The very first historical paintings featuring flying machines driven by men dated back the 18th century, thus in accordance with the early age of aerostation. By the Great War, aviation became a recurrent subject mainly for advertising purpose. Shortly before World War II, the first generation of specialized artists devoted to aviation arouse in both Great Britain and the United States of America. Ever since, paintworks related to aviation have evolved, and even if confined to a minority, these have their own space, painters associations, collectors devoted to aircraft, art galleries, exhibitions and contests.