During World War II, figurative art emerged in the form of "nose art" on thousands of bombers and fighter escorts flying missions over France, Germany, Africa and the Pacific.
Nose art perhaps modeled on the "Flying Ladies" emerged as the aviator's unique calling card and as personal escorts during missions of great danger and uncertainty. The Army Air Force attempted to ban and censor nose art on many occasions. Ultimately the art prevailed for its value in boosting crew morale was unquestioned.
Nose art emerged as a defining element of the era, gracing everything from war airplanes, to leather flight jackets, to the walls of barracks, huts and O-Clubs across Europe and the Pacific.
Note that this art form ended with the terror of WWII, being replaced with less compelling and more politically correct imagery.
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No warbird is complete without it's warpaint.
Here are a few examples to prove war is fowl:
The Fighting Rooster
Special Delivery II
Old Crow Express
Night Hawk
Tail Gunner Donald Duck
Shangri La
Ramp Rooster
Uninvited
Boxing Rooster
Back to the Sack
Betta Duck
Donald Duck
Bad Nose
Folklore has it that the term "Ruptured Duck" was coined in World War II for pilots/flight crews that were shot down in combat, but managed to escape back to friendly lines. Early in WWII, several aircraft were named Ruptured Duck by their flight crews. A B-24 from the 34th Bomber group was named Ruptured Duck. There was also a Ruptured Duck serving with the 91st Bomber Group in Europe. Most famous was a aircraft named Ruptured Duck in the flight of Dolittle's Raid over Tokyo in 1942.
B-24 Ruptured Duck
