Looking for a picture of B-17E 41-2666

[ZeamerB17]

You know I would have thought after the mission they would have taken a few pictures... lol...

If your trying to see what the plane would have looked like, I can get some of my friends to make a digital model of a 17 with the required guns...

That's what I have thought since I started this quest - surely someone took some photos after that mission?! I guess they had other things on their minds at the time besides taking photos ...

I've got a pretty good idea what she looked like in my mind; thanks for the offer . I think the Dogfights video represents what Old '666 looked like fairly accurately, although I'm not thoroughly convinced that is where the pilot-fired .50 was mounted:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Im086TCu3I

[res6kgcr]

Friends,

Although it looks like Australia this is actually Ephrata, Wash and for decades has been mislabel as such. The tail numbers say they never left the U.S. and are from the 307th BG (H) the famous “Long Rangers” before they re-equipped with B-24s and move out to the Pacific. 307th BG was the first unit to occupy Ephrata and the base was very primitive at time and the photo set that this is a part of shows them operating on dirt, Model 1919 issue helmets with leggings and they all look like they just came out of the Philippines.





The “Swoose”, 41-9130 and an unknown B-17 labeled at Hammer Field by San Diego Air & Space Museum in their great Mark Aldrich Photo Set is also mislabeled. Most of the WWII photos are taken at the far western end of Los Angeles Airport, which then was usually referred to by its pervious name Mines Field and is now LAX.



Here is the west side of the same camouflage hanger used by AAF with this impressed Boeing 247 in the foreground.





Best regards to you all

Tom

[The Inspector]

Friends,

Although it looks like Australia this is actually Ephrata, Wash and for decades has been mislabel as such. The tail numbers say they never left the U.S. and are from the 307th BG (H) the famous “Long Rangers” before they re-equipped with B-24s and move out to the Pacific. 307th BG was the first unit to occupy Ephrata and the base was very primitive at time and the photo set that this is a part of shows them operating on dirt, Model 1919 issue helmets with leggings and they all look like they just came out of the Philippines.





The “Swoose”, 41-9130 and an unknown B-17 labeled at Hammer Field by San Diego Air & Space Museum in their great Mark Aldrich Photo Set is also mislabeled. Most of the WWII photos are taken at the far western end of Los Angeles Airport, which then was usually referred to by its pervious name Mines Field and is now LAX.



Here is the west side of the same camouflage hanger used by AAF with this impressed Boeing 247 in the foreground.





Best regards to you all

Tom

Looks more like a B-18 BOLO behind the SWOOSE

[Mark Allen M]

Yep! that would indeed be a B-18 Bolo, but not the 'Swoose' ... thx for the clarity on the photos. It's always good to re-label these old photos correctly. Good job.
BTW I think I found 'Old 666' ... stay tuned

[gemmer]

B-17E 41-2459. Rare example of a Sperry remote ventral turret equipped a/c with a ball turret replacement. This may be a 11th or 5th BG A/C. I've never seen a 19th or 43rd(Port Moresby, 5th AF) A/C so modified.

Duane

[res6kgcr]

Friends,

Here is a picture of one of the B-17 crews that just did return from the Philippines which were on the Royce Mission, from the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force:



Except for the pit helmets they look like the crews of the 307th BG at Ephrata. The signature Hawaii Air Depot camouflage and Navy tail markings says this early B-17E was with the UNITED STATES NAVAL TASK FORCE, SOUTHERN BOMBER COMMAND.

Here is the terse cable of General Brett to the War Dept. saying that they are back in the Army now:



Best regards to you all

Tom

[daviemax]

I just looked through the book, Fortress Against the Sun which chronicals the use of the B-17 in the war with Japan, but unfortunately there is no photo of 41-2666 - just Zeamer's portrait.

There is an animation of the mission that I've seen - still looking for the link, if I find it, I'll post it.

Dave

[ZeamerB17]

^There is no photo to be found in any book I have ever seen, and I have seen and own many B-17 books.

I posted the Dogfights animation a few posts up^.

[SaxMan]

Sounds like a trip to NARA in College Park, MD may be in order. I can understand there not being many pictures from 1942, but by 1943 AAF photographers were far more numerous.

[mike furline]

Sounds like a trip to NARA in College Park, MD may be in order. I can understand there not being many pictures from 1942, but by 1943 AAF photographers were far more numerous.

There may be some pictures in the Army Signal Corps collection.

[daviemax]

Here is the link to the video animation of the Zeamer Mission:

http://youtu.be/6Im086TCu3I

Dave

[JFS61]

The “Swoose”, 41-9130 and an unknown B-17 labeled at Hammer Field by San Diego Air & Space Museum in their great Mark Aldrich Photo Set is also mislabeled. Most of the WWII photos are taken at the far western end of Los Angeles Airport, which then was usually referred to by its pervious name Mines Field and is now LAX.

Tom

Appears to be 41-8130, not 41-9130.

[gemmer]

41-8130 is not a B-17 seria lnumber.

Duane

[bgp429]

Does look like an 8 but can't find record of that number being assigned.

[JFS61]

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Last edited by JFS61 on Sun Mar 03, 2013 7:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.