mavas Sept. 2012 MAvAS, Magazine of the Manchester Aviation Art Society

Mavas

1

Issue 74 september 2012

mavas

2

Editorial Cover image “Supersonic High Flyer” by Cris Stone, depicts the closing stages of what was a testing interception profile for a pilot of an English Electric Lightning.

The painting was recently completed as a commission for the front cover of a forthcoming second volume of two books entitled “The Lightning Boys – True Tales from pilots of the English Electric Lightning” by Richard Pike.

Rear Cover Image “Eagles Over the Alps”.

By Chris Stone

This has been a busy three months with an excellent June followed by an indifferent July, but August proved interesting ending. If you cannot attend meetings we hope the magazine will put some faces to names.

This issue looks at the work of the digital artist and some of the work involved and Peter Nield looks at how digital art fits in the overall art scene.

Printed documents have always been popular as a permanent ready to use media.

Unfortunately printing costs, especially in colour,limit the size of our magazine.

Electronic media has the glorious freedom to use full colour, costs no extra to distribute and, in this issue, has an extra six pages, with some articles extended, and some extra material not found in the print version. If you follow link to the Spitfire and P47C on You Tube, try it full screen and don’t get sidetracked.

Happy and successful painting.

Dave If any member has an objection to the Society holding Membership records on a computer and using the information for society purposes deemed suitable by the Committee, eg; the production and distribution of a membership list, please notify the Editor

mavas

3

Contents The Lightning Boys - Chris Stone writes about the paintings and the aircraft

4

Meet Jean Shevelan

10

June Meeting -The Jim MacKendrick Trophy

12

July Meeting - Sketching in the Museum

18

Peter Nield takes a highly polished look at CGI, Photos and 20 Traditional Art Wiek Luijken Replies.

23

Joep Peters shows the detail modelling can involve

25

Book Review by Roger Markman

28

August Meeting - Alternative Work

30

Newsround

32

Diary Dates - keep up to date

33

mavas

4

Chris Chris Stone Stone Air Air Cdre Cdre (Retd) (Retd)

The first volume of “The Lightning Boys – True Tales from pilots of the English Electric Lightning” by Richard Pike, was launched in July 2011 at the Duxford Flying Legends Air Show. It has since become an aviation history best seller, and is currently available from Amazon or directly from Grub Street Publishing. On the cover of that book a Lightning Mk 3 is shown at the point of pulling 3G immediately the ‘wheels were in the well’ for what was termed a ‘Reheat Rotation‘ take-off. This was not only an exhilarating experience for the pilot, but was an impressive air show display sequence, particularly when performed by several aircraft rolling close behind each other in a three second interval stream take-off.

With thrust from the twin Rolls Royce engines in ‘after-burner’ virtually equaling the weight of the aircraft, the Lightning was able to snap into a vertical climb from take-off. It is these powerful attributes of the aircraft that the publisher of “The Lightning Boys” most wanted illustrating on both front covers.

mavas

5

“Reheat Rotation”.

mavas

6

Paintings can tell their own story, but a little narrative gives added insight. This brief overview is for those interested in what went on inside a Lightning cockpit during an interception.

The Lightning was the last all British-built (Lancashire!) fighter aircraft, and was specifically designed for single pilot operation.

Being capable of flying at more than twice the speed of sound, and operating at heights of 60,000 feet and above when it entered service with the RAF in 1960, it could be truly said then that this was an aircraft introduced way ahead of its time. Nonetheless, even with all the power, speed and agility of the Lightning, its pilots had to work hard to master a wide range of interception profiles. In current generation fighters, such techniques have been made virtually automatic through advances in computerised radar, avionics, and weapon systems. But, in the Sixties and Seventies there was no such luxury in the Lightning as an on-board computer, or a second crew member to direct the interception.

