Flight Jacket Art

[SteveN]

This is a shot of my GW USL with it's freshly completed livery held up by the Artist of the work just prior to shipping yesterday.

He's a Legend and the process has been one of the most rewarding FJ experiences i've had. From what I have seen the work is simple and honest and is a direct copy of his own jacket. He has also been inspired by the process which is really great. It's taken about 3 months and all discussions were through his wonderfuliy cool daughter but it will be back here in a few days hopefully. I'll post more pics and story when it arrives.....I'll also post some shots of his own jacket when I receive them too.

The nose art he painted on his B-24

Wow. That's definitely cool. Is he in Australia?

- SteveN

 

[Andrew]

No Steve, CT. USA. He was a ball turret Gunner, 449th BG/ 719thSq
http://www.norfield-publishing.com/449th/449site.html

 

[Grant]

Steve,
The artwork looks amazing!
Did you ask ever him what type of paint he used during the war when he painted jackets and aircraft?

Grant

 

[bseal]

Absolutely awesome!

 

[Andrew]

Steve,
The artwork looks amazing!
Did you ask ever him what type of paint he used during the war when he painted jackets and aircraft?

Grant

Grant, he originally told me that the artwork on his jacket was done by the guys in the Paintshop after he and his crew completed their 50 missions. He painted the plane, they did the jackets.

I magine that the paintshop probably had a mixture of paints ranging from aircraft paints (were they an oil based enamel?) to paint for buildings, vehcles and signs around the base. I have sent another question to him via his daughter to see if he can shed any more light on what may have been used.

 

[Andrew]

My freshly painted Goodwear arrived back home yesterday from it's second holiday to the States. All I can say is it's stunning and i'm extremely happy with it- John's (the Artist) done a stellar job of it. It's all I like about original US jacket art, simple, unpretentious, unselfconscious and understated. In addition I love tall the elements- the imprecise linework, the Name, the script, colours, the PLANE- the B-24 is a favourite of mine, the tally and his kills. Simply superb arrangement and all done by the bloke who was there. Apparently he is flattered that I appreciate his work so much and I feel so lucky he's done this for me. I might try to find a matt clear sealer to go over the top to take a bit of the sheen off the acrylics. The pictures can do the rest of the talking.

This is the closest i'm going to get to owning an original in the same vein- this shot also shows off the great cut of John C's United sheeplined- no puffy hem or back here...

I asked him if he'd sign his name adding it to the other guys who Christos managed to have sign the lining last year at the GML. He kindly signed under Bud's. Now this lining's looking like a newspaper i'm probably going to see if I can collect a few names of old Pilots I know here as well- no going back now...

He also made me a Squadron patch for his own unit on a bit of wrinkly old 'roo hide- although I probably wont fix this to the jacket. I posted a bit about it on the patches thread.

I know he's doing a couple for other close friends who are associated with his Bomb Group and i've asked them to tell me if he would be interested in doing one or two other special requests but I've not heard back yet. He's 87 so isn't knocking these out so quickly, but he enjoys it and i'm sure the money would be of good use. No promises but if you are interested then it maybe best to pm me and i'll filter it through and see what they say.

By the way, I came across him whilst researching the 380th BG who were stationed here under the control of the RAAF- I was in dialogue with their associations secretary and she mentioned a story about a fellow who wanted to have a re-creation made of his Dad's jacket made, and by accident he came across John who lived in the same town. The local paper did a story on the whole thing. Well that did it for me and I contacted them as well, and here it is 5 months later...

 

[Anonymous]

I like the primitive style, not perfect.

 

[better duck]

You lucky sod!
Absolutely the summit of what a repro collector can achieve.

 

[TankBuster]

Very neat Andrew! The painting on the back of your jacket is great. Looks like most originals you see, done by the amateur artist of the squadron or group. Very Cool!!!

 

[Andrew]

Ok, I have been advised that Mr Johnson would be happy to do one or two other paint jobs for any interested Forum members. Bear in mind he's no Spring Chicken and he has a couple of other jobs to do, so they don't get turned around in a hurry but it is certainly a great thing to have done.

The money he's making from these jobs will assist him in coving his costs to get to this years reunion later in the year so it's going to a good cause. You can also request the type of artwork you would like done within reason.

Just pm me if you want to make contact with him.

ps, I covered my artwork with a matt clear seal and that's removed all evidence of shine which has really helped the effect.


Sgt John Johnson
719 Sqn, 449th Bomb Group
Ball Turrett Gunner.
"Lonesome"
Front row extreme right.
That's his painting on the plane behind them.

This is an entry from his diary for Sunday 4th June 1944;

"Raid 89 Hot dog! Today ...... and I have completed our missions. The target was a port in northern Italy near France. But to top it off it turned out to be a milk run. That's the way we've been wishing to finish it off. We had quite a reception waiting for us when we landed. Practically all the ground crews was sweating "Lonesome" and us out.Took pictures of us and interviewed. This I guess will be sent to the hometown news papers.

But that evening Matott and I was done dirt. We were placed on guard duty all night. I guess that's the Army or the 719th way of gratitude for completing fifty missions. We'll never live it down and our pilot and the other officers of the crew raised hell about that deal but nothing could be done."

 

[Django]

Just wanted to chime in here, and say... wow! Very cool that Mr Johnson painted that jacket for you Andrew. Did he end up doing any others?