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Issue 81 June 2014
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EDITORIAL Front cover this issue is David Bates’ painting “”Hawkeye” “At school a prefect caught me showing a friend a Grumman Tracker in my Observer’s book. To my delight and amazement my punishment was to draw him a picture of it The Grumman family have been favourites ever since..”
Rear Cover Image Is another cropped painting “Flight Deck”
Hello and welcome, Rob Knotts has the penultimate episode of his serial on lighter than air art - possible subjects for the Avro Trophy? And Neil Fraser gives us an insight on how his methods of working are changing in this digital age. I had agreed along with Colin and Peter, to talk about different theatres of the First World War. Embarrassingly I now find that I will be at Woodall Spa so I thought I would include a brief look at the Eastern war against the Ottoman Empire in the mag. This also means people who can’t attend meetings might get some ideas. I found it a fascinating area and the article can give only a very brief look at a vast number of scenarios for paintings, I hope it will stimulate you to produce some memorable work. Due to a slight hiccup we feature 2 artists in this issue- which should make it twice as good Happy and successful painting
Dave
If any member has an objection to the Society holding Membership records on a computer and using the information for society purposes deemed suitable by the Committee, eg; the production and distribution of a membership list, please notify the Editor
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CONTENTS Lighter Than Air with Rob Knotts
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Neil Fraser gives an insight on how he works
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Alternative work evening
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Introducing Keith Stancombe
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March meeting the AGM
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May meeting - drawing the figure.
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Portrait of the Artist as an Old Man
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Not the Western front! Dave Bates goes Middle East
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Diary Dates - keep up to date
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On 12 May 19 the Norge, semi-rigid Italia built airsh carried out t first flight ov the North Po The expedit was the brainch of the famo Norwegian po explorer a expedition lead Roald Amunds The airship w designed and piloted by Italian Army Colonel Umberto Nobile, aeronautical engineer. The American explorer Lincoln Ellsworth, w along with the Aero Club of Norway financed the trip was also a memb of the expedition. On reaching the North Pole the Norwegian, Americ and Italian flags were dropped from the airship onto the ice. The pictu above shows a painting of the airship and the flags.
The Norge took off from Spitzbergen, flew across the North Pole lan in Alaska. Intense rivalry between Amundsen and Nobile resulted public quarrel after the trip, made worse by Amundsen accusing No of incompetence. Nobile, frustrated by Amundsen’s attitude treatment, announced that he would make another polar flight, time under the Italian flag. Nobile's attempt in 1928 in 'Italia' ende a crash landing. Ugo Matania portrayed the aftermath of the cras an illustration for the Italian magazine 'Il Mattino Illustrato'; the pain on the right shows Nobile's crew seeking help by radio.
Rob Knotts continues his fascinating series looking at how lig
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926 a anhip, the ver ole. tion hild ous olar and der sen. was an who ber can ure
nded in a obile and this ed in sh in nting
LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin, a German-built and operated rigid airship, was perhaps the most famous airship of all. It operated commercially from 1928 to 1937. The airship was named after the German pioneer of airships, Ferdinand von Zeppelin. During its operating life, the airship made 590 flights covering more than a million miles (1.6 million km). It was operated by a crew of 36 officers and men.
ghter than air craft have been portrayed over the years.
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A research trip to the Arctic.
'Graf Zeppelin'
One groundbreaking flight made by the Graf Zeppelin was a resear polar flight took one week from July 24–31, 1931 during which the about 6,600 miles (10,600 km). In 1929 the Graf Zeppelin flew a day trip. It landed in Moscow during the voyage and inspired the Ministry (Osoaviahim) to publish plans to build a fleet of 7+ hug Union was then under the firm guidance of Stalin who was determi first in everything and to show what Communism could accomplish
The fleet was to be named after Lenin (1870-1924), whose cult of p pre-WWII Communist propaganda poster was used to promote wo released in 1931. Several small experimental zeppelins and 4 big transporting loads all over the country. However, rapid developmen sluggish zeppelins brought the project to an end.
