Nose art
432001
223460054
2008-07-04T04:35:44Z
74.128.30.140
/* History */ corrected Foulois' rank to brigadier general, brigadier has never been a rank used by the US Army
{{distinguish|nose-jewels|nose piercing}}
'''Nose art''' is a [[painting]] or design done on the [[fuselage]] near the nose of a [[Military aircraft|warplane]], usually for decorative purposes. Nose art is a form of [[aircraft graffiti]].
==History==
[[Image:FBaracca 1.jpg|thumb|150px|Baracca and his [[SPAD]] S.VII, with the ''cavallino'' that inspired [[Ferrari]]]]
[[Image:Bullard.jpg|thumb|left|150px|[[Eugene Bullard]] with his [[Stork Squadron]] aircraft]]
The practice of putting personalized decorations on fighting aircraft originated with [[Italian people|Italian]] and [[Germany|German]] pilots. The first recorded piece of nose art was a sea monster painted on the nose of an Italian [[flying boat]] in 1913. This was followed by the popular tradition of painting mouths underneath the [[propeller]] spinner, initiated by the German pilots in [[World War I]], and exemplified by the ''[[cavallino rampante|cavallino]]'' of [[Francesco Baracca]]. After these beginnings, though, most nose art was conceived and produced by the aircraft ground crews, not the pilots.
<!--comment out deleted image: [[Image:Spad SXIII.jpg|thumb|150px|SPAD S.XIII of [[1st Operations Group#Army Air Corps|94h Aero Squadron]], marked as Capt. [[Eddie Rickenbacker]]'s aircraft.]]-->
Some World War I examples became famous, including the "Hat in the Ring" of the USAAF [[1st Operations Group#Army Air Corps|94h Aero Squadron]] (attributed to Lt. Johnny Wentworth)<ref>[http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/ Air Force Historical Research Agency<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> or the "Kicking Mule" of the [[1st Operations Group#Army Air Corps|95th Aero Squadron]]. This followed the official policy, established by the [[American Expeditionary Forces|AEF]]'s Chief of the Air Service, [[Brigadier General]] [[Benjamin Foulois]], on 6 May 1918, insisting units have their own distinct, readily identifiable [[insigne]].<ref>[http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/ Air Force Historical Research Agency<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Nose art was not common practice during Depression-era Army Air Corps austerity, but it would be during the global crisis of [[World War II]] that the practice of naming aircraft flourished, with some merely christened, others artistically adorned with cartoons and pin-ups. Puns and references to popular culture were common subjects.<ref name="parentseyes"/>
<!--deleted image [[Image:SPAD SXIII lafayette.jpg|thumb|left|150px|SPAD S.XIII of [[Lafayette Escadrille]]]]-->
While the nose art in World War I were mainly embellished or extravagant [[squadron]] insignia, true nose art started to occur in [[World War II]], which is considered the [[golden age]] of nose art by many observers, with both [[Axis Powers|Axis]] and [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] pilots taking part. At the height of the war, nose-artists were in very high demand in the [[United States Army Air Force|Army Air Force]] and were paid quite well for their services while AAF officials tolerated the nose art in an effort to boost the morale of the crew. The [[United States Navy|U.S. Navy]], by contrast, prohibited nose art. In [[Royal Air Force|RAF]] or [[Royal Canadian Air Force|RCAF]] service, in addition, nose art seems not to have been commonplace.
[[Image:B17_nose_art.jpg|thumb|Nose art on a [[B-17 Flying Fortress]]]]
The work was done by professional civilian artists as well as talented amateur servicemen. In 1941, for instance, [[39th Pursuit Squadron]] had a [[Bell Aircraft]] artist design and paint an attractive "[[P-39 Airacobra|Cobra]] in the Clouds" [[logo]].<ref>[http://www.humboldt1.com/~outcast26/Hist-Sumary.htm HistorySummary<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Early in 1943, as the 39th distinguished itself in becoming the first American [[squadron]] in their [[theatre (warfare)|theatre]] with 100 kills, unit pride and ''[[esprit de corps]]'' led to the adoption of a "[[shark]]'s teeth" [[Motif (visual arts)|motif]] for their [[P-38 Lightning|P-38]]s.<ref>[http://www.humboldt1.com/~outcast26/Hist-Sumary.htm HistorySummary<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
[[Image:HendersonP400.gif|thumb|[[Bell Aircraft|Bell]] [[P-39|P-400]]s at [[Henderson Field]], [[Guadalcanal]]]]
Lack of restraint, combined with the stresses of war and high probability of death, resulted in a volume and excellence of nose art yet to be repeated.
