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446th Bombardment Squadron


Mr. Scratch
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Mr. Scratch

I originally posted this in the Aviation & Aircraft section, but it was pointed out that this might be as good a place to get an answer.

 

I've been doing some research into my Grandfather's squadron during WWII (446th Bombardment SQ, 231 Bomb GP), and have been thinking about doing an art project based around the planes he flew.

 

Among his writings from the war, he describes piloting a Tunisian-camouflaged B-25 he called "The Pink Elephant", though I can't find any record of such a name among the planes of the 446th. It may be that this was not an official name, as the PE appears to have been some sort of substitute plane they only flew when no other planes were available. My grandfather reported that everyone hated flying that plane in the belief that it was bad luck. It always returned from it's missions, but with the crew all shot to hell.

 

In all likelihood the plane had no nose art, but for my project's sake I'm considering makeing some up. I've got a what I think would be a likely idea for such: a pink, drunken red-eyed Dumbo, with stubble on his face, tongue hanging out, and holding a bottle of booze in it's trunk instead of a magic feather. Around it's head, in the manner of a cartoon halo of champagne bubbles, would be a scattering of flak bursts. Additionally, there was a plane called "Dumbo" in the squadron, and I wonder if "The Pink Elephant" might have been my grandfather's prefered name for it.

 

I think it would be a pretty funny image (and given my grandfather's description of his squadron, not out of keeping with their attitudes), but historical accuracy is somewhat important. I seem to recall that while Disney allowed it's characters to be used in nose art, it did maintain some tight control as to how the cartoons were used. If this is true, they surely wouldn't not have allowed an image of a drunken haggard Dumbo. Does this take my idea off the table?

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Dumbo does inadvertently drink some alcohol in the film and then has a nightmare with all sorts of weird looking "pink elephants on parade." Click on the following YouTube link to see the segment:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=944cPciN-kw

 

That said, I have never seen a design that originated at the Studio portray any of the named characters in a "bad light," so to speak. I have a database of almost 1,100 or so "official" Disney designs and none of them show a Disney character engaged in any vice...aggressive behavior, yes, but drinking, being drunk, or smoking, no.

 

That said, dozens, if not hundreds, of Disney character designs were created during the war by enterprising servicemen attached to their units. Some of these men were really good artists and some, well, not so good. The design you propose is a fantasy, but I suppose could have been made into a reality by someone.

 

So, to make or not to make...that seems to be the question. Depends on how you want to look at it. Official design that was created by the hand of an artist at the Disney Studio - no. Created by the hand of an enterprising serviceman attached to the squadron - yes.

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