American Historical Ephemera and Photography

Oil on canvas painting of a SB2C Helldiver flying away from a freshly-bombed military base, signed by Leydenfrost at bottom left (minor deformation at center). Visible area 29 × 22 in. Frame: 32 1/4 × 25 1/4 in. Provenance: A Private Collection.

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 91 of the October 1944 issue. Despite lengthy delays in the SB2C entering military service due to design flaws and its unpopularity with pilots and military brass, the SB2C proved to be a fast aircraft and would become the main dive bomber used on United States Navy carriers.