Most Dangerous Position on a Bomber....?

[MichaelHenley]

I'm at least 1 m 50... don't no what I am in feet...
Which do you Prefer? Metric or Imperial?

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

imperial i think................

 

[plan_D]

I'm 6'1. Yes, the more used system is Imperial. Although I can understand both Metric and Imperial as most British can.

 

[MP-Willow]

Glad you all liked the bombergirl site, please sign the gestbook. It will have more stuff soon and is one of my favorate places to see some great art. Now for the pics the first few are B-24s

That bit about a P-40 pilots who wanted to get better looks at the pin-ups on B-24s I have not read or been told but it makes sence. The crews had some great imaginations. 8)

 

[Lightning Guy]

I've also read that some group commanders actually had to censor the images.

 

[GermansRGeniuses]

They (nose art images) became illegal near the end of the war, but some time after that, returned to the noses of USAF aircraft everywheres about...

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

I've also read that some group commanders actually had to censor the images

that doesn't suprise me.......................

 

[MP-Willow]

LG, I wounder how god of a job that cencoring was? Most of what I have seen is pritty tastful. Granted it might be cleaned up or picked over before shown. If only more Forces did it. Do you know if the Navy had nose art?

 

[Lightning Guy]

There was very little nose-art used in the USN. Carry-based planes had almost none. I only know of one squadron that attempted to use any, VF-27 stationed aboard the USS Princeton I believe. They painted the familiar shark mouths on their Hellcats. However, when word reached the navy brass that were ordered to repaint the aircraft in the standard navy camo. From the pictures I've seen, it seems that most USN aircraft didn't even have names. Now things were a bit looser for land-based navy units. Numerous PB4Ys boasted some rather risque nose-art.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

the RAF didn't do it much eaither, many bombers were given names, normally the pilots mother/girlfriend, or the name of an actress, but that was it....................

 

[plan_D]

Because we weren't/aren't lax in the military.

 

[MP-Willow]

Thanks. LG- I can understand things being that loos for land units. I will have to try and find the PB4Y art.

It is a shame that the RAF did not alow art did they atlest let them paint the names on the side, or display mission markers?

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

oh yeah, you only have to look at the BBMF lancaster, that's exactily the type of thing they did, exept the mickey mouse is more than was normally done......................

 

[plan_D]

Well if you allow too many liberties then you lose discipline. And the British force is all about discipline, the commander of 6 Marine on D-Day told his troops to shine their shoes and have a shave if it's the last thing they do. And they did it.

 

[Lightning Guy]

www.navylib.com

There are numerous pictures of PB4Ys on that site and some of them show the noseart.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

this is the BBMF's lancaster, the bombing tally can be seen on most bombers, however the micky mouse is more than would be allowed, it would normally be allot smaller however the name's about right, nothing sexually explicit...................

 

[Lightning Guy]

I imagine Bomber Command was more concerned about the low-visibility of their aircraft than the 8th AF was. That could explain the general lack of nose art.

 

[MichaelHenley]

I just realised something- on the list for the poll, they forgot the pilot and co-pilot...

 

[MP-Willow]

Thanks LG. Lanc did that bomber survive the war or was it rebuilt? I count over 100 missions

I just like the art and the way different crews or more corectly pilots gave the planes carecture.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

PA474 was built in mid 1945, it never saw saw service although it was earmarked for the tiger force, the war ended before it left, it spent the rest of it's life being moved between companies, it was used as a refueling testbed, it tested countless new wings amoung other duties, before being given back to the RAF for extensive restoration, the biggest tasks, to find and fit the turrets, it's hoped that it will live long into the future.....................