Selfridge Air Force Base Honors 'Nose Art' Designers

MACOMB COUNTY, MI — A pair of local artists who designed nose art for planes at Selfridge Air Force Base recently won scholarship prizes from Macomb Community College.

Second-place finisher Scott Whiteside, a 10th grade student at Warren Mott High School, won $600 while Marianne Pupka, 56, of Shelby Township took third-place. They were recognized by the 127th Air Wing at Selfridge.

Their work will be featured when the Air Force base holds its 100th anniversary celebration at its air show and open house Aug. 19-20. The designs were for the Centennial A-10 Warthog and KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft, a report in the Detroit News said.

Brig. Gen. John D. Slocum, commander of the 127th Wing, shared cone art history during the Selfridge event recognizing Macomb Community College students. As far back as World War II, airmen were painting nicknames, artwork and slogans on the nose of aircraft — much to the displeasure of some commanding officers, he told the Detroit News.

“It was a little bit of rebelliousness,” Slocum told the newspapers. “... It was aviation graffiti.”

Rachel Barton, a 34-year-old part-time reservist from Belleville, took first place and a $1,000 scholarship for her work. She said winning was an honor. “I’ve been in the Air National Guard for nine years,” Barton told the Detroit News.

Whiteside won a $600 scholarship for his artwork of the familiar head of red-white-and-blue Uncle Sam over a lightning bolt and a red pitchfork. The nickname of the 127th is the Red Devils, the Detroit News reported.

Pupka received a $400 scholarship for her design, which included several slogans over an American flag and the state of Michigan.

U.S. Air National Guard photo of Brig. Gen. John D. Slocum and the A-10 aircraft by MSgt. David Kujawa/Released