Warbird Information Exchange

Nice shots of the experimental blue camo. Painted out red centers on the insignias are always neat.

It's a unique collection for sure. Wonderful stuff.

Almost all the photos were taken on Espiritu Santo late in 1942 and show 11th and 5th Bomb Group B-17Es, almost all from the 98th and 72nd squadrons from what I can see.

Most are standard factory Olive Drab and Neutral Gray but five display what we've come to call the "Hawaiian Air Depot Scheme". I've got an article in the next Aviation History magazine that sheds a bit more light on that subject, but we've still got a long way to go.

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Possible Japanese bomber shootdown?

Close - I believe it signifies a victory over a Japanese Mavis in August 1942. The date is painted underneath the flag.

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Thanks Mark

Mark

I wondered if it might mean something bigger than a fighter.

Yeah, thanks Mark

Great stuff!

Andy

Great batch of pictures. When I see B-17 serial numbers whether on something like this, or in a book, or on TV, I like to write them down, then do some research them to see what ultimately happened to that particular plane. I primarily use Joe Baugher's website. Also the book 'Fortress Against the Sun' has a list of Pacific B-17s in it. On the ones here that only had nose art without a SN, I googled the name and was able to come up a history and SN. I have listed below info on most of the planes in the order they were posted.

41-2524 11th BG, was at Midway before the battle. Returned to US12-8-1943, To RFC on 5-22-45, then salvaged

41-2428 "Ole Shasta", 11th BG, 98th Sqdn. MIA 12-28-1942 Pilot was 1stLt James R. Harp

41-9227 "Yankee Doodle Jr" This one is interesting as there are two different stories. Per Pacific Wrecks: took off from Espriito Santo and crashed 12-31-42. According to Baugher, transferred from 11BG to 43rd BG in 7-1942, crashed in Pacific 2-31-1944 in "liquor ride". According to Fortress Against the Sun, crashed at Espirito Santo 12-31-42, pilot Lt. Andrews-out ot get more booze.

41-2483 maybe I misread this SN? Baugher says: 6th BG 9th BS (19BG, 7BS) in Java. Spun and crashed 1-16-42 OR blown up on evacuation 2-28-42. Fortress Against the Sun: blown up in evacuation of Madioen 2-28-42

41-9215 "Galloping Gus" transferred from 11thBG to 13th Air Force in July 1942. WO (Written Off?) 6-15-1944

41-2487 to 11BG, 42BS at Hickam Field 2-21-42. WO: 6-11-1944

41-9059 "Boomerang" 7th AF in July 1942, WO: 6-11-1945

41-9211 "Typhoon Lagoon II" 11thBG, 98thBS, returned to US assigned to 901stBu 12-1945, assumed scrapped in 1946

41-9152 "Tokyo Taxi" 5thBG 23rdBS, shot down by Japanese night fighter 7-19-43, MACR 87, 9 crew, 1 passenger KIA

41-2523 "Goonie" Baugher: slated for RAF, to11BG, 98BS in Hawaii, then to 5BG, 72BS. Ditched off Russell Island 3-20-43, all crew rescued. Shot down off Russell Island 3-20-43. Pilot was Lt. Col. Marion Unrah

41-2525 "Madame X" Baugher: slated for RAF, to 11BG, 98BS in Hawaii, transferred to 5BG, 31BS. At battle of Midway. Lost over Papua New Guinea 6-10-43. MACR 799. Fortress Against the Sun: Shot down on Kahili mission6-10-43. Pilot was Lt Richard Snoddy

41-9128 "De icer" Baugher: 5thBG 72BS, shot down by night fighter 7-27-43, all crew lost MACR 182. Fortress Against the Sun: Shot down over Kahili 7-27-43, pilot Lt Karl Stubberfield

41-2397 - Baugher: condemned 10-31-1944. Fortress Against the Sun: "Joe Bftsplk" written off 10-31-44

41-2437 to 11BG, 98BS on 10-25-42. Seen in TV documentary about Midway. WO: 6-15-1944

41-9060 Baugher: To 7th AF in Hawaii 7-1942. WO: 10-31-1944. Fortress Against the Sun: Destroyed by Japanese bombing of Henderson Field 3-23-43

41-2463 "Yankee Doodle" Baugher: 19thBG, then to 5thBG, 394thBS. Crashed on takeoff from Espritito Santo 8-2-1943, 2 killed. Fortress Against the Sun: Written off 8-13-1943

Pilot was Gene Roddenberry, 'Star Trek' creator.

The dates 15 June 1944 and 31 October 1944 should be treated with care – they were “blanket” dates used by the statisticians to bring their paperwork up to date.

For example, 41-2437 was ditched by Lt Robert Smith on 17 February 1943. The crew was rescued by USS Fletcher three days later.

Unfortunately some of that information on the Baugher site and in Gene Salecker’s book is now out-of-date but I won’t go into that here.

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41-2483 maybe I misread this SN? Baugher says: 6th BG 9th BS (19BG, 7BS) in Java. Spun and crashed 1-16-42 OR blown up on evacuation 2-28-42. Fortress Against the Sun: blown up in evacuation of Madioen 2-28-42

67N20

I believe you misread 41-2463(Yankee Doodle) as 483. 483 was a 9th Squadron, 7th BG ship destroyed in Java. BTW, I was a 67U2F.

Duane

[quote="Mark Allen M"]Part 3



If you look closely you'll see a lot of these photos show the same plane . . . this is the port side of 41-2428 "Ole" "Sh'asta".

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[quote="Mark Allen M"]Part 5



And 41-2428 "Ole" "Sh'asta" again, in her "Hawaiian Air Depot" paint scheme.

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[quote="Mark Allen M"]Part 6



And 41-2428 again. There are several others showing activity around the plane.

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Just a bit more about this wonderful collection of photos taken by LIFE photographer Ralph Morse.

I can’t see any gray or blue B-17s, but there are half-a-dozen early B-17Es with the multi-colored “Hawaiian Air Depot scheme” among all the standard Dark Olive Drab and Neutral Gray aircraft.

Here’s a wider view of 41-2428 ”Ole” “Sh’asta” from the series.



I’ve made a slight correction to the exposure and if you look closely you can clearly see the camouflage pattern. There’s the rust-colored nose, then the lighter sand area and the original factory Dark Olive Drab “saddle” common to all the B-17Es that were over-painted in Hawaii in December 1941.

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Great, great photos! What would we do without Mark?

Couple of questions:

Anyone know the story on the tracked vehicle? The official name, nickname(s), purpose(s), theaters served in, manufacturer?

When were the Forts assigned to the RAF transferred to the 11th BG? How many?

When did the Hawaiian Air Depot camo become standard?

Any details on the experimental blue camo?

Thanks in advance.

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