diff --git a/utils/fgqcanvas/CMakeLists.txt b/utils/fgqcanvas/CMakeLists.txt
index e2438eb3e..888da12bc 100644
--- a/utils/fgqcanvas/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/utils/fgqcanvas/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ set(SOURCES
   canvastreemodel.h
   fgqcanvasfontcache.cpp
   fgqcanvasfontcache.h
+  fgqcanvasimageloader.cpp
+  fgqcanvasimageloader.h
 )
 
 qt5_wrap_ui(uic_sources temporarywidget.ui)
diff --git a/utils/fgqcanvas/fgqcanvasfontcache.cpp b/utils/fgqcanvas/fgqcanvasfontcache.cpp
index c120ec019..53b9bcf5e 100644
--- a/utils/fgqcanvas/fgqcanvasfontcache.cpp
+++ b/utils/fgqcanvas/fgqcanvasfontcache.cpp
@@ -52,6 +52,12 @@ FGQCanvasFontCache *FGQCanvasFontCache::instance()
     return s_instance;
 }
 
+void FGQCanvasFontCache::setHost(QString hostName, int portNumber)
+{
+    m_hostName = hostName;
+    m_port = portNumber;
+}
+
 void FGQCanvasFontCache::onFontDownloadFinished()
 {
     QByteArray fontPath = sender()->property("font").toByteArray();
@@ -90,7 +96,11 @@ void FGQCanvasFontCache::lookupFile(QByteArray name)
 {
     QString path = QStandardPaths::locate(QStandardPaths::CacheLocation, name);
     if (path.isEmpty()) {
-        QUrl url = QUrl("http://localhost:8080/Fonts/" + name);
+        QUrl url;
+        url.setScheme("http");
+        url.setHost(m_hostName);
+        url.setPort(m_port);
+        url.setPath("/Fonts/" + name);
 
         Q_FOREACH (QNetworkReply* transfer, m_transfers) {
             if (transfer->url() == url) {
diff --git a/utils/fgqcanvas/fgqcanvasfontcache.h b/utils/fgqcanvas/fgqcanvasfontcache.h
index c8fd39a60..7975f7c97 100644
--- a/utils/fgqcanvas/fgqcanvasfontcache.h
+++ b/utils/fgqcanvas/fgqcanvasfontcache.h
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ public:
     static void initialise(QNetworkAccessManager* nam);
     static FGQCanvasFontCache* instance();
 
+    void setHost(QString hostName, int portNumber);
 signals:
     void fontLoaded(QByteArray name);
 
@@ -30,6 +31,8 @@ private slots:
 private:
     QNetworkAccessManager* m_downloader;
     QHash<QByteArray, QFont> m_cache;
+    QString m_hostName;
+    int m_port;
 
     void lookupFile(QByteArray name);
 
diff --git a/utils/fgqcanvas/fgqcanvasimage.cpp b/utils/fgqcanvas/fgqcanvasimage.cpp
index 6e028f5fb..b6e3daf79 100644
--- a/utils/fgqcanvas/fgqcanvasimage.cpp
+++ b/utils/fgqcanvas/fgqcanvasimage.cpp
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 #include "fgcanvaspaintcontext.h"
 #include "localprop.h"
+#include "fgqcanvasimageloader.h"
 
 FGQCanvasImage::FGQCanvasImage(FGCanvasGroup* pr, LocalProp* prop) :
     FGCanvasElement(pr, prop)
@@ -45,10 +46,31 @@ void FGQCanvasImage::markImageDirty()
 
 void FGQCanvasImage::rebuildImage() const
 {
-    qDebug() << "source" << _propertyRoot->value("source", QString());
-    qDebug() << "src" << _propertyRoot->value("src", QString());
-    qDebug() << "file" << _propertyRoot->value("file", QString());
 
+    QByteArray file = _propertyRoot->value("file", QByteArray()).toByteArray();
+    if (!file.isEmpty()) {
+         _image = FGQCanvasImageLoader::instance()->getImage(file);
+
+
+        if (_image.isNull()) {
+            // get notified when the image loads
+            FGQCanvasImageLoader::instance()->connectToImageLoaded(file,
+                                                                   const_cast<FGQCanvasImage*>(this),
+                                                                   SLOT(markImageDirty()));
+        } else {
+            qDebug() << "have image" << _image.size();
+        }
+
+     } else {
+        qDebug() << "source" << _propertyRoot->value("source", QString());
+        qDebug() << "src" << _propertyRoot->value("src", QString());
+    }
+
+    _destSize = QSizeF(_propertyRoot->value("size[0]", 0.0).toFloat(),
+                       _propertyRoot->value("size[1]", 0.0).toFloat());
+    qDebug() << "dest-size" << _destSize;
+
+    _imageDirty = false;
 }
 