In the [[Korean War]], nose art was popular with units operating [[A-26]] and [[B-29]] bombers, and [[C-119 Flying Boxcar]] transports, as well as USAF fighter-bombers.<ref
name="Thompson"> Thompson, Warren E., ''Heavy Hauler'', "Wings of Fame, Volume 20". London, United Kingdom: Aerospace Publishing Ltd., 2000. ISBN 1-86184-053-5. page 107.</ref> Due to changes in military policies and changing attitudes toward representation of women, the amount of nose art has been in steady decline since the [[Korean War]]. Nose art underwent a revival, however, during [[Operation Desert Storm]] and has been going strong since [[Operation Enduring Freedom]] and [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]]. The United States Air Force had unofficially sanctioned the return of the pin-up, albeit fully clothed, with [[Strategic Air Command]] permitting nose art on its bomber force in the Command's last years. The continuation of historic names such as ''[[Memphis Belle]]'' was traditional, also. Special Operations Squadrons routinely named AC-130 gunships, usually with names of vengeance ("Thor", "Azrael - Angel of Death"). The flying skeleton with a [[Minigun]] logo, applied to many aircraft, was the unofficial gunship badge until after the conclusion of the war in Southeast Asia, and was later adopted officially.
Nose art is largely a military tradition, but airliners operated by the airlines of [[Virgin Group]] feature "Virgin Girls" on the nose as part of their livery, and in a broad sense, the tail art of some companies, such as [[Alaska Airlines]], can be called "nose art", also (in the same way as Navy fighters).
Because of its individual, unofficial nature, it is considered [[folk art]], inseparable from work as well as representative of a group.<ref>Griffith</ref> It can also be compared to sophisticated [[graffiti]]. In both cases, the artist, by and large, is [[Anonymity|anonymous]], and the art itself is [[ephemeral]]. In addition, it relies on materials immediately available.<ref name="parentseyes"/>
In a few cases, the artist has been identified. [[Tony Starcer]] was the resident artist for the 91st Bomb Group (Heavy), one of the initial six groups fielded by the [[Eighth Air Force]]. Starcer painted over a hundred pieces of renowned B-17 nose art, including ''Memphis Belle''.{{Fact|date=November 2007}} A commercial artist named Brinkman, from [[Chicago]], was responsible for the zodiac-themed nose art of the [[B-24|Liberator]]-equipped 834th Bomb Squadron.<ref
name="Valant"> Valant, Gary M. ''Classic Vintage Nose Art''. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Lowe and B. Hould, an imprint of Borders, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0-681-22744-3. pages 13-15.</ref>
[[Formula One]] constructor [[Jordan Grand Prix|Jordan]] also added nose art to their cars.
==Purpose==
While begun for practical reasons of identifying friend from foe, the practice evolved, with benefits to [[morale]], in expressing pride, relieving the uniform anonymity of the military, offering comfort by recalling home or peacetime life, and as a kind of [[Fetishism|fetish]] against enemy action. The appeal, in part, came from nose art not being officially approved, even when the regulations were not rigorously enforced (or at all).<ref name="parentseyes"/><ref>Ethell, p.14</ref>
[[Image:34bg-b24.jpg|thumb|B-24H-15-DT, "Near Sighted Robin", 41-28851 of the [[34th Bomb Group]], Martlesham Heath. Interned in Sweden, 24 August 1944.]]
