During the Second World War U.S. servicemen around the world and readers at home were cheered by the full-page illustrations of combat aircraft featured each month in Esquire Magazine. These paintings were accomplished by one of the greatest yet little-known illustrators of the 20th Century: Alexander Leydenfrost. Now, for the first time since their original publication over 50 years ago, eighteen of these paintings are featured in startling color in the new book Leydenfrost: The Baron of Aviation Art. This book contains the story of Leydenfrost’s life, an exposition on his work, and many reproductions of what artwork remains from his expansive career. Each of the featured aviation paintings is accompanied by the original article published with it in Esquire Magazine, as well as WWII-era photos of the aircraft, actual aircraft data, and commentary on the paintings.
This book will be a must-read for anyone interested in:
- Aviation art
- WWII-era U.S. combat aircraft
- WWII history
- 20th Century illustration
Featured Aircraft:
- Grumman F4F-3 ‘Wildcat’
- Grumman TBF-1 ‘Avenger’
- Vultee A-31 ‘Vengeance’
- Lockheed P-38 ‘Lightning’
- Martin B-26 ‘Marauder’
- Bell P-39 ‘Airacobra’
- Republic P-47 ‘Thunderbolt’
- Douglas C-54 ‘Skymaster’
- Lockheed B-34 ‘Ventura’
- Curtiss-Wright P-40 ‘Warhawk’
- Waco CG-4A Glider
- Curtiss-Wright SB2C ‘Helldiver’
- Boeing B-39 ‘Superfortress’
- Northrop P-61 ‘Black Widow’
- Bell P-59 ‘Airacomet’
- Martin PBM ‘Mariner’
- Boeing C-97 ‘Stratofreighter’
- And Parachuting M2-A4 Tanks!
Book Features:
- 26 full-color and 5 B&W reproductions of Leydenfrost’s works, featuring exceptionally accurate color reproduction.
- 57 B&W and 6 color WWII-era photos of U.S. combat aircraft.
- A short biography of one of the greatest illustrators of the 20th Century, Alexander Leydenfrost.
- A short history of Leydenfrost’s aircraft paintings for Esquire Magazine.
- Commentary on each of the 18 aviation paintings featured in the book.
- The articles that accompanied the aircraft paintings when originally published in Esquire Magazine.
- Aircraft specifications researched from original flight manuals.
Book dimensions: 14.5”h x 10.25”w.
