Iain Wyllie
Iain Wyllie est un artiste impressionnant : nul doute que son talent lui vient de sa jeunesse bercée par les avions (à 4 ans il fut impressionné par le bruit d’un Boston volant bas au dessus de sa maison) mais très probablement aussi à sa très grande curiosité qui l’amena à s’intéresser à l’aérodynamique en construisant des modèles en balsa, ainsi qu’à la météorologie pour prendre part aux compétitions de modèles radioguidés.
Né en Irlande du Nord, il fut tout d’abord peintre naval. Il devint ensuite peintre aéronautique dans les années 70, en tant que membre du Royal Observer Corps. C’est ainsi que Iain Wyllie réalise à la perfection la mer en mouvement, le ciel et les nuages, si difficiles à réaliser en peinture. Son secret est d’avoir compris toute l’importance de la lumière dans ses tableaux.
Voici ci-après quelques unes de ses œuvres tirées du magnifique livre « Aircraft of the aces » publié par « OSPREY publishing » (http://www.ospreypublishing.com).
Iain Wyllie is an impressive artist: no doubt that his talent comes from his youth rocked by the planes (at 4 years he was impressed by the noise of a Boston flying low over his house) but most probably also from his great curiosity which led him to be interested in aerodynamics by building balsa models, or in meteorology by taking part to competitions of radio-controlled models.
Native from Northern Ireland, he was at first naval painter. He then became aeronautical painter in the 70’s, as a member of the Royal Observer Corps. That’s probably why Iain Wyllie paints to perfection the sea in motion, the sky and the clouds, so difficult to realize in painting. His secret is to have understood all the importance of the light in his artworks.
He was the author of more than 60 covers of the series of aviation “Aircraft of the Aces” published by OSPREY Publishing. More recently, he painted some artworks for KESTREL Publishing. All his work is synonymous with an incredible realism and technical accuracy.
Here below are some of his artworks taken from the splendid book “Aircraft of the aces” published by “OSPREY publishing” (http://www.ospreypublishing.com).
1940
Hawker Hurricane Mk I (Serial P2921/'GZ-L')
Flt Lt 'Pete' Brothers, Sqn N° 32 - Biggin Hill / Hawkinge.
© Iain Wyllie (source : "Aircrafts of the Aces" - OSPREY PUBLISHING)
Juillet 1940. Ce chasseur sera crédité de 8 avions allemands (6xBf 109, 1xBf 110 et 1xDo 17) avant d'être transféré au Sqn Polonais N° 315 à Speke, près de Liverpool.
July 1940. This fighter was credited with 8 german aircrafts (6xBf 109, 1xBf 110 and 1xDo 17) before beign transfered to the No 315 'Polish' Sqn at Speke, near Liverpool.
Messerschmitt Bf 110 C (M8+NP)
Oberleutnant Hans-Joachim Jabs, 6./ZG 76, France - Mai 1940 - May 1940.
© Iain Wyllie (source : "Aircrafts of the Aces" - OSPREY PUBLISHING)
Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 (Wk-Nr 5344)
Hauptmann Helmut Wick, Gruppenkommandeur I./JG 2 'Richtofen' - Beaumont-le-Roger
Octobre 1940 - October 1940.
© Iain Wyllie (source : "Aircrafts of the Aces" - OSPREY PUBLISHING)
1941
Curtiss H75A-3 '9' (s/n 295) - Sgt Georges Lemare, 2e Escadrille - GC I/4, Dakar Oukam
Septembre 1941 - September 1941.
© Iain Wyllie (source : "Aircrafts of the Aces" - OSPREY PUBLISHING)
1942
Focke Wulf Fw 190 A-4 - Lt Walter Nowotny, Staffelkapitän 1./JG 54, Krasnogvardeisk
Novembre 1942 - November 1942.
© Iain Wyllie (source : "Aircrafts of the Aces" - OSPREY PUBLISHING)
Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/Z Trop (Wk-Nr 10137)
Oberleutnant Hans-Joachim Marseille, Staffelkapitän 3./JG 27 - Ain El Gazala
Libye, mi-juin 1942 - Libya, mid-June 1942.
© Iain Wyllie (source : "Aircrafts of the Aces" - OSPREY PUBLISHING)
Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat BuNo 03450 - Capt Joseph Jacob Foss, VMF-121, Guadalcanal
Novembre 1942 -November 1942.
© Iain Wyllie (source : "Aircrafts of the Aces" - OSPREY PUBLISHING)
1943
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 (WkNr 15913) JG 50- Major Hermann Graf
6 septembre 1943. Graf termina la guerre avec 212 victoires.
6th September 1943. Graf ended the war with 212 victories.
© Iain Wyllie (source : "Aircrafts of the Aces" - OSPREY PUBLISHING)
Spitfire Mk VB Trop (serial ER220) - F/Officer Neville Duke, Sqn N° 92 - Waddi Surri
Libye, fin janvier 1943 - Libya, late January 1943
© Iain Wyllie (source : "Aircrafts of the Aces" - OSPREY PUBLISHING)
Vought F4U-1 Corsair - 1e Lt Kenneth A Walsh, VMF-124 - Munda
Ile de Nouvelle Géorgie, septembre 1943 - New Georgia Island, September 1943.
