I promised something more cheerful today, so here we are. Today’s pulp cover is the unarguably excellent ‘Zeppelin Stories’, this issue featuring ‘The Gorilla of the Gas Bags’ by Gil Brewer. With a cover like that, you know it’s going to be all good stuff inside, right? A bit of background from the website ‘The…
Tag: Germany
Double Cross
A pair of images showing preliminary designs and final artwork by the doyen of UK box art, Roy Cross. Above is the original design for the Airfix Beaufighter and Me 109G.6 ‘Dog Fight Double’ set – note how the final art has the Reich defence rocket tubes under the wings, as per the original kit,…
Asking For It
Today’s Poster is a German Great War example entitled ‘Was England will’, or ‘What England wants.’ It’s a powerful poster, showing swarms of British bombers – giant Handley Pages – attacking German factories. The poster is by Egon Tschirch (1889-1948) made in 1918 in Berlin for Selmar Bayer. The background’s even more interesting. The text…
Pile of Pioneers
Today’s Poster, featuring the first flying competition at Berlin, Germany’s new airfield. Recognisable types include, top, a Wright Flyer, and below it, a Bleriot. Details from the Swann auction site here: “LUCIAN BERNHARD (1883-1972) KONKURRENZ – FLIEGEN / AVIATIKER. 1909. 45 1/4×34 1/2 inches, 115×87 1/2 cm. Hollerbaum & Schmidt, Berlin. “For this event,…
In Colour! Bombers & Fighters
A pair of books that were passed onto me by my friend Carole Barker, from her father Bernard Thorpe‘s collection. These are based on pre-war information, and were an exciting visual feast, given the paucity of colour printing in the period. On the covers, a pre-war Hawker Hurricane and Vickers Armstrong Wellesley, the Wellesley’s artwork…
Skull Cloud
Today’s Poster is an advertisement for a propeller manufacturer, but clearly there’s an unusual thing for a commercial poster going on here! It’s for Garuda Propeller GMBH, ‘Der Ueberwinder’, which seems to translate as the overcomer’. From here, Bob Gardner says: “Garuda Propellerbau GmbH – 42-43 Naumburgerstrasse, Neukölln, Berlin. The company was probably formed in…
Bigger Bombs, Yet
It was vital to the British war effort mid war to be able to show how Britain – primarily through Bomber Command – was hitting back at Germany, in return for the very evident damaged being done to the UK. Graphic bombs was one answer, but only in a peculiarly limited way. Here the illustrated…
Dare to Rare
Today we dive right into the pulp. Sticking strictly to the ‘Dare-Devil Aces’ magazine of the inter to World War Two period, we still have more than enough awesome to play with. Starting with the Japanese ATTACK on New York, being defended by the US Navy (fair enough) but also a handsome assist by the…
Atlantic Air Ship or Flying Boat?
Today’s Poster is for three German inter-war companies promoting their Europe – South America service. With a Zeppelin type airship making a return trip, and a Dornier Do 18 flying boat on the way out, airmail post is offered in just three days. Deutsche Lufthanda, Symdicato Condor LTDA and Deutsche Zepplein Reederei are the three…
Beat Coach Class
Today’s Poster is from the 1930s, and from Deutsche Luft Hansa. James Kightly, Vintage Aero Writer. Poster from the Smithsonian collection here.
A Year of Aviation Illustration & Art 