Oldest flame paint job?

Does anyone know when the first classic flamed paint job showed up?

I'm just curious how far back this goes... I wonder who the first person to think of this was, and if he knew what he started...

 

I think the first flame paint jobs were on war birds. Everyone and their cousin is going to say that they either invented flame paint on cars or their cousin did or something like that.

Kenneth Howard is traditionaly given credit for flame paint jobs, that's probably good enough for me. If I was there I really don't remember.

 

Seen many pics of WW1 war planes with flames.

 

I read a short piece in HRM years ago about flames. Their take on it was during a midget race in the mud 30s a midget caught fire. A press photographer snapped a shot of the flames and at the next race some cars showed up with flames painted on their cars as a joke. Where and when it started I would think is anybodys guess. But to me thats as good a story as any.