Book Review of
Fighting in the Sky
The Story in Art
Author: John Fairley
Pen & Sword Books
ISBN: 9781526762207
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $42.95
ISBN: 9781526762207
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $42.95
Barely a decade passed from the Wright Brothers’ first powered flight to aircraft becoming lethal instruments of war. The Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service took off in the very early days of the Great War and captured the public’s imagination and admiration.
Sydney and Richard Carline happened to be both pilots and artists. So was Frenchman Henri Farre. Their works inspired celebrated painters like Sir John Lavery, who took to the skies in an airship in the First World War.
Feeding on the demand for works depicting this new dimension of war-fighting, a new genre of art was born which remained popular ever since.
During the Second World War, the paintings of Paul Nash stood out, as did the work of Eric Ravilious, who was killed flying in an RAF reconnaissance aircraft. War artist Albert Richards dropped with British paratroopers on D-Day.
Post war, paintings by leading British and international artists graphically illustrate conflicts such as the Falklands, Bosnia, and the Cold War.
John Fairley has brought together a dazzling collection of art works covering over 100 years of air warfare, enhanced by lively and informative text. The result is a book that is visually and historically satisfying.
THE BOOK:
Pen & Sword Books is located in the UK.
This book is hard-bound with a paper jacket that has tuck-in flaps.
The cover art on the paper jacket shows a painting of a B-17 being chased by a Bf-109. The B-17 is overall olive-drab with a black leading edge on its rudder. Also on the rudder is a white triangle with a black letter “K” on it, over a yellow stenciled serial no. 23167, over a large letter “S”. Its fuselage code is white FD star S. It has a large section of its spine in front of the rudder shot away.
The Bf-109 is in mottle of two shades of green, with a white spinner. It has a white shield with a yellow crown above it and a black bear on the shield. It’s fuselage code is yellow 2 + - with the code outlined in black. There appears to be what looks like up to 10 or more victory hashes on the rudder flap. This painting was done by Nicolas Trudgian and it is named “Flying Fortress”. It appears again in the book on page 85.
The back cover art on the paper jacket shows 3 more paintings that are repeated again inside the book
The large one on the left shows a group of 4 German Ju-88 bombers being escorted by a Bf-109 that is showing its bottom and climbing while being attacked by an Allied aircraft. Only the inside of the cockpit of that fighter is shown, so I cannot identify it. The painting is by Denis Barnham and it is titled “Dogfight over Malta”.
The painting on the top right side shows a dog fight of 7 aircraft during WWI. Three of which are going down in flames. It is named “Dog Fight” and is by Henri Ferre’.
The painting on the bottom of the right side shows what appears to be a Spitfire diving low through an woods, with several contrails in the sky above. This painting is not shown again inside the book. So, I don’t know who the artist is or what the painting was named.
The book contains 153 pages in 11” x 8 ½” page format. Seven pages are blank.
The Contents of the book is:
Acknowledgements, Picture Credits, Preface and Introduction.
Part I: The First World War
Part II: The Second World War
Part III: Post 1945
Epilogue
Appendix
There are 31 illustrations in the WWI Section.
39 illustrations in the WWII Section.
8 illustrations in the Post-1945 Section.
In the Preface there is a painting, that is so precise it looks like a photograph. It is of the Eagle Squadron memorial stature and is by Elizabeth Frink.
In the Introduction there is a painting of a F-117 Stealth Fighter silhouette, shown from above and covered with hundreds of white small shapes. Very abstract! It is by Peter Kalkhof and named “Stealth”.
Sydney and Richard Carline happened to be both pilots and artists. So was Frenchman Henri Farre. Their works inspired celebrated painters like Sir John Lavery, who took to the skies in an airship in the First World War.
Feeding on the demand for works depicting this new dimension of war-fighting, a new genre of art was born which remained popular ever since.
During the Second World War, the paintings of Paul Nash stood out, as did the work of Eric Ravilious, who was killed flying in an RAF reconnaissance aircraft. War artist Albert Richards dropped with British paratroopers on D-Day.
Post war, paintings by leading British and international artists graphically illustrate conflicts such as the Falklands, Bosnia, and the Cold War.
