Photos of retired American military aircraft, emphasizing their nose art.

Another volume in the Stackpole Military Photo Series, Boneyard Nose Art gives readers a first-hand look at retired American military aircraft, emphasizing their nose art. Featuring aircraft from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Gulf Wars, over 300 color photos detail fighters, bombers, tankers, and transports, such as the B-2, B-17, F-16, C-130, and more. An ideal reference for modelers, military history enthusiasts, and art buffs, this title is also a perfect complement to the narrative accounts in the Stackpole Military History Series, including Airborne Combat, Coast Watching in WWII, and Flying American Combat Aircraft.

Since the early days of flight, military pilots have personalized aircraft with artistic creations, giving each plane a unique identity and aircrews a sense of pride in ""their war bird."" This comprehensive volume covers the technical aspect on how nose art was applied to vintage military aircraft, with hundreds of fighters and bombers pictured. The uses of materials, supplies, and development of nose art designs are discussed with surviving nose artists. The author examines and analyzes WWII–era photographs and reveals their content along with numerous photos never before published. Recreating step-by-step flying war bird nose art restorations is outlined for the first time. Fighting Colors is an enjoyable read for military personnel and a graphic tool for all enthusiasts of pinup and vintage aircraft nose art.

Today's nose art has become the rule and not the exception throughout the bomber and tanker fores of Strategic Air Command, and although Tactical Air Command frowns on non-standard markings of any sort, several TAC gained Air National Guard units have artwork on their aircraft. Tradition plays a large part in modem nose art. As shown in Randy Walkers' new book cartoons and sexy ladies have returned. Names like "Memphis Belle", "Chow Hound" and "Maid in the USA", that once went to war on B-17s and B-24s are now carried by B-52s and FB-111s, as well as many other modem aircraft. This modem nose art is often applied by a professional artist, though it is sometimes painted by members of the unit, and in the process some excellent artwork has been created.

Veronico explores the romantic era of World War II warbirds and the stories of some of its most famous wrecks, including the "Swamp Ghost" (a B-17E which crashed in New Guinea in the early days of World War II and which was only recently recovered), and "Glacier Girl" (a P-38, part of "The Lost Squadron," which crashed in a large ice sheet in Greenland in 1942). Throughout, Veronico provides a history of the aircraft, as well as the unique story behind each discovery and recovery with ample illustrations.

"In the twentieth century, the talisman took a new and unconventional form ... nose art. This time the vehicles of war [aircraft] were being adorned, not the warriors themselves. Nose art employed a myriad of styles and themes, because the inspiration for each came from within the individual warrior and sprang from diverse motivations. To some, nose art served as a battle cry or threat to harass the enemy. To others, it was reminiscent of their home town, the ladies left behind, and the 'good ol' USA' ... These young men were the warriors of the day, and like their ancestors, their art served as a talisman or shield ... Talisman is a collection of nose art seen mostly during World War II and Korea"--Jacket.