Basil Smith: Supermarine Sea Eagle

Artist: Basil Smith
1925 -
Nationality: British
Artwork Year: 1986
Image Size: 7 by 6 inches
Overall Size: 10 by 9 inches
Medium: Mixed Media on Hot Press Illustration Board

After thousands of years of dreaming, and trying to fly with feathered wings like the birds, men learned the secret of powered, sustained, and controlled flight when the twentieth century was but four years old. Since then, flying has progressed from a miracle to a routine that whisks a million persons from one city to another, one country to another or one continent to another, in armchair comfort every day of the year. The first Supermarine flying-boat to enter the passenger transport service was an odd-looking craft called the Sea Eagle, which first appeared in 1923. What this marvelous little flying-boat lacked in appearance, it more than made up for in dependability. The Sea Eagle was an equal-span wood and fabric biplane which carried six passengers in the raised deck of the forward part of the hull. The pilot's open cockpit was located aft of the spacious passenger deck. The Sea Eagle operated on the Southhampton-Guernsey service which was opened by British Marine Air Navigation. These "boats" were strong and very sea-worthy ... one riding out a tremendous gale for forty-eight hours! Today, a memory is all that is left of these one-of-a-kind flying boats. For of the three Sea Eagles that were ever built, one was sunk at St. Peter Port in Guernsey when it was rammed by a boat, the fate of the second Sea Eagle is unknown, and the last Sea Eagle remained in service only unti the summer of 1928.

This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood® Trains & Boats & Planes & More Collection Description Card for the Supermarine Sea Eagle.

Artwork Copyright © 1986 Unicover Corporation. All Rights Reserved under United States and international copyright laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, transmit, or otherwise exploit the Artwork in any way. Images of the Artwork may be watermarked and/or digitally watermarked. Any sale of the physical original does not include or convey the Copyright or any right comprised in the copyright.

Our Stock Number (SKU): XB10810

US$ Price: $950.00

Easy Purchase Plan: Buy this ArtworkOriginal with 8 monthly payments. Shipping and handling will be added to the first payment. Payments will be charged automatically as due to your Credit Card.

How to buy Original Artwork:

If you would like to buy Original Artwork, there are several convenient ways:

Use The Artwork Gallery: simply click the "Hang in Gallery" for pictures of interest. This puts the picture in your Personal Artwork Gallery, where you can view or remove it. When you've finished hanging artwork in your Personal Artwork Gallery, Go to your Personal Artwork Gallery and select an option for contacting us or ordering from us from there.

To get in touch with us directly about a piece of Artwork by Phone note the SKU and dial TOLL FREE 1-800-443-4225 from throughout U.S. and Canada.