by Michael Rondot A British Airways Boeing 767-300 at the start of its take-off roll on a rain-soaked runway moments after a thunderstorm has cleared the airfield. You can almost hear the Rolls-Royce RB211-524H engines accelerate to full power in this dramatic study. British Airways 767 pilots are also qualified to fly Boeing 757, which is featured in the background. Both the 757 and 767 can perform fully automatic landings in the extreme weather conditions of fog and low cloud, and are cleared to operate down to the almost incredible visibility of only 75 metres. The 767 was one of the first twin engine passenger aircraft allowed to operate over the North Atlantic.

747 Classic by Michael Rondot British Airways Boeing 747-200 at the moment of lift-off on a sunny winter afternoon at the start of another intercontinental flight. In British Airways service the 747-200 and its older sister the 747-100 are known affectionately as the 747 'Classic'. 'Classic' by name and 'Classic' by nature the 747-200 has served British Airways since entering service in 1977, for many years providing the backbone of the company's longhaul fleet. An aircraft which has seen service in nearly every corner of the globe, the 747-200 has the range to fly from London Heathrow to Hong Kong non-stop, and features a three class cabin seating up to 382 passengers. With a wingspan of almost 60 metres and a maximum take-off weight of nearly 372 metric tonnes, 'Jumbo' is a very appropriate nickname.

Operation TELIC by Michael Rondot Royal Air Force Tornado GR4s in action over Baghdad during Operation TELIC. During February 2003, Tornado GR4s from the Royal Air Force Marham and Lossiemouth Wings deployed to the Gulf region as part of Operation TELIC (the UK code name for Operation Iraqi Freedom). As the deadline for war in Iraq approached, the detachments at Ali al Salem AB, Kuwait, and Al Udeid AB, Qatar, prepared for action 12 years after the end of the first Gulf War in 1991. This time, however, the RAF was much better prepared, with new weapons systems and tactics developed after long years of operational combat experience on Operation Southern Watch over Iraq and in the skies over the Balkans. Operation TELIC was a high-tech air war for the Tornado GR4 using long-range reconnaissance systems and medium altitude attacks. It was almost exclusively a precision-guided weapons conflict in which the Tornado GR4 Force, its aircrews, groundcrews and support teams performed with distinction.

This striking new painting by artist Michael Rondot depicts a pair of Tornado GR4s on station over the Baghdad killbox. The aircraft are powerfully set against the ominous background of central Baghdad sprawling beneath the dark smoke of oil fires deliberately lit in an effort to mask the city from airborne targeting pods. Many RAF aircraft received colourful nose art during the conflict and these Tornados were no exception; ZA542 'DM' and ZA560 'BC' became "Danger Mouse" and "Brave Coq", and both carried tributes to favourite Scottish Whiskies alongside their mission markings. With their paint finish battered and weather beaten by the scars of battle, the aircraft are portrayed in a typical Interdiction / Close Air Support fit, armed with Paveway II GPS / laser guided bombs, TIALD pod and RBL-755 cluster bombs to represent all Tornado GR4 Op TELIC operations.

Panavia Tornado GR1 by Michael Rondot Of all the television and press images of the Gulf War, few were as dramatic as the pictures of the first waves of aircraft taking off to attack Iraqi airfields under cover of darkness. Yet when this print of a tornado taking off carrying a full warload of JP233 airfield denial weapons was published, such a scenario was unthinkable. The events of 1991 are foretold in this powerful portrayal of a Tornado taking off in a blast of steam from a rain drenched runway, with a Jaguar strike/attack aircraft breaking into the circuit background.

Tornado F3 by Michael Rondot Signed by Air Marshal Sir John Curtiss KCB KBE this print depicts a Tornado F3 taking off on a dark and wet afternoon with the characteristic pink and blue afterburner plume blazing from its RB199 engines. The controversial Tornado F3 replaced both the Lightning and F4 Phantom in the RAF, and flew operational combat air patrols throughout the Gulf War.

