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
 

 

 

[El Gran Salseron]

"..wanna see MY nose cone art???????"

Yeah, I wanna see your nose cone art.

[El Gran Salseron]

Yes, Welsh Lass should go into the computer graphics business. She's REALLY good!

[El Gran Salseron]

Great job on the nose cone art thing. Very creative idea and set up really cool!

[StarCMC]

Thanks!! I'm glad you enjoyed!! I had fun - I played around and made the background myself - one of the first times I have attempted it!!

[WelshLass]

You are welcome, and it was my pleasure.

[WelshLass]

Oh no I'm not!!! I only know enough to do some playing around. There are many many others who know what they are doing. LOL

[No.6]

Explain The Prisoner ... yea, people've been trying to do that for 37 years now.

Yes, it's all about control. That part is obvious. After all, No.2 wants information, information, in-formation. But the question is, who's doing the controlling? (Who is No.1?)

Depending on whether you take the series as an action spy series, an analogy, political commentary, or a Christian allegory, you can come up with lots of answers.

For instance, in Change of Mind society tries forced Social Conversion on No.6. Is society the oppressor? In The General regimented learning is the control de jour. Maybe it's the schools. In Free For All everyone votes for No.6 for No.2's job, but it's a sham, the new No.2 takes control regardless and No.6's disabling the security system prompts nobody to escape. After all, in a democratic republic, the oppression you endure is the oppression you voted for.

Each No.2 tries a different trick; No.6 never gives up, and sometimes wins, but he never gets free either. All the different controls on us, but who's running the show?

In the end (Fall Out) of course a very unusual thing happens which I won't spoil here (the web has plot summaries if you want them) but the upshot is: who is it that controls us? Us. In the allegorical sense of The Prisoner, we're all each responsible for our own sin and doom. The prison we're in is of our own making.

Those are all possible answers. There are others. No answer is "the" answer. Certainly Patrick McGoohan has never come out and said "I meant *this* interpretation and not *that* one."

Besides, answers are a prison for oneself.

[MS.BEHAVIN]

Not impressed,huh?
Sheesh...
Ms.B

[Radix]

It has been many years since I actually watched the program.

I recall seeing every episode on AFN when I was in Germany so long ago. At the time I was enthralled by it. I had recently prior to that time taken some college courses involving cinema. I thought back then that I was really beginning to appreciate movies as an "art" form.

I was very impressed with some of the French directors from the 1930's and 40's. I had intended to follow some German courses which were about the first serious uses of propaganda. I never did though.

The Prisoner was so full of metaphors that I could not even keep up with them, and so I have long intended to get them on tape. A couple of Christmases ago I received the 1st four episodes on DVD. Naturally I have not watched them yet.

I very much appreciate your comments on the subject.

[mylife]

Thats a very good interpretation.

One of the great things about the series is that it actually engaged your mind.

[mylife]

I just asked where the salt and pepper reside ;)

[MS.BEHAVIN]

In the cupboard right next to that rack...
Nice rack, huh?
;0)
Ms.B

[mylife]

L0L Yup!

I have several racks (3)

I couldnt stop at one L0L

[mylife]

What did the day hold for you today?

Hope it was good stuff ;)

[MS.BEHAVIN]

I have several racks too...
That is the largest one...
I had a nice day..
Mike and I spent most of it digging out..
I did some housework and worked on menus...
Very relaxing day..
How about you?
Didja have a good day?
Ms.B

[mylife]

Digging out eh?
I heard that the snow wasnt as bad as expected.

Housework? get on over here! I am in need of springcleaning!

I attacked a little of it today somehow things pile up in winter L0L

My day was Hmmmm.. L0L.. interesting! but OK

[MS.BEHAVIN]

We got about 10 inches of snow..
It wasn't quite as bad as the last storm..
At least we didn't lose the power!
Ms.B

[mylife]

You got 2 more months to get thru!

[MS.BEHAVIN]

Hey!
You can quit cheering me up anytime, there buddy!
;0)
I'll help ya spring clean if you pay for my airline ticket!
Ms.B

[mylife]

I like the winter, but it gets a little old about Feb L0L

I didnt mean to depress ya!

I'll get this winter mess out of here and get the backyard going with BBQs soon.

You could catch a ride on Ms Feathers Dragonfly if you wanna come down, She stops by for pie and coffee all the time!