At first blush I thought this was just a bitchin’ video of a WWII scene where an officer was adding the classic nose art to the B-29 he flew in during the fierce Pacific fighting in the war. I then decided to Google search the name of the plane, “Deaner Boy” to see if I could learn any history on it. My blood ran cold when I saw that on February 10, 1945 Deaner Boy collided with another B-29 on a mission and both planes, including both crews were lots in the calamity. Suddenly this became a lot more personal a scene. The video was shot on December 23, 1944 just a couple of days before Christmas and in other circumstances the tiny island of Tinian in the Pacific where the plane was based would be a nearly unparalleled tropical paradise. Here, it was one of the many staging areas for warplanes to be based.

The scene is classic and the mood, despite the lack of sound is pretty jovial feeling. You can almost hear the guys talking about what was being painted and how it was turning out. I’ll say with full sincerity that the artwork is pretty awesome. A baby wearing a diaper and boxing gloves is pretty cool and I’d love to know more about the origins of both the Deaner Boy name and the illustration. One thing that is interesting. I have seen a Deaner Boy B-29 lettered up with the same name, and the same type of logo (baby with boxing gloves) but done in a different style. I am wondering if the plane had been shot up and repaired or perhaps the crew moved into a new B-29? Either way, only months after this scene, shot on a tropical island under the warm Pacific sun was shot, the Deaner Boy and its heroic crew would be no more. It feels oddly personal when you can see the people (at least one) outside of the realm of a crewman on a plane and as a young guy making the best of an awful situation.

Out of respect, I list the members of the crew who perished in the Deaner Boy crash on February 10th, 1945 –

1st. Lt. Owen Barnhart Jr., A/C
2nd. Lt. Donald Morrison, c/o Pilot
2nd. Lt. Cornelius Kerns. Navigator
1st. Lt Hugh Burner, Bombardier
2nd. Lt Harley Hazelwood, F/E
S/Sgt. Norman Smith, Gunner
Sgt. James Greup, Gunner
Sgt. George B. Wilbur III, Gunner
Sgt. Harry Hartz Jr., Gunner
Sgt. Donald A.W. Kissinger, Gunner
Sgt. Harry J. Fitzpatrick, Gunner

PRESS PLAY BELOW TO SEE THIS COOL WWII PACIFIC THEATER FOOTAGE OF A B-29 BEING PAINTED WITH NOSE ART AT THE BASE –