Disney Animation’s Art Brought Color to World War II

Monday, March 07, 2022 at 04:25 PM ET

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The "Ruptured Duck," a a B-25 Mitchell bomber that was flown during the Doolittle Raid in 1942. {Courtesy: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base]

Key Takeaways:

Disney Studios significantly contributed to the WWII effort, most notably by designing approximately 1,300 military unit patches for various Allied forces.
These patches frequently featured familiar Disney characters or original designs like Fifinella, created for the Women's Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), which became a recognizable character from the era.
Beyond patches, Disney animators produced cartoon training films for aviation cadets, propaganda shorts, and morale-boosting content, including a pro-military scene in the film *Dumbo*.
The studio also provided physical support, allowing an anti-aircraft battery and Army occupation on its property due to its proximity to a Lockheed plant.

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Walt Disney was too old to be drafted during World War II but that didn’t stop him—and Disney Studios—from contributing to the war effort. Disney’s animation studios played a crucial role in the development of military unit patches used during World War II.

The designs were handpainted on leather, and then the patches sewn onto the flight jacket. The demand was so great that Disney created a special unit devoted to creating these designs. Approximately 1,300 units had a Disney-designed unit patch.