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September 10, 1945 Life
 [Table
of Contents]Wax nostalgic about and learn from the history of early
technology. See articles from
Life magazine,
published 1883-1972. All copyrights hereby acknowledged. |
Throughout World War II,
American companies produced lavish, full-color advertisements for magazines to
let the public know how the war effort was being aided by their products. Part
of the motivation was probably to ease the suffering most people were
experiencing through rationing of gasoline, food staples like flour and sugar
(and coffee), and the scarcity of new products and replacement parts as priority
was given to supplying our military's efforts to beat back and defeat the
Communist, Socialist, Nazi regimes across Europe, Africa, and the South Pacific.
Mobilgas, Mobileoil, and other such variations on the Mobile name were major
players in the energy industry at the time this advertisement appeared in
Life magazine. Not knowing what the "Socony-Vacuum" part of the label
meant, I did a search and found this on the Exxon website: "The flying red horse
was first used by Vacuum Oil in South Africa in 1911. In 1931, when
Vacuum merged with Socony, the
red Pegasus – a symbol of speed and power – was adopted as its U.S. trademark.
In 1968, Mobil adopted new-look Pegasus service stations. The red Pegasus
remains among the most recognized corporate symbols in American petroleum
history." I wouldn't bet much money on the last statement. My guess is almost
nobody under 40 years old could tell you what it is.
Mobilgas Socony-Vacuum Aviation Fuel Ad
 Bombs Away! .. Then a Flying Horsepower Getaway!
From Socony-Vacuum Aviation Fuel Developments - New Super Power for U. S. Warplanes
..
New Car-Power for You ... Postwar!
Over the Target - Flying r Horsepower whips U.S. warplanes in for the kill and
away with breath-taking speed!
Flying Horsepower is dazzling new climbing, maneuvering and bomb-carrying power
resulting from Socony-Vacuum developments in super aviation fuels!
Super war-power today - what will it mean in your car postwar?
Just the quickest-acting, most effortless performance you've ever known! ...
Flashing pick-up, greater pull, instant engine response!
The same super-fuel developments - the same super-power ingredients - will be
used in a wonderful new postwar Mobilgas that delivers Flying Horsepower! That's
our promise - backed by the world's greatest catalytic cracking experience and capacity!
Socony-Vacuum oil Col, Inc.
and Affiliates: Magnolia Petroleum Co.,
General Petroleum Corporation of Calif.
Official U.S. Navy Photo
After Victory - Mobilgas Socony-Vacuum for Flying Horsepower
Posted December 2, 2023
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