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How to Paint WWII NOSE ART

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Django, May 15, 2007.

  1. Django
    Joined: Nov 15, 2002
    Posts: 10,198

    Django
    Member
    from Chicago

    First you need something to paint on. Anything will do. I chose this big old bomber.


    :D



    Haha, ok, this is what was involved in the painting of the CAF B-24 in April. In case you missed the original post I made, I submitted some nose art sketches for the new identity of Diamond Lil and the officers from the B-24/B-29 squadron unanimously picked one of my sketches. And then came the question from Gary Austin, crew chief of the squadron and the man in charge of Diamond Lil’s transformation back into a real B-24A... "so do you want to paint it too?"

    Hell yeah!

    So I took my Dad, and friends olemuleskinner (Sean, fellow Huckster) and mikey to help out. I couldn’t have done it without them. It was a ton of work and we had a blast.

    The first thing that was done is that we put the transparency that we'd made of the noseart on the overhead projector and we all decided on the exact size and location of the artwork.......

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    Once we all agreed on the exact position and size of the noseart, we started tracing the outline onto the airplane. The two pieces of blue tape you see in these photos were index marks so that both sides of the airplane had the artwork located in the same place...........

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    And naturally, secrecy was of the utmost while this work was being done. The nose art was to be kept top secret until the unveiling on May 12. And since it is a working museum, there were people nosing around constantly.

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  2. Django
    Joined: Nov 15, 2002
    Posts: 10,198

    Django
    Member
    from Chicago

    Let the painting begin........

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    Gary Austin posted some commentary with the pics on another board. I really enjoyed his perspective on our work, so I wanted to share that with y'all...

    “Chad was all over the place with this project. While Sean was working one side, Mike was starting on the other. Gary would come in and assist when any of the others would need a break. It was neat to see them all work together as a team like that..........”

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    “Eventually, it started to really come together. I know they had a very difficult time with some of the paint covering as well as it should...particularly the yellow. But they never quit trying, knowing that they had a very short period of time to get this completed. I reckon we could've just airbrushed it on, but Chad and his team were very much in agreement with me that it MUST be painted on by brush, as they would've done it back in the day.........”

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    "It was kind of cool to see Father and Son working together on such a neat project........"

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    Another coat, and another coat, and another coat.........

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  3. Django
    Joined: Nov 15, 2002
    Posts: 10,198

    Django
    Member
    from Chicago

    Starting to look pretty goooood....

    [​IMG]


    ...But there's still more detail work left to do..............

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    Every artist has to step back and check out their work every now and then. :D Man, I would just have to stop and take it all in. I was actually painting nose art on a B-24! Unreal.

    [​IMG]


    “Poor ol' Sean was starting to stress a bit towards the end of the project. They only had about an hour or so before they had to leave for the airport, so when the delimma of how to paint the prop arcs on the artwork popped up, he took control and did an amazing job of pulling off the effect we were looking for, in a VERY short period of time.........”

    [​IMG]


    Final signature!

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  4. Django
    Joined: Nov 15, 2002
    Posts: 10,198

    Django
    Member
    from Chicago

    The exhausted crew with their finished work. Left to right, Mikey, Sean (olemuleskinner), me and my Dad.

    [​IMG]


    The exhausted crew with their finished work with Gary Austin.

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    “I must say that I was completely impressed with what Chad, Gary, Sean, and Mike were able to accomplish in such a short period of time. They were great folks to work with and I think it's safe to say that we all came out of this little project wondering how the heck the guys in W.W. II had the time and patience to paint the amazing artwork on the airplanes of the day, many times, in horrendous conditions.

    This was indeed a great learning experience for me.

    Gary”


    And it was a great learning experience for me as well. Highlights of the trip include an aircraft "scrap" yard, crawling around FiFi, the B-29, which is something few ever get to do, making machine gun noises in the back of a Helldiver, seeing actual cut up nose art fuselage panels in the museum (unfreaking believeably cool and awe inspiring), and of course painting the plane! It took the 4 of us 3 LONG days to do the art on both sides, not counting the "field trips".

    Not only was it one of the coolest things ever to happen to me (I've seen this plane at airshows since my first in '78, age 7), and I got to spend 5 days with my Dad and that is something that doesn't happen nearly enough. Made a new friend as well. Gary, their crew chief is one hell of a guy. I'm proud to have made a new friend in the process.

    Here she is out in the sun!

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    The CAF is getting ready for the Airshow season. I know they plan on taking Ol 927 to Vegas, Oshkosh, Indy, Belleville IL, some shows in Texas. They're still working on the schedule. So go check it out. She's a great ole gal full of history.
     

  5. dan34
    Joined: Sep 18, 2006
    Posts: 57

    dan34
    Member
    from Norway

    way cool =)
     
  6. Django
    Joined: Nov 15, 2002
    Posts: 10,198

    Django
    Member
    from Chicago

  7. Paul Y
    Joined: Dec 29, 2006
    Posts: 633

    Paul Y
    Member

    My Son is doing a project on 'Nose Art' for school, showed this post to him and he is really inspired now to create something of his own.

