End of the Show- Tornado

This painting carries a backstory of strange coincidences and profound personal relevance for me.

Earlier in my life I had ambitions to become a Pilot in the RAF, and was proud to belong to 56 Squadron Air Training Corps (who followed the RAF 56 Squadron keenly by association). Their motto was "If Heaven Should Fall" - which felt ironic when I failed to be selected for Aircrew. I served in the RAF for 8 years before leaving - having struggled to come to terms with not flying. In the years following I kept my distance from anything that reminded me of that failure, namely aircraft.

Eventually I confronted my past and regained my passion for aircraft. I found myself back at Duxford - my first airshow since leaving the RAF. The show began with a 2-minute silence, which was quite literally shattered by the arrival of a Tornado. Of course, it belonged to 56 Squadron. The display ended when it suddenly pulled up and vanished into the clouds at the end of its show, a scene which is captured in this painting.

This painting is made even more significant by the fact that my father had recently passed away at the time of the airshow. Strangely enough he didn't want me to be a Pilot, and told me to "get that bee out of your bonnet" when I failed to make Aircrew. He had made his living as a Magician, and was an exceptional showman with great talent. Hence, I named the painting "End of the Show" for him - it was time to move on.