AVIATION ART BY ADRIAN RIGBY.
AN AVIATION ARTIST WHO MASTERFULLY PAINTS STUNNING IMAGES OF AVIATION ART
The artwork of Adrian Rigby is very emotive and consequently is really well received. Not surprisingly Britain’s second biggest art publisher Solomon and Whitehead, signed him up as their transport artist.
As their transport artist he painted marine art and aviation art for them to publish. In the 2006 downturn the print market took a nosedive and consequently as big as Solomon and Whitehead were, they went out of business. Due to the publisher now being closed, prints of Adrian’s planes are hard to come by in the retail market. Occasionally, prints that were sold from his originals can be found on ebay.
Solomon and Whitehead did an immensely popular series of limited edition prints of Adrian’s renditions of the Concorde that sold out in days. The original paintings were flown on the Concorde and in addition to Adrian’s signature, the prints were also co signed by the pilots.
Adrian Rigby who is considered by many to be one of the worlds leading aviation artists, was most noteworthy, recently asked by the Royal Air Force Association and the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund to paint WWII planes commemorating the Battle of Britain’s 50th anniversary.
Finally Adrian was also invited by the United States Naval Aviation Museum to paint a piece reflecting naval aviation in world war II. The resulting piece was “BLACK ANGEL”.
Below is his narrative of the aviation art.
AVIATION ART-ADRIAN RIGBY-THE BLACK ANGEL
Image Size 18 x 24 – OIL
On the 11th February 1944, an air offensive began against the Japanese forces at Kavieng on the island of New Ireland. This base was an important supply and command point for the northern coast of New Guinea. Relevantly it had to be neutralized by the Allies.
By the 15th February, more accurate, low-level bombing began using B-25 Mitchells, as it was known Japanese air power had virtually been destroyed. However, the anti-aircraft guns were still effective and three of the bombers had to ditch in the sea close to the Japanese guns.
Knowing it was unlikely the Japanese would take prisoners, the Catalina of Nathan Gordon made three separate rescues, each time under a hail of bullets from the shore. Finally Gordon took off having rescued 25 bomber crew, including some very badly wounded. Consequently Lieutenant Nathan Gordon was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his bravery.
The aviation artwork depicts the last take off from the combat zone as the Catalina heads for safety, escorted by P-47 Thunderbolts which gave covering fire throughout the rescue.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
UNSUNG HERO
THE PEACEKEEPERS
FREEDOM FIGHTER
CHANNEL COMBAT, SPITFIRE
FLYING INTO HISTORY, CONCORDE
QUEEN OF THE SKIES, CONCORDE
RED ARROWS
DEFENCE OF THE REALM, SPITFIRE
CONCORDE COMES HOME Gouache
LEST WE FORGET
BATTLE ABOVE DOVER
THE FINAL FLIGHT
PRIDE OF BRITAIN CONCORDE
|
|
|
QUEEN OF THE SKIES, CONCORDE
BEST OF BRITISH, CONCORDE
THE LONGEST DAY