My senior thesis topic is going to
entail aviation, military history, and the cultural landscape of
soldiers and pilots. The main focus will be on original artwork by
servicemen and servicewomen on the front-side of aircraft, referred
to as “nose art” after the section of the machine which serves as
the surface for application of paint. First popularized during the
then-nascent aerial combat of the Second World War, this art has
remained a staple of many different militaries' culture, and has
changed over time as the decades progress. My thesis will recount
the history of this medium, as well as the culture of service that
leads to the practice. Digital resources of images of this art will
be invaluable, and my research will draw from multiple different
repositories from different institutions, such as the Smithsonian
National Air & Space Museum and the National Museum of The United
States Air Force. My research will also include primary sources from
servicemen, enabling me to accurately analyze the perspectives and
views behind the different kinds of art one can see on the noses of
aircraft.
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