Nose Art by Roger Freeman
The unofficial decoration of warplanes with nicknames and motifs was common in most air forces during the Second World War. Without doubt the most flamboyant and extensive examples were to be found on combat aircraft of the USAAF. While high command did occasionally demand the removal or reduction of examples considered too garish or naughty, the general view was that this individual insignia promoted good morale. Despite the censor’s eye the challenge of getting away with the double entendre was too much to resist and often successful. Many nicknames were for wives or girl friends, but this trend apart, they were infinitely varied. The favourite motif was the female figure; young ladies in various states of undress. The paintings were often of a very high standard and it appeared that every airfield base had a talented artist. The normal location of the unofficial decor was below and forward of the pilot’s position, towards the nose of the aircraft. This has led to the general term “nose art” for all forms of this individual insignia. Alongside the nickname on the fuselage the ground crew usually painted the achievements or record of the aircraft. Small bomb shaped silhouettes for each bombing mission completed and swastikas or crosses for each enemy aircraft claimed destroyed.
385th B-17 Names and Nose Art
It is a popular myth, even among veteran airmen, that B-17 names were firmly attached to a crew as well as to a specific B-17. While it is
true that most crews flew most of their missions in the same B-17, maybe one they had named themselves, alas, this was not “official” policy with the Army. Crew assignments to B-17s on a mission were left up to the Squadron Operations Officer. As a result, most crews ended up flying on several different aircraft during the course of their tour, and, conversely, each aircraft typically was flown by several different crews during its time in service.
Aircraft names are not a part of the official archival records or of the loading lists or MACRs which give only the aircraft’s serial number. B-17 names were as varied as imagination could make them! Many were popular songs, (Madam Shoo Shoo, 43-27786, or Star Dust, 42-39901); some were cartoon characters, (Powerful Katrinka, 42-31928, or Raggedy Ann, 42-31395); others were clever takes on phrases (Maiden America, 43-38736. or Big Gas Bird, 42-31638). A pilot or crew chief’s wife or girl friend was often used as a name. The nose art could be anything, as often as not, a bit bawdy. Some names and picture origins are obvious but a few origins of some in the 385th BG are given here.
When a B-17 was knowingly named the same name as another B-17, it was customary to add “Jr.” or “II” to distinguish it, (e.g., Round Trip Ticket, 42-30285; Round Trip Ticket II, 42-3044; Round Trip Ticket III, 42-30827) although this custom was not strictly followed. Andy Rooney (later to become famous as a television commentator) and Bud Hutton, were correspondents with the Army Newspaper, “Stars and Stripes.” They were assigned to the 385th BG to fly a few missions. They did! To honor their newspaper they named 42-3544, Stars and Stripes. When Stars and Stripes, 42-3544, was lost in combat, 42-31349 was named Stars and Stripes, 2nd Edition in its honor. Both nose arts were painted by a fellow correspondent, Art Wingert, depicting his cartoon character, Hubert. Hubert also appears on the nose of Husslin” Hussy, 42-30354, also painted by Art Wingert. There were three B-17s in the 385th BG named “Shack Bunny”, 42-3551 had a blond on her nose. 42-5913 had a brunette on her nose, but 42-30819 only had the name painted on.
The original Raunchy Wolf, 42-3290 had just the words painted on her nose. Another B-17, 42-30249, was named El Lobo with a wolf’s head and “El Lobo” painted on the nose. This wolf’s head painting became the logo of the 551st Squadron. 42-3290, Raunchy Wolf, ditched in the Mediterranean Sea but not with the crew that mostly flew and named it. This crew was then given El Lobo, 42-30249. They promptly painted out the words “El Lobo” and added “Raunchy Wolf” in honor of their lost B-17, but left the wolf’s head. That crew finished their tour in this second Raunchy Wolf. It was lost shortly thereafter when it was shot down with still another new crew and was cut up for scrap by the Germans.
42-3547 was named “Latest Rumor” and painted with a girl talking on a telephone as well as shark’s teeth on its nose. When another crew inherited this same B-17, 42-3547, Sgt. Wilson painted out the shark’s teeth and the name, keeping the girl and telephone, adding bubbles. They named and painted it “Blue Champagne”. Still later, another B-17, 42-37977, was named “Blue Champagne” and the nose painted with a girl in partial imitation of this first “Blue Champagne”.
42-38720, Cellafain Lady, (Co-Pilot Fain Poole) crash-landed in England. Because of its damaged tail section, it was “salvaged,” that is, written off, and became a shop queen, good only for spare parts. However, someone noticed that another shop queen, 42-97940, had an intact nose section. Ah Ha!! The birth of “Half & Half,” 42-97940, took place when these two half B-17s were mated. “Half & Half” was also a popular Pub drink. 42-97940, now Half & Half, went on to flymany missions.
42-30822, was named Foolish Virgin, with a girl on her nose. Later, the girl and name were painted out and this B-17, 42-30822, was named Dorsal Queen, after the appearance of the largetail fin on B-17s. It had only those words on the nose. Possible Straight, 43-39123, got its name from a poker hand in stud poker.
Often in documents and by radio, B-17s were identified by the last three digits of their serial number. Many B-17s had several names, particularly when there was no nose art. New, replacement crews would name an unpainted B-17, not knowing of its former name.
42-102684 went unnamed until June 1945, when it was assigned to a crew to fly back to the U.S. They named it Sweet Chariot, because, “It Was Comin’ for to Carry Us Home,” as an old spiritual song says.
This is the story of the well known B-17, 42-97280 named Haybag Annie. and how she got that name. When this B-17 came to Great Ashfield, the name “Haybag” had already been painted on her by someone. Among the ground crew of Sgt. Ed Hallisley was a witty newspaperman, Sgt. Robert I. Means. Some “nameless” crew member came up with the idea of putting “Annie” under the “Haybag.” It was after this that Annie Haywood, was kidded into painting her own portrait on the nose next to those words. 42-97280, Haybag Annie. Years later Annie tells us that she knew she was having her leg pulled, but it brought many a laugh then. The nickname stuck to Annie herself as well as this B-17! From then on, Annie was “Haybag Annie” to everyone. In 1975, Annie, then married as Annie Gordon, attended a reunion of the 385th veterans at Great Ashfield.