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mercurygray · 11 hours

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Tailspin Tapestries: The Colorful Faces of WWII Aircraft 🃏

Nose art, the decorative painting or design on the fuselage of military aircraft, has a storied history that peaked during World War II. This vibrant, often cheeky artwork served as a morale booster for the crew, adding a personal touch to the grimness of war and providing a sentimental tie to the home they were fighting to protect. The practice traces its origins to Italian and German pilots in World War I, but it was during World War II that American airmen embraced this form of expression with unparalleled creativity.

World War II represented the golden age of nose art, with American crews stationed in Europe and the Pacific leading in creativity. Artworks ranged from ferocious animals and cartoon characters to pin-up girls and patriotic symbols, each with a unique name that reflected the aircraft's character, the crew's aspirations, or an inside joke among the squadron. Names like "Memphis Belle," "Enola Gay," and "Sack Time" became as legendary as the aircraft themselves, symbolizing the spirit of the crew and their mission.

Nose art was crucial to boosting morale among crew members, providing a sense of individuality and ownership over their aircraft in an otherwise regimented and dehumanizing environment. This artwork fostered an emotional attachment to their planes, with each piece a vivid manifestation of the crew's bond. It represented a piece of home and personality in foreign skies, a reminder of what they fought for and the camaraderie that sustained them.

The subject matter of nose art varied widely, reflecting diverse personalities within the crews. Cartoons and comic characters like Donald Duck and Bugs Bunny were favorites for their humor and relatability. Artwork also featured fierce sharks, tigers, and eagles, symbolizing the aircraft and crew's power and aggression.

Many nose art pieces were painted by the crew members themselves, though some squads had designated artists. Individuals like Don Allen, who painted nearly 100 pieces of nose art, were celebrated for their contributions. Using whatever materials were at hand, these artists created masterpieces under challenging conditions, showcasing remarkable ingenuity and talent.

The practice of nose art declined after World War II, largely due to stricter military regulations and the evolving nature of warfare. However, its legacy endures, captivating historians, veterans, and enthusiasts. World War II nose art remains a powerful reminder of the human element amidst war's machinery, a colorful testament to the resilience, creativity, and spirit of those who served.

The National Archives holds a treasure trove of photographs featuring this iconic nose art, often discovered in ordinary crew photos where the art itself isn't the primary focus of the image. This creates a fascinating treasure hunt for enthusiasts and researchers alike, offering glimpses into the past where this artwork accompanies stories of bravery, camaraderie, and the personal touches that made these aircraft more than just machines of war.

More resources on the National Archives website and Catalog:

https://nara.getarchive.net/topics/nose+art https://www.archives.gov/research/military/ww2/photos

#shopping for a fanfic #world war two aviation

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mercurygray · 13 hours

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How did all this happen? I mean look at us, Sid, sitting here at a dance, drinking punch. Not a scratch on either of us. I mean what the hell are we doing here?

#well gosh i didn't need those feelings #eugene sledge #john basilone #the pacific #hbo war

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mercurygray · 14 hours

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Asked for - and was given - permission to leave work before five today, so I'm making a homemade pizza and enjoying my warm cozy apartment while it rains outside. Might work on a prompt if someone pokes me enough.

How's everyone else doing today?

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mercurygray · 15 hours

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Callum Turner for Vanity Fair (April 2024) 💥💥💥

📸 by Matthew Brookes

#...hi #callum turner

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mercurygray · 18 hours

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Fanfic writers are like crows. If you give them treats (comments) they will bring you shiny things (fanfic)

#the care and feeding of your friendly writer

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mercurygray · 20 hours

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CESARE BORGIA + his wedding night ↴ THE BORGIAS (2011-2013) || 'The Wolf and the Lamb' (3.05)

#the borgias #cesare borgia #why yes i am still thinking about this

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mercurygray · 24 hours

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Feeling down in the dumps so just going to say it: I miss how much we were all engaging with each other while MoTA was airing.

#i'm still thinking about this #and what it is #and not so much what it *means*#because that's not helpful #but what I personally can do to change it

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mercurygray · 24 hours

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This is a good question!!!

The solider 'will tear your cities down' - I think we might include all of the bombardiers in this category, but on a more finite level, Bucky agrees to the bombing of Munster, even though he knows it will have huge civilian implications. Bucky's approach to problems is usually 'the mighty sword' - the quick and direct route.

The poet 'whose weapon is his word' - to me, that's Crosby, who tells us about the war through his memoir, but also Rosie, who will help prosecute the Germans for war crimes. We might also extend this forward to say that Rosie's kind words to his fellow airman are also a weapon of a kind, one that builds them up and makes them more effective at their work.

The king 'whose brow is laid with thorn' - This one is tough. While all the characters suffer, I don't know that any of of them are...particularly defined by that, if that makes sense? (Maybe Bucky, but I stand by my interpretation) I guess if we look at the next line 'smeared with oil like David's boy' in the sense of divine kingship, Buck is recognized for his achievements (in the form of a DSC) and is sometimes 'the golden boy' even when he's struggling with his job.

