A pulp magazine cover.

This one, from ‘Air Stories’ magazine of the inter war period features much promise in the text, but I’ve chosen it because it features a reasonably accurately drawn Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8, known to its crews as a ‘Harry Tate’ after the music hall comedian of the era.

But. The shape’s right, however, for reasons probably best only known to himself, the artist has dipped into his main colour box and shown it in red, blue and yellow. Very attractive, perhaps, but the R.E.8 only came in camouflage – a dark green , with buff natural linen colour on the underside of the wings. Got to be a colour cover!

James Kightly, Vintage Aero Writer.

Image found online.