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Classic Wings Magazine WWII Naval Aviation Research Pacific Luftwaffe Resource Center
When Hollywood Ruled The Skies - Volumes 1 through 4 by Bruce Oriss


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2011 10:34 am 
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Thanks for that input Second Air Force !

Scott has given me the perfect introduction for this next post from me :D

While I'll admit to having been a confirmed "B-17 Stalker" for a number of years ~ I don't come from an aeronautical background ......
so I'm reliant upon what I can read to make this posts as accurate as possible

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Spookily enough ~ Mary Alice features heavily in this book !

OK ~ on with the update ..... :D

In the AAM ~ the team are steadily removing pieces of the airframe

Both horizontal stabilizers have been transfered to the Conservation Hanger

*** Correction ~ April 15th 2011 *** Just to prove I can't count :oops: ~ they've only taken ONE horizontal stabilizer off

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"Flaps 90" ? They're coming off soon.

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The engineering team are a friendly and approachable bunch of people.

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And soon back at work !

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The contractors were also in today looking at the door frame cross member that needs to be removed

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OK ~ now let's skip over to the Conservation Hanger for some pix from there ......

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I used photoshop to bring up some detail in the dark sections of this shot

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And someones bound to want to know what that data plate says ~ I know I did !

So this is it cropped at 100% and I've boosted the contrast for clarity

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That's it for today ~ my next visit will be on Friday :wink:

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Blue Skies .....

Peter

Consolidated by US state ~ see if there's a heavy bomber tour stop coming to an airport near you ...... http://www.bomberflight.info

Warbirdapps on facebook ~ every day a new image from my personal journey thru the world of warbirds ..... https://www.facebook.com/Warbirdapps


Last edited by bomberflight on Fri Apr 15, 2011 11:23 am, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2011 3:52 pm 
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Brilliant stuff, this will be a must follow thread, thanks.


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PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 11:20 am 
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Time for the Friday Mary Alice update .....

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What does the new sign say ?

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Waist 0.50 caliber machine guns have been removed

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A custom made dolly ( for want of a better name ? ) is in position to enable the Ball Turret to be released from its mount.

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The flaps are now in the Conservation Hanger.

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It can't be a repair to flak damage because this B-17 didn't see combat.

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The blue frame be the hangar doors is waiting to go into the AAM so the props and engines can be removed

Another update soon :wink:

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Blue Skies .....

Peter

Consolidated by US state ~ see if there's a heavy bomber tour stop coming to an airport near you ...... http://www.bomberflight.info

Warbirdapps on facebook ~ every day a new image from my personal journey thru the world of warbirds ..... https://www.facebook.com/Warbirdapps


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PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 12:05 pm 
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Good grief, who fitted that patch???

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PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 1:09 pm 
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Time for another update !

This post will be a bit thin on pictures ~ but that's because most of the work that's being done now is not obvious from standing outside ( lots of cables and plumbing to be disconnected and carefully labelled )

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Both the horizontal stabilizers have now gone to the restoration hangar

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Now here's something they won't stock in the local auto tool shop .....

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Someone pointed out to me today that if ( I said IF :D ) they decide to change the markings after rebuild ~ we should be documenting how it looks now

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Talking with the project team today ~ we won't see much change now until after the Easter holiday period is over

I'll post another update as soon as there's something new to share :wink:

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Blue Skies .....

Peter

Consolidated by US state ~ see if there's a heavy bomber tour stop coming to an airport near you ...... http://www.bomberflight.info

Warbirdapps on facebook ~ every day a new image from my personal journey thru the world of warbirds ..... https://www.facebook.com/Warbirdapps


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PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 3:32 pm 
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Cheers Peter.

Who poked a hole in the rudder fabric?? Doh! :lol:

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PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 10:27 pm 
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Maybe they can patch it better than the one on the flap! :lol:

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 7:23 am 
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The last two photos reminded me of the wartime series showing damage to the original Mary Alice, following the 13th July 1944 mission...

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The A-2 jacket seen in the photo being worn by Dan Knight, her pilot previously, is now on display in the AAM at Duxford.

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I'll dig out the Group Asst. S-2's written report on the incident and post it up shortly.

All the best,
PB

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Paul Bellamy

401BG Association Historian & Honorary Life Member
401BG Historical Society (UK) Member
1st Air Division HQ Historical Society (UK) Founder Member
Director of Archives & Collections, Airfield Research Group Archive, Alconbury
RAF Alconbury Base Historian


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 10:24 am 
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:shock: OMG :shock:

Lest we forget why this period in history must continue to be told to future generations.

With fewer and fewer WW2 veterans around today ~ the aircraft from that period must now tell the story for them.

I was looking at the glass wall memorial panels yesterday wondering if I could put a new interpretation on them ......

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Blue Skies .....

