I'm sick and tired of not seeing a Hawker Hurricane ...

[Jollygreenslugg]

G'day Mark,

Mate, these pics are gold! Thank you do much for hunting them down and posting. Your efforts are much appreciated.

Cheers,
Matt

[lmritger]

I've been sick and tired of not seeing a B-17 with invasion stripes as well ... until now ...
Source: American Air Museum archives


A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-97108) used by the 8th Air Force Service Command.


A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-97108) used by the 8th Air Force Service Command.

DUDE.

Once again, you come up with something I have NEVER seen in all my 46 years... I bow to your Google Fu once again!

Lynn

[spriso]

Once again, you come up with something I have NEVER seen in all my 46 years... I bow to your Google Fu once again!

This-- jaw drop x2.

I was just thinking how weird it would be to see a B-17 in D-Day stripes, and there it was. Weird.

Well done Mark!

-M

[Chris Brame]

One of a batch of RAF Fortress IIIs transferred to the USAAF before delivery, but it's still carrying serial HB771 on the aft fuselage. Were there many differences between US and RAF B-17Gs?
Might be an unusual modeling subject if you could verify the colors of the stripes on the tip of the tail fin.

[Matt Gunsch]

it has not been mentioned, but that B-17 is un-armed, all the turrets are removed and there are no hand held 50s installed. The invasion stripes were not painted on the heavy bombers as the Germans had no 4 engine bombers in the area, chances are this was a plane used by observers and would be flown over the invasion areas at a much lower altitude than normal, so it got the stripes. Not good press to have a plane full of VIPS turned into a smoking hole because it was shot down by friendlies.

[Mark Allen M]

Always my pleasure gents to post what I can find of interest. Learning about this stuff never gets old. Thx to all who post follow up information. Much appreciated.

M

[mexchiwa]

Here's a stupid question - did the A-26 ever carry invasion stripes? I don't think they entered the ETO until September 44, so did they carry any D-Day markings at that time? A few restored Invaders have them, but I really can't think of any WW II pics I've seen with the stripes. Anyone know?

[Mark Allen M]

Yes there's a few photos in this thread.
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=54078

[Dave Smith]

Wow, Mark you've done it again! Never seen those B-17 pics before. The stripes on the fin look like the black and yellow ones worn by C-47s of the 27th Air Transport Group.

[Dave Smith]

Having done a bit of thunkin', I wonder if it was a taxi ship for taking ferry pilots back to the depots in the UK after they'd delivered aircraft to the Continent? The usual UC-64 would not have been popular for a long over-water trip! There were several Ferrying Squadrons within the 27th ATG.

[mexchiwa]

Thanks - answers that question!