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Somerset aircraft draw the Queen using GPS illustration

SkyDemon John and Mervyn / map of Queen's faceSkyDemon
Followers of flight trackers may have spotted unusual shapes over the course of several months

A unique portrait of the Queen has been created by six light aircraft.

The multiple-aircraft GPS illustration was drawn by pilots from Henstridge, Somerset, whose flight paths formed the image on a map.

Code-named Art Force 1, 12 crew members were handed a secret GPS plotted path by team leader, Amy Whitewick.

"I must thank the team members for their extraordinary courage to push the boundaries of aviation forward," she said.

The aircraft, belonging to the Light Aircraft Association's Wessex Strut, completed more than 365 unique headings (directions the aircraft are pointing) and six sections, spanning the South West of England.

Their journeys resulted in an illustration of the Queen, in celebration of her Platinum Jubilee.

Wessex Strut Ken and CarolineWessex Strut
Ken and Caroline are two of 12 crew members of Art Force 1

"None of them had any idea what the final image would look like," said Ms Whitewick.

"Each team was given a small, unrecognisable chunk which, when flown, recorded on SkyDemon (aircraft GPS software) and sent back, would be stitched together digitally to form the final image."

Ms Whitewick began illustrating images by air in 2020 between lockdowns.

She has since drawn several images in her 1972 Cessna 150 Aerobat, including an award-winning and world-first GPS portrait of early aviator, John Stringfellow with her co-pilot, Mervyn White.

Wessex Strut Patrick and AmyWessex Strut
Ms Whitewick (right) said GPS illustrations were a "fun skill to try out when flying the local area"

"I was bored of bimbling and wanted to start something exciting and new," she said.

"My fellow pilot friends at Henstridge showed a great and kind interest in my GPS scribbles, and then it clicked; it would be so much more fun to try one together as a united team with as many aircraft as possible."

It took her more than 10 hours to plot out the image of the Queen around surrounding airspace.

Wessex Strut The six aircraft that took partWessex Strut
The aircraft that took on the challenge were a Zenair Zodiac, Just AirCraft SuperSTOL, Cessna 150 & 150 Aerobat, Vans RV6 and Beagle Pup

Each flight took a passenger as lookout due to the intense workload involved, completing the task at the pilot's pace.

"I completely underestimated what an incredible learning experience this would become for all of us," said Ms Whitewick.

She said one team member had only completed his aircraft license weeks prior to the event, whereas others had flown military jets and commercial aircraft.

"I'm so immensely proud of our whole team." she added.

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