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A dramatic, original oil painting on canvas by Alexander Kircher shows a scene of the Graf Zeppelin transferring passengers to the Russian icebreaker Malygin off Franz Josef Land during its famous Arctic voyage. The Graf Zeppelin casts a giant shadow in the pale sunshine in the icy arctic environment.
rch trip to the Arctic. The e Graf Zeppelin travelled around the world in a 21 e Soviet Union's Airforce ge zeppelins. The Soviet ined to make his country h.
personality was propagated at that time. A famous and important orkers and factories to collect funds for the fleet. The poster was g ones were built. In the period 1932-1937 these airships were nt of fast airplanes which proved to be an excellent weapon against
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His Majesty's Airship R100, known simply as the R100, was a privately designed and built rigid British airship made as part of a two-ship competition to develop a commercial airship service for use on British Empire routes as part of the Imperial Airship Scheme. The other airship, the R101, was built by the British Air Ministry, but both airships were funded by the Government. The R100 was built by the Airship Guarantee Company, a subsidiary of Vickers Armstrong. Right is the "The R100" song sheet music..
In late 19th Century Par Toulouse-Lautrec w commissioned to design series of posters promotin the Moulin Rouge. Since the art has been used to sell product. Advertising touris and travel benefit from post art. For example, in 1935 th 'German Hamburg- Ameri Line' commissioned Anto Ottmar to design a trav poster advertising travel fro Germany to South America 3 days using the Gr Zeppelin airship. The post on the left shows the Gr Zeppelin, and a map of th route from Friedrichshafen Buenos Aires.
ris, was a ng en l a sm ter he ika on vel om in raf ter raf he to
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The painting on the above shows R100. It was used as an illustration in 'Ships of the Air', a book by award winning children's book author and illustrator Lynn Curlee. The book was published by Houghton-Mifflin in 1996. The painting was the title page illustration. The R100 first flew in November 1929. It made a series of trial flights and a successful return crossing of the Atlantic in July–August 1930, but following the crash of R101 in October 1930 the Imperial Airship Scheme was terminated and it was broken up for scrap. Novelist Nevil Shute Norway was Deputy Chief Engineer of R100, and his experiences colour his novels and of course are covered in his autobiography “Slide Rule”
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More than one way to skin a cat ? When Neil Fraser retired to his native Scotland he kept in touch and and recounts how his methods of setting up the elements of an aviation painting have evolved. Leaving Manchester in 2004 was a bit of a wrench - glad to get back to the land of heather and porridge - but do miss our get togethers and the extra drive the Society timetable gave our creative streaks. There are a few aviation artists around up here but distance isolates us and makes the concept of a similar society here a bit unlikely. Still working mainly with Acrylic on canvas but picked up some computer related ability along the way. Acquiring a digital camera in 2004 pushed me to get to grips with Photoshop Elements - the photo editing software that went with it. Somewhere along the way editing photos turned into creating virtual art originals . The set of Lightning profiles was a kind of test to see what could be done. They came out quite well I thought. Getting the colours to appear correct in print was a tricky exercise. I didn‘t pursue my notion to create prints after that. I’m not entirely won over to digital art for scenic works. Gareth Hector has recently set the bar very high in that field and it is near impossible to distinguish his original oils from his digital works but digital/conventional artists of his quality are few and far between. Photoshop remains a favourite tool for quick composition try outs The internet provided me with various Art forums to socialise with other artists and one of these led several of us into the world of virtual 3D creation. Fortunately a magnificent free programme called Blender enabled us to benefit from a tutorial given by Kevin, one of the forum members and take our first steps into this new world. It was a steep ,frustrating learning curve but worth the effort. Looking back now I doubt if I would have persisted if Kevin had not held our hands through the initial blunders. In truth, mastering the basics of virtual model building isn’t that hard , you just need the patience and determination to fall over, get up and do it again and again.
N b F b p
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The pencil Scimitar drawing is an APM based composition try out.
Initially the Scimitar was plain grey and formed the basis for this Acrylic of one tossing a dummy Red Beard Nuke at Cape Wrath range. Some colouring in attempts 3D style
Now given 803 Sqn colours it is the basis for a four ship over the Dornoch Firth . A rough Photo shop version based on a 3D render prior to an Acrylic painting.
The fleet grows.
The latest addition. The addition of crew members was another temptation.
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Learning this new skill opened up the exciting possibility of setting up virtual scenes and the ability to play god and move elements around at will to find the best composition. One problem with 3D is the temptation to make the model better. There is no need to produce more than a basic grey model yet I’ve spent hours and hours learning how to apply texture (paint and markings)). It’s satisfying to achieve a realistic looking finish but I suspect my time would be better spent painting on canvas ! The addition of crew members was another temptation I succumbed to. Each system, APM or 3D has it’s drawbacks. APM is time consuming in setting up the initial plot and it can be frustrating trying to fine tune an angle to suit. 3D modelling takes time to create the basic model but is more flexible in allowing quick re arrangements. Probably both systems once mastered, are fairly equal in terms of time required .
