The Original Nose Art of Colonel Joseph Laughlin's P-47, Five by Five
Captain George Rarey's original nose art on Colonel Laughlin's first P-47
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 plane he flew. His crew chief, Sergeant Chodor, did just that. His cowl color would change to yellow when the 379th Fighter Squadron became active combat, and at the end of the war would be checkerboard yellow, blue, and red.
Republic Aviation Company
Captain George Rarey
National Museum of the United States Air Force - Research Division
United States Air Force
1940s
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
Museum officials sought to make a perfect rendering of Colonel Joseph Laughlin's original nose art
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 Captain Rarey and his original artwork.
Republic Aviation Corporation
National Museum of the United States Air Force - Restoration Unit
National Museum of the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
1940s
Propeller of a P-47
An up-close look at the propeller of a P-47
The propeller on the engine of a P-47. The engine, a Pratt and Whitney R-2800, helped to determine the size of the plane. The engine was covered with metal plates known as a cowling. During combat, the cowling cover was color-associated with the fighter squadron that the pilot was assigned to. Yellow was the cowling color of the 379th Fighter Squadron (F.S), one of three squadrons that made up the 362nd Fighter Group. Pilots with nicknames would have those nicknames in caricature on the cowling of their plane, known as nose art. Much of the nose art of the 379th F.S. and the 362nd F.G., was done by Captain George Rarey and Corporal Joe Carpenter, both of the 379th. The nose art on this plane has been painted to represent the plane of Colonel Joseph Laughlin, nicknamed Five by Five. The original nose art was done by Captain Rarey.
Republic Aviation Corporation
The National Museum of the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
1940s
Colonel Joseph Laughlin Grinning in Front of his Last P-47
Colonel Laughlin has a toothy grin as he is photographed in front of his last P-47
Colonel Laughlin is all smiles as he looks out onto the field full of men and planes. He appears in his flight suit with his uniform underneath, ready to take to the skies. The checkerboard cowl color indicates this was taken towards the end of the war; it had been painted on the same cowl covers that Captain George Rarey had painted before combat begin for the 362nd Fighter Group. Captain George Rarey was KIA on June 27, 1944.
National Museum of the United States Air Force - Research Division
United States Air Force
1945
Colonel Joseph Laughlin Grinning in Front of his Original P-47
Colonel Laughlin takes time to commemorate his first plane with the nose art painted by Captain George Rarey
Colonel Laughlin talks and smiles as he poses in front of his first P-47. Although he had already been called Five by Five (for looking five feet tall and five feet wide) the elephant with the four leaf clover was a surprise. Captain George Rarey had painted it on the cowl of his plane while he was gone from the base. This was his reaction upon his return. The elephant, a caricature of Dumbo, holds a four leaf clover instead of a feather in a nod to Colonel Laughlin's Irish heritage. The black color on the cowl indicates this was before the men had entered combat.
National Museum of the United States Air Force - Research Division
United States Air Force
1943
A Serious Colonel Laughlin in Front of his Last P-47 at Straubing Air Base, Germany
A serious look from a usually jovial man
Although he was known as a very jovial person, Colonel Laughlin had a serious side that he never really showed in front of cameras. Here he looks out with a very severe and serious expression while standing in front of his final P-47 in his flight suit. He was probably surveying the damage his own group had delivered to the base only a few weeks before, on April 27
National Museum of the United States Air Force - Research Division
United States Air Force
May 1945