FReeper Canteen ~ Military Nose Cone Art ~ February 28 2005

StarCMC and Canteen Crew

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

 

 

 

The FReeper Canteen looks at

Nose Cone Art

Nose Cone Art has gone through many changes over the years.  The subject of the artwork range from scenes of "Home Sweet Home" to cartoon favorites to fantasy pictures to every man's favorite...beautiful women.
 

Home Sweet Home

Thousands of aircrews throughout history have declared their roots through their art.  From the Memphis Belle of WWII to Pittsburgh's Finest of the Gulf War, it all comes as much from the heart as it does from the Aircraft Commander's or Wing's hometown.

 

Cartoon Faves

The Duck goes to war.... Painted on the side of a restored, flying P-51D, this nose art captures an era when Walt Disney freely offered his studio's talents to design unit patches and symbols for Americans going to war. Beyond the Vargas pin-ups, Walt Disney's art did more to define the motif of nose art than any other single source.

 

Fantasy

Much of today's nose art is based not on pin-ups but on science fiction and fantasy art. This tradition continues and grows as a new generation of artists paint based on their own influences. After all, it has been a long time since Esquire featured a pin-up as a centerfold. This C-130 is a classic example of the new genre. While popular in the field, there are countless nose art aficionados who prefer the old, somewhat less politically correct look.

 

Babes

The B-17G Shoo Shoo Baby flew 24 combat missions in WW II with the 91st Bomb Group, known as "The Ragged Irregulars". The plane was based at Bassingbourn, England. Its first mission was the bombing of Frankfurt, Germany, on March 24, 1944. The plane ended its combat career after taking battle damage during a mission to Posen, Poland, on May 29, 1944. Today, the plane is at Wright-Patterson AFB in the US Air Force Museum.

Yankee Lady is another restored example of a B-17G. Frequently seen at airshows around the country, it is one of the finest examples of a Flying Fortress still capable of taking to the air. If you've never heard the power of four Pratt & Whitney engines at full tilt, you're missing a real piece of history.

During World War II, pin-ups emerged from the fine airbrushed art of Alberto Vargas, whose images were the most sought-after section of the popular magazine, Esquire. With thousands of airplanes droning off to war, noseart emerged as the aviator's unique calling card. Although the Army Air Force attempted to ban and censor noseart on several occasions, ultimately, the art would remain. Its value in terms of morale was unquestioned. In the end, it emerged as a defining element of the era, gracing everything from the noses of airplanes, to leather jackets, to the walls of barracks huts and O-Clubs across Europe and the Pacific. The finest pin-ups were torn from the pages of Esquire Magazine. Each artwork was published with a poem by Phil Stack. These poems were designed to rhyme and present without much subtlety, again using the double-entendre to effect. One went simply, "I'm learning some commando tricks. / For keeping fit, they're dandy, / And when you men come home again, / They're apt to come in handy!"

Honorable Mention

As Desert Shield wound down and the coalition forces in Southwest Asia prepared for the assault against Saddam's entrenched ground forces in Kuwait, thoughts of home and the holidays again entered the mind of aircrew members across the region. This airplane was painted with a fitting holiday theme, Santa being pulled in his sleigh by his magical flying camels, err... wasn't that supposed to be reindeer?

 

Considered by many to be the finest technical example of nose art from the Gulf War, this beautifully rendered pig carries the motto, "Ol Lightnen" and the plane's tail number 0005. Painted on the side of a KC-135 refueller out of Riyahd, it is one of the classics of the era.

 

So what about you?  Show us your favorite Nose Cone Art
~ as long as it's family friendly. 
If it's a little too racy, just post a link for interested parties.

Click the picture to visit the website that was the source of this
information ~ there's lot's more there to see and read!

 

 

SandRat's links to great Nose Cone Art:

13th Bomb Squadron Nose Art
http://www.13thbombsquadron.org/
Gallery of classic bomber noseart.

Aviation Art by Robert Karr
http://fly.to/KarrArt
Nose art for viewing and for purchasing.

368th Fighter Group Tribute
http://www.368thfightergroup.com/

Bomber Girl
http://www.bombergirl.com/
Aviation nose art and pin-up art.

Aviation Pioneer
http://www.weisskopf.de/
Worlds First Motorized Flight.

Collectors Press Inc.
http://www.collectorspress.com/
Publisher of nose art and pin up books.

Don Henderson's - Bikes, Trains, Planes and Dames
http://members.bellatlantic.net/~machenry/
Nose art and pin-up art.

