Disney and Warner Bros Nose Art

I recall seeing a cartoon called “Gremlins from the Kremlin”. Very funny, has Hitler flying a H.111 over Russia, as a number of Gremlins (Stalin etc.) destroy the aircraft around him. Probably not acceptable viewing anymore thanks to the PC clowns. Same goes for most of the wartime cartoons, too violent, too racist, too funny!

Dave,

This was taken beneath the Tornado at Duxford…

Russ

Thanks for the WASP explanation – not an easy one to google when you haven’t a clue what the organisation is, you get lots of buzzy yellow things instead.

John Boyle – modern stuff would be cool to see too. I remember some particularly good British nose art from the first Gulf War, including a C130 with Two Fat Slags on, and something else with Buster Gonads – both comic strip characters from Viz.

Glen – great nose art. Is that Bugs Bunny postwar? He always seemed more gangly during the war, but on this he is as we know him now with puffier cheeks. I love Bugs, my all time favourite cartoon character. What is the plane that Dumbo is on? Is it a Privateer? Looks like Ronny Reagan standing beside it.

ShabbyAbbey – I love that Donald Duck nose art. Brilliant, thanks. A great replica, well done.

I had forgotten about Galland’s Mickey Mouse – that was on the 1/72nd scale Bf109G kit by Hasegawa when I was a kid. I made a mess of the kit and it put me off 109’s for years till Black 6 turned up on the scene and I fell in love with them again.

This site is great for info on Disney characters and the war – it shows some of the artwork seen above and much more:
http://www.skylighters.org/disney/index.html

Here are a couple of covers from RNZAF Contact magazine that feature Disney characters that were apparently popular with airmen at the time and were making it onto a few noses… They are drawn here by Maurice Conly of the RNZAF and not the Disney staff. First one shows the Gremlins from the 1943 film based on Dahl’s book. The second is a collection of various characters from the Disney stable apparently.

The 167th FS WV ANG “Coonskin Boys” also had many of their F-51D’s adorned with Disney nicknames and artwork

I love it, only here could I run across a Mustang fan from Switzerland who knows about my local ANG! This is indeed a great forum! 😎 😀

Martin would you happen to have any photos of a Drexel E. Crites who flew with the 167th. FS, WV-ANG? He was one of 21 members of the squadron killed in the crash of a C-47 near what is now Yeager Airport in Charleston, WV in 1951. 🙁

Lo and behold (unfortunately had to shrink it down :()

Yes, I think Adolf Galland’s Bf109E had a Mickey Mouse-alike cartoon on it. Will find a pic.

There is a pic somewhere of an early Mickey Mouse on the side of an Me-109, the mickey from Steamboat Wille. I’m a bit too tired to go looking for it at the moment, but I’ll see if i can dig it up tomorrow.

Was sent this photo recently of a 55th Fighter Group P-38 (CY-Y), flown by Capt. Stanton. Liked it so much, I got a replica made up aswell!
Russ
www.station131.co.uk
www.55th.org

I recently heard a story from one of the guys restoring the Ventura in the hanger here at the Alberta Aviation Museum. He said that the Locheed plant was across the street from one of the Disney art studios and that some of the artists would come over during their lunch breaks and doodle on various aircraft parts and these drawings would remain on the aircraft during it’s service life.

Gerry

Cartoon Nose Art?

Here’s a few I had stuck in a folder somewhere…

Modern nose art

I don’t know if you want modern stuff, but there is a B-1B of the 7th BW with Warner Bros cartoon character “Marvin the Martian” pictured on the plane “Alien with an Attitude.”
I don’t have a photo handy, but I’m sure some forum member does…it was at Fairford in 1998 and lots of photos were taken by enthusiasts on the open day.

My favourite:

http://www.sweptwings.co.uk/images/rafh_mustang_mof_1as.jpg

What was WASP ?

Women Airforce Service Pilot…..

http://www.wasp-wwii.org/wasp/home.htm

Martin

The 167th FS WV ANG “Coonskin Boys” also had many of their F-51D’s adorned with Disney nicknames and artwork – recorded are:

Donald Duck
Stump Jumper
Beetle Bailey
Wham Bam (with Bugs Bunny artwork)
Casper
Daisy
Little Max
Wimpey

more to follow…
Martin

What was WASP?

A fifinella of course was (like most of their cartoons) not a Disney creation. In fact, a fifinella was a female Gremlin, one of the many tpes of Gremlins.

And the Gremlins got to Disney for a film they made via one RAF officer called Roald Dahl, who wrote a book about the Gremlins. But from what I’ve read it was not even his creation, but had previously been RAF legend and he was the first to write it down, making them a worldwide legend.

And the kids of today think they’re cuddly Chinese critters that multiply in water. 🙂

Bugs Bunny on a 339th FG 504th FS P-51D

Martin

ah – here’s a B-29 in Korea….

Martin

and a B-26

Fifinella was the mascot of the WASP

During WWII, the WASP asked for permission to use her as the official mascot and the Disney Company generously agreed. Official Fifinella ‘went to war’ and was worn in the form of patches. Some were leather, some were cloth…worn on WASP flight jackets.

http://www.wasp-wwii.org/wasp/new/fifif.pdf

Martin

Guy Gibson’s Lanc at 106 Sqn was named “Admiral Prune” and had Mickey Mouse on the nose… can’t find a pic right now though.

Yes Figaro was Gepetto’s cat in Pinnochio. Very cute I reckon.

Boy… I say boy!!!

Foghorn Leghorn graces the side of Gerald Rhodes’ Lodestar “Flew The Coop” though this is not a wartime scheme and reflects its past as a chicken coop.

Thanks Ant. I had always thought that Eagle Sqn motif was familiar. There was a Disney film with practically the same character I think set in South America.

Has anyone seen the wartime cartoons where the likes of Donald Duck, Bugs Bunny and Daffy are called up into the Air Force or Army. There were several. i haven’t seen them in years, but they were great. In one Donald flies a bomber to bomb the Nazis – odd when Disney was one himself!

Photo from here http://www.adastron.com/lockheed/lodestar/vh-xus.htm