Yoke Cap Finally Arrived

[grimes]

My Consolidated Vultee Made By Ford Yoke Cap finally arrived.

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And as requested, here's a group photo.

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[Fouga23]

Nice!

[grimes]

Thanks.

[tom d. friedman]

display them in a riker box & keep them away from direct light. excellent trio!!

[tulsaboy]

grimes,
I would assume that yoke cap is for Ford-built B-24s. Do you have any idea what yoke cap would have been used for Douglas built B-24s? I have always wondered if they would have received the Ford cap, as Douglas-Tulsa was essentially assembling kits produced by Ford. I've never seen a Douglas version of that cap. Would be most interested if you know.
Thanks!
kevin

[grimes]

grimes,
I would assume that yoke cap is for Ford-built B-24s. Do you have any idea what yoke cap would have been used for Douglas built B-24s? I have always wondered if they would have received the Ford cap, as Douglas-Tulsa was essentially assembling kits produced by Ford. I've never seen a Douglas version of that cap. Would be most interested if you know.
Thanks!
kevin

This is from another site.

"The top pair were for B-24s and PB4Ys , The middle pair, for the B-24s made at Willow Run by Ford, the bottom pair made for the B-32 and used for a variety of aircraft including the early B-36. "

click for larger image

[tom d. friedman]

you did your homework, great job!!!

[Mark Allen M]

Here's a Yoke Cap for ya ...

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/12/opini ... .html?_r=1

[B29Gunner]

Here's a Yoke Cap for ya ...

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/12/opini ... .html?_r=1

I can't speak for the story in the article, but I can definitely tell you that is not the Enola Gay's original control yoke cap. Martin used their own control yoke caps with their logo at the 10/11 o'clock position on the cap (where "B-29" appears on the cap in the article). The cap in the article might have been one that somebody stuck on there after the fact, but it's definitely not the Enola Gay's original control yoke cap

[Mark Allen M]

So if I understand what your stating: The article is perhaps accurate but the yoke cap in the photo is not accurate? OK that's fine with me if that's what your stating as I only have an interest that the story is indeed accurate. It would be a nice deal if it were truly the yoke cap from Enola Gay that was found.

Also perhaps it would be to someone's benefit to contact the author of the story and inform him of the somewhat misleading yoke cap photo. Upon further review I would tend to believe that yoke cap in the attached photo in the article is indeed from the Enola Gay. Of course I won't lose too much sleep over it.

And lastly if you are so convinced the yoke cap in the photo does not belong to the Enola Gay, then it may be a quest of yours to contact and inform Peter Jakab, the National Air and Space Museum’s chief curator of this observation before he trades something of possible equal value for what he thinks is the Enola Gay's cap. What a cluster F that would be huh?

In all seriousness I would assume the folks at the National Air and Space do indeed have a good understanding and proper knowledge of what is the "real deal" as opposed to an imposter. I hope anyway.

M

[B29Gunner]

So if I understand what your stating: The article is perhaps accurate but the yoke cap in the photo is not accurate? OK that's fine with me if that's what your stating as I only have an interest that the story is indeed accurate. It would be a nice deal if it were truly the yoke cap from Enola Gay that was found.

Hi Mark,

The story in the article, with regards to Mr. Rich removing a control yoke cap from the Enola Gay after the war, could very well be true. However, the control yoke cap pictured in the article that Mr. Rich removed that day is definitely NOT the Enola Gay's original control yoke cap. The Enola Gay, like all other Silverplate B-29s produced during the war, was produced by Martin-Omaha. Martin used their own control yoke caps in their B-29s, which featured the Martin USA logo at the 10/11 o'clock position on the cap. The Enola Gay would have left the factory with a Martin cap installed.

The control yoke cap pictured in the article, which Mr. Rich is said to have removed from the Enola Gay after the war, was only used in Boeing-Wichita and Boeing-Renton produced B-29s. That tells us right away that it's not the Enola Gay's original cap. Assuming that Mr. Rich's story is true, and I have no reason to doubt him, the most probable explanation is that the cap he souvenired was a replacement that was added at some point long after the original cap disappeared. But it's quite clear that the cap pictured in the article that he removed is not the Enola Gay's original cap, nor is it even the correct cap for a Martin B-29.

And lastly if you are so convinced the yoke cap in the photo does not belong to the Enola Gay, then it may be a quest of yours to contact and inform Peter Jakab, the National Air and Space Museum’s chief curator of this observation before he trades something of possible equal value for what he thinks is the Enola Gay's cap.

I've already contacted him

[Stephan Wilkinson]

B29Gunner, I'm trying to get the New York Times to publish a correction for that article.

1/Can I assume that you're 100-percent certain of your facts?

2/I also want to write a short piece for Aviation History Magazine, of which I'm a contributing editor, about the whole affair. I would like to name you as the source of the expertise rather than suggest that I knew all this stuff myself. If you don't mind me using your name, please respond with a PM or email me at stephwilkinson@verizon.net. If you prefer not to be named, I can simply say the information came from an anonymous commenter on this forum. (I can't find a way to send you a PM.)