==Subject matter==
Source material was widely varied, from [[pinup]]s (such as [[Rita Hayworth]] and [[Betty Grable]]) and fashion to patriotism ([[Yankee Doodle]]) and fictional heroes ([[Sam Spade]]) to lucky symbols ([[dice]] or [[playing cards|cards]]) and [[cartoon]]s to the inevitable ([[Death (personification)|Death]] or the [[Grim Reaper]]),<ref name="parentseyes"/> with the toons and pin-ups being most popular (among American artists, at least). Other popular topics included animals, nicknames, hometowns, and popular song and movie titles. The ''Luftwaffe'' did not use much nose art, but [[Mickey Mouse]] adorned a [[Condor Legion]] Bf-109 during the Spanish Civil War and one Ju-87A was decorated with a large pig inside a white circle during the same period. [[Adolph Galland]]'s Bf-109E-3 of JG 26 also wore Mickey Mouse in mid-1941. A Ju-87B-1 (S2+AC) of Stab II/St.G 77, piloted by Major [[Alfons Orthofer]] and based in [[Wrocław|Breslau]]-[[Schongarten]] during the [[Invasion of Poland (1939)|Polish September Campaign]] of 1939, was painted with a shark's mouth, and some Bf-110s were decorated with furious wolf's heads or shark mouths on engine covers. Another example was [[Erich Hartmann]]'s Bf-109G-14, "Lumpi", with an eagle's head. A Bf-109g-10 (10 red) of I./[[JG 300]], managed by Officer [[Wolfgang Hunsdorfer]], was flown by various pilots. There is also a spurious squadron, created by ''Luftwaffe'' propaganda, the [[JG 54|''Grünherz'']] (Green Hearts). The [[Soviet Air Force]] decorated their planes with imagery of history, mythical beasts, and patriotic motifs.
The farther the planes and crew were from headquarters or from the public eye, the racier the art tended to be.<ref name="parentseyes">[http://parentseyes.arizona.edu/militarynoseart/overview3.htm Military Aircraft Nose Art: An American Tradition] article at "Through Our Parents' Eyes" web site</ref> For instance, nudity was more prevalent with aircraft based in the [[Oceania|South Pacific]] than in England. <ref>[http://www.library.arizona.edu/noseart/ww2-3.htm Nose art article] at University of Arizona web site</ref>
==Famous examples==
The [[shark]]'s teeth, commonly attributed to the [[Flying Tigers|AVG]], were actually introduced by 112 ([[Curtiss P-40|Kittyhawk]]) Squadron, RAF, in the [[North Africa|desert]] during 1942.<ref>McDowell, p.8-9</ref>
''[[Oberstleutnant]]'' [[Werner Mölders]] flew a yellow-nosed [[Bf-109|Bf-109F2]] while with [[JG 51]] during June 1941.
==Photos==
<gallery>
Image:Fokker Dr. I USAF.jpg|[[Fokker]] [[Fokker Dr.I|Dr.I]] at [[National Museum of the United States Air Force]]
Image:Fokker eyes.jpg|[[Cowl]] art on Dr.I [[reproduction]] at [[National Museum of the United States Air Force]], based on that on [[Werner Voss]]' own Dr.I
Image:Albatd3.jpg|Albatros D.III
Image:SPAD XIII 040510-F-1234P-019.jpg|[[SPAD]] S.XIII of , marked as [[Eddie Rickenbacker]]'s aircraft of the 94th Aero Squadron, shown here on the flightline at Wright-Patterson AFB where it is part of the collection of the [[National Museum of the United States Air Force]].
