Truly echoing the fighting spirit of our young Air Forces, the colorful Disney cartoon designs that identify squadrons and groups hide a grim message of hate under a deceptively frivolous appearance.
The first identifying insigne for an aircraft squadron, a “Hat in the Ring“ motif symbolizing Uncle Sam’s joining the Allies - used by Eddie Rickenbacker's 94th Squadron in World War I - was more studiedly patriotic than today’s flippant but effective markings. Now, high-ranking favorites, judging from requests to the Disney studios, are Donald Duck, Dumbo, Thumper, and other stock cartoon characters, although the studio artists will create a design around any figure, real or fictional.
The insignia, two to three feet high, are painted with stencils on both sides of planes, near the cockpit, and crew members often wear an embroidered replica of the symbol on 'the left pocket of their flight jackets.
