| British Air Transport – The Pioneering Days 1919–1934 | |
|---|---|
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| Artist | William Kempster |
| Year | 1969 |
| Medium | Oil and tempera on three plywood panels |
| Dimensions | 155 cm × 844 cm (61 in × 332 in) |
| Location | Croydon Airport,London |
British Air Transport – The Pioneering Days 1919–1934 is an 8.44-metre (27.7 ft)-longmural byWilliam Kempster depicting, from left to right, a chronological sequence of events in the history of British aviation on the London to Paris route starting on the left withHounslow Heath Aerodrome in 1919 and finishing on the right atCroydon Aerodrome (now Airport House) in 1931. The most recent aircraft shown is theShort L.17 Scylla of 1934.
The painting was commissioned by theBritish Airports Authority in 1969 to mark the opening ofHeathrow Terminal 1, London, where it was displayed until 2015. It was sold in 2016 and in 2018, the Maas Gallery loaned it to the Historic Croydon Airport Trust to be displayed in the original booking hall of Croydon Airport.
The painting was commissioned by theBritish Airports Authority in 1969 to mark the opening ofHeathrow Terminal 1, London.[1] It is ofoil paint andtempera on threeplywood panels of 1.55 metres in height and totalling 8.44 metres (27.7 ft) in length.[1] A number of the photographs used to plan the painting were supplied by theFlight photographic library.[2][3]
It was unveiled at Heathrow's Terminal One on 17 April 1969 byPrince Philip, in the presence ofQueen Elizabeth II.[3][4][5] From 1969 to 2015, it remained on display at the Terminal before being sold by Roseberys of London for £3,800 in 2016.[1] In 2018, it was loaned by the Maas Gallery to the Historic Croydon Airport Trust to be displayed in the original Croydon Airport (now Airport House) booking hall.[4][6]
The painting depicts, from left to right, a chronological sequence of events in the history of British aviation on the London to Paris route (1919–1934).[3]
A highly competitive London to Paris route was operated by theAircraft Transport and Travel (AT&T) company, fromHounslow Heath Aerodrome. AT&T ownedAirco de Havilland DH16s, the first aircraft illustrated in the painting. On 25 August 1919,Cyril Patterson, shown in the foreground, flew the first commercial flight toLe Bourget in a DH16 K-130.[7]
The dark green aircraft is the convertedFirst World War bomber aircraft, theHandley Page Type O/400 HP-16(Vulture). In May 1919, it carried eight passengers. Flying above, is a laterHandley Page H.P.20.[7]
A whiteHandley Page W8, named theNewcastle (later theDuchess of York), is seen behind and slightly to the right of the greenVulture. It was Handley Page's first civil aircraft with the world's firstin-built lavatory and it first flew in November 1919.[7]
Next is the blueVickers Vimy Commercial,City of London. Although it has an open cockpit for the pilot and co-pilot, its 10 passengers were under cover. It also had 300 cubic feet (8.5 m3) of luggage space.[7]
Above is theR33-class airship, built in 1918 and based on a wreckedZeppelin.[7]
Following from the Vickers Vimy Commercial is a redde Havilland DH.34 which flew in March 1922, a British single engine biplane owned byDaimler Hire Ltd. AHavilland DH18A can be seen in the background, which first flew in July 1920. Above is theBritish Marine Air Navigation Company Ltd'sSupermarine Sea Eagle flying boat, which flew from March 1923.[7]
Also in the air is theShort L.17 Scylla, a biplane designed by theShort Brothers in 1934 at Imperial's request. It had 39 seats and is the painting's most modern feature. Next, on the ground, is a blueHandley Page W10 (City of Pretoria) which first flew in November 1925.[7]
Then there is theArmstrong Whitworth ArgosyCity of Glasgow, operated by Imperial Airways, which first flew in May 1925. It is the aircraft that carriedEdward, Prince of Wales, and his brotherPrince George from Le Bourget toWindsor Great Park in 1931.[7]
At the painting's far right is theHandley Page HP42Heracles, mostly made of metal and which first flew in August 1931 with the pilot now under cover.[7]
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A number of well known aviators are depicted in the painting, includingSir Alan Cobham.[2] A man identical to a description of the first pilot to circumnavigate the world via flight,Wiley Post, is seen in the centre of the painting.[7]
Other people in the painting are:[3]
From left to right, the painting shows progression fromHounslow Heath Aerodrome's apron andhangars in 1919, then the old woodenair traffic control tower of the first Croydon Aerodrome (1920–1928), on Plough Lane,Wallington. To the right of the centre is the later air traffic control tower at Croydon Aerodrome onPurley Way (1928–1959), and further to the right are its hangars.[7]