This bright recruiting poster comes from the first years of the United States Air Force as an independent service. It is credited at the lower left, “Painting by Tom Hall”, and the artist’s signature appears in the painting itself.
What the poster shows
A smiling young woman in an Air Force blue garrison cap fills the top half of the poster. Below her, an airman in flight overalls points up toward a formation of swept-wing jets, while another in a tan uniform stands beside him with a book under his arm. The words U.S. AIR FORCE run across the bottom in bold blue capitals. The message is simple and cheerful: the new Air Force offered modern jobs, modern aircraft and a place for both men and women.
A new service after 1947
The U.S. Air Force became a separate branch of the armed forces on September 18, 1947, after decades as part of the Army. In June 1948 the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act allowed women to serve as regular members of the military, and the Women in the Air Force program, known as WAF, followed. During the Korean War era, Air Force women worked in roles such as air traffic control, weather observation, communications and photo interpretation, though flying and combat roles remained closed to them.
Dating the poster
The “U.S. Air Force” name, the WAF-style uniform and the jets place the poster in the postwar years, most likely the 1950s. A matching archival record giving an exact year has not yet been found, so we describe it as postwar rather than assign a date.
The restored edition
Our edition was prepared from a restored image of an original poster and rebuilt as a high-resolution 300 dpi print file, keeping the bright blues, the painterly portrait and the lettering sharp at every size.
The restored poster is available as a paper print in three sizes or framed in black, white or natural wood, printed to order in the USA.
Prefer metal? View the Displate edition ↗
Frequently asked questions
Who painted this U.S. Air Force recruiting poster?
The poster is credited "Painting by Tom Hall", and the artist’s signature appears in the lower left of the painting.
When was the poster made?
The design dates from after the Air Force became an independent service in 1947, most likely the 1950s. An exact year has not been confirmed from an archival record.
Could women serve in the Air Force at the time?
Yes. The Women’s Armed Services Integration Act of June 1948 allowed women to serve as regular members, and the Women in the Air Force (WAF) program followed, with women working in roles such as air traffic control, weather and communications.
What sizes is the print available in?
Paper prints are available at 11.7 x 16.5, 20 x 28 and 23.4 x 33.1 inches, and framed prints at 12 x 17, 20 x 28 and 23 x 33 inches.