Del Prado · Second World War · 1943
The pale flying clothing, dark boots and bright flotation equipment make this Del Prado RAF pilot one of the more distinctive aviation subjects. The figure gives the survival equipment as much visual weight as the uniform itself.
- Maker
- Del Prado
- Subject
- Royal Air Force Pilot 1943
- Historical setting
- Second World War · 1943
The equipment continued beyond the cockpit
Flying over water brought the possibility of having to survive after leaving an aircraft. A flotation garment is therefore part of the pilot’s working equipment, not simply a splash of color added by the sculptor. The RAF Museum’s air-sea rescue history provides useful context for the importance of keeping downed airmen afloat and finding them.
Compare the earlier Hurricane subject
The catalog’s Cobber Kain figure is a named portrait with a biography that ends in 1940. The 1943 pilot has a different chronological role. Their clothing and equipment make a useful comparison, but the two should not be labeled as men meeting in a documented wartime scene.
Bright clothing needs a neutral photograph
Pale paint and strong lighting can hide chips. Ask for a clear view of the flying helmet, goggles, hands and the straps across the body. Check the flotation garment’s edges and the boots, then save the base inscription with the full pilot-and-year description. The equipment silhouette is more dependable than a seller’s generic “RAF officer” title.
Figure reference
Del Prado Royal Air Force Pilot 1943 — Planète Légendaire catalog record. The collecting observations above refer to the pictured model; condition varies between individual examples.