During WWII, artist Frank Wootton painted from front line locations around Europe and Burma employed as a war artist by the RAF.
In the 1950`s, artist David Shepherd 'thumbed lifts' around africa on Transport Command aeroplanes in exchange for original aviation art. We got aircraft paintings and he got to paint elephants, and as it happens his donated work is now priceless*.
Since the sixties, art has taken second place to photography within the armed forces. However if you visit the Officers Mess at Bentley Priory, you can see the immense 'atmosphere' that can be achieved with a Mess that oozes heritage. Original art does not come cheap, but there is a mountain of good work in storage by the RAF Museum and one cannot help but think that this work would be better placed adorning the halls of all Mess` around the country.
*Priceless and on public display without safety and security guaranteed versus leave it safely in storage under lock and key. Is a sign of the world in which we live. However, the home regiments in NI leave their priceless silver on permanent display and visitors have not been tempted.