Welcome to a year of aviation illustration! On this blog, I’m aiming to share an image a day from my collection and online sources, and to explore interesting aspects of those as we go. I hope it’ll be intriguing and pick up on aspects of aviation, illustration and history that would otherwise be missed.

“Art is not a mirror to hold up to society, but a hammer with which to shape it.”  Leon Trotsky

The misuse of the ‘Apache’ name for a Mustang variant is a perennial error.

Official War Artist’s views were often unexpected.

‘Happy’ Stuka with a bomb.

Some pastiche posters can be very good.

Another propaganda overprint, this time with Arabic text.

An ‘overprint’ multi-use wartime propaganda Hudson poster.

A selection of some images that we’ll be returning to to look at in more detail. Do you have illustrations to add?

The content will include all kinds of commercial and period fine art, two and three dimensional items, as well as aircraft as art, and art accidentally involving aviation. Because of my preferences it’ll be all kinds of aviation, mostly pre-1950s, but occasional excursions into other odd, or more recent areas, and avoiding the overused, overseen stuff, except where there’s a rare story to tell in those cases. And some days may also just be a neat picture.

It should be an interesting journey, as long as I can keep up. Feedback, thoughts and suggestions will be welcome, so do feel free to comment.

The blog is by me, James Kightly, trading as Vintage Aero Writer. It’s probably important to say this is not a commercial enterprise – I’m blogging because I think it’s interesting, not because it’s paying! But to see my other professional interests and work, find more at my blog, here, or Facebook or Twitter pages.