US MARINE SCOUT BOMBING SQUADRON 245

[BEAST]

Part of a display from the San Diego Veterans Museum at Balboa Park. Cloth squadron insignia of VMSB-245. Was this an authorized Disney design? Here is a little more on the unit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VMSB-245

 

[Teamski]

According the Millstein's book, the patch was indeed designed by Walt Disney studios and was the second design the unit wore, replacing a standing bulldog with the sitting mouse. The story behind the red mouse was that the SQ CO's wife was a red-head, and referred to her as the Little Red Mouse, and thus the new patch. The patch did not meet with favorable aplumb, and few wore it. By the way, I take it that the patch is pretty big!

 

-Ski

[BEAST]

According the Millstein's book, the patch was indeed designed by Walt Disney studios and was the second design the unit wore, replacing a standing bulldog with the sitting mouse. The story behind the red mouse was that the SQ CO's wife was a red-head, and referred to her as the Little Red Mouse, and thus the new patch. The patch did not meet with favorable aplumb, and few wore it. By the way, I take it that the patch is pretty big!

 

-Ski

 

 

Thanks for the info Ski! The patch is a little bit bigger than a normal squadron patch but still would fit well on a flight jacket.

[disneydave]

The info I have in my database is that the original design was created by a Disney artist. My database notes describe the first design as having a bulldog standing on a bomb while firing twin .50 calibre machine-guns. This first insignia was created in May 1944.

 

I don't think this second design was created at Disney's. There is nothing in my database for an updated design having been created at the Studio and while the emblem may bear the likeness of Mickey Mouse, the mouse was in fact rarely used on combat insignia. In addition, the drawing is not on model.

 

Still, it is interesting to see!

[Bob Hudson]

The info I have in my database is that the original design was created by a Disney artist. My database notes describe the first design as having a bulldog standing on a bomb while firing twin .50 calibre machine-guns. This first insignia was created in May 1944.

 

I don't think this second design was created at Disney's. There is nothing in my database for an updated design having been created at the Studio and while the emblem may bear the likeness of Mickey Mouse, the mouse was in fact rarely used on combat insignia. In addition, the drawing is not on model.

 

Still, it is interesting to see!

 

I have no Disney expertise at all but I have done a lot of graphics work dealing with trademarks and I can agree that Disney would not do a mouse that looked somewaht like Mickey - it would be 100% Mickey. I don't know that I have ever seen Mickey on combat insignia - do you have an example of the real thing Dave?

[disneydave]

I have listings for several in my database:

 

1) English motor gun boat - atop a fish wielding a slingshot.

 

2) American School of Aviation - not an insignia per se but appeared in their graduation book - no description though.

 

3) Air Forces Technical Training Command, Lory Field - receives a diploma. Not an insignia per se.

 

4) RAF pilot Edward T. Dickens - head and shoulder image of Mickey saluting.

 

5) 184th Mobile Training Unit - something to do with P-51s I think - no description.

 

6) USS Antietam, Catapult Crew - with a slingshot.

 

7) RAF #45 Group - dresed like a Musketeer.

 

8) 1st Polish Divisional Signals - with signal flags.

 

9) unidentified unit but I think it's a Navy design as he wears a tar cap.

 

The Mouse has the distinction of being the first Disney character used on a design, albeit in an unauthorized manner - in 1931 his likeness appeared on aircraft stationed at Naval Reserve Aviation Base, Floyd Bennett Field. The design had Mickey atop a diving bird. The bird carries a bomb and trident and the Statue of Liberty is visible in the background.

[Teamski]

The info I have in my database is that the original design was created by a Disney artist. My database notes describe the first design as having a bulldog standing on a bomb while firing twin .50 calibre machine-guns. This first insignia was created in May 1944.

 

I don't think this second design was created at Disney's. There is nothing in my database for an updated design having been created at the Studio and while the emblem may bear the likeness of Mickey Mouse, the mouse was in fact rarely used on combat insignia. In addition, the drawing is not on model.

 

Still, it is interesting to see!

 

I don't know where Millstein got his info, but he states that Disney designed the Bulldog patch, and that Major Acer, the CO asked them to rework it and thus the Red Mouse patch.....

 

-Ski

[disneydave]

Interesting...I do have examples where a design was rejected by the unit...and then was passed off to another. I also have examples where a design was created and then later updated and replaced with a newer version.

 

So, who knows for sure what happened in this case as I have no notes with the original design saying it had been rejected and then redrawn.