The Paintings a) Apache - Acrylic on canvas -a/c from a photo taken by a friend at Spadeadam and reset in Afghanistan . Scenery - imagined, based on an episode in the book “Apache”. b) RAF Valley Gnats - Acrylic on canvas - from a 1/72 model and own landscape photo. c) Hunter GA9 - Acrylic on canvas board - from a 1/48th model. d) I still use APM, it was the basis of this Blenheim V painting. e) APM also helped create the F14 pair. f) Photoshop Lightnings. g) I’ve built up a small collection of virtual models. h) The first painting I made based on 3D models was this acrylic of Merlin engined Beaufighters with a Martinet tug over Berwick. The outcome was well received which encouraged me to continue with 3D builds as artists dummies when required.
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a
b
c
d
f
e
g
h
Arley Hall by Roger Rumbold
Chain Maze by David Steeden
Waiting for Spring by Roger Rumbold
Phil’s Chariot by Peter Grove
Meeting – 4th April, 2014
Last Day of Steam by David Steeden Immortality by Keith Stancombe
Self Portrait by Colin Taylor
Sandy’s Brother by Keith Stancombe
Catherine and Susan by Terry Jones
Eleven examples work in various media were brought along for appraisal. These included an abstract painting of rusty chains, a derelict steam engine, a side-car racing scene, a tractor, four portraits, a self portrait, a sketch of Arley Hall and a Spitfire (whoops!).
Mary Pickford by Peter Nield
Noted that figure studies and portraiture are subjects that we should pursue in the future.
Introducing -
Keith Stancombe My interest in aviation and depicting aircraft goes back to childhood days. At junior school I would be asked by the teacher to draw aeroplanes in front of the class in chalk on the blackboard - a fact I find hard to remember but my old classmates tell me it`s true! I suppose you could call them early demos. In the 50’s and 60’s my lust for aircraft took me to the popular ‘R.A.F. at Home’ displays and twice I hitch hiked to Farnborough and back. The prototype Harrier was a fantastic sight along with other types sadly no longer flying. Art School beckoned in the early 60’s, being shown by Royal College of Art Graduates their various methods, mediums and approaches. Landscapes and still life were my preferred subjects, never having the confidence and ability for life drawing from models. But today I`m sure I could do flesh justice. After further art education I worked for 25 years as an artist/visualiser in advertising agencies and an in-house studio, producing visuals and camera ready artwork. This was mainly for industrial products and services, business to business rather than consumer promotions. I loved the advertising world and the people in it.
The early 90`s recession hit the advertising industry hard. Being made redundant at 50, and an old man in a young man’s game, I spent the last 15 years of my working life in industry, much of it on a production line – something I always wanted to do. I joined MAvAS a few years ago after seeing their exhibition at Manchester`s Ian Allen Bookshop, being amazed that, locally, theirs was a group for such a specialised segment of the art spectrum.
Aviation-wise, I have always admired a mainly anonymous group of people. They are the men and women who designed, built, flew and serviced aircraft and photographed them for us to paint and draw. I stand humbly at the end of this illustrious group, sketchbook in hand, and thank them for all my subject matter. Finding MAvAS, it`s members and artworks very inspiring, my preferred mediums are mainly acrylics, watercolours and pencil, depicting real and imaginary aircraft for my own pleasure, covering any era from biplanes to Blackbirds. Boy, I really like painting planes and am pleased to have won 2 trophies, Jim MacKendrick and Avro, with both entries done on the Tuesday of the competition. Must be a name for it – procrastination!
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Meeting – 4th March, 2014 The nine members who attended tonight`s Annual General Meeting met the minimum requirement for an AGM Quorum, thereby allowing an overall state of ‘no change’ to the Constitution or Elected Officers to be approved. The sketching session that was to follow the AGM did not take place as general discussion regarding the future direction of MAvAS continued just beyond 9-00pm when the meeting concluded. Noted that we maintained the new pattern of leaving the premises by 9-30pm in conjunction with the Friends Tech Crews
A.G.M.
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The meeting was a life sketching session with member Peter Grove acting as model. An initial sketching time of ten minutes was followed by another twenty minutes after a brief break. Six of the eight members attending produced drawings of Peter. Work was varied and self confessed non-artist, Roger Markman, is to be commended for at least having a go!
