Foreword - Clive Rowley Squadron Leader MBE RAF (Retd).

I spent 36 years flying with the Royal Air Force, mostly as a jet fighter pilot, and during those decades hardly a day went by without me observing aircraft of many types, in many circumstances, sometimes with a privileged view not available to most people. I have always been fascinated by how aircraft can look completely different from various angles and in altering light conditions.

For each of us there are eras of aviation that were before our time, or places that we could not be (perhaps, in some cases, we would not actually want to be) when aircraft, their pilots and crews were earning a place in history or even shaping it. Some of those ‘snapshots’ in aviation history are what Adam Tooby brings to life with his amazing digital aviation artwork, showing the drama of those moments in great detail.

Having worked with Adam on a number of his illustrations, especially those for my own publications, I can vouch for the meticulous research that goes into each and every one to produce astonishing technical and historical accuracy. Not only can you see practically every rivet in the aircraft, but also the scenarios are as accurate as the available information allows. Adam’s pictures are always dynamic, with a great sense of movement and speed; they tell, in a way that other media cannot approach, of the genius of the aircraft designers, the skill and prowess of the pilots and sometimes of inspirational courage.

This, Adam’s first book, gives us the chance to revel in over 200 of his works in their full glory, covering 100 years of aviation from the First World War to modern jets. He also lets us into the secrets behind how his digital, computer-generated imagery, or perhaps that should be wizardry, is produced. I trust that you will enjoy Adam’s work as much as I do and join me in hoping that this will be the first of many such books from this brilliant artist.