The Daily Postcard No. 21

Homage to the French Armed Forces, and in particular, the Aéronautique Militaire (Air Force). 

The Aéronautique Militaire used equipment never yet seen in the short history of manned flight; their planes flew pretty much without vertical stabilisers (tails), and their daredevil pilots stood up in the cockpit and steered (and I mean steered) with one hand!  The flag in the other hand was, of course, mandatory.  Beware, you Germans!

Not only is this card a good early example, produced at the very start of the war, it was also written and posted not long after, on 23rd September 1914.  And tell me this, if you will.  What is it about horses that makes George Stubbs the only bloke in the history of Art, or possibly the human race, who could draw or paint one properly?

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11 Responses to The Daily Postcard No. 21

  1. Sid from Down Under says:

    Wow – these are beauties and a great description that I otherwise would not have known, Thank you. And standing up steering one-handed (sort of like riding a horse). Also the lower patriotic ladies with furled (?) flag. And the tricolour sign post. I am learning from your postcards

    • Magicfingers says:

      I know! They had planes with steering pilots at both ends facing in opposite directions, too. Saved having to turn the plane round if they wanted to go back the way they’d come……

  2. Margaret Draycott says:

    Planes that can fly either way how clever is that!!! It’s a let’s have at them type of postcard very gung ho

  3. Nick Kilner says:

    Fabulous!
    They say there is a fine line between genius and insanity. Looking at these early aircraft I’d say the line is finer still between bravery and insanity. Steering must have been an interesting business!

    • Magicfingers says:

      And the flags weren’t just flags, oh no. They were actually an early form of javelin-bomb that could be flung, like a javelin, indeed, at German troops below……..

  4. Nick Kilner says:

    Horses, and hands (hence the reason cartoon charters only ever have three fingers). It is a curiosity. I can’t even draw a bath (see what I did there), so I’m in no position to comment really lol

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