The discussion about colour schemes, unit markings and nose art has now been active for a year! Every opinion and suggestion is welcome, it's great to know so many people feel so strongly about '735 and the stories she can tell.
Even the staff and volunteers at Duxford have many ideas about the finished project, and it is the difficulty in choosing an identity which has meant a decision to leave the aircraft in 'factory' condition. With so many Bomb groups and crews to represent, no single scheme can tell the whole story.
My own opinion has changed several times during the rebuild. Having been 'Mary Alice' for over 30 years, it is still hard to think of '735 as anything else. The remarkable story of the original aircraft reflects the hardships and achievements of the whole campaign, and I hoped she would live on.
I then hoped a sponsor would rush forward with an obscene amount of cash to persuade IWM to commemorate a particular Bomb Group or crew. Perhaps it's not too late....
The decision to show '735 in delivery marks then seemed the best compromise. It always allows for a rethink in the future.
Now, however, I've decided that some nose art would bring the aircraft to life. A factory fresh B-17 tells a story, but an operational scheme tells 10 more. Where was the tail gunner born, where was the radio operator trained, what happened to the pilot? Which village pub did they visit? How many missions did they share? Did they finish their tour? Who's girlfriend inspired the name of the ship?
I'm just glad I don't have to make the decision.
There is one other possibility. '735 never wore Group markings, but she had a name crudely applied when the first crew from Duxford went to France in 1975 to recover the airframe. I've tried to imagine the result:
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