Fighting in the Sky (Hardback)
The Story in Art
Imprint: Pen & Sword Aviation
Pages: 160
Illustrations: 60 colour illustrations
ISBN: 9781526762207
Published: 15th September 2020
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| Other formats available - Buy the Hardback and get the eBook for £1.99! | Price |
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| Fighting in the Sky ePub (68.5 MB) Add to Basket | £6.99 |
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 as 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 warfighting, a new genre of art was born which has remained popular ever since.
During the Second World War, the paintings of Paul Nash stood out as did Eric Ravilions who, ironically, died in an air crash. 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 Gulf 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.
It is a good read, ideally suited for those drawn to art as a way of experiencing life. The images are ideally suited to the limited, but well-written supporting text.
Air & Space Power History
"Rather than attempting to deliver a comprehensive overview of war in the air, the book’s image-driven format offers history by vignette. The range of artwork and the perceptive nature of the accompanying text give readers much to ponder. Taken together, the paintings and descriptions present a compelling tableau of the first century of military operations in the third dimension."
Aviation History
This book is highly recommended based upon the outstanding prose, spectacular artwork, and coverage of the histories of the conflicts covered.
IPMS/USA
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This surprising book covers a century of pictorial aviation art, through a wide selection of Anglo-Saxon artists. Far from a simple series of reproductions of paintings, this book traces the evolution of aviation painting through a few faits d'armes representative in this field.
Cocardes International, February/March 2021
It's a beautifully crafted book, with crisp reproductions of 61 color paintings showcasing warplanes.
The Historical Miniatures Gaming Society
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This is a neat color picture album.
AMPS Indianapolis
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The thoughtful text and assortment of paintings illustrate just over a century of military aviation, from those early biplanes when pilots were armed with little more than a pistol, through to modern drones which may soon lead to the end of the era of manned military aircraft. Interesting for aviation enthusiasts, historians, modellers and artists alike.
Military Model Scene, Robin Buckland
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This is a book to watch, and study, and watch some more. Obviously, as with all art, not every piece is of my taste, but the mix of pictures and stories makes that no part of this book will be skipped. Large format and printed on heavy paper, doing the artwork justice.
WW2 Traces
Above all my thanks and admiration goes to all the artists published here. Not only for their artwork, but most certainly also for their service!
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About John Fairley
John Fairley has written numerous books on equestrian art including The Art of the Horse, Racing in Art and Great Racehorses in Art. He was joint author of The Monocled Mutineer, which became a celebrated BBC television series.
A noted documentary and sports television producer, he was Director of Programmes at Yorkshire Television. Born in Liverpool, within sight of the Grand National course, he served as an RNVR officer aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Albion. A scholar of The Queen's College, Oxford, he is married, with three daughters, and lives in the Yorkshire racing town of Malton.
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