'The Mighty Eighth' and Culture Shock.

[Herb Kugel]

Bill Gunston in his book The History of Military Aviaton, London, 2000, makes the statment on page 92:

"Arrival of 'The Mighty Eighth' in England was a culture shock.
Among other things, most of the white starred bombers had a
name and possibly artwork painted on the nose."

Didn't the RAF give its bombers names and paint pictures on their noses?

I assume that Mr. Gunston is referring here strictly to matters of military aviation. If this is so, what else might be considered 'culture shock?'

Thank you.

Herb Kugel

[shooshoobaby]

I think he is referring to the Nude Women , language etc.
Don't recall seeing any on RAF A/C.
Mike

[Herb Kugel]

HI, thank you,
Come to think of itl, in looking at photos of RAF planes, I odn't remember the pictures.
H

[Graham Boak]

Generally speaking no, they didn't, before the arrival of the 8th. Examples do exist, names were not entirely unheard of, and cartoon artwork could be seen, but not pin-ups. Nose art on bombers became much more prevelant later.

[shooshoobaby]

Yes I have seen nose Art on RAF Planes but nothing " Racey "
or " Bawdy " like AAF.
Just saw another episode of Foyle's War -
What a great Show !
Mike

[nick de carteret]

Originally Posted by Graham Boak

but not pin-ups.

Originally Posted by shooshoobaby

Yes I have seen nose Art on RAF Planes but nothing " Racey " or " Bawdy " like AAF.

Early 1942, a pin-up painted on an operational Wellington bomber around the time of the 1000 bomber raids. http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...609/013_13.jpg from a log book formerly in my collection.

[Graham Boak]

There is also a photo of a pin-up - possibly cut directly from the original paper - on the nose of a Blenheim in France winter 1939/40. Clearly it would be untrue to say that such never existed! However, one swallow, or even a pair, does not make a summer.

[JEP311]

Originally Posted by nick de carteret

Early 1942, a pin-up painted on an operational Wellington bomber around the time of the 1000 bomber raids. http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...609/013_13.jpg from a log book formerly in my collection.

That would make a interesting model of the Wellington.
Any other information on the plane ?
Thank you for your time.
Rick

[Franek Grabowski]

Guys, you have not seen Russian aircraft from the period of the civil war. You do not know what the "nose" art is!

[indianer]

Got a pic ? (or half-a-dozen