New here - looking for help!

[greenlee33]

Hi! I'm new here...I hesitate to say it, but I am a flight attendant with a big love for aviation! My first job was on an F-27, tons of fun! Now I work on Boeings. I am an Air Force brat (Dad was EOD) and grew up "on base". Favorite aircraft: XB-70

I recently found a great little painting at a second hand store and have scoured the internet...to no avail. Does anyone know anything about this?

The fuselage has "MACH 7" on the side. The truck says "Michelin Transervice".

I googled the only info on the piece, a sticker on back that read "House of 10,000 Frames, Greenville, SC 4/89". As it turns out the owner of the frame shop, Earl Russell Jr., passed away this week. His obituary states:

"Earl was a U.S. Navy veteran, Aviation Electronics Technician, and later earned a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration- Accounting from Georgia State University. On June 14, 1958, he married Mary Barnwell Aiken.

While in Atlanta, GA, Earl worked as a Budget Analyst for Lockheed Aircraft. He then moved his family to Greenville, SC, where he opened and ran The House of 10,000 Picture Frames for nearly 30 years."​

I also found that a Michelin plant opened in Greenville, SC in 1975. I am thinking perhaps this was commisioned for that plant's executive offices...

Any insight is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Matt308]

Probably an artist conception of the late 1960's competition for the worlds first supersonic transport airplane. Lockheed proposed the L-2000, but it was just an engineering mock-up with lots of conceptual iterations that were never realized. Lots of gov't money was behind these Boeing, Lockheed, Tupolev and Concorde efforts. Eventually, all but the Concorde effort dropped out based upon a poor business case for return on investment.

Mach 7 ? Absolutely not for that era. That's dreaming.

Your painting looks really nice and obviously has been "framed" since I interpret your post as the information is of the framer and not the artist. Not having your painting in front of me, I would suspect that you have a VERY nice momento, but likely not an original. But again without actually seeing it, I could be absolutely wrong.

Irrespective, judging by the quality of your post I would enjoy the heck out of it!!!

 

[Njaco]

I agree with Matt. Early 60s rendition of the Concorde type aircraft.

or also an ad for Michelin serving the new supersonic transports.

 

[vikingBerserker]

I think both are spot on. That's a pretty cool print.

 

[greenlee33]

Thank you so much for all the input! It is an original drawing with watercolor.

 

[A4K]

Welcome to the forum, and great score mate!

Agree completely with Matt and Chris (Njaco). Aircraft certainly meant to be the proposed Boeing SST (Supersonic transport), which never eventuated as Matt said.
If the 'Supersonic' name is meant to be taken literally, then an airspeed of between Mach 1.2 and 5.0 would be the intention (according to Wiki).

IMO, Chris has hit the nail on the head - this could well be the initial sketch for a proposed Michelin advertisement, had the SST been developed. Note the disproportionate size of the nose wheels for example, as if to emphasize. This could be worth some money if original!

 

[Wayne Little]

Welcome aboard....intersting info guys!

 

[ccheese]

Welcome to the forum. Nice looking watercolor, appears to be something to treasure. I also think Matt and Chris have a handle on it.

Charles

 

[Matt308]

Thank you so much for all the input! It is an original drawing with watercolor.

If it's signed and original, it could be worth some bucks to the right person.

 

[greenlee33]

Unfortunately, it is not signed. But at $4.99 at the second-hand store I am still super excited about it! Thank you everyone for the nice welcome! I am working on getting in touch with someone at Michelin who may have some knowledge about it. I found the history of the owner of the frame shop quite interesting in regards to the print...

 

[Gnomey]

Welcome.

Cool print!

 

[gumbyk]

With all here - cool print, and at $4.99, a real bargain.

No need to hesitate about being a flight attendant - its one of those jobs that I'd never be able to do!