Image:B-2 Condor in flight.jpg|[[U.S. Army Air Corps]] [[Curtiss]] [[B-2 Condor]]
Image:Curtiss P-6E Hawk USAF.jpg|[[Curtiss]] [[Curtiss P-6|P-6E Hawk]] of [[94h Pursuit Squadron]] in "[[snow owl]]" scheme
Image:Curtiss F9C Sparrowhawk 2.jpg|[[Curtiss]] [[F9C Sparrowhawk]] [[parasite fighter]]
Image:Seversky P-35A USAF.jpg|[[Seversky P-35]] in the colors of the 17th Pursuit Squadron
Image:MemphisBelle_2003.jpg|[[Eighth Air Force]] [[Boeing]] [[B-17 Flying Fortress]] "[[Memphis Belle]]"
Image:B-17_Liberty_Belle.jpg|B-17 "Liberty Belle"
Image:Hawk 75 No 82 flying.jpg|[[Curtiss]] [[P-36|Hawk 75A1]] of ''[[Lafayette Escadrille]]''
Image:Messerschmitt Bf 109E.jpg|Bf-109E at Deutsches Museum
Image:P-39Q Airacobra.jpg|P-39Q
Image:P40-ftigers.jpg|[[Curtiss]] [[P-40 Tomahawk]] of [[Flying Tigers]]
Image:Bf109F-2 Mölders JG51 kl96.jpg|[[Messerschmitt]] Bf-109F2 of ''[[Oberstleutnant]]'' [[Werner Mölders]], [[JG 51]], June 1941
Image:Fw190A-3 JG2 Gr.Ko.Hahn42 kl96.jpg|[[Focke-Wulf]] [[FW-190|Fw190A-3]] of ''[[Hauptmann]]'' [[Hans "Assi" Hahn]], [[JG 2]]
Image:Bf109F-4 Gelbe14 Ma JG27 kl96.jpg|Bf-109F4/trop of ''Hauptmann'' [[Hans-Joachim Marseille]], 3./[[JG 27]], September 1942
Image:070420-F-1234P-002.jpg|[[Republic Aviation|Republic]] [[P-47]] "Senta a pua!"
Image:Jakowlew Jak-3M r.jpg|[[Yakovlev]] [[Yak-3|Yak-3m]]
Image:North American B-25 Mitchell (N320SQ).jpg|[[North American Aviation|North American]] [[B-25 Mitchell]] at Niederrhein Airport
Image:B-25J at Evergreen Museum.jpg|B-25J "Super Rabbit" at Evergreen Museum
Image:B25 CWHM Hamilton Ontario 1.jpg|At [[Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum]]
Image:B-25_Briefing_Time.jpg|B-25J "Briefing Time"
Image:B-25-J35 Mitchell 45-8811 a.jpg|B-25J-35
Image:Nose_art_miss_patricia_september_1943.jpg|"Miss Patricia", September 1943
Image:P-51_Cincinnati_Miss.jpg|[[P-51]] "Cincinnati Miss"
Image:P51-mustang-korea-2.gif|P-51 in Korea
Image:P-51 Imperial War Museum.JPG|P-51 "Big Beautiful Doll" in [[Imperial War Museum]]
Image:Enola_Gay.jpg|[[Boeing]] [[B-29]] "[[Enola Gay]]"
Image:Boeing B-29 Superfortress Bockscar USAF.jpg|[[B-29]] "[[Bock's Car]]", which dropped the second [[atomic bomb]]
Image:Boeing B-29 Superfortress Bockscar 2 USAF.jpg|"Bock's Car" profile
Image:Boeing B-29 'Command Decision'.jpg|B-29 "Command Decision"
Image:Vampire-canadian-museum-of-flight.jpg|[[de Havilland]] [[DH-100 Vampire]] at [[Canadian Museum of Flight]]
Image:Bell X-1A in the belly of a B-29.jpg|B-29 "Fertile Myrtle" carrying [[Bell X-1|X-1]]
Image:Chuck Yeager with GlamorousGlennis.jpg|[[Captain]] [[Charles E. Yeager]] with X-1 "Glamorous Glennis"
Image:Joe Walker X-1E.jpg|[[Joe Walker]] with X-1E "Little Joe"
Image:F-86 'MiG Mad Marine'.jpg|[[John H. Glenn]]'s [[North American Aviation|North American]] [[F-86 Sabre|F-86]] "[[Mikoyan|MIG]] Mad Marine" in Korea
Image:North American F86-01.JPG|F-86 inspired by Glenn's
Image:Hawkeye_II_Master.jpg|[[Boeing]] [[CH-47 Chinook]] from Company F, "River City Hookers", 106th Aviation, Iowa Army National Guard during Operation Iraqi Freedom
Image:F-14-vf-84.jpg|[[F-14]] of [[VF-84]] "Jolly Rogers"
Image:F-14D Tomcat VF-103 dubbed Christmas Bird.jpg|[[VF-103]] "Jolly Rogers" "Christmas Special" [[F-14 Tomcat|Tomcat]]
