American Historical Ephemera and Photography

Oil on canvas depicting a P-40B attacking a Japanese military base, signed by Leydenfrost at bottom left (wear along edges, evidence of restoration). Visible area 29 × 22 in. Frame: 32 1/4 × 25 1/4 in.

Alexander Leydenfrost was a Hungarian-American industrial designer and illustrator whose artwork during the Second World War brought the immediacy and drama of the conflict into the homes of millions of Americans. Throughout the war he produced dozens of images of American military prowess for Esquire magazine; this work was reproduced on page 160 of the April 1944 issue. Claire Lee Chennault (1893-1958) was an American military pilot who is best remembered today for organizing the First American Volunteer Group of the Republic of China Air Force, better known as the Flying Tigers. The Flying Tigers flew modified Curtiss P-40B Warhawk aircrafts which were marked with Chinese colors. A mere two weeks after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor Chennault's Flying Tigers became the first Americans to directly engage with Japanese fighters following Roosevelt's declaration of war when they engaged a squadron of Japanese planes on their way to raid Kunming; four of the ten Japanese fighters were shot down in the ensuing dogfight.