In this paper, I dive into the design, style, and function of aircraft nose art during WWII. I look into the [central figures/major artists] that inspired, created, and promoted nose art. I investigate the United States’ Post office and how their regulations suppressed pin-up illustrations and the subsequent consequences that followed. I explore nose arts’ possible correlation to propaganda, feminist approaches, and its international reach. The first problem this paper aims to address is that there is little scholarship on the implications of nose art. The second problem it discusses is that nose art archives are only partially digitized, and its contents are often incongruous, to the extent that only an in-person review would be productive. This research is invaluable to the academic community because of its novel scholarly approach. When images of nose art can be located, the unscholarly materials predominantly provide information regarding the Army Air Force instead of the design, style, and function of nose art. My primary methods of research include socio-historical, iconography, feminism, and gender. The socio-historical method explores the historical events surrounding aircraft nose art. The iconographical method explores the meanings associated with nose art. Finally, feminism and gender dives into the implications of having a women represented on a war machine. These methods help parse out the historical origins of the practice, its central figures, socio-historical and scholarly debates about its function, morality, and international variations. 

Dr. Bukky has assisted tremendously in the creative process of this research paper. She encouraged Rachel to apply for the Knoeder research grant which was critical in providing access to Vargas' pin-up illustrations. She has walked along side Rachel during this process and has spent many hours editing and refining her work. Rachel is tremendously honored to have had the opportunity to work with Dr. Bukky. Without Dr. Bukky's guidance and motivation, this paper would have never been completed. Rachel is blessed to have met and worked with such a compassionate and intelligent individual.