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wallan · Joined: 13 Jul 2003 Posts: 252 Location: UK

No aircraft engines, but still a very good book on one of the major cutaway drawing experts.

Watts My Line?: The Life and Work of Editorial Artist, Lawrie Watts by David Dixon

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/095443577X/202-3546868-9674229

pshort · Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2007 04:14 Post subject:

This is a very nicely done book, I like it. I am not too sure about the accuracy of some things written, but it is a very enjoyable book, this man has an amazing skill and it is beautifully presented here.

jjuutinen · Joined: 13 Jul 2003 Posts: 180

Care to list which vehicles it covers? Even the publisher´s site doesn´t have the listing and if there are too many post-1945 cars I am not hugely interested in I may have to skip this one.

pshort · Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2007 22:29 Post subject:

J, the book is a bit of a mixture, but a nicely done mix. I wouldn't buy it to find out much detail about the vast array of subjects covered, more just an interesting tour through this artists life I guess. By far the most of the book deals with post 1945 subjects, except for the stuff on Percy Pilcher, Wilson and maybe a few other bits.

After discussing the artistic techniques, there are chapters on:

Motorcycles (36 pgs), cutaways and photos of various engines, eg MZ 125, 250, Suzuki RG square four, Triumph Bandit, usually the accompanying text is not a lot of detail of the engine but brings out Watts particular experiences in doing each job, eg travelling to East Germany to visit Walter Kaaden, trying to figure out the Suzuki engines at the 1962 Isle of man etc etc. Quite a bit of stuff on the authors own "Dreamliner" motorcycle. Watts is obviously more than an artist, he made all sorts of stuff as well. Great photos of Fath 500cc two stroke flat four including parts photos.

Automobiles (50 pgs), working experiences at Daimler, cutaways of Montego!, Jag XJ13, Donald Campbells "Bluebird", Nobles "Thrust", Bond Bug, Alfa 158/159, Rover-BRM Le Mans turbine engine, Vanwell, and many more. Wilson self-changing gearbox.

Mechanical Farming, (20 pgs) cut aways of things like rotary cowsheds, cultivation systems...

Nautical (6 pgs) Odd stuff like hovercraft, Blue Riband challenger etc

Aeronautical (54 pgs) Watts is a keen glider pilot, so plenty about gliding, experiences, various different craft, cutaways, models he built and flew (eg Meteor jet). Most of this chapter is about Watts gliding experiences, no engine cutaways. Quite a bit about Percy Pilcher the pioneer aviator, this being another of Watts interests. Also a little on the Wilson-Pilcher car, Percy Pilcher having being involved with this, along with Wilson of self-changing gearbox fame. Wilson supplied the engine for Pilchers aircraft apparently.

"Ones that almost got away" (24 pgs) 4 cylinder Norton racer, BSA Wankel, Alpha 250cc disc valve, 250cc Rotax, Norton-Wulf, Villiers stepped-piston V-four diesel....mostly engines that never made it past prototype stage.

gwhite · Joined: 13 Jul 2003 Posts: 58

I agree, this is an excellent book - well worth the money. A few bloopers crept in such as Max Millar's name being miss spelled, the Carvair (converted DC-4) being described as a Bristol Freighter plus a few more. Nevertheless, the art work more than compensates.

pshort · Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2007 02:44 Post subject:

I just came across an advertisement for another book with cutaways, it sounds interesting too:

"Graphic War - The Secret Aviation Drawings & Illustrations of World War 2" by Nijboer, published by Boston Mills Press. 304 pages. This appeared in the Camden Books catalogue for £30 and the description includes:

"This mind blowing book is packed with detailed cutaway drawings of the aircraft and airbourne weaponry so critical to both sides of World War 2. These illustrations from top-secret training manuals and colourful wartime posters are fascinating, informative and very helpful to modellers. Most of the artists and technical illustrators, on both sides, who produced these works remain anonymous" etc

Anyone seen this one?

wallan · Joined: 13 Jul 2003 Posts: 252 Location: UK

I've seen the Graphic war book, and it's not all about things we like. There are a lot of posters used during WW2 that your parents and grandparents might be nostalgic for, but it's a bit too expensive for only a few cutaways of the odd aircraft.