Roger
Colin Peter F
Peter N
Keith
Terry Apologies from our staff photographer, he became so excited he forgot to photograph the model. We had to scour the crowd shots. Concerns were expressed about the poor attendance at meetings in recent times and it was agreed that a questionnaire would be circulated in an attempt to discover why this should be happening.
( and an Italian Futurist and four others.)
Editor Dave Bates takes time off to talk about his artistic background. A few years ago Joyce saw an advert for Oldham College, a free Adult Art Access course, a year, 16 hours a week. I had drawn and painted all my life but could do with extending - and it was free. I signed up. It took over my life. 16 + hours in college and almost every waking hour working at home. The course evolved into a three year BTEC, but Government cash ended at two. How about a pre-degree course - a bit intense considering health issues, try a foundation degree, more relaxed. Then, no more messy art, try a top-up degree in digital art. Joyce said NO! Master’s Degree.
to the
Some of my aviation paintings in various media
WW1 Aviation 22
but please Not the Western Front! MESOPOTAMIA
Mau
As
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Between, (and sometimes under) the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers. Force D was sent to protect British oil interests in the south of Persia. On achieving objectives it was thought a further advance was needed to protect Basra, then to further to protect Amara, then further to protect Kut, then on to Baghdad. General Nixon commanded Force D from Delhi and the War Office from London. The Ground commander was General Townsend. He had fought a commendable campaign up to Kut, despite being pushed further and further up the Tigris. He had requested considerable reinforcements, (the climate and disease had decimated his force), before advancing, but had received non. The Turks had been heavily reinforced however and his further advance came up against strong defences and he was forced to withdraw back to Kut where he was surrounded. Despite supply drops of food and medical items, when a relief force failed, he was forced to surrender.
The marshes around Basra were crossed by converted canoes, stern-wheel riverboats were used as troop ships and 4.5 inch naval guns were mounted on barges
A large amount of cavalry, Indian or Arab, which actually charged, bullock cart ambulances, water carts or any type of carts were pulled by mules.
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Ah
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urice Farman Shorthorn
steady trickle of BE2c s
A few Caudron C3 s
A couple of Short eaplanes from R.N.A.S.
Aircraft had proved invaluable for reconnaissance in a previously unmapped land. Photography was high on priority list when the fighting forces were re-organised. In the wet season the rivers were high and used by naval craft of all types and the RFC HQ used specially converted barges as a darkroom and a maintenance base. In the dry season cavalry and armoured cars roamed the desert, incidentally rescuing downed pilots, including a special deep penetration raid. 90 miles behind Turkish lines, to fiind Lt.Col.Tennant the Air Commander downed by ground fire in a new DH4. Logistics was a big problem with ships unable unload due to a lack of manpower, and sick and wounded packed on barges and small steamers of all kind waiting to be transferred to hospital ships or the vast tented hospital camps. The intense heat in summer as well as it’s enervating effect on men could have a devastating effect on material, wings warping, covering stripping off wings, cooling systems adequate for Europe overheating frighteningly quickly.
One or two Voisins
handful of Martinsyde Scouts (above) & Elephants (below)
What the Arabs left of the Caudron of Lt. Metz, Metz and observer Lt. Burn were killed after a running fight of 4 miles - 30 sqn’s first fatalities.
Enemy aircraft sighted!
Mobile wireless vans kept HQ and field commanders in the loop.
A few Bristol Scouts Indian field engineers built a narrow guage railway to speed up the flow of materials.
Later some DH4s
Not forgetting RE8s
30 Sqn had 3 Spads in late 1917 but ended up flying mainly RE8’s 63 Sqn RE8 and BE2C
Invaluable as fast mobile firepower.
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EGYPT and PALESTINE
Hot and dry.
