Bomber Missions: Aviation Art of World War II [Hardcover]

G. E. Patrick Murray (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 15, 2001

"Features 75 paintings that showcase the drama and action of combat in World War II."--Publishers Weekly.

 

Breathtaking paintings capture in vivid detail the drama of air combat in World War II. The contributors include today's most noted historical artists, including Robert Bailey, Stan Stokes, Robert Taylor, Roy Grinnell, and Jim Dietz. Extensive captions offer additional insight, with information on the pilot, crew, and unit, while archival photographs breathe life into each scene.

 

"Definitely a coffee-table item....historically valuable."--Booklist.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Definitely a coffee-table item, this oversize showcase of paintings of World War II bomber missions mandates gourmet coffee. The artists who have depicted the war's American, British, German, and Japanese bombers constitute an honor roll of aviation artists of the past half century: Jim Dietz, Robert Bailey, Stan Stokes, Keith Woodcock, Keith Ferris, and so forth. Their work represented here includes even a Paul Eckley watercolor of B-17s in the Pacific, made as early as 1942. The B-17 and B-24 tie for the most-rendered-subject honors, with the British Lancaster running them a respectable second and looking surprisingly graceful in some paintings. The men who flew the missions and those who watched for their return are portrayed briefing, debriefing, manning guns against attacking fighters, preparing bombers for flight even in dubious weather, and repairing the planes after they got back. Seasoned aviation buffs may notice a few rough spots in the text, but those don't detract from the enjoyment derived from this imposing, historiographically valuable book. Roland Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Villanova, PA

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Friedman (May 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1586630814
• ISBN-13: 978-1586630812
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 11 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,055,434 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Fantastic!!!, July 30, 2001

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Bomber Missions: Aviation Art of World War II (Hardcover)

One word can describe this book......AMAZING!.....This book has great art work of american, british, german, and japanese bomber planes, and some fighters. Most of the illustrations were based on actual events which took place in the air, and the illustrations make those events come alive. This book was definitely worth the price, and i would recomend it to any war buff, plane buff, or artist........either way, its a great book to have.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Bombers that Made History - A Great Companion Volume, December 26, 2001

By 

Upward Call - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bomber Missions: Aviation Art of World War II (Hardcover)

This book echos the one liner "Fighter pilots make movies, bomber pilots make history."

Seldom do the pilots who made the history have the gift of communicating it to us through art, but Pacific B-17 pilot Paul Eckley's watercolor "Mareeba Maintenance" does just that.

The book serves as a tribute to the bomber aircrews of many nations who fought in WWII. The artwork is excellent. There is not a single mediocre painting reproduced in the book. I own other aviation art books that I cannot say that about... The selections show a variety of styles from a variety of artists. Far more than a collection of "airplane portraits" these paintings showcase aviation art as serious fine art, from landscapes and seascapes to compelling character studies. Among the the treats are the otherwise unpublished works that appear in this book- such as Bill Phillips' Martin B-26 Marauder "Flak Bait".

The text is entertaining and overall, acceptable. As others have already noted, the occasional small errors tend toward the obvious. It is unfortunate that no one noticed that precisely rendered Douglas A-26 Invaders were identified as A-20 Havocs in the manuscript. This is a small disappointment, and should not discourage you from enjoying the book.

For me "Bomber Missions" is an affordable way to enjoy some of the best bomber art ever produced. Paintings demand to be hung, prints insist on being framed, but the aviation art published in books rests comfortably on the shelf, ready to be enjoyed.

Last but not least, far too little mention has been made of the fact this book serves as the companion volume to "Flying Aces" containing WWII fighter aviation art. If you liked one, chances are you'll want the other.