America's WWII combat cuties

Air Classics, Aug 2003 by O'Leary, Michael

NO

SE ART CARRIED BY AMERICAN COMBAT AIRCRAFT DURING WWII BECAME A UNIQUE SEGMENT OF FOLK ART. INSPIRED BY SUCH GREAT PIN-UP ARTISTS AS VARGAS, ELVGREN, AND PETTY, NOSE ART SYMBOLIZED THE SPIRIT OF THE AMERICAN FIGHTING FORCES. IN AN INTERVIEW SHORTLY BEFORE HIS DEATH, ALBERTO VARGAS COMMENTED THAT HE CONSIDERED THE COPYING OF HIS ELEGANT PIN-UPS ON AMERICAN WARPLANES TO BE "HIS GREATEST HONOR AND ACHIEVEMENT"