A painting by the remarkable Roy Cross (later well known for his Airfix kit box art) of the English Electric P-1B, later developed into the Lightning fighter, and advertising the Rolls Royce Avon engine. (Linguistically the text is also an example of words concatenating over time. Then ‘turbo jet’, now ‘turbojet’.)

Used as a magazine advertisement, the painting does a good job of presenting the sharp, thin luminosity of high-altitude, high speed flight. And an optimistic era of British aviation development.

James Kightly, Vintage Aero Writer.

Scan provided by Phil Vabre.