Joseph Simpson

Gregvan · 22 October 2018, 11:27 PM

Hello All,
For this, my 5,000th post, I thought I might re-visit the superb artwork of the British war artist Joseph Simpson - in the unlikely chance that any of you who like WWI aviation art don't know about him.

I have studied many contemporary (1914-18) depictions of aerial combat of the Great War, produced by a wide variety of artists. Some of these were created for the illustrated newspapers and periodicals of the day. We all know the work of Henri Farré, and there were other contemporary French artists who occasionally produced aviation scenes like Francois Flameng. Among the 8 official American war artists, Harry Everett Townsend had the greatest interest in aviation, and he produced some very fine works. However, many of the artists who produced aviation-related works during the war knew relatively little about the details of aircraft structure (or didn't care about them) and their work is "dated" looking and recognizably crude.

Joseph Simpson's work, on the other hand, is just as accurate and photo-realistic as the work of today's best aviation artists. His work can stand alongside any "modern" av-art and pass muster with today's critical enthusiasts; in fact, his paintings have been used as references for modern scholars investigating colors and markings. Not only were his British planes highly accurate, Simpson based his renderings of German aircraft on photos of captured machines or upon his own inspection of such aircraft. His work is so important, that its origins are even described in the Official History, The War in the Air by H.A. Jones, Volume VI:

“In the early part of 1918 the propaganda activities were extended….A suggestion was made that authentic pictures of air fighting should be published, and Mr. Joseph Simpson, the artist, offered his services without fee. He went to France in May 1918 and made his head-quarters at the Aeroplane Supply Depot at Bergues where he had a varied stock of aircraft to serve as models. He was given details of incidents considered suitable for painting, and when he had made his rough drawings he took them to the squadron to submit them to the criticism of the flying personnel who had taken part in the action depicted. On the finished pictures the squadron markings and the factory serial numbers were inserted on the aeroplanes. The artist was at liberty to sell the first serial rights to an illustrated paper, but the copyright rested with the Aircraft Production Department which could, at its discretion, give prints away or sell them. What usually happened was that a brief story of the episode was added and that prints, bought by arrangement with the illustrated paper in which the picture had appeared, were sent to the factories where the particular types of aeroplanes were built, and to makers of the engines, magnetos, plugs &c. Some firms bought many thousands of copies of those pictures which were of special interest to them and made their own arrangements about distribution… The pay envelopes of the workers in the various aircraft factories also came to be used to carry small propaganda pictures with a line or two of appropriate text.”

Here he depicted Sopwiths of 65 Sqdn, led by Capt. John Gilmour in Camel D8118 (S), attacking a mixed group of Albatros & Pfalz on 1 July 1918; Gilmour was credited with five victories in this combat.

This scene of a Pfalz losing its wing was published in The Graphic. The Pfalz is obviously based on careful examination of photos of the captured D.III 1370/17 of Jasta 10, with crosses updated correctly.

Here is an FE2 doing nocturnal bombing, the type's main role in 1918:

Here is his famous interpretation of Roy Brown attacking Richthofen:

This familiar portrayal of a Camel and SE5a doing the unpopular and hazardous job of bombing & strafing the enemy trenches was first published in The Sphere in October 1918.

Gregvan · 22 October 2018, 11:42 PM

Here is a painting of "A De Havilland 9 outwitting Albatros D.Vs" from the Illustrated London News. Again, the Albatros are authentic, based closely on photos of captured examples. So far I've been unable to discover what specific action this was based on.

It wasn't all about thrilling and fiery dogfights. In this scene Simpson paid tribute to the efforts of an RAF Armstrong-Whitworth FK8 to deliver supplies to British frontline troops, by parachute.

The next painting illustrates a very famous incident:
On 17-12-1917, Lt Sandy and his observer, Sgt Henry Francis Hughes, of No 3 Sqdn Australian F.C., were flying over the battlefield ranging an 8 inch howitzer for the 151 British Siege Battery when their RE8 aircraft was attacked by six Albatros D.Va Scouts between Deulemont and Armentieres. In the ensuing air battle the pilot of one German aircraft, Ltn Clauss, was wounded and forced to land in the lines of the 21st Australian Infantry Battalion where he was captured by the Australians [his famous Albatros D.Va now resides in the AWM]. In the battle above, Lt Sandy was joined by another 3 Squadron RE8 flown by Captain (Capt) E J Jones and Lt K C Hodgson. The two RE8s fought the Germans for about 10 minutes until a third RE8 flown by Lt's H N Wrigley and J R Blair appeared and the five remaining German aircraft retired.

Capt Jones flew close to Lt Sandy's aircraft, still cruising normally on its "beat", and concluded they were continuing their work spotting for the howitzer battery. Radio contact with Lt Sandy's aircraft ceased and the aircraft disappeared from its allotted area. The squadron tried to trace the aircraft and its crew without success until they were notified by No 12 Stationary Hospital at St Pol, a straight line distance of 75 kilometers south west from the scene of the aerial combat with the German aircraft, that an RE8 had crashed 8 kilometers NE of St Pol, near the Bruay to St Pol road. Lt Sandy and Sgt Hughes had been killed by a single armour piercing bullet that had first passed through Sgt Hughes and then Lt Sandy, killing them both.

The aircraft was at full throttle and continued to fly until it ran out of fuel and crashed. Both men are buried in the St Pol Communal Cemetery Extension, Lt Sandy in grave H8 and Sgt Hughes in H10. While still missing, Lt Sandy had been recommended for an immediate award of the Military Cross and Sgt Hughes the Distinguished Conduct Medal; the recommendations were not approved.
Here is Simpson's portrayal of Sandy & Hughes' RE8. in the AWM collection:

This looks like a preliminary study for the previous work. It would be very interesting to know how many of Simpson's works still exist, and in a full-color form.

Gregvan · 23 October 2018, 12:03 AM

It's pleasing to discover that the following Simpson painting (at least) still survives in its original, full-color form. This was featured on the back cover of Cross & Cockade International's superb book, "The Sopwith Dolphin in RFC, RNAS, RAF & Polish Service." The illustration was first published in July 1918, and shows Dolphins of 19 Sqdn in combat over Roulers, 17-3-18. At top left is Major Albert Desbrisay Carter in C4017 "I", in the center is Capt. John Leacroft in C3829 "V" and at upper right is Capt. Patrick Huskinson in C3792 "N", and at extreme right is possibly Lt. M R N Jennings in C3820 "F". Carter, Leacroft and Huskinson were all credited with victories on that day.

The 29 June 1918 edition of The Sphere featured Simpson's interpretation of the famous "Two Against 20" fight of 7 May 1918. On that day, two 22 Sqdn Bristols - one flown by Capt. Alfred Atkey and Lt Charles Gass, the other by Capt John Everard Gurdon and 2Lt Anthony J H Thornton - tangled with a group of enemy fighters NE of Arras. Atkey and Gass claimed 5 planes shot down, while Gurdon and Thornton claimed another three.

You can find several discussions of this fight, and this painting, by doing a search of the Forum's archives.