John Fairley has brought together a dazzling collection of art works covering over 100 years of air warfare, enhanced by lively and informative text. The result is a book that is visually and historically satisfying.
THE BOOK:
Pen & Sword Books is located in the UK.
This book is hard-bound with a paper jacket that has tuck-in flaps.
The cover art on the paper jacket shows a painting of a B-17 being chased by a Bf-109. The B-17 is overall olive-drab with a black leading edge on its rudder. Also on the rudder is a white triangle with a black letter “K” on it, over a yellow stenciled serial no. 23167, over a large letter “S”. Its fuselage code is white FD star S. It has a large section of its spine in front of the rudder shot away.
The Bf-109 is in mottle of two shades of green, with a white spinner. It has a white shield with a yellow crown above it and a black bear on the shield. It’s fuselage code is yellow 2 + - with the code outlined in black. There appears to be what looks like up to 10 or more victory hashes on the rudder flap. This painting was done by Nicolas Trudgian and it is named “Flying Fortress”. It appears again in the book on page 85.
The back cover art on the paper jacket shows 3 more paintings that are repeated again inside the book
The large one on the left shows a group of 4 German Ju-88 bombers being escorted by a Bf-109 that is showing its bottom and climbing while being attacked by an Allied aircraft. Only the inside of the cockpit of that fighter is shown, so I cannot identify it. The painting is by Denis Barnham and it is titled “Dogfight over Malta”.
The painting on the top right side shows a dog fight of 7 aircraft during WWI. Three of which are going down in flames. It is named “Dog Fight” and is by Henri Ferre’.
The painting on the bottom of the right side shows what appears to be a Spitfire diving low through an woods, with several contrails in the sky above. This painting is not shown again inside the book. So, I don’t know who the artist is or what the painting was named.
The book contains 153 pages in 11” x 8 ½” page format. Seven pages are blank.
The Contents of the book is:
Acknowledgements, Picture Credits, Preface and Introduction.
Part I: The First World War
Part II: The Second World War
Part III: Post 1945
Epilogue
Appendix
There are 31 illustrations in the WWI Section.
39 illustrations in the WWII Section.
8 illustrations in the Post-1945 Section.
In the Preface there is a painting, that is so precise it looks like a photograph. It is of the Eagle Squadron memorial stature and is by Elizabeth Frink.
In the Introduction there is a painting of a F-117 Stealth Fighter silhouette, shown from above and covered with hundreds of white small shapes. Very abstract! It is by Peter Kalkhof and named “Stealth”.
The First World War section contains paintings of:
A large white biplane with a large red star on the side of its nose flying through flak. It is by Henri Farre’ and is named “Bombardment of Dieuze, a portrait of Commandant Guynemer wearing his leather flight cap and goggles. It is by Henri Ferre’, a painting of a dog fight, named “Victory of Commander Guynemer” by Henri Ferre’, a painting that is rather dark and dismal of men at a funeral. It is named “A Soldier’s Death” and is by Henri Ferre’, a painting of another dog fight, titled “Dog Fight” by Henri Ferre’, a portrait of Commander Heurtaux by Henri Ferre’, a painting that is definitely in the wrong section that shows the cockpit of a jet fighter chasing a Mig fighter. It is named “Self Portrait in Korea”, so I assume the artist Mel Fowler is showing himself, this painting also belongs in the Post 1945 section and not in WWI, a painting of a Zeppelin at night named “Zeppelin over London” by Andrew Carrick Gow, a painting of 2 zeppelins flying over a fleet of ships, named “Convoy Off the Baltic Coast” by Sir John Lavery, another painting of a dog fight, named “An Aerial Fight” by Louis Weirter, a portrait of Billy Bishop by Alphonse Jongers, another painting of a dog fight between 4 aircraft, named “The Last Flight of Captain Ball by Norman G. Arnold, a painting of men parachuting out of a burning balloon, named “Balloonists Parachuting” by