Today a strange story. Firstly a bizarre imprint ‘artwork’ created in a violent accident. Then a design process by my friend and colleague, professional artist Ronne Olsthoorn, to explain the imprint. On 26 July 1945, the British cruiser HMS Sussex was attacked by two Japanese bomber aircraft acting as kamikaze suicide weapons. One bounced off…
Tag: Event
Acklam Air Display
Today’s 1933 poster is from the inter-war National Aviation Day Displays ‘Air Circus’ of Sir Alan Cobham, which ran from 1932-35. A simple, dynamic poster with space for a changing, local overprint across the bottom. The biplanes aren’t any real type, but the artist has got them ‘swooshing’ most satisfactorily. For many in the local…
Tivoli Flyver Fest
Today’s Poster is from the remarkable Tivoli gardens in Denmark. It’s not clear whether this is a 1911 or 1916 poster (going by the aircraft looking a little like the Etrich Taube, I’m suspecting the earlier date). It is, however, by the Danish artist Thor Bogelund-Jensen and is advertising a ‘flier’s festival’ in Tivoli Gardens,…
See the Stampede!
Period art and design often features items that are regarded askance now. Today’s poster apparently suggests the use of an aircraft to stampede some of Africa’s more famous animals, with lions, elephants and giraffes running at speed from a swooping Fokker F.VII. I’m sure the real story was a lot less hooligan like. Entitled ‘Mittelholzer’s…
Hardy Coton Vimy
Today we have a pair of artworks on the Vickers Vimy, an aircraft type designed for the Great War, but made a name as a record setter worldwide. The first image is by the late, great aviation artist Wilf Hardy, a particular favourite painter of myself and my Aeroplane Monthly colleague Ian Bott. A 450mm…
10me Salon
Today’s Poster. R de Valerie, I think is the artist, and advertising the 10me Salon de Aviation at the Grand Palais, Paris, France, in December 1926. Despite the soaring aircraft, it was a static, trade show. But what lovely colours. James Kightly, Vintage Aero Writer. Author’s collection.
But wait! Balloon Races!
Today’s Poster. A classic interwar post art deco design in 1933, featuring an eagle, Gee Bee and allied racers – and a balloon race! Well there y’go. James Kightly, Vintage Aero Writer. From the Smithsonian’s online catalogue here. Sponsor: Chicago Daily News, Other: National Aeronautic Association. Medium: Poster, Advertising, Air Shows and Races. Dimensions:…
Ibero-Americana
You might think the combination of historic sailing ships and aircraft (as seen in the recent KLM ‘Flying Dutchman’ post) would be unusual, but today’s poster follows the theme, albeit is from Spain, and for an event, rather than an airline. It’s the 1928 Real Aero Club of Andalucia’s poster for ‘Il Salon de Aeronautica…
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…
Zurich Meet
Today’s Poster. Everybody’s flying the same kind of aircraft? While a simple looking design, note the different colour mixes on the prop blade roots on each of the nearest three aircraft. Hope it was a good meet! From the excellent 1925 to 1935 blog of images here. Image details: 1937 – J.C. Müller, Zürich 90…
A Year of Aviation Illustration & Art 