CLICK ON
IMAGE FOR
ENLARGEMENT
|
|
Sgt Johnnie White
96th Bomb Group
Snetterton Heath, England
Johnnie White was, by all accounts, a quiet and unassuming
man but he was well skilled to take centre stage in the role
of nose art painter. Self taught, he worked as a commercial sign painter during his vacations from high school.
Even before deploying to England with their combat aircraft
many of the crews of the 96BG had already chosen names for their Fortresses. Some
of his earliest design sketches were produced at Pyote, Texas, as the group
prepared itself for combat overseas. Not all of his sketches made it on to
the side of a B17. One, dated 19th Jan '43, showing a black cat riding a falling bomb
does not seem to have been used. His "Ole Puss" does however sport the same black moggy --
but this time squatting and toting a machine gun. Once
ground and air echelons of the group were in place at Snetterton, White was
in great demand. Offically, much of his work was painting insignia and markings
on the Forts but his innovative and imaginative mind, coupled with his
trained artistic skill, also worked to produce some fine nose arts. In April 1944,
Johnnie White painted a special display board to mark the 96BG's 100th mission. Years
later this display was reproduced and now hangs, with other group memorabilia,
in Eccles Hall, near Snetterton.
© Ray Bowden
|