William T. Wood, a painting of parachutists descending and some on the ground at night, named “Parachutists” by Roland Pitchforth, 2 sketches in brown on tan background –one shows a biplane attacking a balloon and the other one shows another dog fight between 7 biplanes, named “Attack on a Balloon” and “Dog Fight” both by Leonard Bridgman, a painting of 2 British biplanes flying in formation over mountains, named “DH-4 Biplane” by Tony Theobald, a painting of 3 British biplanes flying over a city, named “Scouts Over Astiago” by Sydney Carline, a painting of 2 biplanes attacking an airfield, named "Attack on an airfield at Sacile, a drawing in brown on tan background of 2 biplanes being fired upon over snow covered mountains, named “Anti-aircraft Fire Over Piave, by Sydney Carline, a painting of an aerial view of Baghdad by Richard Carline, painting of an aerial view of Jerusalem and the Dead Sea by Richard Carline, a painting named “Siege of Kut al-Amara Seen From the Air” by Richard Carline, a painting of the City of Samara from the air by Richard Carline, a painting of Gaza seen from the air by Richard Carline, a painting named “Flying Over the Desert at Sunset” by Sydney Carline, a painting of 4 biplanes flying over Kirkuk named “Flying Over Kirkuk, a painting of yet another dog fight named “Destruction of the Turkish Transport”and Picasso’s black and white abstract painting called “Guernica”.
A large white biplane with a large red star on the side of its nose flying through flak. It is by Henri Farre’ and is named “Bombardment of Dieuze, a portrait of Commandant Guynemer wearing his leather flight cap and goggles. It is by Henri Ferre’, a painting of a dog fight, named “Victory of Commander Guynemer” by Henri Ferre’, a painting that is rather dark and dismal of men at a funeral. It is named “A Soldier’s Death” and is by Henri Ferre’, a painting of another dog fight, titled “Dog Fight” by Henri Ferre’, a portrait of Commander Heurtaux by Henri Ferre’, a painting that is definitely in the wrong section that shows the cockpit of a jet fighter chasing a Mig fighter. It is named “Self Portrait in Korea”, so I assume the artist Mel Fowler is showing himself, this painting also belongs in the Post 1945 section and not in WWI, a painting of a Zeppelin at night named “Zeppelin over London” by Andrew Carrick Gow, a painting of 2 zeppelins flying over a fleet of ships, named “Convoy Off the Baltic Coast” by Sir John Lavery, another painting of a dog fight, named “An Aerial Fight” by Louis Weirter, a portrait of Billy Bishop by Alphonse Jongers, another painting of a dog fight between 4 aircraft, named “The Last Flight of Captain Ball by Norman G. Arnold, a painting of men parachuting out of a burning balloon, named “Balloonists Parachuting” by William T. Wood, a painting of parachutists descending and some on the ground at night, named “Parachutists” by Roland Pitchforth, 2 sketches in brown on tan background –one shows a biplane attacking a balloon and the other one shows another dog fight between 7 biplanes, named “Attack on a Balloon” and “Dog Fight” both by Leonard Bridgman, a painting of 2 British biplanes flying in formation over mountains, named “DH-4 Biplane” by Tony Theobald, a painting of 3 British biplanes flying over a city, named “Scouts Over Astiago” by Sydney Carline, a painting of 2 biplanes attacking an airfield, named "Attack on an airfield at Sacile, a drawing in brown on tan background of 2 biplanes being fired upon over snow covered mountains, named “Anti-aircraft Fire Over Piave, by Sydney Carline, a painting of an aerial view of Baghdad by Richard Carline, painting of an aerial view of Jerusalem and the Dead Sea by Richard Carline, a painting named “Siege of Kut al-Amara Seen From the Air” by Richard Carline, a painting of the City of Samara from the air by Richard Carline, a painting of Gaza seen from the air by Richard Carline, a painting named “Flying Over the Desert at Sunset” by Sydney Carline, a painting of 4 biplanes flying over Kirkuk named “Flying Over Kirkuk, a painting of yet another dog fight named “Destruction of the Turkish Transport”and Picasso’s black and white abstract painting called “Guernica”.
