Above & Beyond | 24" x 30" Print
The B-1 Lancer
The B-1 Lancer, often called “The Bone,” is a sleek, long-range bomber that stands out for its versatility and impressive payload. Driven by four powerful turbofan engines, the B-1 can break the sound barrier and carry up to 75,000 pounds of bombs—more than any other U.S. bomber. Its crew of four rides in a spacious cockpit built for extended, high-speed missions around the globe, and advanced systems let it deliver both massive conventional and precision weapons.
What really sets the B-1 apart are its variable-geometry, or “swing,” wings, which can sweep back for high-speed flight or extend forward for better lift at slower speeds and takeoff. Fully extended, the wings reach 137 feet, but swept back they tuck to a compact 79 feet—letting the bomber adapt its shape for speed, efficiency, or heavy loads. This retractable wing design, combined with a blended wing-body frame, gives the B-1 remarkable maneuverability and allows it to fly faster and lower than older bombers while remaining agile on even the most demanding missions.
Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs
The United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs is a premier military institution where future Air Force and Space Force officers are molded through a rigorous mix of academics, military training, and athletics. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, the Academy’s sprawling 18,455-acre campus features iconic modernist architecture—most famously the soaring Cadet Chapel—and houses more than 4,000 cadets pursuing thirty-one fields of study.
The Academy’s location was selected for its flight training potential and scenic beauty, and since its 1959 founding, it’s grown into one of Colorado’s top tourist destinations while producing over 50,000 military leaders for the Air Force and Space Force.
Richard Broome
Aviation Artist, Colorado Springs
Richard R. Broome is an American artist celebrated for his masterfully detailed paintings of aviation and celestial subjects. His work is distinguished by a meticulous, classical technique reminiscent of the Old World masters, which he applies to the modern technological marvels of flight.
Broome’s artistic perspective is founded on a lifetime of aeronautical expertise. A licensed pilot by age 16, he earned professional FAA Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) ratings and studied aircraft maintenance engineering. This deep technical understanding informs every composition, lending his work an authenticity that has long been recognized by the aviation community.
His professional career began in the late 1960s, with his paintings quickly finding an audience among pilots and crews at major American airports. Over a career spanning more than five decades, he has created an extensive oeuvre of over 3,000 original works.
A cornerstone of Broome's legacy is his relationship with the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA). In 1974, he originated the tradition of the "Class Painting," creating a unique work to commemorate each graduating class. His studio now holds the definitive archive of this institutional artwork, a multi-decade chronicle of the Academy's heritage. Beyond his acclaimed aviation pieces, his work is held in collections internationally.
Original paintings by Richard Broome command significant value and are sought after by serious collectors. In a special partnership with the artist, Swiss Link is proud to present an exclusive collection of limited-edition prints, making some of his most iconic works accessible to a new generation of admirers.