 void FGQCanvasImage::markStyleDirty()
diff --git a/utils/fgqcanvas/fgqcanvasimage.h b/utils/fgqcanvas/fgqcanvasimage.h
index f52f617ef..fe3471bfe 100644
--- a/utils/fgqcanvas/fgqcanvasimage.h
+++ b/utils/fgqcanvas/fgqcanvasimage.h
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 class FGQCanvasImage : public FGCanvasElement
 {
+    Q_OBJECT
 public:
     FGQCanvasImage(FGCanvasGroup* pr, LocalProp* prop);
 
@@ -15,12 +16,15 @@ protected:
 
     virtual void markStyleDirty() override;
 
+private slots:
+    void markImageDirty();
+
 private:
     bool onChildAdded(LocalProp *prop) override;
 
     void rebuildImage() const;
 
-    void markImageDirty();
+
 private:
     mutable bool _imageDirty;
     mutable QPixmap _image;
diff --git a/utils/fgqcanvas/fgqcanvasimageloader.cpp b/utils/fgqcanvas/fgqcanvasimageloader.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0fce49b9f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils/fgqcanvas/fgqcanvasimageloader.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+#include "fgqcanvasimageloader.h"
+
+#include <QDebug>
+#include <QNetworkAccessManager>
+
+static FGQCanvasImageLoader* static_instance = nullptr;
+
+class TransferSignalHolder : public QObject
+{
+    Q_OBJECT
+public:
+    TransferSignalHolder(QObject* pr) : QObject(pr) { }
+signals:
+    void trigger();
+};
+
+FGQCanvasImageLoader::FGQCanvasImageLoader(QNetworkAccessManager* dl)
+    : m_downloader(dl)
+{
+}
+
+void FGQCanvasImageLoader::onDownloadFinished()
+{
+    QNetworkReply* reply = qobject_cast<QNetworkReply*>(sender());
+
+    QPixmap pm;
+    if (!pm.loadFromData(reply->readAll())) {
+        qWarning() << "image loading failed";
+    } else {
+        qDebug() << "did download:" << reply->property("image").toByteArray();
+        m_cache.insert(reply->property("image").toByteArray(), pm);
+
+        TransferSignalHolder* signalHolder = reply->findChild<TransferSignalHolder*>("holder");
+        if (signalHolder) {
+            qDebug() << "triggering image updates";
+            signalHolder->trigger();
+        }
+    }
+
+    m_transfers.removeOne(reply);
+    reply->deleteLater();
+}
+
+FGQCanvasImageLoader *FGQCanvasImageLoader::instance()
+{
+    return static_instance;
+}
+
+void FGQCanvasImageLoader::initialise(QNetworkAccessManager *dl)
+{
+    Q_ASSERT(static_instance == nullptr);
+    static_instance = new FGQCanvasImageLoader(dl);
+}
+
+void FGQCanvasImageLoader::setHost(QString hostName, int portNumber)
+{
+    m_hostName = hostName;
+    m_port = portNumber;
+}
+
+QPixmap FGQCanvasImageLoader::getImage(const QByteArray &imagePath)
+{
+    if (m_cache.contains(imagePath)) {
+        // cached, easy
+        return m_cache.value(imagePath);
+    }
+
+    QUrl url;
+    url.setScheme("http");
+    url.setHost(m_hostName);
+    url.setPort(m_port);
+    url.setPath("/aircraft-dir/" + imagePath);
+
+    Q_FOREACH (QNetworkReply* transfer, m_transfers) {
+        if (transfer->url() == url) {
+            return QPixmap(); // transfer already active
+        }
+    }
+
+    qDebug() << "requesting image" << url;
+    QNetworkReply* reply = m_downloader->get(QNetworkRequest(url));
+    reply->setProperty("image", imagePath);
+
+    connect(reply, &QNetworkReply::finished, this, &FGQCanvasImageLoader::onDownloadFinished);
+    m_transfers.append(reply);
+
+    return QPixmap();
+}
+
+void FGQCanvasImageLoader::connectToImageLoaded(const QByteArray &imagePath, QObject *receiver, const char *slot)
+{
+    Q_FOREACH (QNetworkReply* transfer, m_transfers) {
+        if (transfer->property("image").toByteArray() == imagePath) {
+            QObject* signalHolder = transfer->findChild<QObject*>("holder");
+            if (!signalHolder) {
+                signalHolder = new TransferSignalHolder(transfer);
+                signalHolder->setObjectName("holder");
+            }
+
+            connect(signalHolder, SIGNAL(trigger()), receiver, slot);
+            return;
+        }
+    }
+
+    qWarning() << "no transfer active for" << imagePath;
+}
+
+#include "fgqcanvasimageloader.moc"
diff --git a/utils/fgqcanvas/fgqcanvasimageloader.h b/utils/fgqcanvas/fgqcanvasimageloader.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1ffa7d5b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils/fgqcanvas/fgqcanvasimageloader.h
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+#ifndef FGQCANVASIMAGELOADER_H
+#define FGQCANVASIMAGELOADER_H
+
+#include <QObject>
+#include <QPixmap>
+#include <QMap>
+#include <QNetworkReply>
+
+class QNetworkAccessManager;
+
+class FGQCanvasImageLoader : public QObject
+{
+    Q_OBJECT
+public:
+    static FGQCanvasImageLoader* instance();
+
+    static void initialise(QNetworkAccessManager* dl);
+
+    void setHost(QString hostName, int portNumber);
+
+    QPixmap getImage(const QByteArray& imagePath);
+
+    /**
+     * @brief connectToImageLoaded - allow images to discover when they are loaded
+     * @param imagePath - FGFS host relative path as found in the canvas (will be resolved
+     * against aircraft-data, and potentially other places)
+     * @param receiver - normal connect() receiver object
+     * @param slot - slot macro
+     */
+    void connectToImageLoaded(const QByteArray& imagePath, QObject* receiver, const char* slot);
+signals:
+
+
+private:
+    explicit FGQCanvasImageLoader(QNetworkAccessManager* dl);
+
+    void onDownloadFinished();
+
+private:
+    QNetworkAccessManager* m_downloader;
+    QString m_hostName;
+    int m_port;
+
+    QMap<QByteArray, QPixmap> m_cache;
+    QList<QNetworkReply*> m_transfers;
+
+};
+
+#endif // FGQCANVASIMAGELOADER_H
diff --git a/utils/fgqcanvas/main.cpp b/utils/fgqcanvas/main.cpp
index c8e5e52bc..fdfb1b1c8 100644
--- a/utils/fgqcanvas/main.cpp
+++ b/utils/fgqcanvas/main.cpp
@@ -2,8 +2,11 @@
 
