This is actually an extension of the bowsprits they used to put on the old sailing ships - topless women, mermaids, etc. . .
B-25 "Briefing Time"
B-24 "Playmate"
Warriors seek talismans to bring them luck . . .
B-25 "Pacific Princess"
B-29 "Bockscar"
They seek Divine favor in battle, safe return home and a reminder of what awaits them there . . .
B-29 "Lucky Lady"
RCAF Bomber "Lady Orchid"
This tradition is as eternal as the Dawn of Time . . .
B-24 "American Beauty"
B-17 "Pistol Packin' Mama"Enjoy . . .
- Sean Linnane
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Mr. Bastable: I just adore your political incorrectness. Thank you for making my day sweetie. I also happen to appreciate bomb art.
ReplyDeleteThis was a family friend's 17G. Took him to Germany and back ALMOST every time. He was a ball gunner. Ended up a guest at Stalag 17.
ReplyDeleteHe became an illustrator for Disney after the war. Painted a lot of noses besides their own bird in his down time. I need to scan some of the other stuff he did, need to dig around in boxes. With all those missions (He even did Schweinfurt-Regensburg) they flew with 3am briefings that stretched into tomorrow, as often as not... especially that lonely time in the ball praying nothing went wrong and if something did he could get out in time, he daydreamed about being back in his rack on base more than he did about going to the pubs and chasing English girls. He really dreamt of making it back to Molesworth sleeping on straw in the Austrian and German cold and eating worse food than they had back at the mess :-)
http://www.303rdbg.com/na-sacktime.jpg
Happiness to Ben, was a warm bunk and a decent breakfast that didn't involve powdered eggs or anything else and no morning roll calls, he later found. He did some rather scantily clad women on noses too, but being somewhat religious, this one suited him for his rides back and forth to the Continent and Africa on occasion.
The Lucky Lady is in Franklin, VA falling apart - somebody please save her!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.warbirdregistry.org/b25registry/b25-4431508.html