Fighting in the Sky

The Story in Art

by John Fairley

Imprint: Pen and Sword Aviation

160 Pages, 11 x 8.5 in, 60 color illustrations

Hardcover
9781526762207
November 2020
In Stock

$42.95

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9781526762214
June 2020

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Description
Authors
Praise

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 Ravilious 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.

John Fairley has written numerous books on equestrian art including The Art of the Horse, Racing in Art and Great Racehorses in Art and is 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.

"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 Magazine

"This is a neat color picture album." ~AMPS Indianapolis

"It's a beautifully crafted book, with crisp reproductions of 61 color paintings showcasing warplanes." ~Historical Miniatures Gaming Society

"This book is highly recommended based upon the outstanding prose, spectacular artwork, and coverage of the histories of the conflicts covered." ~IPMS/USA

"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