A new (old) solid modelling book in 2010?

[Will]

A new solid modelling book in 2010? - Well, sort of – I just bought a new facsimile copy of Howard Leigh's "The AIRCRAFT MODELLER'S GUIDE: 1933, 1935 and 1936".  This is a combined volume of the three separate editions of those dates.  Each edition was a compendium of planes of the time, with the first edition including a "Historical Section" covering the Great War.  There are around 50 types in each book each with a page of a good pen and ink sketch with description and a second page with a 3-view, though some of these are a bit questionable.

The planes of the 3rd edition of 1936 are noticeably more modern, but the author (Stanley Bradshaw) is different and the sketches, text and 3-views are less well crafted.

A selection of the planes included are – 1st edn 1933: Arrow Active, Boulton & Paul Sidestrand, Supermarine Southampton and Pfalz DXII together with a selection of WW1 types (anyone fancy modelling a Pfalz Triplane?).  2nd edn 1935: British Klemm Eagle, DH86 and Curtiss P-6E.  3rd edn 1936: Hendy Heck, Heston Phoenix, Martin 130 and the Flying Flea - the largest and smallest planes in the world at the time?

Howard Leigh seems to have been an aviation artist, author and editor of some note and also seems to be involved in the Biggles books somehow.

On the downside a few of the 3-views in the copies used to create the facsimile had had added "detail" by the owner, but the 3-view itself is readable.  Also unfortunately p85 (HP 0/100 3-view) is replaced by a repeated p86 (Hannoveraner write-up).

I stumbled on one reference to the reprint while Googling.  It is produced by the Military Library Research Service who mostly reprint period reports such as how to fly a B-24 or fix'n'repair your 2&1/2 ton GMC truck.  They don't list the book on their website but they do have it in stock if you contact them: sales_at_mlrsbooks_dot_co_uk (adjust punctuation for the email) or +44 1298 71894 (remember the time difference if you're outside the UK).  Price was 25 pounds plus P&P.  I ordered on Friday afternoon and it arrived in Monday's mail.

When I spoke to the chap at MLRS he said he'd been so charmed by the originals when he found them he added the facsimile to the range.  I'm sure he said I was the first person who'd contacted him about it – surely I misunderstood as the facsimile is dated 2006!!!

Obviously you can still obtain the original 3 editions via Amazon, but each seems to be at least around the same price as the combined reprint and none of their descriptions inspire as to the condition of the offered item.

Regards
Will

[dave_t]

My public library has the 1936 edition with the Hendy Heck (something I was looking for a while ago). I will have to check it out. Thanks for the tip.

[Balsabasher]

I have never heard of the facsimilie copies Will but a lot of people will welcome these reprints,looking at the drawings they bear a strong resemblence to the James Hay Stevens plans including the delightful sketches as the headers,I just wonder if there was any influence there ?
Barry.

[Will]

Barry,
Yes, Leigh's heading illustrations are similar to Stevens, but I think that is all part of a "conventional" 30's style of pen-and ink drawing suitable for reproduction in magazines.  Roy Cross (of Airfix fame) shows various influencing artists work in his book and the B&W ones are all fairly similar in style, including his own early efforts, though no doubt the artists themselves would immediately recognise different hands at work.  The illsutrations in the old American pulp mags have a similar feel too, presumably due to the same reproduction methods required.

In my eyes the style of the 3-views in the"Aircraft Modeller's Guide" however are not similar to JHS, presumably as Leigh was an artist whilst Stevens aimed towards engineering.  But then we often used to recognise each others drawings in our office by their drafting, before computers homogenised everything.

Regards
Will

[Will]

Barry,

I found some more info about Howard Leigh in the biography of "Captain" W.E. Johns, creator of Biggles.  Leigh was the young brother of Johns' partner Doris (not wife, though they lived as such, as he couldn't divorce his first wife for various reasons relevant at the time).  Johns was actually an aviation artist at the time and Howard learnt painting in his studio at home.  Gradually Johns moved more to journalism and writing whilst Leigh became more and more in demand as an aviation illustrator.  Leigh illustrated some early Biggles books as well as others in the John Hamilton / Popular Flying stable - Popular Flying being founded and edited by W.E. Johns.  Johns was effectively kicked out of office because of his outspoken criticism of the government's poor preparation for air warfare as the likelihood of war with Germany grew, but Biggles was taking off by then.  Howard Leigh died in 1942 at the age of 32 due to cancer.

Since JH Stevens was a similar age to Leigh and both had work published by John Hamilton it seems quite likely they would have known each other or at least met from time to time.

Hope this is of interest.

Will

[Balsabasher]

Will what a fascinating account of not only Leigh but W.E.Johns as well,come to think of it now I have seen coloured artwork by Johns in the past on his flying books,these really were the golden years of aviation whereby a young boy could not get enough reading matter or better still solid model plans and kits to build aircraft of the day ! to appreciate the explosion of material when Lindbergh flew the Atlantic virtually every kit manufacturer did their own version of the 'Spirit of St Louis' as a reminder of this in my collection I have amongst other things a metal constructional set made into two high wing monoplanes representational of Lindberghs great flight in the Ryan N-Y-P.
In these days of aluminium tubes that fly us so reliably across oceans it is perhaps extra special for us here at least to appreciate those special of years flying that happened so long ago.
Leigh,Stevens and Johns amongst many other pioneers of aviation authorship and artwork will always be remembered as a big part of how we got where we are today.
Thank you once again Will for your research into these things before they are lost forever in the passing of time.
Barry.

[dave_t]

The planes of the 3rd edition of 1936 are noticeably more modern, but the author (Stanley Bradshaw) is different and the sketches, text and 3-views are less well crafted.

That is being kind. I took a look at the 1936 edition, where it has been in our public library since the 30s and looks practically new. The drawings were so sketchy that I found them difficult to look at. I had the feeling that they were freehand-drawn copies of better three views, maybe to avoid a copyright infringement, and possibly made by an artist who didn't understand aerodynamics. No cross-sections either.The other illustrations and data provided for each plane was somewhat more interesting.

I will keep my eye out for the earlier editions.

[Flying T]

IN 2 CITIES no library has anything aircraft,all going by the side of the road so to speak,i get all my info from the internet like RCLIBRARY that has the old books for free download,sumter is one with 2 libraries and shaw airforce base,nothing there