CAF should repaint Fifi in some other correct ww2 colours

sabredriver · **Posted:** Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:22 pm

FIFI is fine to me but after 20yrs or so shouldnt CAF repaint her in something more INTERESTING re WW1 artwork on nose.. ?

Im sure some pinup or some better artwork would get much more attention then "FiFi"

Django · **Posted:** Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:40 pm

At this point I think they'd be happy if she just flew!

RickH · **Posted:** Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:41 pm

I think the agreement with Victor Agather was that the B-29 he funded would carry his wife's name. Don't know if that was to be forever but I think everyone agrees that she has taken on that identity. You would hear a tremendous uproar if some one tried to change the name now.

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Sat Dec 23, 2006 12:35 am

For a season I think she was painted like the Enola Gay, or maybe I just saw here in movie markings.

PhantomAce08 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 23, 2006 12:49 am

Django wrote:

At this point I think they'd be happy if she just flew!

I'm pretty sure that is what Gary would say as well!

Shay · **Posted:** Sat Dec 23, 2006 1:36 am

At the very least I would like to see FIFI with a black under belly.

My understanding was that it was a jesture of gratitude for Mr. Agather's efforts, that she was named FIFI, not an agreement. If I'm wrong someone please correct me.

For the Collins Foundation I think it goes a long way when they repaint their B-24 every couple years. It allows them to tell a different story each time, freshen things up in the warbird community and keeps things from stagnating. Which as much as I love FIFI, is where I feel things are at with her.

I among others would really like to see FIFI tell the story of another worthy B-29. (one idea, "Command Decision" 44-87657 (B-29-85-BW) Mig Ace) but there literally thousands of other B-29s and crews that need their story told.

Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

JDK · **Posted:** Sat Dec 23, 2006 2:01 am

sabredriver wrote:

FIFI is fine to me but after 20yrs or so shouldnt CAF repaint her in something more INTERESTING re WW1 artwork on nose.. ?

Give 'em enough cash to get her back flying, and I'm sure they'll let you choose a scheme too.

As it is, Fifi's fine, and the scheme is, quite literally, the least of their worries.

Ztex · **Posted:** Sat Dec 23, 2006 2:04 am

I agree with Shay. I like the black.

Personally I love it when the Collings guys change their paint. (Although I miss seeing the 465th paint on one tail...my Uncle's group gave cash to have it painted on there... )

JDK · **Posted:** Sat Dec 23, 2006 2:15 am

The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight were changing the schemes on their Spitfires, Hurricanes and Lancaster when Collings Foundation was just a twinkle in the eye. It's a good idea, but an acceptable repaint costs a lot of cash, an amount that most enthusiasts go very quiet when told, in my experience. Secondly, that's cash not put to other purposes - unarguably painting has to be a lower priority to engineering works for Fifi at the moment.

Paint's main job is to protect the airframe, and only secondly to commemorate or tell a story. 90% of enthusiast discussion is over the schemes or 'who's the pilot' where anyone trying to fly warbirds will assure you that the scheme's a minor question at worst.

Fifi, by the nature of being the only and last flying B-29, is a flagship for the warbird movement, as well as the CAF. Flying's what matters, colours are nice, but secondary, IMHO.

bdk · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 1:16 am **Posts:** 11324

sabredriver wrote:

FIFI is fine to me but after 20yrs or so shouldnt CAF repaint her in something more INTERESTING re WW1 artwork on nose.. ?

Im sure some pinup or some better artwork would get much more attention then "FiFi"

WW1?????

I agree, I'm ready for a new scheme too. Of course nobody at the CAF has asked for my opinion... Fifi is kind of an iconic flagship for tha CAF though, like a trademark, so I could see why they might just want to keep her that way indefinitely.

retroaviation · **Posted:** Sat Dec 23, 2006 5:04 am

Now come on y'all. This isn't fair. You know darn well that I'm gonna have to start fielding questions now about how I'm gonna change the name and paint scheme on FIFI. :roll:

Seriously though, y'all have nailed it on the head by saying that FIFI's first priority is to get her back in the air. Period.

I'll start worrying about paint schemes and such when it gets closer to flying. I also need to reinforce that it's NOT my decision alone. I do have some tiny amount of say as to what goes on the airplane, but not much. I was just telling our Squadron leader a couple of days ago that as much as I like change (for originality's sake, like on our B-24A), I personally don't feel that the actual name of our B-29 should change. Now the paint scheme on the other hand.................. ;-)

So once we get it a little closer to getting back in the air...which we WILL...let's start the argument back up then.

Gary

APG85 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 23, 2006 6:21 am

Keep the name FIFI...scale down the lettering a bit (it's to big) and add some nose art...paint the undersides black...she'd look totally different and awesome...just my opinion. :wink:

Fouga23 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 23, 2006 6:32 am

Yip, change the paint, ok. But the name should remain. Millions of people know here as Fifi, changing the name would be the worst PR thing ever.

B25PBYGUY · **Posted:** Sat Dec 23, 2006 7:41 am

Yeah, jeez fella's, it'll only cost a couple hundred thousand dollars or more for a paint job... Ante up.

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Sat Dec 23, 2006 10:13 am

Painting the undersides black on the B-29 is not something that was largely done in WWII, but more in Korea. Fifi should keep her name as she is known all over the world. I am not for painting the undersides black as I like it more in the WWII scheme.

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CAF should repaint Fifi in some other correct ww2 colours

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