Aces and Art

American Aces in Art by Roy Grinnell
As the Official Artist and Honoree of the American Fighter Aces Association (AFAA), Roy Grinnell completed 51 original paintings for the AFAA, accurately portraying the aerial combat of aces from World War I, World War II, Vietnam and the Korean War. These paintings are based on the oral history of the aces involved, and are as close as they can be to what really occurred. See artwork portraying the actions of ten American aces spanning multiple conflicts, from World War II, Korea, the Arab-Israeli War, and Vietnam.

In addition to the published paintings, the gallery includes small concept paintings that Roy used in designing the final painting. Many of these concept pieces have never been publicly displayed prior to this exhibition.

Special thanks to Irene Grinnell and the American Fighter Ace Association for their support in creating this exhibit.

Roy and Irene Grinnell
Roy Grinnell
About Roy Grinnell
Roy Grinnell (1933-2019) loved to draw airplanes. When he was not drawing them, he was building plastic models, a hobby he passionately enjoyed. After serving in the U.S. Navy, he attended the Art Center School of Design in Los Angeles where he graduated with honors. He moved to New York City where he was an illustrator for several years, but eventually, he became a freelance artist.

Roy enjoyed a diverse and varied background in the arts, and his unique talent gave him an incredible opportunity to express himself in his paintings whether the subject was aviation, western and Native American art, wildlife, illustration, impressionism or realism. Roy won numerous art awards in both aviation art and western/Native American art.
About the American Fighter Aces Association
The American Fighter Aces Association is a non-profit 501(c)(3), non-military and non-political organization committed to preserving the distinguished heritage of the American combat fighter Ace and to impacting future generations through education and scholarship. The American Fighter Aces Association was founded in 1960 to recognize the over 1,450 combat pilots from World War I to the present that achieved the status of American Fighter Ace by destroying five or more hostile aircraft in air-to-air combat. The group’s work has expanded to include educational outreach programs that include an annual scholarship for undergraduate college students, award programs for members of the military, in-depth online historical resources and other programs that encourage patriotism and help fulfill the Association’s mission.
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