Collings gets Evergreens B-17!

[StangStung]

I vote for putting the Fulton Skyhook gear back on and selling James Bond experience rides.......

Sign me up if it comes with getting snatched in the air with a Bond girl.

Yeah...I said it.

[Chris Brame]

How about 5 Grand? See, then you could put all those donors' names on it and it would look natural!
(Uh oh... )

[StangStung]

How about 5 Grand? See, then you could put all those donors' names on it and it would look natural!
(Uh oh... )

This is kinda brilliant.

But I do like the mystery aspect of not knowing right now. Looking forward to all the updates!

[p51]

I once met a vet who'd crewed the '5 Grand' and he said it had many different names within the unit and none of them were what was painted on it. He said it was often called, "pinky", or "easter egg" because it apparently looked pink at a distance.

[Xrayist]

I personally think that they should restore it to exactly like it was when used in the movie Thunderball. After you sell rides in it, you could offer that little something special and be picked up off the ground by the Fulton Skyhook! Just a thought.

[DH82EH]

I really hope Collings considers putting the Evergreen B-17 into B-17G 42-97880 "Little Miss Mischief" makings. Absolutely the best scheme for illustrating the perils of war over Europe.

"Little Miss Mischief" was nearly blown in half over Germany. It was repaired using the back half of a 303 BG B-17G 42-31405, "Wallaroo Mark II", giving it a "half and half" look with the front remaining natural metal, the back being olive drab/gray. Given that "Little Miss Mischief" is a 91BG plane,
it would look great in formation with 909, also a 91BG plane.

See the story here: http://www.303rdbg.com/news/2010-09-30.html

Here she is after being repaired, on one of her further 29 missions: http://fineartofdecalsimages.s3.amazona ... Flight.jpg

Here she is after her last mission: http://fineartofdecalsimages.s3.amazona ... Mcolor.jpg

I really can't think of a better conversation starter at tour stops: "Dad, why is that B-17 only painted on the back half?"

Looks like you and I are going to have our B-17's painted the same. This has always been my favourite scheme and story of the Forts ruggedness and resilience.

I wonder how much they'll charge for the skyhook rides?

Andy

[JimH]

When I become King I to shall have a B-17 painted as Little Miss Mishchief...a Mustang painted as Contrary Mary, and a P-38 as Little Buckaroo...but this is not to be. The 909, Witchcraft, Tondelayo, and Betty Jane tell a very clear story, as will the new paint scheme. As we have found out the polished skin is a @#$@#$ to maintain on the road. We (the crew) can't imagine touring 300 days a year, in all weather imaginable, and having to polish a B-17. The Mustang consumes a lot of time under a polishing wheel, but at least we can put it in a hangar if at all possible. Painting a B-17 silver is almost a crime...at least to a couple of us and B-17 sized hangars are scarce. This new paint scheme will not disappoint.

Jim

[DH82EH]

Jim,
I always appreciate your openness and candor with us on this site. Thanks for that.
The folks at Collings do great things and I've no doubt that things will unfold in a very interesting way.

As King, I think you should lead the Little Miss Mischief 3 ship!

Andy

[Chris Brame]

By the way, Jim, when you get the aircraft, are you going to look through it for any markings the CIA might have missed in their efforts to hide the plane's identity (44-85531 or 44-83785)? Maybe some hidden inspection stamps would turn up - if they're Vega, it's 513; if they're Douglas, it's 785?

[flightsimer]

I really hope Collings considers putting the Evergreen B-17 into B-17G 42-97880 "Little Miss Mischief" makings. Absolutely the best scheme for illustrating the perils of war over Europe.

"Little Miss Mischief" was nearly blown in half over Germany. It was repaired using the back half of a 303 BG B-17G 42-31405, "Wallaroo Mark II", giving it a "half and half" look with the front remaining natural metal, the back being olive drab/gray. Given that "Little Miss Mischief" is a 91BG plane,
it would look great in formation with 909, also a 91BG plane.

See the story here: http://www.303rdbg.com/news/2010-09-30.html

Here she is after being repaired, on one of her further 29 missions: http://fineartofdecalsimages.s3.amazona ... Flight.jpg

Here she is after her last mission: http://fineartofdecalsimages.s3.amazona ... Mcolor.jpg

I really can't think of a better conversation starter at tour stops: "Dad, why is that B-17 only painted on the back half?"

I hope they don't! Only because when I hit the lottery, then there will be two little miss mischief's painted...

Personally I'd be hard-pressed to think of a worse scheme to paint it in

Any aircraft they're trying to sell rides in, and then give the impression that it might be cobbled together from bits of other aircraft, is a really, really bad idea in my view.

Oh you mean like what has happened to more than likely over half of the flying warbirds out there?

Edit, looks like there will be 4 little miss mischiefs lol.

[JimH]

Hah @Chris...our new flight suits will be tuxedos...Aston Martin crew cars I'm going there next weekend, I'll see if it has a data plate. I think Chow Hound would be my second choice. The current markings are for Carolina Moon. I would prefer it stay in these markings.

Jim

[jtramo]

If you want to get real accurate with a representation of the air war experience why not shoot holes in it with an 88 and always fly around with a feathered engine or two?

[deskpro590]

Would be cool to see 909's stablemate painted in the markings of 42-31367 "Chow Hound"

[Mike]

Or 'Outhouse Mouse', which was the original plan for the aircraft which eventually became the heap of smouldering wreckage named 'Liberty Belle'

[p51]

Or 'Outhouse Mouse', which was the original plan for the aircraft which eventually became the heap of smouldering wreckage named 'Liberty Belle'

Funny you'd mention that as I still have a pin I bought at the Kissimmee museum when it was being rebuild, saying "Outhouse Mouse - Fortress Flight." I think that was in 2002.
Took a while to realize they'd gone with a different paint job at some point on the same plane.