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Halfsheet kraftbacked This is a vintage 1914 lithograph advertising poster titled "Flying at Hendon" by the celebrated American-British illustrator Cyrus Cuneo.Poster Details & Context The Subject: The poster depicts an artist's impression of a two-seater monoplane flight cruising over 1,000 feet high above the packed crowds at the London Aerodrome in Hendon. It showcases a pilot maneuvering the aircraft while an intrepid female passenger waves enthusiastically to the audience below.The Event: It was commissioned to promote the highly popular aviation meetings, exhibition passenger flights, and weekend air races that drew massive crowds during the pioneering era of British flight. These events became a vital fixture of the British social calendar just before the outbreak of World War I.Historical Value: The location promoted on the poster, Hendon Aerodrome, serves today as the home of the Royal Air Force Museum London, preserving the exact grounds where these early aviation milestones took place.
The central aircraft prominently featured in this poster is a Blériot-style two-seater monoplane.Key Identification Details The Design: The illustration showcases a fixed-wing monoplane modeled closely after the pioneering designs of French aviator Louis Blériot. Specifically, it features the distinct triangular wire brace scaffolding (known as a cabane) positioned right above the open cockpit to tension the wing-bracing wires.The Configuration: While the famous cross-channel Blériot XI was typically a single-seater aircraft, this specific model is rendered as a elongated two-seater tandem variant, allowing the pilot to operate the controls while carrying a passenger safely behind them. Context at Hendon: Blériot-style monoplanes were a staple of early British aviation and regularly thrilled audiences with exhibition runs, speed tasks, and cross-country air racing formats held at the London Aerodrome. |
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