Shiny II - Tornado Recce by Michael Rondot Flying beneath an overcast of grey, threatening cloud, two Tornado GR1As break formation as the lead aircraft turns and accelerates towards a narrow gap in the cloud covered hills. The aircraft are flying a low-level tactical reconnaissance mission, aiming to locate, identify and film a camouflaged target using their sophisticated onboard video recording sensors. As night falls and low cloud envelopes them, they have the capability, unmatched by any other recce aircraft in the world, to fly their mission in darkness, at very low level, and still locate and record their target.During the Gulf War recce Tornados were tasked to fly deep-penetration low-level missions at night into Iraq and the Kuwait Theatre of Operations, searching out troop concentrations, armour, and mobile SCUD missile launchers. Their missions were dangerous and lonely work, flying alone and without fighter escort, often into the most heavily defended areas of Iraq and Kuwait. None were lost on these missions, but the dangers they faced, and the professionalism displayed by the aircrews from No.II (AC) Sqn, and No.13 Sqn, were recognised in the Gulf War Honours List by several awards for bravery in the air, including the DSO and DFC. Already regarded as one of the finest strike and attack aircraft in NATO, the Recce Tornado dispenses with conventional cameras altogether, and instead, features infrared linescan and side-looking thermal imagers mounted inside the forward fuselage gun bays.

Paveway Tornados by Michael Rondot Low level action at sunset by a pair of FLIR-equipped Tornado GR4s carrying a TIALD laser designator pod and GBU-24 Paveway III laser guided bombs. These weapons, used to such devastating effect during the Gulf War by USAF F-111F and F117A Black Jet aircraft, now give the RAF the same capability to attack targets with pinpoint accuracy, both day an night, in adverse weather and from all altitudes.

In the Air Tonight by Michael Rondot During the opening nights of Operation Desert Storm, hundreds of RAF, US and Coalition aircraft unleashed a tidal wave of low-level bombing attacks on airfield targets in Iraq and in occupied Kuwait. Spearheading the RAF attack were Tornado GR1 units based at Tabuk and Dhahran in Saudi Arabia and Muharraq, Bahrain. These early missions, flown at low-altitude, often under cover of darkness, were strictly for the brave.

A Tornado GR1 with JP 233 airfield denial weapons taking off at the start of a night low-level mission to attack an airfield target deep within Iraq. The bad weather and dark, overcast evening sky of the first days of the war add power and atmosphere to the dramatic scene as the Tornado accelerates along the runway with afterburners blazing. As a Jaguar pilot working alongside Tornado crews at Bahrain, Michael Rondot witnessed many scenes like this, and his painting pays tribute to those who flew the Tornado, some of whom, tragically, did not survive the war. Prints are signed by 19 RAF Tornado aircrew form Operation Desert Storm, including holders of the Distinguished Service Order and Distinguished Flying Cross awards for gallantry.

Atlantic Trail by Michael Rondot Ever wondered what it is like learning to tank? Imagine a fragile basket flailing six feet up and down at the end of a 50 foot hose as the tanker flexes its wings in turbulence. In your cockpit it feels like the throttles are connected to the engines with knicker elastic. To keep straight in the tanker's wingtip vortices you have applied right spoiler and a bootfull of rudder, whilst your death grip on the stick is inducing a violent porpoising motion. Over the radio a calm voice from the tanker clears you in, so with one engine in afterburner and with eyes like saucers you move forward to attempt a controlled mid-air collision. Welcome to the air-to-air refuelling club. In Michael Rondot's remarkably accurate portrayal of refuelling operations high over an Atlantic panorama, a Tornado moving forward to refuel makes contact with the basket trailed by a VC10 tanker. In these last critical moments the Tornado's probe can either move snugly into the centre of the basket and plug in, or rip through the spokes, sending a shower of debris into the engine intake. It is all a matter of skill, judgement, age and luck.

Second to None by Michael Rondot "Second to None" is the unofficial motto of No II (AC) Squadron Royal Air Force, whose Tornado GR1A aircraft are portrayed by Michael Rondot in this painting of a pair of aircraft landing on a typically filthy and rainswept summer afternoon. Signatories: Wg Cdr. R F Garwood DFC, Air Vice-Marshal G E Stirrup AFC, Air Commodore T G Thorn AFC, Gp Capt.. R Fowler AFC, Wg Cdr. D C Ferguson AFC, Gp Capt.. N J R Walpole OBE, Air Commodore R H G Weighill CBE DFC, Sqn Ldr. RM Pugh AFC.