Warbird Information Exchange

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

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Matt Austin - playing with warbirds since the early 80s.

See my Lee-Enfield videos at - http://www.youtube.com/user/Jollygreenslugg

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

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

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.

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

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.

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Matt Gunsch, A&P, IA, Warbird maint and restorations
Jack, You have Debauched my sloth !!!!!!
We tried voting with the Ballot box, When do we start voting from the Ammo box, and am I allowed only one vote ?
Check out the Ercoupe Discussion Group on facebook

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

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“With bottomless pockets...anything is possible”

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?

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

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“With bottomless pockets...anything is possible”

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.

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.

Thanks - answers that question!