 Animation was an essential and integral component of films produced at Fort Roach . Animation provided FMPU filmmakers with scenarios not possible with live action photography due to technical or secrecy constraints . In an introductory training film , pilots learn how to fly airplanes with the help of colorful cartoon characters named Thrust , Gravity and Drag , representative of the forces which act on airframes . Another character , Mr. Chameleon was created to teach the fine points of military camouflage . " Trigger Joe " ' s appearance in Position Firing was an immediate hit amongst gunners . Animators used humor to illustrate common pitfalls when loading and firing and techniques to maximize their efficiency and accuracy . Gunnery personnel clamored for more : " We want more films like Position Firing that make the theory simple and clear and yet keep us interested . And Trigger Joe ! He 's great ! " Joe became the central character in an entire series of films developed to further gunnery training . The animation department was staffed with a stellar assortment of animators , including department head Rudolf Ising , one of the creators of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies , and one of Disney 's Nine Old Men , Frank Thomas . 