It was always welcome to the Lightning pilot, therefore, if he could operate under “Close Control”. This was a procedure whereby instructions were broadcast to the interceptor by a fighter controller from a Ground Control Interception (GCI) station. Sitting in front of his large Plan Position Indicator (PPI) radar display, the fighter controller would work out the ideal attack geometry, and vector the fighter expeditiously to a firing position. But such communications could not always be relied upon during hostilities when there were high expectations of radio and electronic jamming. Thus, a system known as “Loose Control”, in which the Lightning pilot had to work out all the attack parameters for himself, was regularly practised for such eventualities; and doing this on dark and dirty nights had its moments.

Lightnings were armed with either two ‘Firestreak’, or two ‘Redtop’ missiles. The ‘Firestreak’ was a heat seeking weapon, but reliable acquisition depended on a distinct heat source being detected such

mavas

7

as the hot gasses from an engine exhaust. It was thus restricted to a stern shot. The ‘Redtop’, was also a heat seeker, but one with a much more sensitive infrared sensor enabling it to acquire over a wider range of engagement angles. ‘Redtop’ could, for instance, home in on the metal skin of a target that had been heated by air friction; in which case it could even be fired from the front hemisphere. Obviously, a head on attack offered a good opportunity of stopping a fast moving attacker before it reached the point releasing a weapon. A rear hemisphere attack against a supersonic target, if expertly executed could be equally effective; but it essentially required the interceptor to fly a perfectly displaced interception profile in order to turn in behind the target at the ideal missile firing range of about one and a half miles in the shortest possible time. Failing this, a long and fuel costly stern chase could result.

A great deal, therefore, depended on an early detection of the target and accurate interpretation of its flight direction. The pick up range of the (AI-23) radar in the Lightning, however, depending on target size, was only about 20 to 25 miles; and a further complication arose from the fact that the radar presentation in the cockpit was not conducive to easy determination of target heading. Understandably, the Lightning did not have a PPI type of display as in GCI stations that provided an all round azimuth picture; nor did it have an A-Scope that painted radar returns in a wedge shape with the point of the wedge representing the fighter position. Instead, the Lightning had a small B-Scope display of the search area in front of the aircraft with an expanded baseline along the bottom of the scope that represented the fighter’s nose. This gave the pilot no option but to mentally calculate the target’s exact path of movement by assessing the changing azimuth of the blip as it closed range from 20 miles on the radar-scope. Using this method, the pilot had to assess if the target was on a 180° displaced heading; flying a crossing angle either in front, or behind him; or on a collision course. Having determined target track, the ideal path towards a rear hemisphere

mavas

8

attack was for the fighter to maneuver on to a 180° opposed heading, and at the same time achieve that aforementioned perfect displacement distance. A collision course would be evident from a target’s return on the radar-scope remaining at a constant azimuth, and this could be easily coverted to a front hemisphere attack if so armed.

However, in either case, working out the interception profile was a demanding task, particularly against a supersonic attacker coming in above 60,000 feet, and where combined closing speeds upwards of Mach 3 left precious little time to get things right. In general terms, the fighter would be set up on an initial heading towards the threat, and at the tropopause (around 32,000 to 36,000 feet). This was the ideal altitude for acceleration from subsonic to a high supersonic speed essential for the zoom energy required to take out the height differential of the target in the final stages of the attack.

Maximum visual concentration was obviously required with the pilot’s head-down in the radar-scope during the interception. There was a rudimentary horizon bar in the B-Scope to keep the pilot aware of flying attitude, but attention to flight and engine instruments – especially fuel guages with full reheats engaged - could not be ignored. And, if flying controls and throttles were not enough for the pilot to manipulate, there was also the all important radar hand controller to be managed. This was a small stick, positioned on the left hand side of the cockpit just aft of the twin engine throttles, that incorporated an array of built in buttons, knobs, switches and triggers. These performed a multitude of operations including adjustment of scanner elevation, search modes, range scales, target acquisition and lock etc - all essential to successfully flying the interception profile to missile launch range.

Calls of “Fox One”, “Fox Two” or “Splash” – variations of announcing ‘missile away’ and ‘target kill’ - were expressed in great relief.