Jackit Art
http://members.nbci.com/varga46/
Hand painted jackets and patches.

Luc's Photo Hanger
http://www.bayarea.net/~hanger/
Established to promote a portion of W.W.II aviation history in the form of aircraft nose art.

Paradon Collectibles Group
http://www.eparadon.com
Home of really cool warbird nose art wall clocks.

Pictures of Nose Art on Some Bombers from Tinian
http://www.cris.com/~ronniem/WWII/noseart.htm

Rosemary Dery - Hand Painted Leather
http://www.rosemarydery.com
Hand painted leather and WWII squadron patches -- specializing in military aviation nose art.

Thunderbolt Galleries
http://www.thunderboltgallery.com/index.htm
Source for reproduction aviation art including nose art panels, war ads, leather jackets and airbrushed aircraft nose art.

Velasco Enterprises Fighting Colors Collection
http://www.fightingcolors.com/
WWII Nose art panels for sale.
and
http://www.mutoworld.com/Nose-Art.htm
and
http://381st.org/noseart.html
and
http://www.36rcm.com/aircraft/noseart/noseart.htm
and
http://www.npswapa.org/gallery/album35
AND
http://www.nps.gov/wapa/indepth/Park/Cultural/PlansPin.htm
and
http://www.lancastermuseum.ca/noseart.html
and
http://5thbomberbarons.com/html/noseart.html
and
http://www.7thbg.org/NoseArt.htm
 

 

 

[pelikan]

Good Morning Ken! Love the tagline...it wasn't even missed this season...

[Jet Jaguar]

Howdy back!

[txradioguy]

Yeah it settled down. I'm doing much better.

BTW it's the 1985 season against the Royals. hehehe might explain why no one in StL likes to talk about it! LOL!

[pelikan]

I'm trying real hard not to grimace...BTW is angel boy pinging you to the Cubs info because you're a Cubs fan?

[mylife]

Good morning Pelikan.

Those are outstanding

[pelikan]

LOL Did you notice I didn't get the year right? Must be a sublimal thing...:)

[txradioguy]

Yes Cubs and Rangers fan.

[txradioguy]

Yeah I noticed that. Must be something ingrained in Cardinals fans to automatically skip over 1985! LOL!

[pelikan]

HI My! Thank you...there were others that were outstanding but unpostable...adult content and all...but the workmanship was astounding IMO. Very clever names to go with the pics...

[beachn4fun]

Good morning Everyone. Good morning to our

Military, our Allies and their families.

Thanks Star for your hardwork on preparing today's thread. I think a little history in Nose Art is really a nice idea. A nice look to the thread, too. But, I was wondering if this would be considered nose art?

Actually, I would like to offer up my picture for anyone needing a pinup for their plane. So, please feel free to use it with my permission. I'd love the exposure.

Well, here we are back at Monday and I am working from home again since the weather forecast is more snow. Just about all of the last snow has melted in our area, so if we get more it won't be too bad.

I can see by all the post so far that some people must just be going to bed. Now, since it will take a while to read over 250 posts, I'm going to post and run. Plus, I need to check in with my office to let them know that I will be working at home.

Now remember, the Canteen is always

So, come on in and sit for a while. There's alway plenty of coffee, pancakes, conversation, silliness, and plain old BS.

[pelikan]

NO! ! !

That makes you, angel boy and Tonk, so far...ARGGGGGG! ! !

[txradioguy]

Umm...well..would it make you feel better if I told you that I used to love the way Ozzie would come out to take the field?

[pelikan]

Good Morning Beachy! You got here just in time...have to go to the vet's so will see you all later...

[NRA1995]

'Mornin' Beachy!

[txradioguy]

Hate to tell you this NRA...but "America's Team" is in DALLAS!!!!!!


ahahahahahahaha!!!

[pelikan]

Yessss...but you know, I think a lot of us root for the Cubbies if they aren't playing against us...we just won't admit it out loud!

[txradioguy]

I guess I have a soft spot in my heart for loveable losers.

Because first and foremost I'm a Texas Rangers fan.

[E.G.C.]

((HUGS))Good morning, Beach. How's it going?

[Jet Jaguar]

Good morning Beachy!

[NRA1995]

America's Team??? I don't think I've heard that term used about the Cowboys in almost 20 years. Nor do I recall Charlie Daniels using their name in a song. By the way, how high up in the playoffs did Dallas go this year? (snicker)