The title is slightly misleading because this book covers art
applied to land, sea, and air vehicles of WWII, but also includes
vehicle art in WWI and after WWII. The publisher has produced many
books with large photographic content, reproducing in monochrome and
full colour. This book falls into that category. The text flows and
is very informative, but the illustration is essential and impressive.
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NAME: Vehicle Art of World War Two FILE: R2437 AUTHOR: John Norris PUBLISHER: Pen & Sword BINDING: hard back PAGES: 180 PRICE: £19.99 GENRE: Non Fiction SUBJECT: WWII, World War 2, World War Two, Second World War, art, painting, morale, vehicles on land, sea, air, post WWII, pre-WWII ISBN: 1-47383-418-X IMAGE: B2437.jpg BUYNOW: http://tinyurl.com/gvvogyx LINKS: DESCRIPTION: The title is slightly misleading because this book covers art applied to land, sea, and air vehicles of WWII, but also includes vehicle art in WWI and after WWII. The publisher has produced many books with large photographic content, reproducing in monochrome and full colour. This book falls into that category. The text flows and is very informative, but the illustration is essential and impressive. The colourful artwork added to aircraft during World War Two is famous, not least because it has featured in fictional and non-fiction movies of this epic conflict. However, there was a flowering of art that enlivened clothing, vehicles, aircraft and vessels. The author has traced this form of expression, both of the war period and of restored vehicles, models, wargammers and museums. That in itself is a good reason for buying this book as if looks at the cartoons and pin-up girls inspiring the art. What adds to the enjoyable and informative coverage is that the author has also looked at art and markings in WWI and in more recent conflicts. The text provides a comprehensive study of the topics, but the lavish illustration, mainly in full colour, is essential to the story. The reproduction is first class. It even includes some early war art with re-enactment photographs of Greek hoplites and Roman Legions. Historically, military art was primarily employed as identification in the confusion of close quarter fighting. The painting of shields in distinctive patterns was an important form of communication and developed into the coats of arms that marked the Medieval warriors. What changed was that WWI saw the introduction of vehicles and, although the naming of vehicles, and their adornment with more colourful art, the new expression was more complex. The crews felt a level of ownership and home in their vehicles that was new. It coincided with the new forms of communication, comic books and films, that introduced cartoons and glamour. These images were readily adopted by vehicle crews and were employed on clothing as on vehicles. Aircrew of the period wore leather jackets and these were suitable for painting colourful art onto them. Often, the jackets featured copies of the artwork that appeared on the planes and identified the crews with their mounts. This book is a fascinating study that explains the motivation behind the paintings and the enduring desire of soldiers, sailors and airmen to personalized their vehicles, even in the different environment of war 70 years on.