 #include <QApplication>
 #include <QNetworkAccessManager>
+#include <QNetworkDiskCache>
+#include <QStandardPaths>
 
 #include "fgqcanvasfontcache.h"
+#include "fgqcanvasimageloader.h"
 
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
@@ -15,10 +18,18 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
     QNetworkAccessManager* downloader = new QNetworkAccessManager;
 
+    QNetworkDiskCache* cache = new QNetworkDiskCache;
+    cache->setCacheDirectory(QStandardPaths::writableLocation(QStandardPaths::CacheLocation));
+    downloader->setCache(cache); // takes ownership
+
     FGQCanvasFontCache::initialise(downloader);
+    FGQCanvasImageLoader::initialise(downloader);
 
     TemporaryWidget w;
     w.show();
 
-    return a.exec();
+    int result = a.exec();
+    delete downloader;
+
+    return result;
 }
diff --git a/utils/fgqcanvas/temporarywidget.cpp b/utils/fgqcanvas/temporarywidget.cpp
index ec2ec27f3..8b5c0917e 100644
--- a/utils/fgqcanvas/temporarywidget.cpp
+++ b/utils/fgqcanvas/temporarywidget.cpp
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@
 #include <QJsonValue>
 #include <QSettings>
 
-// ws://localhost:8080/PropertyTreeMirror/canvas/by-index/texture[3]
-
+#include "fgqcanvasfontcache.h"
+#include "fgqcanvasimageloader.h"
 #include "canvastreemodel.h"
 #include "localprop.h"
 
@@ -24,24 +24,21 @@ TemporaryWidget::TemporaryWidget(QWidget *parent) :
 
 TemporaryWidget::~TemporaryWidget()
 {
+    disconnect(&m_webSocket, &QWebSocket::disconnected, this, &TemporaryWidget::onSocketClosed);
+    m_webSocket.close();
     delete ui;
 }
 
 void TemporaryWidget::onStartConnect()
 {
-    QString wsUrl = ui->socketURL->text();
-    if (!wsUrl.startsWith("ws")) {
-        qWarning() << "Not a web-socket URL" << wsUrl;
-        return;
-    }
+    QUrl wsUrl;
+    wsUrl.setScheme("ws");
+    wsUrl.setHost(ui->hostName->text());
+    wsUrl.setPort(ui->portEdit->text().toInt());
 