"Soldier, Poet, King" Masters of the Air Edition

Who do you guys think are soldiers? Poets? Or kings?

I feel like I need to watch the show one more time and finish reading the books to answer this question confidently, but currently, I think that Buck and Rosie are kings, Croz is a poet, and Bucky is a soldier. Let me know what you think!

#meta or something like it

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mercurygray · 1 day

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Part of me feels bad for bailing on my parents and the promise of dinner at a really nice restaurant, but I started work at 7:30 this morning, I walked close to 6 miles today and talked with about 2000 people, and I think I sat down...for maybe twenty minutes, total, all day, from 8:00 to 4:30 pm. I even ate lunch standing up.

Maybe I'm out of practice. Maybe! But I need to respect the tired, and I am tired.

Holy buckets I am tired.

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mercurygray · 2 days

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Holy buckets I am tired.

#being on your feet for eight hours with no break will do that

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mercurygray · 2 days

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JAMES MURRAY as NEIL "CHICK" HARDING in MASTERS OF THE AIR (2024), part three

#HELLO?!!!#sir this is a briefing room #there's no need to strut #marion is 👀#masters of the air #colonel harding

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mercurygray · 2 days

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rosie rejecting therapy – mota 1x06 – requested by @lamialamia 🧡

#okay i know i'm supposed to concentrate on Rosie but Jamie Parker is a dish here #anyway. carry on #rosie rosenthal #masters of the air #masters of the air spoilers

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mercurygray · 2 days

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Rosie’s last flight✈️

Masters of the Air Part Nine

#very normal about him #rosie rosenthal #masters of the air #masters of the air spoilers

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mercurygray · 2 days

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Owing to work being busy today, the Bar is closed this week for Thirsty Thursday, but the Bartender can offer everyone a small aperitif of more of...whatever this Renaissance AU is.

(Gale and Marjorie can have some kids in this AU, as a treat.)

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"He's very good with the children. I…I hadn't thought he would be."

Gale's wife smiled widely, wholeheartedly agreeing. "He is a gentle soul, behind his armor. I see that more here than I ever have before. He is changed, here. Your marriage has been good for him, I think."

Cord thought of a cold bed and John sleeping in the antechamber, and going for his early morning rides when he'd had little sleep. "Has it?" she asked, genuinely curious. "He…he is still much a stranger to me." I only met him the day we wed.

Marjorie nodded. "When we first met, he and my husband were young pups of twenty with scarcely blooded swords. They drank much and laughed hard and scarcely knew what fear meant."

Cord thought of the late nights and the steward's remarks about the cellar, the laughter in the hall and the way the maids whispered in the morning. "John is still so."

Marjorie chuckled quietly, her hand resting peacefully on the large swell of her stomach. "Ah, no, but he is changed. And for the better. War taught him to be wise. He is not so foolhardy as he was when we first met - he thinks more, speaks less. Even if it seems he never stops. And he was always a fool for a pair of fine eyes."

She thought again of the maids, whispering and giggling at the bath. "He is that, still, too."

Marjorie glanced quietly at her. "He spoke of none but you at dinner, and there were pretty girls aplenty in the hall. He greatly admires you."

#thirsty thursday and the bar is closed

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mercurygray · 2 days

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Jane Russell as plane art in WWII

#eileen when!!!!#shopping for a fanfic

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mercurygray · 2 days

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That blurb of medieval Cord and Egan??? To die for 😍

Chef's kiss, ten out of ten 👌🏼

Also, is Fred your local wildlife wrangler and protector? As in I-started-out-as-a-people-wrangler-but-i-might-as-well-do-animals-too??? Your local Disney Princess?

Maybe she starts taking care of a whole array of local fauna to the ever growing confusion of everybody on base?? Like, poor Tatty was prepared to deal with pilots, not local wildlife, she is not equipped for this

If so, may I present you the idea of hedgehogs??

- your Fred Friend

Fred Friend, I love where your head's at, but this feels possibly a little too Mary Sue Disney princess for prime time.

Fitje Pitts, whose book I read recently, talks a lot about the dogs, cats, birds, and at least one ferret (for hunting rats) that were owned by the men who worked on the air bases she was stationed at. I think we might start Fred off with a small kitten with a ridiculous name. Right now the top contenders are Soup, Getty (for Spaghetti) and Spam.

(And maybe later the kitten finds a hedgehog, which I'm told would have been a common garden animal in Norfolk.)

(We'll also deal with any long term post-stalag angst about cats at another time...)

#asked and answered #Kind Anonymous Friend

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mercurygray · 3 days

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Robert ‘Rosie’ Rosenthal✈️

Masters of Air Part Eight

#very normal about him #rosie rosenthal #masters of the air

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