Nose Art - Famous Examples

Famous Examples

General Adolf Galland was famous for painting Mickey Mouse on his aircraft, and the mascot was adopted by his Gruppe during the early airwar phase of World War II.

Oberstleutnant Werner Mölders flew a yellow-nosed Bf-109F2 while with JG 51 during June 1941.

Other fighter aces and their nose art have become synonymous.

• Don Gentile's P-51C named "Shangri-La", with an eagle sporting boxing gloves.
• John D. Landers' P-51D, which sported a distinctive black-and-white checkerboard with red trim.
• Chuck Yeager's series of aircraft named "Glamourous Glennis", with bright letter art.
• Ian Gleed's Spitfires featured Figaro the Cat, from the 1940 Disney animated movie Pinocchio.
• Pierre Clostermann's Hawker Tempest Le Grand Charles featured the Cross of Lorraine.
• Johnny Johnson's Spitfire IX featured the Canadian maple leaf.
• Erich Hartmann's Bf 109s featured a distinctive "black tulip" design on the very front of the cowling, immediately behind the spinner.
• James MacLachlan, who flew with an artificial arm, had his Hawker Hurricane adorned with a picture of his amputated arm giving a V sign

The markings of aces were often adopted by their squadrons, such as Galland's Mickey Mouse and Hartmann's black tulip (still in use today on the aircraft of JG 71 "Richthofen").