 // string clean up, to ensure our root path has a leading slash but
 // no trailing slash
     QString propPath = ui->propertyPath->text();
-    if (wsUrl.endsWith('/')) {
-        wsUrl.truncate(wsUrl.size() - 1);
-    }
-
     QString rootPath = propPath;
     if (!propPath.startsWith('/')) {
         rootPath = '/' + propPath;
@@ -51,7 +48,7 @@ void TemporaryWidget::onStartConnect()
         rootPath.chop(1);
     }
 
-    QUrl url = QUrl(wsUrl + rootPath);
+    wsUrl.setPath("/PropertyTreeMirror" + rootPath);
     rootPropertyPath = rootPath.toUtf8();
 
     connect(&m_webSocket, &QWebSocket::connected, this, &TemporaryWidget::onConnected);
@@ -59,9 +56,8 @@ void TemporaryWidget::onStartConnect()
 
     saveSettings();
 
-    qDebug() << "starting connection to:" << url;
-    m_webSocket.open(url);
-    m_webSocket.sendTextMessage("nothing"); // forces Mongoose to respond quicker
+    qDebug() << "starting connection to:" << wsUrl;
+    m_webSocket.open(wsUrl);
 }
 
 void TemporaryWidget::onConnected()
@@ -78,6 +74,12 @@ void TemporaryWidget::onConnected()
 
     m_canvasModel = new CanvasTreeModel(ui->canvas->rootElement());
     ui->treeView->setModel(m_canvasModel);
+
+    FGQCanvasFontCache::instance()->setHost(ui->hostName->text(),
+                                            ui->portEdit->text().toInt());
+    FGQCanvasImageLoader::instance()->setHost(ui->hostName->text(),
+                                              ui->portEdit->text().toInt());
+    m_webSocket.sendTextMessage("nonsense");
 }
 
 void TemporaryWidget::onTextMessageReceived(QString message)
@@ -158,14 +160,16 @@ void TemporaryWidget::onSocketClosed()
 void TemporaryWidget::saveSettings()
 {
     QSettings settings;
-    settings.setValue("ws-host", ui->socketURL->text());
+    settings.setValue("ws-host", ui->hostName->text());
+    settings.setValue("ws-port", ui->portEdit->text());
     settings.setValue("prop-path", ui->propertyPath->text());
 }
 
 void TemporaryWidget::restoreSettings()
 {
     QSettings settings;
-    ui->socketURL->setText(settings.value("ws-host").toString());
+    ui->hostName->setText(settings.value("ws-host").toString());
+    ui->portEdit->setText(settings.value("ws-port").toString());
     ui->propertyPath->setText(settings.value("prop-path").toString());
 }
 
diff --git a/utils/fgqcanvas/temporarywidget.ui b/utils/fgqcanvas/temporarywidget.ui
index cf8d1d701..36886c9ed 100644
--- a/utils/fgqcanvas/temporarywidget.ui
+++ b/utils/fgqcanvas/temporarywidget.ui
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
       <attribute name="title">
        <string>Connect</string>
       </attribute>
-      <layout class="QGridLayout" name="gridLayout">
+      <layout class="QGridLayout" name="gridLayout" columnstretch="1,0">
        <item row="2" column="0">
         <widget class="QLabel" name="label_2">
          <property name="text">
@@ -34,15 +34,12 @@
        <item row="0" column="0">
         <widget class="QLabel" name="label">
          <property name="text">
-          <string>Enter a web-socket URL: (eg 'ws://localhost:8080/PropertyTreeMirror/')</string>
+          <string>Enter FlightGear host-name and port</string>
          </property>
         </widget>
        </item>
-       <item row="5" column="0">
-        <widget class="QTreeView" name="treeView"/>
-       </item>
        <item row="1" column="0">
-        <widget class="QLineEdit" name="socketURL"/>
+        <widget class="QLineEdit" name="hostName"/>
        </item>
        <item row="4" column="0">
         <widget class="QPushButton" name="connectButton">
@@ -51,9 +48,15 @@
          </property>
         </widget>
        </item>
-       <item row="3" column="0">
+       <item row="1" column="1">
+        <widget class="QLineEdit" name="portEdit"/>
+       </item>
+       <item row="3" column="0" colspan="2">
         <widget class="QLineEdit" name="propertyPath"/>
        </item>
+       <item row="5" column="0" colspan="2">
+        <widget class="QTreeView" name="treeView"/>
+       </item>
       </layout>
      </widget>
      <widget class="QWidget" name="stackPage2">