Peter

Consolidated by US state ~ see if there's a heavy bomber tour stop coming to an airport near you ...... http://www.bomberflight.info

Warbirdapps on facebook ~ every day a new image from my personal journey thru the world of warbirds ..... https://www.facebook.com/Warbirdapps


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 1:13 pm 
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S-2 Report as promised:

Quote:
OFFICE OF THE INTELLIGENCE OFFICER
STATION 128 - APO 557
U. S. ARMY

15 July 1944

SUBJECT: Lt. Harry E. Haskett and Crew, on Mission to Munich, 13 July 1944.

TO: Commanding Officer, 615th Bomb Squadron, 401st Bomb Group (H), APO 557, U.S. Army.

1. The following report of the crew of Lt. Harry E. Haskett which participated
on the Munich mission of 13 July 1944, I believe, merits your perusal and attention.

2. Upon return from target, in vicinity of control point No.4, or approximately Nancy, France, the 401st formation, which was
Low Box of the 94th CBW was attacked by one Me-109 and two FW-190s. Specifically, the attack was made on the Low Squadron
of which A/C 983, piloted by Lt. Haskett, was flying No.4 position and was made from 6 o'clock high, breaking off at 400 to 500 yards.
As a result of attack, A/C 983 was severely damaged: the controls were practically rendered useless; one engine had a turbo out to the
extent that it would only pull 15 inches of mercury; the left wing was about to buckle; the pilots oxygen failed, necessitating using oxygen
bottles; and the tail gunner, Sgt. Edward L. Page was so seriously wounded by shell fire that his injuries proved fatal two hours later.

3. Under such dire circumstances, Lt. Haskett prepared his crew to bail out, but then elected to fly on AFCE which he did for the next
three hours. Even the landing had to be on AFCE, and the interrogating officer was able to glean from the crew that it was excellently done.

4. Sgt. Edward L. Page, during the attack, displayed the utmost heroism by sticking to his station even though wounded by 35 fragments,
one of which pierced his heart, and succeeding too, in getting an FW-190, setting it all afire and into a vertical dive. Corroboration was made
not only by crew members but by observing aircraft. A combat form narrating the destroyed E/A has already been submitted in Sgt. Pages name.

5. Sgt. Page lived for about two hours after the incident. First aid was administered by Sgt's. Lynch and Jones immediately after the attack.
Medical authorities substantiate that everything possible was done to keep Sgt. Page alive.

6. A/C 983 landed at Beccles A/D, very low on "petrol" and earned commendations from the base and engineer personnel, from crew reports, of
course, not only for the fine landing but also for the pilots marvelous job of flying under the circumstances.

HAROLD L. KNOPMAN
1st Lt., Air Corps
Asst. S-2 Officer.


The photos were taken at RAF Beccles by a member of the 401st's photographic unit, who had been flown there by Mary Alice's previous pilot Dan Knight.

All the best,
PB

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Paul Bellamy

401BG Association Historian & Honorary Life Member
401BG Historical Society (UK) Member
1st Air Division HQ Historical Society (UK) Founder Member
Director of Archives & Collections, Airfield Research Group Archive, Alconbury
RAF Alconbury Base Historian


Last edited by RAMC181 on Thu Apr 21, 2011 7:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 11:01 am 
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Nice photos bomberflight and RAMC181. Some good comparisons. Hopefully all will go well.


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 3:41 pm 
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Given that I said last time that we won't see much progress until after Easter ...... this post is a bonus :D

The door frame horizontal bar had been taken down to allow equipment to be taken inside ( it was refitted again later so the door alarm system works properly ).

We'll have to wait and see if the Avenger has to be moved to give sufficient height clearance to move B-17 sections out the doors.

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Now the lifting frame is on-site ~ work has begun on removing the propellers.

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Inspection work is underway in the Conservation Hangar to assess the restoration needs for each piece.

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At the far end of the hangar ~ preparations were being made to strip down the paint on some sections

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Has anyone got any questions ? ( with thanks to the IWM member of staff for agreeing to pose for this picture :) )

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And yes ~ some of them are following this thread here on WIX

My next update will be on Sunday :wink:

_________________
Blue Skies .....

Peter

Consolidated by US state ~ see if there's a heavy bomber tour stop coming to an airport near you ...... http://www.bomberflight.info

Warbirdapps on facebook ~ every day a new image from my personal journey thru the world of warbirds ..... https://www.facebook.com/Warbirdapps


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PostPosted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 9:01 am 
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Thanks for the continued update and pics, very interesting. From what can be seen in the pics she doesnt look too bad but kudos to the staff at duxford for takeing her carefully apart to inspect and repair as necessary now rather than later.

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PostPosted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 3:47 pm 
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Would like to watch the fuselage emerge from out of the Fire Exit.


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PostPosted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 8:02 am 
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Great thread! I can't wait to see this B-17 delivered to the National Museum of the United States Air Force! :lol:

Some great interior shots of the B-17 on the "walk-around" tab on the link below:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mclaydon/bkdoor-b29.htm

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