Images of Flight: A Canadian Aviation Portfolio

Sidney Allinson is the editor at the Royal Canadian Military Institute
and author of The Bantams: The Untold Story of World War I.

Canadians have had a close affinity with aircraft since the time pioneer
flyer John A.D. McCurdy flew his Silver Dart off the ice of Bras d’Or
Lake, Baddeck, Nova Scotia, in 1909. Our men and women have since
piloted hundreds of different types of planes across the skies of every
continent and ocean. Those who take to the skies do so as much for the
magic of flight as for the speed and adventure of it all. For there is
something wondrous about the sight of a flying machine, fashioned in the
shape of a bird, lifting high and swift above the plodding earth
beneath.

No wonder, then, that this skyward grace of form captures the creative
imagination of so many artists. In this book, there are 51 full-color
paintings by 15 Canadian aeronautical artists, who use a range of media
and styles to portray historic aircraft flown by their countrymen. A few
of them were official war artists, who painted and drew their subjects
when the planes were actually in service. However, most of the artwork
in the book was painted in retrospect—the product of nostalgia for the
past golden ages of flight in peace and war. They have been selected,
compiled, and written about by aviation historian William Wheeler,
himself an accomplished aircraft illustrator.

Almost as important as showing the technical configuration of each
plane is depicting the conditions in which they flew. One-line
subheadings help convey some idea of each aircraft’s personality
(“Vickers Supermarine Spitfire—Too beautiful to be a warplane,”
“Fokker Universal—A popular bush plane”). Young people first
discovering the lore of flight can also learn some Canadian history
along the way through the succinct descriptions that appear opposite
each full-page illustration. As the century of flight has evolved, there
has been a gradual change in aircraft origins, from British to American
designs.

Handsome enough to grace any coffee table, this volume has wider
value, too, as a well-informed standard reference. A suggested reading
list is provided for those (of any age) whose appetite is whetted to
learn more about historic aeroplanes. Images of Flight is a testament to
the unique role that aircraft played in our country’s development and
national character.