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]

which one are you in all that nose art

If I were a betting man, I'd figure it was this one.

[WVNan]

When I was young I looked somewhat like Ava Gardner. Now I'd say I probably more resemble the green parrot.

[Snow Bunny]

Yes, I do. I love using a cast iron skillet.That is neat you got one.They are wonderful.I did fish fiilet's in ours last night.

[WVNan]

Wow! How did you guess, SAM? Actually I was a brunette, but in later years I did have red hair. Thanks to my red-headed Mom, I had the skin for the red hair and nobody guessed it came from a bottle. (grin) I finally let it go au naturalle.....white.

[Aquamarine]

The flower in that picture is a wildflower that grows in the South (maybe other places too). It's called Queen Anne's Lace. It looks like real lace too. Alot of people dry it and frame it. It will be blooming here soon.

[SAMWolf]

[Snow Bunny]

Nancy, we all get older and change here and there. But this I know without every meeting you, you are no green parrot. hahhaaa.

I look at my old pictures, of all the colors of hair the studio's gave me and I look so different now. hahaha

Ava Gardner was beautiful and so are you.

[WVNan]

I didn't see anyone answer your question. YES. I've used a cast iron skillet all my life on the electric stoves, gas stoves, wood stoves....doesn't matter. They are great.

[4TheFlag]

When I was young I looked somewhat like Ava Gardner. Now I'd say I probably more resemble the green parrot.

Ava Gardner huh...(biting palm hard here)

Now don't DARE say the parrot FRiend, LOL!

[Snow Bunny]

My mom's garden she had in Illinois had Queen Anne's lace in it. I always loved it.

Thanks again so much. Flowers are so beautiful, I went out in our garden earlier tonight and just sat there for a few minutes just looking at the flowers and smelling them flowering vines..such a sweet smell.

[SAMWolf]

Thanks, SB said she does too. I was just worried aboout it because I heard not to use it on electric stove because it might warp.
Don't ask me how you warp cast iron, just wanted to double check

[Pippin]

Good night, Flagman! Thanks for the ride. SEEYA! CS

[WVNan]

LOL.....thank you Bunny. You are always so positive and sweet. No wonder everyone loves you so much. I joke about my looks all the time, but I'm not really bad looking for an old br....girl. I've had a grand adventurous life and I'm still excited about doing new things and seeing new places. I just pray that I can stay active and focused on some important goal. My next career (when I retire in June) is to write those books I have been putting off all my life. Of course, it will take some doing to unglue myself from FR and the Canteen long enough to write them.

[MistyCA]

Hi Victoria! I am back! What's different....I am still jealous that I don't have a flashy name LOL ! :) Kidding...no, I don't see anything different. hmmmmm.....

[Aquamarine]

I went out in our garden earlier tonight and just sat there for a few minutes just looking at the flowers and smelling them flowering vines..such a sweet smell.

Do you have some wisteria?
I have some and it's blooming on a trellis that my husband built. I just walk through it and inhale. It smells like heaven.

[SAMWolf]

WVNan or Ava Gardner?

[Pippin]

Good night! I'm off to bed. Yawn!

[SAMWolf]

Night CS.

[MistyCA]

Ouch! That even hurt me to see the bicycle mishap! :)

[Jen]

Guess what I've been doing?