Creating representations of aircraft in stone is very difficult to do effectively, something about the lightness of early aviation and the sharp edges of most aircraft often does not translate well to stone. The Memorial to ‘The Home of Aviation’, at Eastchurch, Kent, UK, is a fascinating effort. Image: Eastchurch aviation memorial. Copyright Historic England…
Category: 3D
Albatross? Door. Desk?
Today we have another unusual item. It’s an office table the kind usually advertised as a ‘talking point’ though to be fair to the actual business (First Dibbs) who put it up for sale, they don’t say that. They know those who want one will REALLY want one. Everyone else is probably puzzled. That’s because…
Brassy Demoiselle
A very neat piece of silverware, with a brass aircraft, representing a Santos-Dumont Demoiselle. More later. James Kightly, Vintage Aero Writer.
Story of Some Sticks
Something not often seen in detail. This is the Italian Fascist symbol cut from the fuselage of an unnamed Italian Regia Aeronautica aircraft during World War Two and kept as a trophy by an RAAF airman, and previously on display at the RAAF Museum Point Cook. (Excuse the lighting hot spots in the image.) Captured…
Through the Prop
Something different again, thanks to my friend and colleague Chad Matthew Hill of Django Studios. Books with see-through pages, or pages that overlay onto the next are usually regarded as kids’ stuff, but here we can see a very adult use in explaining the complex mechanism of the Hamilton Standard ‘Hydromatic’ feathering propeller*. Here’s a…
Changing Uniform Fashion
It is often forgotten that military formal uniforms are as much fashion and design driven as they are to provide uniformity to their wearers. One area where it is extremely obvious is in the development of women’s uniforms in the military air forces of World War Two. This is because of the newness of putting…
Sparky Card
Something rather different today, our first ‘paper aeroplane’ on the blog. Here’s the cover, of the 1930s KLG Sparkplugs promotional toy, which features the Supermarine Schneider trophy racer at top right and Sir Malcolm Campbell’s Bluebird land speed record car below – justifying the claim: ‘The fastest plug in the world’. Below is the folded-out…
It’s the Wrong Stripes!
Aircraft markings seem to be rather a challenge to understand at times, and are easily misinterpreted. They are a design and aesthetic choice, as well as being a political recognition and heraldry concept as well. This ‘executive desktop model’ made from mahogany will set you back around US $300 on eBay. It’s not bad, but…
Biggin Mug
Today’s art is a graphic text design – on a mug. Through the late eighties airshows I collected a mug a show, as far as I could. Some were specific to the even, or as here to the event and its year. Artistically this Biggin Hill Airshow mug isn’t anything particularly notable, except that such…
Table Toppings
From friend Andrew Matthews, spotted in Dunedin airport, New Zealand some time ago. James Kightly, Vintage Aero Writer.
A Year of Aviation Illustration & Art 