Shoo shoo shoo Baby

Steve Birdsall · **Posted:** Wed Jan 28, 2009 6:30 pm

Pat, in 1962 I found a list of the Swedish airliner conversions of force-landed B-17s in a 1962 "Air Britain" magazine. At that stage 42-32076 was identified as a possible 92nd Bomb Group aircraft, but nobody knew for sure.

I visited Al Blue in Bethesda, Maryland in the mid-1960s and he'd just discovered a complete listing of 8th Air Force losses by date and serial number. We looked up 42-32076 and found she was from the 91st.

In 1968 I met 42-32076's crew chief, Hank Cordes, in California. He had a photo album with lots of little prints of Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby in it. With the help of a magnifying glass I was able to pick out the serial number and Tony Starcer's signature by the nose art. Hank gave me one of the prints, which I still have. Hank is the guy in the middle.

We'd known for some time that 42-32076 was by then lying derelict at Creil, France.

In 1969 Royal Frey, curator of the Air Force Museum, recognised the desirability of having "authentic" display aircraft such as the Strawberry Bitch and Bock's Car. When I told him of the existence of a veteran 91st Bomb Group B-17 in France he set the wheels in motion . . . the rest is, as they say, history.

Pat Carry · **Posted:** Wed Jan 28, 2009 6:43 pm

Very interesting Steve! Thanks for your efforts to save this B-17. The entire warbird community and of course B-17 enthusiasts like myself are indebted to you

Steve Birdsall · **Posted:** Wed Jan 28, 2009 8:06 pm

First, thanks APG85, Hellcat and Steve Nelson for the kind words - I didn't refresh the page before posting my response to Pat.

I am proud of my part in the early efforts to identify and spread the word about 42-32076, but the real credit has to go to Royal D. Frey, Major General Stanley T. Wray, (commander of the 91st Bomb Group when it began operations from Bassingbourn) and the people who negotiated successfully with the French government. And of course Mike Leister and the team at Dover Air Force Base, who really brought the project to life and saw it through to completion. Sometimes against considerable odds!

Pat Carry · **Posted:** Wed Jan 28, 2009 8:09 pm

As a follow up to that Steve, I would have to say thanks to everyone involved.

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Wed Jan 28, 2009 8:23 pm

Yes thanks to all. Here are some pics as she is now.

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Wed Jan 28, 2009 8:28 pm

Hellcat wrote:

Chris, what would you think would be the NMUSAF's "mona lisa"? What airplane stands out as the most popular attraction for visitors. And what airplne do you think will eventually become the most popular? Is there one? ... And great photos. I wish you would post more. I have yet to visit the place.

Glad to hear you are doing well ....

Mark

I have to be honest and say that there are a ton of favorites in the collection. I really think the Memphis Belle is going to be the Mona Lisa of the collection, with the Swoose a very close second. But that is because I am a B-17 fan. Remember that each aircraft in the museum is there for a reason. Some story or history earned it it's spot there. So if there is a peron that is more of a Mustang dan, for him it would be seeing the last P-51 operated by the USAF. And so on. The museum views each aircraft as a memorial to the men and women that designed, built, flew, crewed, and maintained each type of aircraft. I think that the Memphis Belle is going to be a main reason for some to visit the museum, but once they are there, will discover just all of the mona lisas that are there.

Pat Carry · **Posted:** Wed Jan 28, 2009 8:29 pm

Great pics Chris!

JDK · **Posted:** Wed Jan 28, 2009 8:34 pm

Mod Ed: I've just split this out into it's own topic from Mustangdriver's museum thread.

Great stuff, guys!

How many surviving B-17s are ex French IGN machines - six?

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Wed Jan 28, 2009 9:03 pm

mustangdriver wrote:

Hellcat wrote:

Chris, what would you think would be the NMUSAF's "mona lisa"? What airplane stands out as the most popular attraction for visitors. And what airplne do you think will eventually become the most popular? Is there one? ... And great photos. I wish you would post more. I have yet to visit the place.

Glad to hear you are doing well ....

Mark

I have to be honest and say that there are a ton of favorites in the collection. I really think the Memphis Belle is going to be the Mona Lisa of the collection, with the Swoose a very close second. But that is because I am a B-17 fan. Remember that each aircraft in the museum is there for a reason. Some story or history earned it it's spot there. So if there is a peron that is more of a Mustang dan, for him it would be seeing the last P-51 operated by the USAF. And so on. The museum views each aircraft as a memorial to the men and women that designed, built, flew, crewed, and maintained each type of aircraft. I think that the Memphis Belle is going to be a main reason for some to visit the museum, but once they are there, will discover just all of the mona lisas that are there.

That was a well said post!!! I know that there are many Vermont ANG crews that are proud to have one of their EB-57's in that museum!

Steve Birdsall · **Posted:** Thu Jan 29, 2009 1:35 am

Great photos, I never tire of seeing SSSB.

Here's a photo taken by Bob DeGroat at Dover on June 7, 1981, when Tony Starcer finished re-creating the nose art.

It also shows the part of the original serial and block number stencil that was revealed during the restoration. We knew for certain who she was of course, but something like that is always a memorable experience. I felt it holding Black Jack's Radio Call plate in my hand.

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Thu Jan 29, 2009 1:40 am

It is an honor to be in the same thread with you sir. Thank you for everything you have done.

Fouga23 · **Posted:** Thu Jan 29, 2009 4:55 am

In the wartime pic she looks bare metal. How come she's camouflaged now?

APG85 · **Posted:** Thu Jan 29, 2009 7:02 am

Fantastic stuff! Thank you for sharing this story Steve! Great wartime picture of the "Baby". Chris, always great pictures in the Museum...thanks.

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Thu Jan 29, 2009 7:27 am

Fouga23 wrote:

In the wartime pic she looks bare metal. How come she's camouflaged now?

When it was being restored back to it's wartime configuration, there was alot of new metal in with the old giving it a real patched up look. So it was decided to put it in the O.D. scheme to make it look more presentable.

6trn4brn · **Posted:** Thu Jan 29, 2009 9:13 am

Mr Birdsall...would you possibly have any pix of her as she was found? I think I have read that she was a real mess/derelict "laying off in the weeds"? I ask as I am fascinated with seeing old things that are found derelict and then seeing the work that goes into bringing something back from the brink of extinction into the beautiful work of art that Shoo Shoo is today.

Thanks

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