    I think you should give yourself a pat on the back, nice job!

    P.
     
  8. Django
    Joined: Nov 15, 2002
    Posts: 10,198

    Django
    Member
    from Chicago

    Thanks Paul, and that is great. I know I sure was inspired at that first airshow in '77. And look where it got me. :D
     
  9. stan292
    Joined: Dec 6, 2002
    Posts: 858

    stan292
    Member

    Django -

    Way Too Cool! Probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience - for all four of you.

    Beautiful work. Thanks for sharing!
     
  10. Thirtycoup
    Joined: Jul 21, 2002
    Posts: 1,197

    Thirtycoup
    Member

    that's "da-bomb" right there.... very cool, thanks for posting that django, mike
     
  11. Nads
    Joined: Mar 5, 2001
    Posts: 11,862

    Nads
    Member
    from Hypocrisy

    This shit makes me happy.
     
  12. asher
    Joined: Oct 13, 2003
    Posts: 258

    asher
    Member

    Thats awesome. If any HAMBer's head out to air shows take some pics of this plane if its there.
     
  13. Gigantor
    Joined: Jul 12, 2006
    Posts: 3,823

    Gigantor
    Member

    My Jealousy Meter just went through the friggin roof! What an honor to lay hands and your art on a magnificent survivor like that.. Good for you, Bro!




    friggin jealous....
     
  14. Jeff Norwell
    Joined: Aug 20, 2003
    Posts: 14,810

    Jeff Norwell
    MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    Chad.......that has to be the COOLEST art I have seen in a LOOOOONG time

    ....awestruck in Palookaville.
     
  15. flat_mountain
    Joined: Dec 16, 2004
    Posts: 181

    flat_mountain
    Member

    That really is awesome. I've always enjoyed seeing things like that. You just made my day
     
  16. Grinderspark
    Joined: Aug 12, 2006
    Posts: 213

    Grinderspark
    Member

    My uncle flew B-24's in the South Pacific during WWII. I wish he were still alive to see this; he would absolutely love it!!
    Great job. Something you'll always remember, and something we'll always enjoy looking at. Sweet work-Congrats to all...:)
     
  17. Gotgas
    Joined: Jul 22, 2004
    Posts: 7,175

    Gotgas
    Member
    from DFW USA

    GOOSEBUMPS.

    Man, that is so incredible.

    How's it feel to know that you just painted the name that plane will be known by? You can't call it Diamond Lil anymore! ;)

    Gary seems like such a neat guy, I'd like to meet him sometime. Also getting to crawl Fifi.. MAN! I'm so jealous. I'm just beside myself.

    You did an awesome job btw. That is just perfect.
     
  18. That is a great post, thanks for that.
     
  19. Graybar
    Joined: Feb 3, 2006
    Posts: 62

    Graybar
    Member

    Absolutely outstanding! Great job- congrats. What a great opportunity. Thanks for the post.
     
  20. Chad, that rocks! Awesome job dude.
     
  21. Absolue perfection...!

    Congrats and kudos to Chad & Crew.
     
  22. CheaterRome
    Joined: Jul 19, 2002
    Posts: 371

    CheaterRome
    Member
    from URANUS

    Django... Cheers to you, great job! Nice design.

    Was it originally a glass nose b-24?

    What types of paint did you use?

    Jerome
     
  23. old beet
    Joined: Sep 25, 2002
    Posts: 5,750

    old beet
    Member

    Great art work!! My wife has been in the CAF for over 20 years, guess thats why she collects pinup art............OLDBEET
     
  24. Ramblur
    Joined: Jun 15, 2005
    Posts: 2,101

    Ramblur
    Member

    That rocks! Thanks for taking the time to share,and since you can
    now add "nose artist "to your resume would you mind if I pimp
    you out? Another B24 in Fl is lacking its nose art at the present
    time and could use your skills.
    [​IMG]
     
  25. edgeabilly
    Joined: Dec 10, 2006
    Posts: 735

    edgeabilly
    Member

  26. Chebby belair
    Joined: Apr 17, 2006
    Posts: 849

    Chebby belair
    Member
    from Australia

    Thanks for sharing, great work. Those B24's are big on the outside, but kinda tight when you get in em. Those tailgunners had it lonely.
    Awesome stuff, keep up the good work
     
  27. Prop Strike
    Joined: Feb 18, 2006
    Posts: 651

    Prop Strike
    Member

    Very cool! Thanks for the treat.
     
  28. deuceguy
    Joined: Nov 10, 2002
    Posts: 522

    deuceguy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I love nose art. Very cool, thanks.
     
  29. Great work.It must have been an honor to yourself to have been selected to do it.By the way,will you be posting any photos of the work you did on Shake,Rattle and Run?
     

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