Light Painting a WWII Piper L-4 N33579 and a WWII Willys “MB” Jeep
For the second year in a row, Joannie and I left the cold Minnesota winter weather and set off for Florida. Unknown to us at the time was that it would be freezing in Florida too! Record cold weather greeted us with wind chills in the teens while we were at Walt Disney World!
Before arriving in Florida, we made a stop to light paint these two wonderful World War II era vehicles in Carrollton, Georgia.
Joannie was a bit under the weather that night, so our friend Ray and I did the light painting for this project. I met Ray and his wife, Melisa, at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh back in July. It was there that I created three unique projects for them while at EAA.
Project #1 was of the amazing P-51D Mustang "Old Crow". I light-painted Old Crow during the Wednesday night fireworks show. Our long-time friend Wayne Nolden assisted me that evening. And yes, there are actual show fireworks in the final artwork!
Project #2 was the light painting of CubCrafters XCub N920RS. I light-painted that one with the help of Mike Port at Hickory Oaks Campground near Oshkosh.
Project #3 was of Douglas DC-3 N728G. This warbird was light-painted (under rather heavy security) during the Saturday evening fireworks show. And yes, it also has show fireworks in its final artwork as well.
All three of those projects can be found on the "Light Painting Stories - 2025" page on this website as well as in our "Light Painted Aircraft and More" gallery. Please go check them out - you won't be disappointed!
We headed off to Florida early the morning after this project, as a nasty winter ice storm was only a few hours from hitting the area - and we want no part of it!
It turns out that we will be back here in just a few weeks to light paint another unique aircraft. More on that in a bit.
This cool light painted photograph of Piper L-4 N33579 and a Willys “MB” Jeep. The conditions outside weren't too great, so we went with the indoor approach which turned out pretty cool!
Light Painting a 1958 Porsche 356A 1600 Speedster
After freezing at Walt Disney World (we still had a lot of fun, but it could have been much warmer), we headed to Fort Myers, where the weather (eventually) did get warmer.
We hit the golf ball a little, relaxed with great friends, and then headed to Naples for the amazing Cars on 5th Concourse, and its spectacular Friday evening Jetport Reception charity event for Habitat for Humanity. It was there that we were commissioned to light paint this mint-condition black '58 Porsche Speedster.
Mother Nature attempted to ruin this one with a dew point that kicked in before it was even dark out, but we managed to pull it off!
This amazing automobile is spotless! Not to sound like bragging, but we think the final artwork is right up there with the Porsche, too!
This black 1958 Porsche 356A 1600 Speedster looks even better than the day it left the factory nearly 70 years ago! It was truly an honor that we had the opportunity to light paint it!
Light Painting AirCam N74TV
We ended up with four additional light painting projects on our return trip back home to Minnesota. All four of them came about due to our friends Ray and Melissa (Ray apparently knows everyone in aviation on the East Coast and beyond!)
The first two were created on the same evening near Carrollton, Georgia. Besides the AirCam itself being rather unusual, the hangar where we created it was pretty unique, too. It has many large remote-controlled aircraft suspended from the ceiling!
The AirCam N74TV is certainly unique in its own right. It's powered by Twin Rotax 912S engines that are mounted on the wings. You can't see these beauties from the front of the aircraft (just the tips of the propellers). The engines are so cool looking that we decided to light paint them too!
We wrote a separate blog post about each project. The links to both stories are below each finished artwork.
Light painting AirCam N74TV in this unique hangar was both challenging and rewarding too! The remote-controlled aircraft on the ceiling make for a really cool setting!
Since you couldn't see these Twin Rotax 912S engines from the front of the AirCam, I just had to make a second light painting that featured them!
Light Painting AH-1F “Cobra” N826HF
The night after light-painting the AirCam, Joannie and I headed to Hampton, Georgia, where we had an amazing project lined up to light-paint a pair of helicopters! This one, of AH-1F “Cobra” N826HF, and a UH-1H "Huey" N426HF.
Both helicopter light painting projects were created in the hangar at the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation & Flying Museum in Hampton, Georgia.
However, after assessing the size of these helicopters (they are really big), we chose to light-paint each one separately. By doing so, it makes each one the star of the show and, of course, much larger in the imagery.
The history of each of these helicopters is amazing! The Cobra was shot down twice in Vietnam (the pilot died in the first one). Please click on the button below to read more about Cobra N826HF light painting and its storied history, too.
As a side note, you can take a ride on both of these helicopters! The Army Aviation Heritage Foundation takes both of them to airshows throughout the country where they're both on display, and you can take a ride on them, too!
Upon seeing the large American Flag in the hangar at the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation & Flying Museum, I knew that it would make for a very fitting backdrop for the AH-1F Cobra N826HF's light painting.
Light Painting UH-1H "Huey" N426HF
While the Cobra is a large helicopter, the Huey is even bigger! It has a total length of approximately 44 feet from rotor to tail! It’s about 14 feet tall, with a 48-foot main rotor diameter, and it weighs in at about 9,500 pounds! Yep, it's a big one!
Like the Cobra, this Huey is also a Vietnam-era helicopter. While it didn't actually serve in combat, it did its service behind the scenes in several parts of the world.
And, as mentioned above, you can ride this wonderful aircraft at airshows too!
