The Tony Archer Gallery (updated 1st Oct 2020)
I am pleased to be able to record some memories of Tony and also to show some of his work below.
I am pleased to be able to record some memories of Tony and also to show some of his work below.
If you have some of Tony's work, please drop me a line, it would be great to show it here, thank you
Tony was an Engine Inspector with Air Couriers, and spent many a lunch time sketching the inside and outside of many aircraft using a pen or pencil. At that time we worked on mostly prop powered aircraft and his drawings were so full of detail.
Tony was one of the most nicest and knowledgeable men I have had the pleasure to work with.
Eventually Air Couriers were taken over by Trans Globe and they went out of business, and we all looked for jobs elsewhere, and I believe Tony went to work for Caledonian Airways, and myself for BUIA. In 1971 I went to work at BCAL where I met with Tony and many others I had been trained by at Air Couriers recalls Richard Chamberlain.
Tony gave some of those hand drawings to Bob Cooper in 1963 when they both worked at Air Couriers. Bob remembers him saying that he sketched it whilst sitting in the cockpit of the Caledonian DC-7C when it was at Air Couriers while he was having his lunch!!
He was a great Engineer and Artist and a bit if a whizz kid on the old piston engined airliners, L749, L1049, DC-4, DC-6 and DC-7
On the back he did the main leg and some other images of the fuselage. The sketch of the Main Leg is below.
Tony was one of the most nicest and knowledgeable men I have had the pleasure to work with.
Eventually Air Couriers were taken over by Trans Globe and they went out of business, and we all looked for jobs elsewhere, and I believe Tony went to work for Caledonian Airways, and myself for BUIA. In 1971 I went to work at BCAL where I met with Tony and many others I had been trained by at Air Couriers recalls Richard Chamberlain.
Tony gave some of those hand drawings to Bob Cooper in 1963 when they both worked at Air Couriers. Bob remembers him saying that he sketched it whilst sitting in the cockpit of the Caledonian DC-7C when it was at Air Couriers while he was having his lunch!!
He was a great Engineer and Artist and a bit if a whizz kid on the old piston engined airliners, L749, L1049, DC-4, DC-6 and DC-7
On the back he did the main leg and some other images of the fuselage. The sketch of the Main Leg is below.
Tony mainly worked line maintenance on Line 3 at LGW during the 70s & 80s. Owing to his initials A, C, E he was known to all as Ace. He was a brilliant engineer and superb artist and kindly painted all sorts of pictures, mainly aircraft, for many of his freinds and colleagues recalls Peter Buckland. Tony also painted a BCal 707 for Peter, "Climbing Away".
Tony also painted a concept AWD, all terrain RV vehicle based from Peter's pencil outline. Although not aircraft related, it is a good example of Tony's talent
I had the pleasure of working with Tony Archer on Line 3 as an Avionic Supervisor. In 1986 my wife asked him to paint my Golden Retriever “Ben” in front of the Jack and Jill windmills at Clayton and gave it to me as a 40th Birthday Present recalls Mick Morgan
Mick also asked Tony to paint the Plough Inn at Plumpton with the Landlords Spaniel, and Old English Sheep dog sitting out the front, to give to the Landlord, on his 60th Birthday. This being a gift from his regulars.
Tony’s main interest was painting sailing ships and maritime scenes and produced some excellent work.
Mick also asked Tony to paint the Plough Inn at Plumpton with the Landlords Spaniel, and Old English Sheep dog sitting out the front, to give to the Landlord, on his 60th Birthday. This being a gift from his regulars.
Tony’s main interest was painting sailing ships and maritime scenes and produced some excellent work.
Here is the BCal 707 at Kai Tak painting that Tony did for the late Bill Hall
Tony was one of the nicest and most talented guy’s that it has ever been my pleasure to meet recalls Ian Barber.
I first met ACE as he was known to his friends back in the early sixties at Air Couriers Gatwick, whilst there I took many photos which included one of Tony and another of Cally DC-7C (G-AOIE) on engine ground runs with Tony at the controls.
Im pleased to say we have Ian's photos here, and one of Tony Archer too.
I first met ACE as he was known to his friends back in the early sixties at Air Couriers Gatwick, whilst there I took many photos which included one of Tony and another of Cally DC-7C (G-AOIE) on engine ground runs with Tony at the controls.
Im pleased to say we have Ian's photos here, and one of Tony Archer too.
Anthony Charles Edward "ACE" Archer
BAC 1-11 G-ASJI in flight, painted by Tony in 1978 and owned by Ken Honey.
This BAC 1-11 Series 500 painting belonged to the late John Grant (remembered here) and is with John's wife Di and the family.
My thanks to Ed Baker, John's grandson, for sending in the photos of the painting, very much appreciated indeed.
My thanks to Ed Baker, John's grandson, for sending in the photos of the painting, very much appreciated indeed.
Royal Naval Auxiliary Service (RNXS) vessel
A3 Sky Warrior and F7 Crusaders
A Blackburn Beverley
From Jayne Pritchard - Tony's neice
I was so pleased to see your site and the pictures you have. Tony was my Uncle and Godfather and the photo of him brought back many happy memories of the times spent with him and Auntie Gladys.
Jayne says "I have 3 of his paintings. The first is of the RNXS boat my Mum (his sister) and Dad used to go to sea in, painted for them by him. I have a painting of an A3 Sky Warrior and F7 Crusaders that he painted for my husband Doug. The third picture is of a Blackburn Beverley that we bought for my father in law who used to work on them in the RAF."
"My Mum has a lovely painting of a Thames Barge that was also painted for her."
I was so pleased to see your site and the pictures you have. Tony was my Uncle and Godfather and the photo of him brought back many happy memories of the times spent with him and Auntie Gladys.
Jayne says "I have 3 of his paintings. The first is of the RNXS boat my Mum (his sister) and Dad used to go to sea in, painted for them by him. I have a painting of an A3 Sky Warrior and F7 Crusaders that he painted for my husband Doug. The third picture is of a Blackburn Beverley that we bought for my father in law who used to work on them in the RAF."
"My Mum has a lovely painting of a Thames Barge that was also painted for her."
Added 1st October 2020
Ocean Liner & two Royal Navy Vickers Supermarine Scimitars
Here we have another of Tony's paintings. I was contacted by a chap from Coulsdon who was trying to trace the artist. The painting has been in his wife's family for many years now. They have no collection they know to the airlines or aviation, but think either her Uncle or Father acquired it, again neither have an airline connection.
I sent a close up of the signature to Jayne, Tony's niece, and she was kindly able to compare it to the painting's she has and has happily identified it as an Archer!
So I am pleased to include it on Tony's page, another of his work added to his portfolio.
Here we have another of Tony's paintings. I was contacted by a chap from Coulsdon who was trying to trace the artist. The painting has been in his wife's family for many years now. They have no collection they know to the airlines or aviation, but think either her Uncle or Father acquired it, again neither have an airline connection.
I sent a close up of the signature to Jayne, Tony's niece, and she was kindly able to compare it to the painting's she has and has happily identified it as an Archer!
So I am pleased to include it on Tony's page, another of his work added to his portfolio.
