CAF Airsho Photos From The Past

[Second Air Force]

As I was digging through boxes trying to find some other photos, I stumbled across the pictures we took at Harlingen in '84. Here is the first installment.

Django, you'll be interested in how the Nose Art collection was displayed at Harlingen. I haven't seen the display at Midland, but I imagine it is a somewhat different environment than what we saw in '84. It still amazes me that someone had the foresight to save these artworks all those years ago at Walnut Ridge.







I'll try to post some photos of complete warbirds this weekend if I get time.
Scott

Last edited by Second Air Force on Sun May 04, 2008 11:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Cripes A Mighty]

Now dont get me wrong, I love the new gallery that the nose art is in now and the care they are under, but I really liked all the art hanging in the maintenance hangar.

Got a ton of Airsho 80 pics that I'll throw on here when I get some time.

[Django]

Very Cool Scott! It's neat to see them just hanging there!

[Second Air Force]

I can't remember if I took pictures of all the panels or just the few I started this thread with. If I did, I can't find them now.

Cripes, I agree that the art looked excellent hanging in the Sub-Depot at Harlingen. I have no opinion on the museum display at Midland since I haven't seen it, but airplanes (or in this case parts of airplanes) seem more "alive" in a working hangar or on outside display. I know they are much better preserved now, but it was awesome to see those panels displayed around the hangar.

Here are a few pictures of the famous (or infamous, depending on your point of view) Zeke. Notice the B-23 in the background of the first photo:




Best I can remember, the Zero was on static, at least I don't have any in-flight shots of it.
Scott

[Jack Cook]

Wasn't there some kind of copywrite bru-ha-ha going on over the nose art panels

[Second Air Force]

Jack,

I think you're right--the lawyers are probably lining up to come after me right now!!! Actually, I think the CAF copyrighted the name "Nose Art" or some such thing. I'm a newbie in the CAF so don't know any of that political/legal junk. I just wanted to work on airplanes. Someone with inside knowledge can clear that other stuff up.

Scott

[Randy Wilson]

Here is the website for the AAHM nose art collection:

http://www.savethegirls.org/

and at the bottom of this page

http://www.savethegirls.org/collection.html

you will see that the term Nose Art has been registered as a trademark. I think that all the images in the collection are also registered to prevent their commercial use without permission of the museum. This is the largest collection of actual nose art and is worth visiting. If anyone has any questions on the status of the nose art, I'll be happy to pass them on to the museum staff.

Randy

[steve dickey]

With this coypyrighting of the nose art @ CAF, don't they have a no picture clause when in there?

[Second Air Force]

Here are a few more Airsho '84 photos of some of Ellen's favorite--the Corsair--with a couple of Bearcat shots thrown in for good measure.







Scott

[Second Air Force]

Here are a few shots of the transport aircraft--it's nice to see Tinker Belle in the air after walking around it all last spring.






These are some miscellaneous photos of the stuff I always gravitate to--projects and parts:




Scott

[Ztex]

Great Stuff!

I know the CAF has come a long way since then but I love seeing the CAF the way it used to be. It's sad to see some of the lost airplanes.

[Second Air Force]

Ztex,

I have a number of photos from that week that put a knot in your stomach. I plan to post more pictures this week, so stay tuned. I can say that I'm certainly glad we got to experience a Harlingen show during that era in CAF history.

Scott

[Second Air Force]

Here are a few more photos of the Navy and Marine Corps contingent on the flight line.





In the last photo of this segment, the Avengers fold wings simultaneously for the crowd:




Enjoy,
Scott

[Django]

Cool pics Scott!

BTW, does anyone have a pic of Flaming Mamie from the war? The only one i have been able to find is at the savethegirls site for the museum and it looks different that the restored photo. It's so tiny though, it is hard to tell.

[Second Air Force]

Chad,

Go to the B-24 bestweb site (sorry I can't link you up from my current location) and use the noseart library search engine there. There are three photos of her, I believe it is version one.

Scott