Time then to head back to Base to re-arm: better still to the Bar and a beer!

mavas

9

For those readers with an interest in mental arithmetic, this example of a simple 180° intercept (it gets more complicated with varying target tracks) was the basis for all interception calculations: Using the rule of thumb that one degree in sixty miles equals one mile, then thirty degrees at twenty miles range equals ten miles displacement - say left - of the nose (thirty multiplied by twenty and then divided by sixty). If the target is on a 180° heading, it will then be at forty degrees to the left at fifteen miles range – and maintaining the displacement in which the fighter can easily turn in behind. If the initial contact was at nine degrees left at twenty miles, however, and moving to twelve degrees left at fifteen miles, the displacement would only be three miles. This would not be enough to turn in behind, so the fighter would turn hard right to obtain maximum displacement.

What the lightning pilot had to contend with, Photo courtesy of the Lightning Preservation Society. http://www.lightnings.org.uk/ Well worth looking at - or going to visit them at Bruntingthorpe.

Mavas

10

Jean Shevelan Jean, a stalwart member who travels from the wilds of north Lancashire to our meetings, shares her slow and bewildered journey to aviation art.

“Now children, let`s draw a picture”. Words I used to hate. How did you draw a picture? “This is how you …….. and you watched whilst someone showed you how to shape letters, mix ingredients, knit, sew, dig the ground, sow seeds – but drawing? Given a crayon and a piece of paper, where did you start?

Some twenty years on whilst on holiday in Cornwall watching an artist work.

He took time to show me how he made the sea look real and then gave me a piece of canvas, a brush and some paint. By the end of the afternoon I could paint a sea! If I painted it was the sea. Move on another twenty years. In pain and some three years with my right arm in a sling, feeling miserable. Physio had by now started to get me to use my left hand, even the bank accepted my new signature. Practice makes perfect they say. Try drawing now to give more control. Those words again!

This time it was a colourful magazine on the rack with two pencils stuck on. Joe (my husband) got it and a drawing book. Now what? An article in the magazine showed me how to use the pencils, well pastel pencils, drawing, blending, have a go. What to draw?

Sat in the garden with flowers all around try them, on to the plants, trees, walls and finally the scenery. Not bad. Eventually my sling could be removed and now I had to learn to use my right hand once again so I tried the pastel pencils.

Mavas

11

Confidence came and for practice I started to make “first night cards” for our theatre productions. “Noises Off” – lovely thunderstorms – pictures of dark skies with lightning flashes. What about the new guy who`s mad on aeroplanes? Where`s a picture of a plane? A 747 that`ll do. Er, it don`t look right. Oh well, where`s the black?

Opening night cards distributed, “oh look a 747”. Not bad for a silhouette. Next show, “Wind in the Willows”. Lovely chocolate box pictures of weeping willows, er aeroplane?

Joe had got me a book of aeroplanes, so here goes. Sunset on the Somerset Levels, an aeroplane silhouette. Opening night – oh look, a Badger. Yes an aeroplane called a Badger.

Some weeks later we took a friend to look round the Haworth Art Gallery in Accrington. Joe showed me an exhibition of aeroplane pictures – MAvAS. Connections made and we came to a meeting and the demonstration that night was Silhouettes!

I`ve been here ever since. Members have been patient with this novice artist. Most important SHOWING me how it`s done.

Meanwhile showing me friendship, support when Joe died and encouraging my simple efforts.

Oh, and the parachuting cat? The first parachute drop was done in Lancashire when three kittens were dropped from a hot air balloon. Sometime after finding this out I was watching my friend Cypher lying on his back, feet in the air and he gave me the idea of a parachuting cat. I`ve never forgotten the look on the Curator`s face at Rawtenstall when she unwrapped the picture. Well, she had asked for pictures connected with the area! The recognition of silhouettes?

Dead easy for an ex-member of the Royal Observer Corps.

mavas

12

The Jim MacKendrick

The meeting in the Conf Room was attended b members plus Bob Pick, Tre of the Society of Friends, w kindly agreed to judge th MacKendrick Trophy compe The subject this year ‘American Aircraft’, cho memory of our late memb DeMarco. 18 works were e by 13 of our artists.

mavas

13

Trophy

ference by 13 easurer who had he Jim etition. r was osen in ber, Joe entered

Bob`s selected winner was ‘Clipper on the Step’, an oil painting by Peter Nield.

