A magazine cover today, from Paris, 1916. In fact Saturday 25 November, where the Great War had been going for two years, and aircraft marking were well established.
Magazine ‘La Vie Parisienne’ (‘Parisiene Life’) has an amusing looking cover. The woman, perhaps a ‘light skirt’ (a loose woman) given she’s showing her slip and stocking tops, is carrying two then old fashioned hat boxes with French air force roundels, and wearing an aeroplane hat, also with roundels. The caption ‘Le Chapeau Aeroplane (pour tetes legeres)’ would translate as ‘The aeroplane hat for air heads (literally ‘light heads’).
A light moment in a devastating war? There’s many layers to this one.
James Kightly, Vintage Aero Writer.
From ‘This Day in WWI’ on Twitter, here. Thanks to Bev Laing for translation and interpretation help.
A Year of Aviation Illustration & Art 