Oil on canvas of a Martin PBM Mariner taking flight, signed by Leydenfrost at bottom right (some minor cracks and losses, 2" horizontal repair at top left). 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 104 of the May 1945 issue. The Martin PBM Mariner was first manufactured 1937 and saw regular use during World War II and the early years of the Cold War. The aircraft was mostly retired from U.S. military use in 1955 following the introduction of its successor, the P5M Marlin.