(Above left) Also commended were ‘Lindbergh`s Last Lap’ by David Bates (below left) and ‘From Hunter to Hunted’ by David Taylor. (above

5th June

mavas

14

Above D. Bates - Martin China Clipper

C. G. Taylor - M K. J. Stancombe - Boeing Stearman

Below left to right - R. Sargeant - FU-7 Cutlass Sky , XB-51 Desert Testi

Mariner on the Step

mavas

15

P. W. Grove - Five Minutes at Midway

ing, R. Sargeant - P-39 Airacobra Jungle , R. Sargeant - B-25 Tokyo Bound

mavas

16

D

T. Jones - Wings of the Morning

P. Rose - Harv

W. Hague - Sea Fury

R. S. Jackson - C-54

D .Bates - Martin XB-51

mavas

17

W. Leeming - B-26 Marauder

This was followed by a useful and entertaining appraisal of the new works by Roger Markman.

vard First Solo Flight

4 Berlin Airlift

Editor’s choice C. Jones - B-17 Little Jo

Mavas

18

Sketching

3rd July The meeting in the Conference Room on 3rd July was attended by 15 members plus Wayne Leeming`s 8 year old son, Alex.

Len Sakowicz chaired the event which was “Sketching in Air and Space Hall�. After a 1 hour session, members returned to the Conference Room with a total of 17 sketches.

Join wer Sta Jap agr priz

Mavas

19

nt winners, judged by consensus, re Len Sakowicz and Keith ancombe who both sketched the panese Ohka. However, it was reed that Keith should receive the ze of a box of oil paints.

The presentation was followed by an appraisal of the sketches by Roger Markman and, notably, Alex Leeming was commended for his sketch of the E.E. P1A.

It would appear some members did more talking than sketching.

Perhaps we need a techniques of sketching workshop‌Ed.

mavas

20

Peter Nield takes a highly polish at CGI, Photos and Traditional The relative merits of computer generated images (CGI), photography and traditional art continue to be discussed in the art world. Likewise, their respective position in the world of exhibitions is a lively topic.

Personally, I am a great admirer of digital artists and their work. Their abilities in harnessing all the electronic tools at their disposal are formidable. I don`t think anyone can dispute that the artistic effects they can produce would challenge the skills of even the greatest traditional artists. See “Desert Spits� above. This wonderful example of CGI is the work of artist Wiek Luijken. Check his website at www.luijken.com.

Photography has been around for a long time in various forms, including digital, and it is unquestionably a versatile and satisfying medium that requires specialised equipment and considerable expertise to achieve the best results.

mavas

21

"How`s this for brilliant art without using bristles!"

hed look Art There is no doubt that computer generated imaging is now a highly developed art form in its own right and is used to great effect in static images for books and the movie industry. One can argue that the world of film making will never be the same again.

The two media, CGI and photography, share similar characteristics, at least in terms of the final product. There is an initial artistic input in both cases, but much more so with digital art. The photographer brings together composition and lighting in an existing scene whereas the digital artist is required to carry out considerable research and artistically create the scene. That is not to denigrate the art of photography. The common ground is that the end product for both is a print, but what of the originals? If there is such a thing as a CGI original, it can only be a bunch of whirling electrons. It has no substance and, hence, no size. The original in photography is the negative but, in addition to being too small to be of any practical use, the negative tones render it meaningless. Even with reversal film, the original positive transparency is too small in itself to serve any useful purpose beyond being the source of a much larger print or projected image.

mavas

22

The only way these two media can come to life is by producing prints but, by definition, a print can never be described as an original.

Some suggest that a digital or photographic original can be created by making a single print to some arbitrary size and then destroying the computer file or negative. This can be done, of course, but in both cases the so-called original will always be a second generation item.

So where does this leave CGI and photography in relation to hands on traditional art?