© Iain Wyllie (source : "Aircrafts of the Aces" - OSPREY PUBLISHING)
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-2 (Wk-Nr 14753) - WO Ilmari Juutilainen, 1/HLeLv 34 - Utti
Mai 1943 - Mai 1943.
© Iain Wyllie (source : "Aircrafts of the Aces" - OSPREY PUBLISHING)
Lockheed P-38H Lightning 'Stingeree' - Major William L. Leverette, CO 37° FS/14° FG - Gambut-2.
Libye, octobre 1943 - Libye, octobre 1943.
© Iain Wyllie (source : "Aircrafts of the Aces" - OSPREY PUBLISHING)
Mitsubishi A6M3a 'Zero' Model 22 - CPO Hiroyoshi Nishizawa, 251e AG, Aichi Prefecture
Japon, début du printemps 1943 - Japan, early Spring 1943.
© Iain Wyllie (source : "Aircrafts of the Aces" - OSPREY PUBLISHING)
1944
Supermarine Spitfire HF IXC (Serial ML296) - N° 312 Sqn, North Weald
Septembre 1944. Pilote slovaque : Otto Smik (tué par la Flak au-dessus d'Arnhem le 28 novembre 1944).
September 1944. Slovakian pilot : Otto Smik (killed by the Flak over Arnhem on the 28th November, 1944).
© Iain Wyllie (source : "Aircrafts of the Aces" - OSPREY PUBLISHING)
North American P-51 D Mustang "Old Crow" - Clarence E. "Bud" Anderson - 357th FG
Décembre 1944. Anderson finit la guerre avec 16.25 victoires.
December 1944. Anderson finished the war with 16.25 victories.
© Iain Wyllie (source : "Aircrafts of the Aces" - OSPREY PUBLISHING)
Grummann F6F-5 Hellcat 'Minsi III' (BuNo 70143) - Cdr David Mc Campbell.
Commandant du groupe Aérien 15, USS Essex, 25 octobre 1944.
Commander Air Group 15, USS Essex, 25th October, 1944.
© Iain Wyllie (source : "Aircrafts of the Aces" - OSPREY PUBLISHING)
Republic P-47D-23 Thunderbolt (42-75008) 'BIG STUD' - Lt Colonel Robert L. Baseler, CO 325° FG
Lesina, Italie, avril 1944 - Lesina, Italy, April 1944.
© Iain Wyllie (source : "Aircrafts of the Aces" - OSPREY PUBLISHING)
Republic P-47D-25 Thunderbolt (42-26641) - Colonel Dave Schilling, CO 56° FG
Boxfeld, December 1944 - Boxfeld, December 1944.
© Iain Wyllie (source : "Aircrafts of the Aces" - OSPREY PUBLISHING)
Focke Wulf Fw 190 A-8/R8 Unteroffizier Willi Maximowitz, IV.(Sturm)/JG3, Salzwedel
Aux environ de juin 1944 - Circa June 1944.
© Iain Wyllie (source : "Aircrafts of the Aces" - OSPREY PUBLISHING)
North American Mustang P-51B-10 (42-106501) Betty Jane - Col Charles M. 'Sandy' Mc Corkle, CO 31° FG
San Severo, Italy, juin 1944 -San Severo, Italy, juin 1944.
© Iain Wyllie (source : "Aircrafts of the Aces" - OSPREY PUBLISHING)
1945
Messerschmitt Bf 110 G-4 'Nachtjäger' - Oberleutnant Heinz Schnaufer, Staffelkapitän 12./NJG 1
St Trond, février 1945 - St Trond, février 1945.
© Iain Wyllie (source : "Aircrafts of the Aces" - OSPREY PUBLISHING)
Hawker Typhoon Mk IB SW411 - Sqn Ldr L. W. F. 'Pinkie' Stark, OC N° 609 Sqn - Plantlunne (B.103)
Allemagne, mai 1945 - Germany, May 1945.
© Iain Wyllie (source : "Aircrafts of the Aces" - OSPREY PUBLISHING)
Mustang F-6D-10 (44-14841) 'SNOOKS-5th' - Cpt William Shomo, CO 82° TRS/71e TRG
Leyte, janvier 1945 - Leyte, January 1945.
© Iain Wyllie (source : "Aircrafts of the Aces" - OSPREY PUBLISHING)
Messerschmitt Me 262A-1a Wk-Nr 110559 - Oberleutnant Heinz Bär, Kommandeur III./EJG 2
Lager-Lechfeld, mars 1945 - Lager-Lechfeld, March 1945.
© Iain Wyllie (source : "Aircrafts of the Aces" - OSPREY PUBLISHING)
Lavochkin La-7 - Lt Col Sergei Dolgushin, Commander 156.IAP, 215.IAD, 8.IAK
Allemagne, début 1945 - Germany, early 1945.
© Iain Wyllie (source : "Aircrafts of the Aces" - OSPREY PUBLISHING)
Kawasaki Ki-100-Ib - Major Yohei Hinoki
Leader du 1er Datai, Ecole de Chasse d'Akeno, Komaki, juillet 1945.
Leader of 1st Datai, Akeno Fighter School, Komaki, July 1945.
© Iain Wyllie (source : "Aircrafts of the Aces" - OSPREY PUBLISHING)