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.

[MistyCA]

LMAO! that is some graphic! I think the handling costs are too high! :)

[SAMWolf]

You can have some of mine, last count I had seven at one time in the yard.

[WVNan]

Know the feeling,Tonkin. Happens to me every day. My list of things to do is longer than the day...every day. It must be wonderful, however, to be out there keeping our shores safe. Thank you for that. Yes, HE performs miracles for us when we believe.

[Aquamarine]

I wonder if you'll be able to grow wisteria in Oregon.
SAM, do you know?

[MistyCA]

Love the money thingy! LOL :)

[Snow Bunny]

Hi Tonkin, thank you.OH yessss why of course for the GREAT articles....ROTFL.....LOVE ya..giggle

[MistyCA]

OK....it's a deal :)

[WVNan]

That's very generous of you AFVG, but I really don't wish to put you to any extra bother.

[Aquamarine]

I just saw your reply about the wisteria. That's good new for Snow Bunny!

[SAMWolf]

Yep. See post 483, my wife complains that it grows like a weed and is taking over the other plants.

[MistyCA]

Hi, Nan! Good to see you. I am trying to catch up on the thread.......yikes......:)

[WVNan]

Hi Misty. Hurry and catch up because I've got to go to bed.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

I'll be gone tommorrow night from 7-10.
The Coast Guard base in Bandon is opening tommorrow (for this weekend and next)
then full time May 25th till after Labor Day.
I can get some extra study and practice in Bandon (only 4 miles away).

[4TheFlag]

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.

I bet that was a hoot!!!! Imagine that, someone with a cowboy hat on, OUT HERE???LOL,Glad you liked it out here..

Stood in the parking lot today and watched a B-1 do touch and go's, REALLY KEWL!

[MistyCA]

I bet you still look like Ava G. :)

[Snow Bunny]

Sometime take a picture of your flowers and post them here. I would love to see them and I bet our troops would too. Not a lot of gardens in Afganistan or many of the other places our troops are deployed.
Your artistic and it would be great.

[WVNan]

That's right, you're in Oregon! If it grows in Oregon, surely it will grow in WV. I think I will try some (If I can find any at the nursery.)

[Jen]

HAHAHAHAHA! It's just as well, I get a lot of enjoyment out of protecting my birdfeeder from the varmits. I have two supersoaker water cannons that I use on them, and sometimes (don't mention this to my husband, he's very particular about his lawn...) when I run out of that ammo, I throw rocks at them. I came close to hitting one a few times!

[WVNan]

Sure I do. Of course. No doubt about it. Hehehehe

[MistyCA]

Goodnight Clara. After I catch up on the thread I will post some new clothes for you. Just promise not to take anymore of mine!!!!! :)