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Keith ferris dreams of flight come true on canvas
Keith Ferris (born 14 May 1929, Honolulu, Hawaii) is an aviation artist whose work is displayed at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and the National Museum of the US Air Force.
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Biography
Ferris grew up at Kelly Field, Texas, where his father was a flight instructor for the United States Army Air Corps. After studying aeronautical engineering at Texas A&M University he studied at George Washington University and the Corcoran College of Art. Ferris is a member of The Society of Illustrators in New York City. He was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2012.
Work
His best-known work is the enormous mural he created for the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. Measuring 75 feet wide by 25 feet in height and titled "Fortress Under Fire" it depicts a World War Two era Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" bomber under attack. The mural is also known as "Thunder Bird", the name of the B-17 it depicts.
Ferris' extensive knowledge of aircraft, combined with his artistic talent, led him to develop several innovative camouflage patterns for military aircraft. Five of these camouflage patterns have been patented.