Image:LastF14,jpg.jpg|F-14 of [[VF-213]] "Black Lions"
Image:F-14 Tomcat on Hornet 2.jpg|F-14 of [[VF-101]] "Grim Reapers"
Image:RAAF Mirage III 1.JPEG|[[RAAF]] [[Mirage III]]
Image:F-14 Tomcat VF-31.jpg|F-14 of [[VF-31]] "Tomcatters" at [[Oceania NAS]] ([[Felix the Cat]] on the tail)
Image:Operation Desert Strike - Fighter Squadron 31 Tomcat on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70).jpg|Tomcatter aboard [[USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70)|''Vinson'']]
Image:VMFA(AW)-332_tail_Dec2005.JPG|VMFA(AW)-332 "Moonlighters"
Image:VirginEnglishRoseNose.JPG|[[Virgin Atlantic]] [[Boeing]] [[Boeing 747|747]] "English Rose" (G-VROS)
Image:DGentile.jpg|[[Dominic Salvatore Gentile|Don Gentile]]’s “Shangri-La” of the [[4th Fighter Group]]
</gallery>
The largest collection of World War II nose art may be found at the [[Confederate Air Force]] Museum in [[Harlingen, Texas|Harlingen]], [[Texas]].<ref name="parentseyes"/>
==References==
<references/>
*Velasco, Gary Velasco, ''FIGHTING COLORS The Creation of Military Aircraft Nose Art''. Turner Publishing, 2004
*Campbell, John M. & Donna, ''War Paint''. Shrewsbury, 1990
*Chinnery, Philip, ''Desert Boneyard: [[Davis Monthan]] A.F.B. Arizona''. Osceola, Wisconsin: Motorbooks, International, 1987.
*Cohan, Phil, "Risque Business." ''Air and Space'' 5 (Apr.-May 1990):62-71.
*Davis, Larry, ''Planes, Names and Dames: 1940-1945''. Vol. 1. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1990.
*Davis, Larry, ''Planes, Names and Dames: 1946-1960''. Vol. 2. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1990.
*Davis, Larry, ''Planes, Names and Dames: 1955-1975''. Vol. 3. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1990.
*Dorr, Robert F., Fighting ''Colors: Glory Days of U.S. Aircraft Markings''. Osceola, Wisconsin: Motorbooks International, 1990.
*Ethell, Jeffrey L., ''The History of Aircraft Nose Art: World War I to Today''. Osceola, Wisconsin: Motorbooks International, 1991.
*Fugere, Jerry, ''Desert Storm B-52 Nose Art''. Tucson, AZ: J. Fugere, 1999.
*Logan, Ian, ''Classy Chassy''. New York: W. W. Visual Library, 1977.
*March, Peter R., ''Desert Warpaint''. London: Osprey Aerospace, 1992.
*McDowell, Ernest R., ''The P-40 Kittyhawk at War''. New York: Arco Publishing, 1968.
*O'Leary, Michael D., "Disney Goes to War!" ''Air Classics'' 32, no. 5 (1996): 40-42, 45-51.
*Valant, Gary M., ''Vintage Aircraft Nose Art''. Osceola, Wisconsin: Motorbooks International, 1987.
*Walker, Randy, ''Painted Ladies''. West Chester, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing, 1992.
*Walker, Randy, ''More Painted Ladies''. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing, 1994.
==External links==
{{commonscat|Nose art}}
*[http://www.fightingcolors.com/ Nose art history and replica panels]
*[http://www.noseart.ch/ Nose art paintings]
*[http://www.bombergirl.com/flightline/nosearticles/whatisnose.htm Nose art history]
*[http://www.acepilots.com/planes/nose_art.html Site with photos of historic nose art]
*[http://www.rareybird.com/ Nose art photos and illustrations]
*[http://www.raf.mod.uk/gulf/tornadogrs.html RAF webpage illustrating Gulf War Nose art in the Tornado fleet]
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