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U.S. Aircraft Insignia
This insignia was introduced in 1943. The blue and white gloss insignia was referred to as the "star and bar" and was standard on all planes in the U.S. military in WWII. It was painted under both wings to help ground troops avoid friendly fire. The…
The Waco CG-4A Hadrian Glider
The Hadrian glider was the most widely used glider in World War II. It was steered by a pilot and copilot as it was towed by a larger carrier, like a C-46 or C-47. It could hold up to 13 additional troops and their equipment or vehicles. Hadrian…
The Tail Designations on a P-47
The markings on the vertical stabilizer of a plane had two distinctions. The bottom stripe delineated what type of plane it was; the black stripe was on all P-47s in the war. The tip of the fin designated which fighter group the plane belonged to;…
The Pitot Tube on a P-47
The pitot tube was used as a weather gauge, sending information like air speed and altitude to the console of the pilot. Pilots had to adapt to this plane quickly, but even experienced pilots had trouble in flying it. The pitot tube was located on…
The P-47 with Bubble Top Canopy in the National Museum of the United States Air Force, redone as Colonel Joseph Laughlin's Five by Five
The P-47D that sits in the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, was painted to represent the P-47 flown by Colonel Joseph Lyle Laughlin, Five by Five. The museum's curator, Jeff Duford, put forth several pilots for the…
The Original Nose Art of Colonel Joseph Laughlin's P-47, Five by Five
The cowl color of P-47s fresh from the factory was black. They did not require a new color until they were to enter combat. However, Colonel Laughlin was so enamored with his nose art that he asked his crew chief to salvage the cowl off of every…
The Omaha World-Herald Discusses Nebraskans Getting Their Army Air Corps Wings
This article describes the steps that 4 Nebraskans, including Joseph Laughlin, had to complete in order to be eligible to get their wings. It also describes the air corps program under which the new pilots were sought, as the Army Air Corps realized…
The Omaha World-Herald announces the Return Stateside of Colonel Joseph Laughlin
This article announces the return of Colonel Laughlin stateside after V-J day. It gives a brief overview of his time in the Pacific and European Theaters of Operation.
The Nose Art on the P-47D in the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, OH, Painted as Five by Five
The staff of the National Museum of the USAF researched the original nose art done by Captain George Rarey. They replicated it, in honor of both Colonel Laughlin and Captain Rarey, understanding the respect and love that Colonel Laughlin had for…
The Induction and Exhaust System on a P-47
This illustration shows the pathway of air into the engine of the P-47, showing how effective it made the P-47 at higher altitudes. The thinning air was compressed in the turbines as it passed on to the engine. This helped to increase horsepower and…