From U.S. Wings
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.
One of the most talented, then and now, is John F. Schumick (who began painting Nose Art back in 1942). Though modest about his talent, he is one of the masters of this unique art form that represents his generation. Now in his late eighties, Mr. Schumick no longer paints, having officially retired after painting his last jacket for US Wings in early 2001. A number of young people have taken up the art of creating Nose Art, but Mr. Schumick is one of the originals... and one of the best. The following are just a few examples...
Aircraft Art
Bomber Jacket Art
