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Archives at The Museum of Flight


Nose art

 Subject
Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
Scope Note: Nose art is the name given to the talismanic graffiti painted by war theater servicemen on the fuselage of military aircraft, usually located near the nose, for the purpose of individualizing aircraft.

Found in 9 Collections and/or Records:

John W. Allen World War II Collection

 Collection
Identifier: 2022-04-29-2
Overview John W. Allen was a B-17 navigator during World War II. The collection consists of visual, audiovisual, and textual materials documenting Allen's missions in Europe with the 91st Bomb Group (H), 401st Bomb Squadron.

Elmer A. Ball World War II Negatives

 Collection — Folder 1
Identifier: 2021-06-30
Content Description The Elmer A. Ball World War II Negatives is a collection of 184 photographic negatives taken by Ball during his service with the U.S. Navy, much of which took place in Guam during the later years of World War II. The negatives are all medium format black-and-white negatives, except for one color transparency. They were not organized in any particular manner.The images depict a variety of people, activities, and buildings in and around Naval Air Station Agana on Guam from roughly...

Thomas Cooper World War II Photograph Collection

 Collection — Folder 1
Identifier: 2009-08-13-A
Contents of the Collection The Thomas Cooper World War II Photograph Collection is comprised of 42 photographs mostly taken by Paul A. Payne, with whom Thomas Cooper served in United States Marine Corps in the Pacific theater of World War II. The photographs were taken on Saipan and Tinian in the Mariana Islands between 1944 and 1945. They feature several American aircraft, such as a Northrop P-61, a Douglas C-47, a Consolidated B-24 Liberator, and several Boeing B-29s. Many of the B-29 photographs were taken on Tinian...

Lester Kickland World War II Photographs

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: 2015-06-15
Contents of the Collection This small collection is comprised of 59 photographs taken by and featuring Lester Jay Kickland while he was stationed in the Pacific theater during World War II where he helped to build island airfields. The photographs were primarily taken between April and September of 1945 at locations on Iejima (formerly Ie Shima), but may also include images from Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Photographs feature nose art on various types of American aircraft, a coral runway on Iejima as well as other airfields,...

Norman B. Moerbe World War II Collection

 Collection
Identifier: 2018-11-07
Overview Norman Bernhard Moerbe was a bombardier in the 12th Air Force, 340th bomb group, who flew in campaigns over Italy during World War II. This collection contains military records, correspondence, photographs, and ephemera documenting his military service, primarily dating from 1943-1945.

Herbert H. Paulson Korean War Photographs

 Collection — Folder 1
Identifier: 1997-11-18
Contents of the Collection The Herbert H. Paulson Korean War Photographs is a small collection of photographs depicting aircraft nose art and aerial bombing locations in Korea. 48 snapsnots, approximately 3.25x4.5", depict nose art on B-29 bombers. There is also a decal sheet and 3-view drawing diagram for B-29 markings with the "Nip on Nees" nose art illustration. 11 10x10" prints and one 6.5x6" print show aerial views of assorted bomb strike locations in Korea. All photographs in the collection are black-and-white.

Donald K. Prothero World War II Photographs

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: 2015-03-13
Contents of the Collection The Donald K. Prothero World War II Photographs is comprised of 116 black-and-white photographs taken by Donald K. Prothero of the 86th Combat Mapping Squadron during World War II. A list of captions is provided for the photographs. The photographs feature life of United States servicemen on base at Saipan, including construction of a photograph lab, USO shows, concerts, performances by indigenous Chamorro inhabitants, the base's theater, mess halls, and hospitals. Several images of...

Dora Jean (Dougherty) Strother WASP Photographs Collection

 Collection — Folder 1
Identifier: 1986-12-09-A
Content Description The Dora Jean (Dougherty) Strother WASP Photographs Collection is a small collection consisting of two photographs of Women Air Service Pilots at Elgin Air Force Base with the B-29 "Ladybird" before a B-29 demonstration tour in 1944.The first photograph depicts Women Airforce Service Pilots Dora J. Dougherty and Dorothea J. Moorman accepting aircraft papers from a representative of the Boeing Company for the B-29 "Ladybird" at Eglin Field, Florida, June 1944. Nose art of Fifinella,...

Paul A. Ludwig Military Aviation Photograph Collection

 Collection
Identifier: 2008-11-06
Abstract The Paul A. Ludwig Military Aviation Photograph Collection contains 2382 photographic prints and negatives with a very small amount of textual materials collected by Paul A. Ludwig and ranging from the late 1910s through the early 1980s. The bulk and strength of the collection is photographs of World War II-era aircraft and squadrons. The collection is nearly all copy prints from a variety of institutions and dozens of private collections.

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