TPS painting restored by renowned aviation artist Mike Machat

  • Published
  • By Laura Mowry
  • Staff Writer
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  In 1982, renowned aviation artist Mike Machat stepped foot in the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School for the very first time where he was greeted by a NF-104 painting by British aviation artist, Douglas Ettridge. It was the first piece of artwork he had seen at Edwards. Captivated by the painting, Machat wished one day he would have the opportunity to work on a piece of art like the early 1960's painting.

Fast forward to 2012 and Machat would have the opportunity to make his dream come true. In early February, the USAF TPS contacted the artist hoping he could help restore the NF-104 painting that piqued his interest 30 years ago.

"I was so excited when the Test Pilot School contacted me. I have always enjoyed the NF-104 painting and appreciated the technique Ettridge used," said Machat. "Being able to restore the painting is nothing short of an honor."

While renovating the entrance to the USAF TPS, extensive damage to the painting was discovered by TPS members who were part of the renovation effort.

"The painting suffered soap and water damage, there was a significant scrape and the colors looked dull," said Senior Master Sgt. Daniel Halverstadt, USAF TPS superintendent. "We contacted Frieda Johnson in the history department looking for help to restore the painting. We were absolutely thrilled when she put us in touch with Mike Machat."

Volunteering his time, Machat spent nearly four hours cleaning and repairing the acrylic painting at his studio located in Woodland Hills, Calif.

To clean it, he gently applied a cotton rag with lukewarm water. Applying what he calls "eggshell" pressure, the piece of art was cleaned approximately four square inches at a time.

"It is an extremely delicate process," said Machat. "It requires a fair amount of care to make sure you don't damage the painting."

To repair the scratch, Machat selected museum quality, high-grade Winsor and Newton oil paint. Perfectly blending the colors indigo blue, cadmium orange, and titanium white; he then repainted the distressed area.

While repairing the scratch, Machat faced a unique challenge matching the paint colors.

"When you look at the painting you'll notice that the sky lightens towards the horizon. That made matching the paint more challenging than usual. I just kept mixing and blending the paint until it was a precise match," said Machat. "Now, when you look at it, the scratch can no longer be seen. In fact, when you look at the end result, the colors are much brighter and the soap and water damage is also gone."

The newly restored painting will be displayed in the entrance of the USAF TPS above the NF-104 model on display. According to the USAF TPS commandant, Col. Noel Zamot, the NF-104 plays an important role in the Test Pilot School's history.

"The NF-104 symbolizes our past as well as our future. In the 1960's, this aircraft pushed the limits taking our students to the edge of space at speeds exceeding Mach 2. Since then, numerous Test Pilot School graduates have gone into space and earned their astronaut wings," said Zamot. "As we look to the future, we hope to further our collaborative partnership with NASA by providing top notch training and education for future astronauts."

Zamot hopes that students are reminded of the school's rich history whenever they look at the NF-104 painting and model on display.

"The history of the United States Air Force Test Pilot School dates back to 1944. To this day, we still have yet to graduate 3,000 students. Our history and heritage is extremely important to us," said Zamot. "We are so grateful that Mike Machat volunteered his time to restore the NF-104 painting and preserve that piece of our history. He is a tremendous artist and we are privileged to consider him part of our family."

Machat's artwork can be seen throughout the Edwards community, including at the Air Force Flight Test Center Museum and the walls throughout the USAF TPS. He also has permanent collections at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum located in the District of Columbia; National Soaring Museum, in Elmira, N.Y. and the National Museum of Naval Aviation, in Pensacola, Fla.

Machat began flying at the age of 16 and has since gone on to fly in more than 200 aircraft. In addition to flying with the USAF TPS, he has flown with NASA and the Blue Angels. He is also a highly respected author and aviation historian.