Coca-Cola WWII American airplane posters


November 19th, 2010   |   19 Comments   |   1930 – 1950

Coca-Cola has done a lot of posters with American planes. Throughout their history, posters have been a significant means of mass communication, often with striking visual effect.

The posters were framed and hung in bottling plant lobbies, schools, and other places. Students were instructed on the airplanes so that they knew the difference between friendly planes and enemy aircraft in preparation for bomb drills.

Grumman "Hellcat" F6F Fighter - U.S. Navy 1943

Grumman "Hellcat" F6F Fighter - U.S. Navy 1943


F4U-1 "Corsair" U.S. Navy -  fighter 1943

F4U-1 "Corsair" U.S. Navy - fighter 1943


Douglas B-19 "Guardian of a Hemisphere" U.S. Army - Long Range Bomber

Douglas B-19 "Guardian of a Hemisphere" U.S. Army - Long Range Bomber



Douglas SBD "Dauntless" U.S. Navy - dive bomber 1943

Douglas SBD "Dauntless" U.S. Navy - dive bomber 1943


Consolidated B-24 "Liberator" U.S. Army - long range bomber 1943

Consolidated B-24 "Liberator" U.S. Army - long range bomber 1943


Consolidated PB2Y-2 "Coronado" U.S. Navy - patrol bomber 1943

Consolidated PB2Y-2 "Coronado" U.S. Navy - patrol bomber 1943


Consolidated PBY-5 "Catalina" U.S. Navy - patrol bomber 1943

Consolidated PBY-5 "Catalina" U.S. Navy - patrol bomber 1943


Curtiss 5B2C-1 "Hell Diver" U.S. Navy - dive bomber 1943

Curtiss 5B2C-1 "Hell Diver" U.S. Navy - dive bomber 1943


Douglas A-20 "Boston" U.S. Army - attack bomber 1943

Douglas A-20 "Boston" U.S. Army - attack bomber 1943


Grumman TBF-1 "Avenger" U.S. Navy - torpedo bomber 1943

Grumman TBF-1 "Avenger" U.S. Navy - torpedo bomber 1943


Brewster SB2A-1 "Buccaneer" U.S. Navy - dive bomber 1943

Brewster SB2A-1 "Buccaneer" U.S. Navy - dive bomber 1943


B25 "Mitchell" U.S. Army - medium range bomber

B25 "Mitchell" U.S. Army - medium range bomber


Bell P-39 "Airacobra" U.S. Army 1943

Bell P-39 "Airacobra" U.S. Army 1943


Martin B-26 "Marauder" U.S. Army - Medium Range Bomber 1943

Martin B-26 "Marauder" U.S. Army - Medium Range Bomber 1943


U.S. Army Curtiss P-40-F Warhawk 1943

U.S. Army Curtiss P-40-F Warhawk 1943


U.S. Army Air Force Warhawk 1943

U.S. Army Air Force Warhawk 1943


U.S. Navy Grumman Wildcat F4F 1943

U.S. Navy Grumman Wildcat F4F 1943


U.S. Navy Catalina bomber 1943

U.S. Navy Catalina bomber 1943


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19 Responses

  1. gary hills says:

    are duplicates available? dauntless and helldiver. thanks.

    • Ben says:

      I have a handful of the 3 by 3 cards that Coke produced during the war.

      Interested…..?

      My first time to look for these things on the net.

      Ben

  2. Bill says:

    I have 19 of these posters or like, they are in mint condition, trying to find out more about them, been trying to find someone or something or internet but with no luck. can anybody help me find out more info on these posters,they are war time posters with aviation and coca cola, size is about 12×25 need to measure to get exact size.Thx

  3. Len Enourato says:

    Hello,

    I have 19 original Coca Cola posters dated 1944 in my museum. They make a great display. How many in total were produced by Coca Cola?

    Thanks

  4. admin says:

    Hi Len,
    I think 20 posters in total were produced.

  5. Kenny T says:

    There are two different series depicted above. No.s 2 through 15 are of the posters. No.s 1, 16, 17 & 18 are prints of framed posters and are 15″ X 13″ in size. While the same aircraft are in the prints, the aircraft themselves are depicted in aggressive action. All are copyrighted 1943, but judging from the national insignia depicted on the airplanes their earliest printing date would have been around October/November of 1943. These have been described as printed on cardboard, but it seems that they were ‘laminated’ to cardboard after printing. The group of 14 I have suffered from neglect, and were damp and in sorry condition when they were given to me. Since they have dried the glue used during the war dissolved separating the prints from the mat board.

    Several other sites say the artist William Heaslip produced 20 to 30 (none are specific) of these water color originals that were reproduced and used by Coca Cola.

  6. I ALSO RETAIN APPROX. 10 PAINTINGS IN VERY FINE TO EXCELLENT- INTERESTED PARTIES? APPRAISALS (somewhere in the ballpark

  7. guest says:

    There were 20 in the original 1940’s coca-cola set on cardboard (shown above with the yellowish or sepia borders) and these were also produced as a set of 20 trading cards at the same time. I have a complete set of the trading cards for $200, if anybody is interested email and I will send you some pictures of the set.

    The artist is William Heslip as the other commenter mentioned – all of these are signed “HESLIP” lower right.

    • Lisa says:

      Hi,
      would you happen to know what a set of (11) of these originals would be worth? (poster size/mint condition)
      thanks so much,
      Lisa

  8. Kviklån says:

    Its like you read my mind! You seem to know so much about this,
    like you wrote the book in it or something. I think that you can do with a few pics to drive the message home a bit, but instead of that, this is magnificent
    blog. A fantastic read. I’ll definitely be back.

  9. Bill says:

    I have two complete sets of the hangers. Anybody interested in buying them?

  10. Chris conte says:

    I have 2 sets of 20 still in original tan pack I’m looking to sell both all are good condition nice sharp edges no wrinkles or rips in any

  11. I have 17 of the 20 that I would be interested in selling. Recently appeared on Chesapeake Collectible Show on MD Public Television. Good shape.

  12. Carl Morgan says:

    Looking to buy a complete set to replace a set I just lost in a fire

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