Military commemorative schemes have become relatively common, usually well done and telling a worthwhile story. Today’s is an ANZAC special. The Royal Australian Air Force Hornet above was seen at the Omaka Classic Fighters airshow near Blenheim, New Zealand this Easter weekend just gone. Provided by the Australian Defence Force for the show, it was…
RENO 80
A more modern poster than usual today, here from the Reno National Championship Air Races, known as ‘the fastest motorsport’ above earth. Featuring here a set of World War Two era North American P-51 Mustangs reconfigured as racers, both in the eighties and now, stalwarts of that race scene. The vibrant red and yellow colour…
Which Concorde?
The final shape for the Concorde’s wing was an ogee delta, and when viewed closely is a complex arrangement, including a downturned leading edge lip, as well as the reflexed leading edge line seen in plan view. But it wasn’t the only option, as seen here, in this row of model shapes considered by the…
Around the Cockade
An airshow poster for today. It’s a lovely one, from the early Thirties in France, but of particular interest in the blog for the use of the original style cockade or badge symbolizing the aeronautical cockade or roundel. Originally these were used for identification of group in revolution and war in Europe in the previous…
Stuka! One – Shiny
Here’s something you don’t see every day. A full size model (FSM) replica of the iconic German Blitzkrieg too the Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive bomber. Here in the sculpture garden of Burghley House, in the UK. As reported recently in Militaria & History, it ‘is called Down Two Earth and is an 11m…
Australia – the Paris End
Today’s Poster. When you are advertising Australia to New Zealanders (this is Tasman Empire Airlines Ltd.) why not advertise Australia’s ‘European’ streets? While areas of Melbourne*, Sydney and some other cities have a strong cafe culture today, I’d say the scene depicted above would be a big bit of a stretch back in the fifties….
Early Fokker to the NEI
This poster is a bit unusual. Dutch airline posters featuring Fokker airliners aren’t rare, but there’s a few unusual things about this one. Created by Adriaan Joh van’t Hoff, in 1933, it is an expected Fokker trimotor, but not the ever popular F.VII, but either a Fokker F.XVIII or possibly a F.XII – very similar…
Spit-Take
Tribute schemes on military aircraft are increasingly often seen, and overall popular when done well, as here. This one is particularly effective as the blue on the jet’s wings and horizontal tail match the sky, bringing the Spitfire’s famous plan view to life. It represents the Supermarine Spitfire of the late General Frantisek Perina, a…
Choc Aero Altair
Today we have a chocolate box. Confectionery featuring aircraft isn’t that unusual, but this is featuring (I think) a contemporary speedster, the Lockheed Altair, which, as well as not being a generic ‘aeroplane’ is quite well depicted and even with just two colour printing. Confectionery aircraft. Something a bit different, another area which could be…
Enhanced Kiwi
Something with a little extra, today. A bit of fun seen hung in the ceiling of a well known New Zealand restoration shop. The Kiwi RNZAF roundel (with two feet) came in during the 1960s, joining the RAAF’s kangaroo and the RCAF’s maple leaf in separating from the red dot of the British Commonwealth Roundel….
A Year of Aviation Illustration & Art 