The Second World War section holds:
A painting of 2 British Whittley Bombers bombing Berlin by Paul Nash, a painting of an airfield being constructed at The’lus, near Arras, May 1940 by Barnett Freedman, a painting of a Chain Radar site by William T. Rawlinson, a painting of dog fight over Britain that is mostly white contrails named “Battle of Britain” by Paul Nash, a painting of 2 crewmen lowering a rope out the door of an aircraft, named “Air-Sea Rescue from RAF Coltishall, Norfolk, by Geoffrey Staden, a painting of wrecked aircraft on a field that is somewhat abstract, named “Totes Meer” by Paul Nash, a painting of a dog fight, named “Dog Fight Over Portland” by Richard Eurich, a painting of the Eagle Squadron Memorial by Elisabeth Frink, a painting of a Lancaster on a field with 2 ground-crewmen working on it. Named “Lancaster in the Desert” by Julius Stafford Baker, a painting of a German V-1 missile on fire over the Egyptian pyramids, named “Flying Bomb” by Leslie Cole, a very abstract painting that is just a whirl of colors, named “The Battle of Germany” by Paul Nash, 2 color photos of stained-glass windows in the RAF Club, photo of an award medal and a black and white photo of a gal on a motorcycle by Helen Whittaker and a photo of the Bomber Command Memorial in Hyde Park by her also, a painting of wrecked Dresden by Wilhelm Rudolf, a painting of 9 aircraft flying over Aircraft Carrier HMS Glorious by Eric Ravilious, a painting of a gal painting a skull with a black eye patch, red hat with a white skull and crossbones on it and a dagger in its teeth on the side of a B-26, is a self-portrait of the artist Barbara O’Brien, a painting of a B-17 and Bf-109 which is the book’s cover art subject (already described above), a painting of a waist gunner in a bomber named “Air Gunner Prepared for Action” by Charles Cundall, a very abstract painting that is mostly large blue shapes, named “Blue Baby Blitz” by Edward Burra, a line drawing of woman sitting on the floor of a underground shelter by Priscilla Thorneycroft, a painting of a Sunderland flying boat flying over some ships by Arthur Burgess, a painting of 2 British Swordfish biplanes attacking ships by Robert Taylor, a painting of a ship convoy being attacked from the air by Richard Eurich, the painting named “Dog Fight over Malta” (already described on the book’s rear cover), a painting of crashed British Horsa gliders by Albert Richards, a painting of many parachutists landing on a field, named “The Drop” by Albert Richards, a painting of a glider pilot at the controls by Leslie Cole, a painting of British Typhoon fighters strafing a German armor column at the Falaise Gap, a painting of a U-Boat surrendering to a British Hudson flying over it by Charles Cundall, a painting of 11 British Lancaster bombers flying over the German battleship Tirpitz, another very abstract painting that is just lines of colors named “Verdun” by Felix Vallotton, a painting of a Japanese twin-engined bomber hidden in a hangar in Formosa by James Morris, a painting of Japanese aircraft attacking Pearl Harbor by Stu Shepherd, a painting of a B-25 bomber on a carrier deck, Sourabaya by George Plante, a painting of a rocket launch by Stephen Bone and a painting of 12 British Meteor jet fighters flying over London by Frank Wootton.
