Nose Art

Flying High Florence

Merlin May

Periscope Pin-Up

Hurricane Jane

World War 1 signalled the start of planes being personalised by their pilots and crew, although this was mainly to embellish the fleet with squadron insignia. When the Americans joined World War 2, they raised it to an art form, with fuselage frescoes ranging from sinister shark’s teeth to cute cartoon characters and pouting pin-up girls.

‘Nose Art’, as it became known, was popular as a morale booster. It connected pilots and crew with their aircraft and gave the planes an individual identity beyond a serial number. For men living with the probability of death, the artworks were reminders of home and peacetime life – a visual comfort blanket covering the aircraft on which their lives depended.

Most of the artists were talented amateurs among the ground crew. But professional civilians also lent their skills to the effort, notably graphic artists and animators from the Walt Disney Company. To celebrate this folk-art feature of aviation history, Final Flight Furniture has teamed up with illustrator Carl Bisat Marshall to create these stunningly evocative and original pieces.

About the artist

Nottinghamshire-born artist Carl Bisat Marshall has been an illustrator and teacher for over 30 years. Carl has a particular passion for American graphic art from the 1940s and 1950s. His collaboration with Final Flight Furniture is therefore a natural fit, giving free rein to his stylistic skills and oil painting techniques. All the paintings produced for Final Flight Furniture are one off pieces of work. We also accept private commissions, so if you would like a pin-up portrait, please contact us through our website.