WW2 Nose Art

This set of photographs was provided by Bill Cline. They were taken in World War Two, by his father, Frank Cline. Frank enlisted in the Marine corps as a private in 1942. In 1952 he was selected as a LDO (Limited Duty Officer), and retired from HQMC (Headquarters Marine Corps) in 1974 as a Lieutenant Colonel, the Avionics Officer, after 32 years of service.

He survived WWII, Korea and Vietnam, but didn't survive walking pneumonia in 1984. The squadron patches sewn on his flight jacket included: VMF-222, VMF-223, VMF-(AW)513, VMF-542.

In 1945, the Marines were on Okinawa, on the Morotai Peninsula. Army Air Force B-24s were located nearby. Presumably these photos are of those B-24s. Many from the 22nd Bomb Group, "The Red Raiders."

Click on the thumbnails shown here, for larger pictures. The original photographs seem to have been taken with an inexpensive box camera like the common Kodak Brownie; they do not have great resolution. My favorites of this set are "Red Headed Woman" and "Varga Belle."

Daddy's Girl
s/n 44-41852     22BG 33BS, Survived the war, returned to the United States, and scrapped

Kansas City Kitty
44-41480, 5BG 31BS, Transferred to 307BG 370BS where it was renamed PENNSY CITY KITTY and salvaged at Biak in AUG 45

Liberty Belle II
s/n 44-41234, 22BG 33BS, Salvaged after an accident in AUG 45, note the blonde reclining on a bell, pilot 1st Lt. J. C. Tafaro

Maiden Montana
s/n 44-41549, note 40 mission markers and "549" numeral, 5BG 23BS, Missing In Action Mindanao area 15MAR45

Missleading
s/n 42-100204, 22BG 19BS
After 99 missions crash landed Laoagg, PI, with combat damage sustained over Formosa

Modest Maiden
s/n 44-41527, 22BG 19BS
Flew into a mountain on an island near Leyte in bad weather on 26MAR45

Patient Kitten
s/n 44-41031, 22BG 33BS
Exploded after a direct AA hit over Taiwan 15APR44

Queen Ann
s/n 42-110119, 22BG 33BS
Salvaged in-theatre at war’s end

Red Headed Woman
s/n 44-41645, 5BG 31BS
Salvaged in-theatre at war’s end

Red Hot Riden Hood
s/n 44-40402, 22BG 33BS, Renamed RHRH III and salvaged in-theatre at war’s end

Red Raiders, note 63 mission markers, Logo on left side of a 22BG B-24; could be any aircraft as eventually all carried this on the left side, in squadron colour, with nose art on right side

Round Trip Ticket
s/n44-41538, 22BG 33BS, Blew a tire on landing Okinawa, ran off the runway & broke in two 26AUG45

Shittininigittin
s/n 44-40799, 22BG 33BS, Force landed after engine problems in a field on an island north of Borneo 26JUN45; strafed and burned by P-38s

Shoo Shoo Baby
s/n 42-100084, note the "Red Raiders" shield to the right of "Shoo Shoo Baby"

Sleepy Time Gal
s/n

Heavenly Lambchop
serial unknown, but a USN PB4Y-1

Slightly Dangerous
s/n

Star Eyes
s/n

Updraft
s/n

Varga Belle
s/n