A painting of 2 British Whittley Bombers bombing Berlin by Paul Nash, a painting of an airfield being constructed at The’lus, near Arras, May 1940 by Barnett Freedman, a painting of a Chain Radar site by William T. Rawlinson, a painting of dog fight over Britain that is mostly white contrails named “Battle of Britain” by Paul Nash, a painting of 2 crewmen lowering a rope out the door of an aircraft, named “Air-Sea Rescue from RAF Coltishall, Norfolk, by Geoffrey Staden, a painting of wrecked aircraft on a field that is somewhat abstract, named “Totes Meer” by Paul Nash, a painting of a dog fight, named “Dog Fight Over Portland” by Richard Eurich, a painting of the Eagle Squadron Memorial by Elisabeth Frink, a painting of a Lancaster on a field with 2 ground-crewmen working on it. Named “Lancaster in the Desert” by Julius Stafford Baker, a painting of a German V-1 missile on fire over the Egyptian pyramids, named “Flying Bomb” by Leslie Cole, a very abstract painting that is just a whirl of colors, named “The Battle of Germany” by Paul Nash, 2 color photos of stained-glass windows in the RAF Club, photo of an award medal and a black and white photo of a gal on a motorcycle by Helen Whittaker and a photo of the Bomber Command Memorial in Hyde Park by her also, a painting of wrecked Dresden by Wilhelm Rudolf, a painting of 9 aircraft flying over Aircraft Carrier HMS Glorious by Eric Ravilious, a painting of a gal painting a skull with a black eye patch, red hat with a white skull and crossbones on it and a dagger in its teeth on the side of a B-26, is a self-portrait of the artist Barbara O’Brien, a painting of a B-17 and Bf-109 which is the book’s cover art subject (already described above), a painting of a waist gunner in a bomber named “Air Gunner Prepared for Action” by Charles Cundall, a very abstract painting that is mostly large blue shapes, named “Blue Baby Blitz” by Edward Burra, a line drawing of woman sitting on the floor of a underground shelter by Priscilla Thorneycroft, a painting of a Sunderland flying boat flying over some ships by Arthur Burgess, a painting of 2 British Swordfish biplanes attacking ships by Robert Taylor, a painting of a ship convoy being attacked from the air by Richard Eurich, the painting named “Dog Fight over Malta” (already described on the book’s rear cover), a painting of crashed British Horsa gliders by Albert Richards, a painting of many parachutists landing on a field, named “The Drop” by Albert Richards, a painting of a glider pilot at the controls by Leslie Cole, a painting of British Typhoon fighters strafing a German armor column at the Falaise Gap, a painting of a U-Boat surrendering to a British Hudson flying over it by Charles Cundall, a painting of 11 British Lancaster bombers flying over the German battleship Tirpitz, another very abstract painting that is just lines of colors named “Verdun” by Felix Vallotton, a painting of a Japanese twin-engined bomber hidden in a hangar in Formosa by James Morris, a painting of Japanese aircraft attacking Pearl Harbor by Stu Shepherd, a painting of a B-25 bomber on a carrier deck, Sourabaya by George Plante, a painting of a rocket launch by Stephen Bone and a painting of 12 British Meteor jet fighters flying over London by Frank Wootton.
In the Post-1945 Section there is:
A painting of a British Sea Harrier firing its missiles at an enemy fighter over West Falkland by Robert Taylor, a black and white photo of a British Vulcan fighter by Gary Tymon, a black and white line drawing of wrecked Argentine Percura jet fighters by Linda Kitson, a black and white line drawing of helicopters landing on a ship named “Transfer at Sea” by Linda Kitson, a black and white line drawing of a helicopter with 3 crewmen around it on the deck of a ship also y Linda Kitson, a painting of 2 jet fighters overflying British aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth by Ronald Wong and a color painting of 2 Tornado jet fighters over-flying a coastal city by Keith Woodcock.
In the appendix section there is a color portrait named “Sailor Milan” by Cuthbert Orde.
This is a neat color picture album. It will be of interest to modelers and aviation historians alike.
I want to sincerely thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. All Pen & Sword Book titles can be seen on Casemate’s website at:
A painting of a British Sea Harrier firing its missiles at an enemy fighter over West Falkland by Robert Taylor, a black and white photo of a British Vulcan fighter by Gary Tymon, a black and white line drawing of wrecked Argentine Percura jet fighters by Linda Kitson, a black and white line drawing of helicopters landing on a ship named “Transfer at Sea” by Linda Kitson, a black and white line drawing of a helicopter with 3 crewmen around it on the deck of a ship also y Linda Kitson, a painting of 2 jet fighters overflying British aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth by Ronald Wong and a color painting of 2 Tornado jet fighters over-flying a coastal city by Keith Woodcock.
In the appendix section there is a color portrait named “Sailor Milan” by Cuthbert Orde.
This is a neat color picture album. It will be of interest to modelers and aviation historians alike.
I want to sincerely thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. All Pen & Sword Book titles can be seen on Casemate’s website at:
Recommended.