USO Canteen FReeper Style....Nose Art and Pin Ups go to War....May 8,2002

FRiends of the USO Canteen FReeper Style and Snow Bunny

[Snow Bunny]

The practice of personalizing military aircraft with custom artwork began a few years before WWI, and continues to this day. The peak of this practice occurred during WWII, when hundreds of thousands of aircraft were adorned with such artwork, generally painted near the nose of the aircraft... hence the term, "Nose Art."

Often, flight and ground crews wore a smaller version of the artwork painted on the backs of their jackets. Of course, the quality of the artwork varied, from crude to excellent, depending on the skill of the artist.

The sultry, wonderful world of Nose Art is as varied as the individuals who dressed up and decorated the aircraft and the feelings of the men who flew them into combat. Though this variety is staggering, common themes run through them all from World War II to the end of the Korean War when the genre all but left the scene.

Humor, pathos, slogans, girls, cartoons, nicknames, hometowns, girls, patriotism, dishing it to the enemy, warriors, girls, youthful bravado, girls...these transcended nationality as both Allies and Axis pilots went to war in their individually marked chariots. Men at war separated from home, family, loved ones and a familiar way of life sought ways to personalize and escape the very harsh business surrounding them. For the most part they thought about women, represented on the sides of aircraft in the most tender of ways to the most degrading. These men spent many hours longing for the tenderness a woman could bring to their lives...and for the sexual pleasure they could provide. Whether top level commanders ordered it off the aircraft or not, the men let their feelings flow onto their machines.

As their aircraft reflected, fighter pilots of both wars were busy strafing, bombing, hunting for aerial kills and protecting friendly aircraft, airfields, supply lines and troops. But the ground crews were just as busy trying to make sure the aircraft they had generously loaned to the pilot was on the line each day and ready to bring him home. There is never enough credit to be given to these men who worked ten hours for every hour the pilot flew.

The fame and glory attached to the pilot over shadowed his faithful ground ponders, but this usually did not prevent the enlisted men and officers from becoming devoted friends. Each needed the other to make the mission successful, and a pilot's crew would experience as much pride for a victory, knowing they were behind the guns as well. As a result, nose art was often the choice of the ground crew rather than the pilot. Some units made room for both by having the pilot's art on the left side and the ground crew's on the right.

Unique among fighters, the P-38 Lightning had three noses to adorn, allowing a separate canvas for the pilot, crew chief, armorer and radio man.

Pin Ups.......

The Professor is trying to give you a more scientific explanation of how this kind of cheesecake affected the average American soldier.

World War II pinups appeared in many forms, from fighter and bomber nose art and bomber jacket art to calendars, postcards, matchbooks, and playing cards. The term pinup was coined during World War II, when soldiers would "pin up" these idealized pictures on their barracks and foxhole walls, and sailors did the same to lockers and bulkheads. There were photos of Betty Grable and Rita Hayworth and Lana Turner, and hundreds of other calendar girls and Hollywood starlets whose only claim to fleeting fame was their image seared into a GI's brain from a ragged page of YANK or Esquire magazine.

"Servicemen soon began to create their own pinup art, decorating the noses of their planes and their bomber jackets with more primitive paintings of shapely babes."

Betty Grable as she appeared in a map-reading manual. This image was used to get pilots used to reading map grids.

An early centerfold featuring Dorothy Lamour, "... the No. 1 pinup girl of the U.S. Army."

Nose art was a popular morale builder, it ranged from tame cartoon characters to some really "RACEY" women.

It must be remembered that these men were young, at war, and homesick at times. The names of mothers, girlfriends and colorful limericks were often the inspiration for this unique art form. These pictures and captions are published here for historical value, exactly as they appeared on the planes.

[SAMWolf]

Wither of these work for me. Thanks for the reminder about Sonja.

[WVNan]

Flagman, I do hope you are feeling better tonight. You were leaving last night as soon as I stepped in the door.

[SAMWolf]

LOL! I knew I could pique your interest.

[WVNan]

Sonja! She used to be my favorite. I always wanted to skate like that. She is the reason I still get a thrill out of the olympic skating. BTW, thanks SAM.

[Jen]

Yeah,all 2 of them that were bought, me and SAM....

HAHAHAHAHAHA!

[SAMWolf]

Hi WVNan. Hope the beefcake doesn't bother you too much, I tried to keep it "toned down" to a reasonable level.

[WVNan]

Bunny, I love this thread tonight. The artwork brings back a lot of WWII memories, and yes I do remember it.

[4TheFlag]

Hey there RevNan, I'm pretty much back to old form, thank you kindly ma'am! One more good nights sleep and I hope to have this bugger kicked in the butt!

Hope you are well this fine evening!:)

[WVNan]

Hey, don't mind me. I can appreciate beefcake along with the best of them. I'm old enough so that I can walk up to a perfect stranger and tell him, "you are one good looking hunk.' See, I couldn't do that when I was young and beautiful. It gives me a great deal of pleasure to be able to do that now. Hahaha.

[WVNan]

I'm fit as a fiddle 4. BTW, was that Beamer I saw at a deadbeat dad protest? Has Beamer been hanging out at Free Republic too long?

[4TheFlag]

Hey, BTW Nancy, which one are you in all that nose art, LOL!!! Just kidding Lady!

[Snow Bunny]

Sam, look how you are co-0rdinated. Your sun glasses match your swim trunks....heh heh

[SAMWolf]

LOL!

[Alamo-Girl]

Yes indeed ... enjoy the weather while you can! Here's a bump for you!!!

[Victoria Delsoul]

I let you know what I think once I see the tape, LOL.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Yes, he looks really good. ;-)

[Eastbound]

Thanks! Play it again, Sam .... I still get misty.....

[SAMWolf]

I have a sort of "general knowledge" question.
Finally convinced my wife to let me get a cast iron griddle for camping to replace the aluminum one we had.
Got it all seasoned and it's ready to go.
My question is "Can you use a cast iron skillet on an electric stove?"

[4TheFlag]

BTW, was that Beamer I saw at a deadbeat dad protest? Has Beamer been hanging out at Free Republic too long?

Yes it was Nan, sigh...he sure does pick up good habits from us, huh??/

(How, I really don't know, LOL)

[Snow Bunny]

HI WVNan, glad you are here.

Thanks so much. I know what you mean.