1930s aviation art

Hi All,

Is there anyone on this list interested in, or familiar with the aviation artists from the 1930s? I am particularly thinking of Howard Leigh, an illustrator of many books and magazines, including some Biggles books and aviation magazines such as Popular Flying, plus postcards etc. For example, I have a fully bound set of Popular Flying from 1932 up to 1939, and these contain many drawings and paintings with subjects from WW1 aeroplanes right up to the latest of the time.

I am no artist and my personal interest stems from my collecting the works of W.E. Johns, who was also a reasonably accomplished illustrator himself. Leigh was the brother of Johns' "wife" and was mentored by Johns.

Other illustrators that come to mind from that era (UK-based) are Serge Drigin and Stanley Orton-Bradshaw.

Cheers,
Brad

[Mark_Miller]

Hi Brad
I don't believe I am familiar with these illustrators.
But, I'd love to see their work

I'm not sure what the copyright deal is here.
But, do you think you could post some samples?
Mark

[Gregvan]

Hi Brad,

I too would enjoy seeing examples of Leigh's work. The few examples I've seen are charming and highly imaginative, and typical of the '30's era of pulp magazines - though perhaps more restrained than some American examples of the genre.

Mark, if you have Cross & Cockade International, Vol. 24 No. 1, 1993, they featured one of Leigh's paintings on the front cover. A wonderfully cluttered scene of SE5a's with blue fuselage and yellow-orange wings, battling Albatrosse painted every color of the rainbow. It wouldn't pass muster as "serious" aviation art today, but it has its own charm.

Greg

Hi Greg & Mark,

No probs, I will put a few samples up in the next day or so after I scan them... do you want to see WW1 aircraft specifically, or soem between-wars stuff as well?

Cheers,
Brad

[pmirl]

Please, any Fokker DRI triplane or von Richthofen (Red Baron).

Thanks!

Paul

[Mark_Miller]

Originally posted by BertieLissie@Aug 4 2004, 12:34 AM
[b]Hi Greg & Mark,

No probs, I will put a few samples up in the next day or so after I scan them... do you want to see WW1 aircraft specifically, or soem between-wars stuff as well?

Cheers,
Brad

Hi Brad
My personal preference is WW1 era Aircraft.
Besides which - it will stay on topic that way

thanks
mark

Guys,

Some pics as promised. Leigh did a lot of work for Popular Flying. A lot was in grayscale as the covers and infrequent inserts were all that was in color. THis is one of his war planes series, a Bristol Fighter

- Brad

He also illustrated stories in magazines. Here is an example:

From his book "Planes of the Great War 1914-1918"

Color plate from "New Book of the Air"