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.

[WVNan]

One of these days, Flagman, I'll get son to send you my "young" picture by e-mail and you can post it on the Canteen.

[MistyCA]

LOL! MC or Visa? :)

[WVNan]

Oh....I am so jealous. That is the thing I miss the most about the South. Wisteria. My favorite smell and flower (vine). Go out and smell it one more time for me.

[Snow Bunny]

That sounds excitiing .

I wish you all the best with your future book writing. I started writing a childrens book series last summer. Writing has a life of its own I love it so much and you will be wonderful !!!!

But I do hope when you start you stop in so we can hug you and say hi.

[WVNan]

Nighty CS. God bless.

[4TheFlag]

SALUTE TO ELLSWORTH AFB

RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA

There is one B-1 tonite at Ellsworth with the "Let's Roll" Nose Art.

God Bless our Troops and Protect them this night.

[Jen]

I have peonies blooming and they are delightful. So fragrant. I picked a bouquet of them and have them in my sunroom near my computer. I also have a magnolia that's about to bloom. I always dreamed of having an English country garden and the home we bought about a year ago is so beautifully landscaped. The man was a master gardener and the lot is like a park. I love being outside, or sitting near the window and enjoying the view.

My hubby even figured out a way to keep the squirrels out of my birdfeeder. He put Vaseline on the hook I have them hanging on. It was so funny this weekend when he did it. A squirrel started climbing up it and got about a foot up, then slid back down. It was cussing up a storm in squirrel-talk about that greasy stuff on his paws. HAHAHAHA!

[Victoria Delsoul]

I don't see anything different. hmmmmm.....

Take a look, hehehe

Like it? Mine is the red one. :-)

[Snow Bunny]

You are so cute, why look at you.I also love how you have your name too.That is so neat.You look beautiful.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Nighty night, Clara. Cya tomorrow.

[Jen]

hehehehehe -- I 'signed' it so none of the other gals would swipe it!

[WVNan]

It takes special talent to write children's books and I think you are probably great at it. I have trouble getting into the mind of a child because I was never a child. When I was a child I didn't feel like a child. I would hang around the grown ups and ask questions. Millions of questions. Must have driven them crazy.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Very nice, Jen! Good job!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Good Evening Reverend.

[4TheFlag]

Good Nite there CS, sleep well, sweet dreams!

You're welcome for the ride!:)See ya tomorrow!

[Snow Bunny]

Yes, this is really weird.When we bought this house everyone said..NO wisteria in the desert.

But when I landscaped the back yard I did the whole thing as an English garden and planted wisteria and it is growing like crazy. The garden is doing great, it just takes more water then the desert ones you see all over the place . The last thing I wanted was to feel like I live in the desert. LOL

[Victoria Delsoul]

LOL!

[Snow Bunny]

Good night Clara. Are you going to dream about clothes? giggle.......Sweet Dreams!!!

(((( hug )))

[WVNan]

Ellsworth AFB. Yep, been there. Played the NCO club. Remember dancing the two-step with a flyboy in a cowboy hat. Also led a line in the Cotton-eyed Joe.

[4TheFlag]

I was just worried aboout it because I heard not to use it on electric stove because it might warp.

It happens Bro, I had a beautiful Griswold that split wide open on an electric stove, made me sick......