i've seen it on mostly WW2 planes (movies) i want some picks of it but i dont kno what its called
2007-09-24 02:05:32 · 8 answers · asked by ? 2 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Aircraft
It isn't a specific shark... and interestingly, the AVG (American Volunteer Group) or "Flying Tigers" were NOT the first planes to sport that bit of nose-art.
AVG fighter planes were painted with a large shark face on the front of the plane. This was done after pilots saw a photograph of RAF 112 Squadron in North Africa sporting a fierce shark mouth, which in turn had adopted the shark motif from German pilots flying Messerschmitt Bf-110 fighters in Crete.
2007-09-24 06:01:45 · answer #1 · answered by mariner31 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Shark Mouth or shark face started with Claire Chennault and the famous Flying Tigers. This was not like the "nose art" of the day but was more an emblem of the American Volunteer Group. The tradition continued as the fame of the AVG grew and during the war the tiger mouth was found on some other aircraft including a B-25 Mitchell modified for the close air support role.
Currently it is found on the A-10 squadron (355 TFW ) based at Davis Mothan Air Force base and it is only authorized, by the air force, for squadrons and aircraft that have been in combat. These A-10's have seen action in Iraq.
2007-09-24 03:13:02 · answer #2 · answered by fnsurf 4 · 4⤊ 2⤋
Almost every American aircraft in WWII had an example with a sharksmouth painted on. The Bitish originated the artwork on their P-40's in North Africa. The American AVG (Flying Tigers) saw photo's of the British P-40's in Life magazine, and copied the idea for their own.
P-40
P-39
P-38
P-51
Supermarine Spitfires
Hawker Hurricanes
DeHavilland Mosquito
B-25
B-26
B-17
B-24
Junkers Ju-87 Stuka
Messerschmitt Me-110
are just some of the aircraft in WWII that had that artwork.
Modern combat AC also had it, like the A-10, F-15, B-52, and also Korean War vintage F-86's.
2007-09-24 08:05:54 · answer #3 · answered by gromit801 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
fnsurf and squatt1 - Good answers
My unit was also authorized to use this nose art on our helicopter gunships in Viet Nam. 174th Aviation Company call sign "Sharks". Authorized by Mrs Chennault
2007-09-24 03:36:01 · answer #4 · answered by GILMEISTERA 3 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Probably a Great White Shark as they look the most ferocious.
2007-09-24 02:12:52 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 4⤋
That's nose art. Every pilot could have what ever he wanted.
2007-09-24 02:10:40 · answer #6 · answered by Charles 5 · 1⤊ 3⤋
lt is a "tiger shark".
They were known as the "Flying Tigers".
2007-09-24 02:16:08 · answer #7 · answered by Squat1 5 · 3⤊ 4⤋
they are great whites
2007-09-24 04:37:24 · answer #8 · answered by huckleberry58 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