Trim, we tend to do one or the other these days (aerobrake or pull the chute) and there's not been the teaching to have the airbrake out on landing in my time. (Only time it gets popped on the ground is a bit of a wave...)
He does look fairly heavyweight though and as he's from TES, I suggest that he'd be using all available means of not cooking the brakes. I guess that shot would have been from a while ago.
But it is a bloody brilliant painting. Good show Cue.! Have you got it in print yet? I'd be interested in lining you pockets for one.