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When Hollywood Ruled The Skies - Volumes 1 through 4 by Bruce Oriss


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 Post subject: 90" Jack Stafford B-24
PostPosted: Sun Feb 14, 2016 10:56 am 
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Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2016 10:39 am
Posts: 1
Our flying club is planning to complete 2 of the Jack Stafford B24's for a WWII veteran who flew the Puddle Jumper during the War. He is 90 years old so we know time is of the essence. What we are hoping to find is a build log and/or pictures out there of one of these kits during the actual build. The kits we have are 20+ years old. One of them the fuse and wings had already been started. If anyone can provide us any information on this kit it would be greatly appreciated. Below is the email I received from our club President regarding this project. We are the North Mississippi Radio Control Club (TALE DRAGGERS) AMA Charter 978
Thank you for your help.
http://nmrcc.org


herc480@bellsouth.net


Jim Harris, from the Olive Branch Civil Air Patrol, approached our club with an opportunity to assist a distinguished WWII Veteran. Jim has been friends with MO Brown for a long time. MO served proudly during WWII in a B-24 Squadron and shares our R/C passion. For years, MO planned to build a Jack Stafford B-24 kit he has stowed away. Unfortunately time has taken its toll on MO. He is no longer able to build or fly the B-24. That's where the club can help.

Mo has two kits, one kit partially built ( wing and fuselage). The other kit is new in the box. I'd like to coordinate with the local clubs in the area , Tale-Draggers, Prop Busters , and Barnstormers, to see if we can get both planes built in a reasonable amount of time, six months or less. Jim has graciously donated the use of his shop to facilitate the build. MO's family will finance the building materials, within reason of course. I've been trying to research the Jack Stafford B-24, but have found very little information. I was hoping for some kind of build log. This may be something we try to develop during the build.

When complete, along with nose art, one plane will be presented to MO and his family; the other will be donated to the Olive Branch Civil Air Patrol Squardron for future learning and flying.

Please let me know by February 26th, 2016 if you or your friends are interested in participating in this project. I would like to set-up an initial meeting at the Olive Branch Civil Air Patrol Headquarters on March 4th, 2016 to review our plans.

Meet MO Brown


Marion O. Brown- Born 1926 in Lucy Tn. he was the fourth child of William and Martha Brown who had eight children. Raised in the Locke community of Shelby Forest on a small farm where he learned with his brothers and sisters to live off the land. Pumping water from a well, chopping wood for cooking and heat, and hunting, fishing and growing food to exist. He attended Jetter school then went to Millington High School for his education. Living around Millington he watched planes from Park Field flying constantly and soon developed a passion for airplanes and flying.

At the age of 17 he joined the Army Air Corps Cadets program. While still a senior in high school he received his draft notice but with his parents consent he joined the US Army Air Corps and left not completing his senior year. He took his basic training in Miami Beach, Fl. then went to Harligen, Tx. to gunnery school. Still having a desire to become a pilot he continued to apply and test to qualify for flight training but by that time of the war, the "pipeline" for pilots was full so he was sent to engineering school to become a flight engineer. Completing his training he was sent to Muroch, Ca. where his crew was assembled and began their aerial combat training.

Leaving California his crew flew to Hickham Field in Hawaii where they were assigned to the 819 sq of the 30th bomb group Heavy. Continuing to train, they soon received orders to fly to the island of Saipan to begin combat bombing missions. Joining with three other squadrons along with a Navy fighter wing on Saipan, they flew almost every other day hitting various targets of Japanese bases, supply lines, submarines and ships.

In February of 1945, his group participated in the preparation and invasion of the island of Iwo Jima. As a result of their success, their squadron received a unit citation along with bronze battle stars for outstanding performance of duty. After that campaign their crew was assigned to the 38th squadron and continued to fly missions in less hostile areas. By then the B-29s were doing all the long range missions so that left the B-24 squadrons with hitting supply lines and mining harbors closer to them.

At wars end they flew back to Hawaii then took a long boat ride back to the states. Upon earning enough points to be discharged, Odis ended his military service in Feb. 1946. Using his G.I. Bill benefits he went back to school and received a degree in accounting. Marrying his high school sweetheart Mary Virginia Hall in 1947, they raised three children and are still together to this day. He was hired by Ford Motor Co. and work his entire career for them retiring after 32 years of service. Never losing his interest in flying he took up the RC hobby and was a founding member or the Millington Barnstormers RC club.


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