Keith Ferris, a world famous aviation artist (and Associate Member of the Super Sabre Society) begins each of his works with a small “OIL STUDY.” The picture you see here is the 8.5″H x 11″W oil study for 440. When completed, the finished, original oil painting will be accurately detailed. The Super Sabre Society is pleased to offer lithographs of this beautiful painting. Pre-orders submitted now should be filled in the fall, in time for Christmas, about a month before the 50th anniversary of the Tet Offensive. Each lithograph will be 18”H x 30”W and is priced at $250 plus $15 S&H. The artist will hand number and autograph each print and provide documentation for future provenance. The proceeds from the sales will be going to an SSS designated fund for the cost of the original Keith Ferris painting. Prints are to be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. If we are unable to pre-sell the required 300 prints, all sales will be refunded.
The painting depicts an F-100D on 31 Jan 1968, the first day of the ’68 Tet Offensive. The time of day is evening twilight. The Super Sabre Society is hopeful the original oil painting can be on display next to the actual F-100 aircraft at the Smithsonian’s Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum. The painting will bring that aircraft to life and depict the raw power, energy, motion and speed of an F-100 on its way to neutralize the attack. It is dedicated to all the F-100s that flew combat missions in Vietnam.
Keith Ferris is a renowned military aircraft artist and we are fortunate to have him as the person creating our legacy artwork. He flew in an F-100F in the slot position with the Thunderbirds and loves the F-100 as much as we do. Keith is now 88, and this will most likely be his last painting. If it is, the fact that it is of our beloved Super Sabre is especially meaningful.
The lithograph will be an heirloom for future generations, a view of what it was like when you were at the controls during the thrilling moments of takeoff on a flight with danger ahead.