The only true original in art is piece of work that has been created directly by the hand of the artist, such as a painting, a sculpture, a wood carving, etc. A true original carries with it the human presence of the artist and it is the lack of this particular feature that places CGI and photography at a disadvantage in comparison with traditional art forms. This is difficult to describe but is easily demonstrated by standing in front of an original painting and experiencing the uncanny sensation of being in the exact space where the artist stood and being able to reach out and touch the actual paint he or she applied. That is not to say that CGI and photography lack soul, but you just don`t get those spooky feelings when standing in front of a photograph or CGI print. At least, that is my experience.

To my mind, photography is a highly skilled art form in its own right but it has so little in common with traditional art that it should be exhibited only in photographic exhibitions. On the other hand, CGI, having considerably more creative input regarding the scene, has a greater affinity with traditional art and can reasonably be justified as a fellow medium. Therefore, for the time being at least, I see no reason why both CGI and traditional art should not be exhibited alongside each other so long as the medium is declared.

One thing is certain, the world has moved on and CGI is here to stay and its success, certainly in the commercial world, has been achieved mainly at the expense of traditional art. I am sure that traditional art societies – like MAvAS - will continue but I feel that they will need to accept and welcome CGI artists into their ranks if they are to prosper. Possibly we are in the middle of an artistic revolution and it won`t be long before CGI, photography and traditional art have evolved into three very distinct groups. Maybe that has happened already in some parts of the world. Who knows, we might eventually end up with a fourth group involving holographic art!

mavas

23

Wiek Luijken Replies I've read your article with interest, it's definitely a discussion point that has come up again and again on ehangar.com If you don't mind I'd want to write a few words of additional information: People often regard digital as work without soul or effort, sometimes even compare it to taking screenshots from a game. I think that is highly unfair if you look at the work of the top digital aviation artists.

Creating a CG artwork often takes weeks, this is after you spent months making the 3d model of the aircraft in question yourself. This not only requires a good eye for composition, action, lighting and materials.

You also need to be an expert at 3d model making and painting (digitally), otherwise the work will be substandard. The artist not only needs to be artistic but also very capable on the technical side. Mastering the 3d software will takes many years (I started this in the late eighties, early nineties and have been an professional 3d artist/director/art director full-time since '95).

As a digital artist you still put as much of yourself in to the work as you would do with traditional painting. You do just as much research, you try just as much (if not more) to find the right composition and you're just as passionate about the subject. The big difference is indeed only in the medium.

I've also attached a few examples of one of my other images (see over) to show how much work goes in to creating the backgrounds for instance. As you can see from that process it is quite different from Photography and much much closer to traditional art in this case. But yes, a lot of digital artist do not go through so much work to get to their end result.

And yes, some self proclaimed digital "artists" do no more than create a screenshot from a game. Which in my opinion isn't art and can be spotted a mile away. The only thing there is find a right angle, which does make it very similar to photography but is in a whole different league.

Mavas

24

Working out the layout in 3d space using multiple copies of the base model.

Rough of the sky colours

Rough ground colours

More detail in the ground

More work on ground and lead aircraft in place

Copies of base model painted in the colours of other members of the Jasta

Final aircraft painted and in place final tweeks to background and lighting

n

Mavas

25

Joep Peters is a young freelance 3d generalist/3d modeller.

His models overleaf show the detail that is possible, and another branch of the art - animation.

Visit him at www.j-peters.com/

Link to student room dog fight

mavas

26

The model has a fully detailed cockpit as well as working undercarriage, flaps, elevators etc.

Joep even had to research th lettering on the instruments

The f Luftw

Link to P-47c video

mavas

the s.

These are the aircraft in the dogfight

fuel drums even have the waffe id. stamped on them

27

mavas

28

Has a Long Distant Read From Here to Berlin and All Points in Between Given that the Lancaster is such a staple of aviation art, you will revel in both these books, as I did. Both authors write in a brilliant clear, simple style, interspersing the historical narrative with actual accounts of those who were there at the time, including German airmen and civilians!

Casting a long shadow over both accounts is the all-pervading figure of Arthur Harris, AOCinC of Bomber Command.