Egypt was occupied by Imperial forces and the Suez Canal was the main focus. Originally defended by half a dozen Farmans and French seaplanes, in early 1916 the 5th Wing of the RFC was formed with 14 Sqn and 67 Sqn formed from 1 sqn Australian Flying Corps, both flying BE2Cs and Bristol Scouts. There was also a seaplane sqn of the RNAS. Squadrons usually sent detached flights to support ground forces defending the Canal, engaging Turkish forces across the Sinai Desert, and against the Senussi religious brotherhood in R.R. Armoured Car the Western Desert. This last was action in a vast theatre, with BE2cs flying Imperial Trooper reconnaissance for cavalry, camelry, and armoured cars and ranging across to Libya managing to rescue the survivors of two torpedoed ships. By the way, Lawrence of Arabia galloped across all three theatres of war. Facing East, the Imperial Camel Corps Turks were pushing across the Sinai Desert and both Squadrons were busy photographing and bombing enemy installations, especially wells and pumping equipment. Like Mesopotamia, there were two stages. General Murray, with his HQ at Cairo’s Savoy Hotel, built the infrastructure - railway Lawrence lines and water pipelines, but was rather ineffective offensively - slowly pushing the Turks back to the Palestinian border. He launched two offensives to break through at Gaza but suffered heavy losses. Indian lancers
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In June 1917 he was replaced by General Allenby who immediately emptied the Savoy and moved his HQ to tents on the Palestinian border. He demanded more men and aircraft especially latest types to combat the Turks (really Germans), who Australian Light Horse were given an intermittent quantity of the latest aircraft. The War Office sent Bristol Fighters in Sept. 1917 to 67 Sqn. and formed 5 new Sqns. in Egypt with a mixed bag of old types and new which enabled mapping and reconnaissance to proceed unmolested and the identified Light Car Patrol targets to be bombed and strafed. Allenby’s offensive pounded Gaza and swept into Beersheba and led to a sweeping advance and every plane capable of flying, bombed and strafed the retreating Turks in cooperation with cavalry, camelry, armoured cars, Austin and Ford light cars, and Laurence’s raiders, backed by infantry proved irresistible. Bad weather slowed the advance Camels carried water, petrol, food, and allowed the Germans to re-equip with new aircraft, however the increasing numbers everything that was required of Bristol Fighters and SE5As held the balance and Allenby’s renewed offensive swept on and the Turks signed an Armistice in October 1918.
Bristol M1c
Lawrence enters Damascus Australian Light
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The National Army Museum Book of the Turkish Front 1914-18: The Campaigns at Gallipoli, in Mesopotamia and in Palestine
http://www.awmlondon.gov.au/
http://www.turkeyswar.com/aviation_index.h http://www.rafweb.org/index.html http://www.wwiaviation.com/
History of no.30 squadron RAF. Egypt and Mesopotamia 1914 to 1919
http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/first_ world_war/AWMOHWW1/AIF/Vol8/ RAF Squadrons: A Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of All RAF Squadrons and Their Antecedents Since 1912
Steel Chariots in the Desert: The First World War Experiences of a Rolls Royce Armoured Car Driver with the Duke of Westminster in Libya and in Arabia with T.E.Lawrence With the Imperial Camel Corps in the Great War: The Story of a Serving Officer with the British 2nd Battalion Against the Senussi and During the Palestine Campaign Wings Over the Desert: In Action with an RFC Pilot in Palestine 1916-18
In the Clouds Above Baghdad: Recollections of the R. F. C. in Mesopotamia during the First World War Against the Turks
Some sqn formed late on. 111Sqn formed Aug 1917 in Egypt from a nucleus of 14 Sqn. were given a mixed bag of older types and Bristol Fighters, then in October SE5a and Jan 1918 Nieuport 17,23 and 24. 113 Sqn. Formed in Egypt, in August. with BE2Cs and RE8 got the mixed bag of Nieuports Feb. 1918 .
Sailor in the Desert: The Adventures of Phillip Gunn, DSM, RN in the Mesopotamia Campaign, 1915
142 Sqn formed in Egypt Feb 1918 BE12a, Martinsyde G102, RE8, AW.FK8, BE2e 144 Sqn Formed Egypt March1918 Be2e, BE12a. Martinsyde S1, RE8, Dh9/
html
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Diary Dates Meetings are held from 7-00pm to 9-30pm in the Conference Room in the Air and Space Hall at the Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester on the first Tuesday in the month unless otherwise stated.
Tuesday 1st July WW1 Air Operations Presented by P. Grove & C. Taylor
Sunday 13th July Barton Family Day Exhibition Officer C. Taylor asst. by P. Grove & P. Nield
Tuesday 5th August Sketching in Air & Space Hall Hosted by L. Sakowicz
Saturday 9th August Workshop – 10-00am to 4-00pm Medium – Watercolours Hosted by R. Sargeant
Tuesday 2nd September Sketching in Charcoal A Demonstration by D. F. Steeden
Sat/Sun 20th/21st September Southport Air Show Exhibition Officer S. Ridgway asst. by P. Grove
Tuesday 7th October Avro Competition Subject WW1 Aviation Adjudicator T.B.A.
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Editor: Dave Bates Tel: 0161-284-3467 Email: david-bates@ntlworld.com Society website: www.mavas.co.uk