LONDON, ENGLAND.- The Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art presents "Planespotting: Italian Aviation Posters 1910 - 1943", on view through 28 April 2002. This exhibition chronicles the golden age of Italian aviation through forty-four posters of immense artistic and historical interest, on loan to the Estorick Collection from the Massimo & Sonia Cirulli Archive, New York. One of the earliest and most effective means of mass communication, the poster was the perfect medium through which to stimulate public interest in the aeronautical endeavours and achievements of the day. Aviation began to develop in Italy around 1910 and during the First World War the daring exploits of pilots such as Francesco Baracca and the poet Gabriele D'Annunzio were to capture the popular imagination. Following Mussolini's rise to power in 1922, the inter-war years witnessed a tremendous expansion of both military and civil aviation, as well as a number of spectacular aeronautical feats.These included Italo Balbo's legendary transatlantic flights of the 1930s, when he led squadrons of seaplanes, flying in formation, to Brazil and the United States. However, the events of World War II shattered the dream of Italian aeroplanes dominating the skies, decimating the aeronautics industry and leading to the deaths of many of the great figures of Italian aviation.