Oh, hi there. Remember back in ... well, I won’t say when, because it’s embarrassing how long it’s taken me to get back to this, so let’s just say “in a previous episode,” when I talked about researching pictures my grandfather possibly took of possibly WWII-era airplanes? Well, I’ve finally got time again to do some real digging!
To recap, I have a handful of photos that came from my mother’s parents’ stuff. Three of them are of what look like wrecked or broken-down airplanes. I posit that my grandfather took these photos, possibly around WWII. None of the photos have writing on the back to confirm any of my suspicions (other than the one that says “what’s left of a [Japanese] Zero”). (side note: People, please label your photos! Dates, locations, significance!) I’ve always thought these photos were interesting, but after working in a military aviation museum, I was intrigued about the airplanes’ histories and what information I might be able to find about them.
So then, let’s get started! (And please be kind about my terminology: I may like looking at and listening to planes, and may have worked around mechanics and pilots for a couple of years, but I [obviously] don’t know all the lingo.)
First, artwork is amazing for finding information about an airplane! Two of the airplanes in these photos have nose art typical of the era: risqué ladies! (*catcall* *whistle*) The feminist side of me says that it’s disgusting, objectifying women like this; but the historical-minded side of me understands that images like these kept up the morale of the boys fighting the wars back then. As Caroline Galambosova said of nose art for Daily Art Magazine, “So-called Nose Art created a powerful bond between man and machine. Pilots wanted to see their airplanes as almost human entities with which they could identify. Especially when they faced danger, they even wanted to endow their war-birds with superhuman qualities to protect them and bring them safely back. … The images… were morale-boosting, good-luck charms, and also reminders of a pilot’s personal life, hobbies, characteristics, and much more.” Although some pilots did put their wives’/girlfriends’ names on their planes, or their hometowns, or four-leaf clovers, or some superhuman quality, I would guess that when most of us think of “art on WWII airplanes,” we think of the sexy pin-up girl. As Galambosova says, “The average age of a bomber crew was 22 years old and they were mostly single. Being away from home, ladies were on their minds. Pin-up girls and provocative female paintings, often half-naked, were matched with memorable names.”
However you feel about the art, it is a handy reference when researching a plane. It’s amazing what you can find by searching the art’s name (e.g., “American Beauty” and “California Sunshine”), and possibly some other keywords (“airplane,” “WWII,” etc.). It won’t necessarily give you the aircraft’s full history, since art could be changed, but it can lead you to some good information.
Second, serial numbers are your friends. On one of the planes, I was able to make out a bunch of numbers, one that looked like a code, and one that looked like a serial number. Throw those bunches of numbers into a search engine, and – if you’re lucky – you get good info! Even if you’re not sure what’s a serial number and what’s something else, put ‘em in and give it a try.
Now, on to the research!
pt1: WWII Planes: What a Beauty
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