Charismatic and inspiring, he possessed tremendous qualities of leadership and organisation. He was, however, blind to the need for open-minded discussion and change. To the end, he was an area-bombing disciple of Trenchard.

mavas

29

The merits and shortcomings of the three “heavies” are discussed in both books. It is amazing to learn exactly the degree of contempt Harris had for both the Stirling and Halifax. The arguments put forward by the Air Ministry for the continued manufacture and use of the two lesser bombers is beyond belief!

The human cost is just staggering, fifty five thousand dead aircrew! The bomber offensive was indeed an aerial Battle of the Somme and thereby a supreme irony; Harris was hoping to avoid another re run of World War One by the use of air power!

The McInstrey book is fascinating in terms of all the other associated stories about the Lancaster, such as the Rose turret and the whole fiasco of .303 guns versus .5s. Harris fought a losing battle for .5s throughout the war. The Dambusters story is here as well. My favourite is the American consideration of the Lancaster as the plane to carry the atomic bombs!

I urge EVERYONE to read both books back-to-back starting with Max Hastings’. You will be transported to another time and another place! After finishing both (a BIG read as they are each five hundred pages long) you will find that your thoughts will return again and again for days, to what you have read.

mavas J.D.Williams

30

Alternative Work

Lack of space and only a few work recorded makes this sele unrepresentative of the meet

C.Taylor

7th A U G U S T

D.F.Steeden

K.Stancombe

mavas

members’ ection ting

31

This meeting in the Conference Room was devoted to “Alternative Art”. A total of 14 members attended and some 30 pieces of artwork were brought along for scrutiny. The range of subjects in various media was considerable, covering anything from still life and brick walls through to portraiture and seascapes. Roger Markman, who is rapidly evolving into our resident ‘Appraiser’, carried out his usual excellent crit to the enjoyment – and benefit – of all concerned. Apologies from the member who usually records the scene for posterity he forgot his camera so all images on this occasion were taken using a mobile phone camera kindly loaned by David Steeden.

S.Ridgway

R.S.Jackson

P.S.Carter

R.Rumbold

mavas

32

NEWS ROUND Oops In the last issue the illustration of the SE5b in Roger Markman;s article was not clearly attributed. Artist Kevin Clarkson not only gave permission to use the illustration but provided a high resolution photograph. Kevin has some excellent paintings on his website which can be found at http://www.kevinclarkson.co.uk

GAvA Not news by now, but worth reminding members that the Guild of Aviation Artists’ website is a vast treasury of aviation styles and subjects as their Aviation Paintings of the Year Exhibitions are archived.

While not encouraging copying the paintings, except for ones own education, a trawl through the archives can trigger a new slant on that painting that has been on the tip of ones artistic tongue (the one used to point ones brush?) for too long.

Watercolours do not have to be pale to be interesting, aircraft do not have to face the front, photo-realism is not compulsory (even if one can achieve it).

These and many other insights can be found at a computer near you. http://www.gava.org.uk

mavas

33

Diary Dates Meetings are held from 7-00pm to 9-30pm in the Conference Room in the Air and Space Hall at the Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester on the first Tuesday in the month unless otherwise stated.

Sat/Sun 8th/9th September

Exhibition at Southport Air Show Details from Exhibition Officer – Steve Ridgway Contact no. 0161-285-0461 Entries to be fitted with hooks and string and Society label Tuesday 2nd October

Avro Trophy Competition Subject – “Pioneering Flights” Adjudicator – Mr. Len Whalley of Avro Heritage Centre at Woodford Tuesday 6th November

“Propeller Theory for Aviation Artists” An illustrated talk by Colin Taylor Saturday 10th November

Workshop – 10-00am to 4-00pm A Demonstration in Acrylics by Mr. Carl Jacobs Tuesday 4th December

“Market Place” Annual Xmas Meeting No specific subject – general get together Bring in items for sale, swap etc – 10% on sales to MAvAS. Hopefully, there will be a few mince pies etc.

mavas

Editor: Dave Bates Tel: 0161-284-3467 Email: david-bates@ntlworld.com Society website: www.mavas.co.uk

“Eagles Over the Alps�.

34