The shark's-mouth originated in WWI

 

Some say the tradition goes back to polynesian war canoes. But like that other polynesian gift, tattoos, it is pretty much everywhere now.

One of the most common nose art scheme's is the shark-face.

The shark-face first appeared on the BF-110's of the Luftwaffe 76th Destroyer Wing over Crete, where the twin Messerschmitts outmatched the Gloster Gladiator biplanes of the RAF 112 Squadron. The commonwealth pilots were withdrawn to Egypt and refitted with Curtiss Tomahawks off the same assembly line building fighter aircraft for the AVG Flying Tigers being recruited for service in China.

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