Ww2 nose art

[RoboDad11]

I love nose art & have started a little project, but was stumped when I came across this odd piece,& since it seems popular cause keeps popping up,So...i just gotta ask for help. I know these are ris-ke but we're all adults here & it's ww2 birds,sooo... what th heck is going on here,? is it just "bad"or been messed with perhaps?... Ok, 1st. there's something around her head, & around her feet, also the stomach & maybe the name has been changed or something? with the shadowing around "stuff"...it's just weird and also the name, "stuff"...? & even the font! I.D.K. It feels like there's a tounge n cheek pun in there somewhere, like a lot of em from back then, but I just can't get it. Any help is appreciated.

 

[Wurger]

Here is the large pic and of better quality... according the caption of the image it's the Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" "Stuff" of the 381st Bomb Group stationed at an 8th Air Force Base near Ridgewell, Essex County, England, 31 March 1944. Also B-17F 42-29751 'Miss Abortion' aka 'Stuff' GD-D 534BS, 381BG, 9AF. So it means that the name of the plane was changed and perhaps the nose art was edited. Some remnants of the old art and the name can be noticed just at the areas you mentioned.The dark tone around the nose art and the name seems to be a result of washing off or cleaning the area with a thinner before painting.


the pic source: UPL 32862 | American Air Museum in Britain

 

[special ed]

Possibly "hot stuff" with the "hot" painted out.

 

[rochie]

I agree it looks like it could be newer or cleaner paint in a block above "STUFF" ?

 

[fubar57]

Large photo of the entire aircraft here....

From this site...42-29751 / Miss Abortion aka Stuff | B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies

 

[Wurger]

It looks like the main art wasn't changed too much. Perhaps at the area of the head only. Also I'm almost sure that the dark "outline" around the nose art is the result of preparation of the surface for applying of the art. However the new name was applied with the new background overpainting the old one. The remnants of the letters are still noticed at the bottom of the background for the new name.

 

[rad2484]

Here is a crude representation. It was done by removing the background. No idea on colors and did not do stockings and heels.