A stunning light painted photograph of UH-1H "Huey" N426HF. Joannie and I created this one in the hangar at the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation & Flying Museum in Hampton, Georgia.
Light Painting a 2014 “Bumble Bee” Yellow Stingray Convertible
Once again, I was headed to Missouri for “Corvettes in Paradise”, which is put on by the Lake of the Ozarks Corvette Club at the Margaritaville Lake Resort. This was my 4th year at this great show, and the first time that Joannie was able to go with me. We had a great time at the show and also seeing the sights in this beautiful part of the country.
The night before we set up for the show, we light-painted this stunning Stingray. The pretty backdrop for this light painting was none other than the Lake of the Ozarks!
We actually created two light-painted versions of this beautiful Corvette, one with the top up (we have that version in our "Corvette Gallery" on the Home Page), and the one you see below with the top down.
A beautiful light painted photo of a 2014 “Bumble Bee” Yellow Stingray Convertible with the top down. This pretty image was created on the shores of the Lake of the Ozarks, in Osage Beach, Missouri.
Light Painting a Stunning 1967 C2 Corvette Resto-Mod Coupe
We headed from Lake of the Ozarks to Arkansas for this pretty Corvette light painting project. Larry and Bev's “Hot” Razzleberry Corvette was a true "Show Stopper" at "Corvettes in Paradise"! The restoration and the paint color are just amazing!
Their Corvette Resto-Mod Coupe is perfect - both inside and out! Having their pretty home in the background was the icing on the cake!
Larry and Bev's amazing1967 C2 Corvette Resto-Mod Coupe, along with their beautiful home.
Light Painting a pair of Red, White, and Admiral Blue Corvette Grand Sports
The morning after Larry and Bev's amazing Corvette light painting, we were back on the road once again. This time, we were headed to Austin, Arkansas, to light paint a cool red, white, and Admiral Blue 2019 Corvette Grand Sport. We selected this sweet Corvette as our "Photographer's Choice Award" winner at "Corvettes in Paradise" just a few days earlier.
We chose their car in honor of America's 250th Birthday. Being red, white, and Admiral Blue, it just says USA!
After winning the award, Rick & Lois asked us if they could have a second Corvette in the image. This one, also red, white, and Admiral Blue, was a beautiful 1996 Grand Sport. Of course, we said, "Yes"!
We set up the entire light painting with their pretty Memorial Garden serving as the backdrop for their wonderful image.
A beautiful light painting of a pair of red, white, and Admiral Blue Corvettes. A 2019 Corvette Grand Sport is on the left, and a 1996 Corvette Grand Sport is on the right. A Memorial Garden served as the backdrop for this cool image.
Light Painting a 1943 P-40 N-1 Kittyhawk with a WWII Willys Jeep
Just a short time after arriving back home from our light painting trip to Missouri and Arkansas, I received a text from our friend Ray Fowler. Ray was heading to Eugene, Oregon, and wondered if we could meet him there that week to light paint a WWII Warbird that he had been piloting for a documentary.
Joannie was unavailable on such short notice, but I managed to make it work on my schedule! And, boy, am I glad I could go! The location for this amazing project was at Soaring By The Sea Foundation, right there at Mahlon Sweet Field in Eugene. The subject: a P-40 N-1 Kittyhawk! This cool Warbird has a very storied history.
Since Joannie wasn't there, I ended up recruiting Coy Pfaff, the foundation's Executive Director, as my trusty assistant. Coy came through with flying colors (pun intended)!
Coy and I light-painted these two WWII vehicles right out in front of the foundation's hangar. While we were at it, we also created two unique versions, one up high (this one) and another, very low to the ground. A scissors lift allowed us to get the camera and tripod up high for this one.
A really cool light painted photograph of a 1943 P-40 N-1 Kittyhawk along with a WWII Willys Jeep. This was the first of 2 light paintings of these two vehicles, both created at Soaring By The Sea Foundation in Eugene, Oregon.
Light Painting a Restored 1943 P-40 N-1 Kittyhawk with a WWII Willys Jeep - Take 2
This second version of the fully-restored Kittyhawk, created right after the first, was taken with a second camera from a different, and much lower, angle.
After being recovered from a remote airfield in Tadji, New Guinea, in 1973, the P-40 was brought back to flying condition in the 1990's, by Pioneer Aero Restorations in Auckland, New Zealand.
In 2024, Soaring by the Sea Foundation acquired the Kittyhawk and imported it to the United States. The restored P-40 N-1 Kittyhawk was then painted in original 75 Squadron RAAF camouflage.
This remarkable Warbird has six 50-caliber M2 Browning machine guns (one of them is on the ground next to ammo boxes and the Jeep). Those six Browning machine guns are fully functional and can fire up to 3000 rounds in under a minute!
A really pretty light painting of a fully-restored 1943 P-40 N-1 Kittyhawk with a WWII Willys Jeep. This image was created at Soaring By The Sea Foundation in Eugene, Oregon.
Well, that's it for the moment. We still have 3 light paintings that are currently in post-production, and we have several more projects in the pipeline.
We also have some big shows coming up, too: "Back to the Fifties" at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, and EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh.
We'll add new light painting projects here once they're complete. Please check back often. Thank you! - M&J