Warbird Information Exchange

Differences of opinion? If you can sit for the national anthem then you can express your opinions + or - over anything, which is everyone's rite in this Country I hear.
But as always just because it's your rite, many times doesn't make it right, but that quality was lost many years ago.

So ...



I say ...

Beautiful airplane, crappy paint job.

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Zero Surprise!!...

It's like Ol '927s nose-art. The new "Diamond Lil" nose art looks awfully out of place. Like a bad 1970s airbrushed hot rod pin-up. It's a crying shame they didn't go for Django's proposal of Lil which looked period correct. http://www.djangostudios.com/images/por ... d_lil.html

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Magister Aviation
It's all in my book

You like the new artwork on Madras Maiden? Then you'll love the new artwork on their P-47 ...

Old ...



New ...

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Zero Surprise!!...

Good god. . .

Of all the beautiful checkerboard cowl patterns they could have used, they use this instead.

And this argument right here is why when I buy my P-51 I'm going to paint it in down-to-the-centimeter exact markings of Miss Suzi-Q, and I'm going to take it to every airshow within a thousand miles and I'm going to park a couple of beautiful scantily clad women over it all day. And I'll sit there under the wing in my chair, knocking back some cool ones, and anytime anybody makes a comment about the paint scheme I'll hoist one in their honor. Might even ask them if they want to go for a ride in my gaudily, inaccurately painted P-51...and when they fall all over themselves saying yes, I'll just laugh at them....and fly my gaudily, inaccurately painted P-51 home.

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Offer me solutions, offer me alternatives, and I decline......

Start saving your money.

There's a few out there who've got both figured out.


"Chicks dig accuracy" ...

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Zero Surprise!!...

Such a shame to see our old bird lose that paint scheme. Wore it for over 20 years.

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Tyler Pinkerton
Active Member of Air Heritage Inc. of Beaver Falls, PA.
Aircraft: C47B, C-123K, Fairchild F-24, Funk Model B, L-21B, T-28B, T-34B
Static: F-4C Phantom II, F-15A, T-3 Provost

Not to worry Tyler, it's a photoshopped photo. Not real, look at the prop, it's backwards for one. .... If it was for real I'd have to say enough's enough and go pay a visit with a paint brush
Oh yah! that's right I forgot ... not my plane, not my concern

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Zero Surprise!!...

It's a VERY beautiful B-17 for sure. I too would like to see a variety of markings for the current B-17 fleet, and not just all red tails. I sure do miss Fuddy Duddy.

The Erickson collection is doing some good things.

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Shop the Airplane Bunker At
www.warbirdbunker.com

I'm just glad that the Erickson Aircraft Collection is flying their airplanes, quite a lot in recent years, and a number of which are very rare types to see flying - operating one of only 10 B-17's, the only flying Oscar (albeit a reproduction), one of only 8 P-38's, one of only 4 SBD's, one of only 9 P-47's, one of only 5 Grumman Ducks, one of only a handful of PBY's, possibly soon to be the one and only flying Martin Mauler, and a very cool Bf-109 project soon to be completed/flying (as well as a Flugwerk Fw-190 (currently under repair)) - besides a good number of other warbirds.

And to repeat Mark's last post again, the image of the P-47 getting new nose art is only a photoshopped image(!).

I too agree that it's wonderful what the Erickson folks are doing. There's no debate there, not from me anyway. If it were just another P-51 it would be one thing to paint away in pink with green dots and yellow mermaids if it pleases the owner, but operating one of only 10 B-17's requires a bit more responsibility and obligation to memorialize the vets who flew in them in harms way. Especially if the plan is to start a tour of the country. This is only my humble opinion and my right to express that opinion respectfully. (until the mods come and sh*tcan this thread topic again of course lol)

It's simply a lost opportunity to have done something special, other than simply to own and fly a rare B-17 no matter what the paint scheme ..... IMHO only. I made a nice offer, it was turned down by Erickson's people. Can't do more than that.

So once again the very best of luck to the owner and a successful tour.

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Zero Surprise!!...

I saw the paint didn't match up but figured they might have repainted it but I knew something else didn't quite look right

It's actually a pic of the right side of Hairless Joe that has been flipped Horizontally. The M is in front of the L plus the prop...

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Tyler Pinkerton
Active Member of Air Heritage Inc. of Beaver Falls, PA.
Aircraft: C47B, C-123K, Fairchild F-24, Funk Model B, L-21B, T-28B, T-34B
Static: F-4C Phantom II, F-15A, T-3 Provost

Well played.

Not every warbird owner / operator sees themselves as a caretaker of history, or their aircraft as a piece of history. For many, it is just something cool to own or fly. I'm not saying that's the case with this collection. I don't know what the collection had in mind when they painted the aircraft this way, but they presumably had reasons that made sense to them. Just pointing out that we can click our little red heels all we want and wish for every warbird owner to care about authenticity, but it simply isn't going to happen.

As someone who values authenticity and the way paint schemes can be used to honor veterans and combat groups, it is disappointing to see a paint scheme like this. In the grand scheme of things though, it really isn't that big of a deal. The airplane is well cared for. It hasn't been melted down, had the spars cut or been physically maimed to point where it can no longer be flown or displayed. The airplane is owned by an organization that takes great care of it, flies its collection often, and is willing to share its aircraft with the public. I'd much rather see an inauthentic paint scheme on something that is on public display, shared at airshows, etc. than see a perfectly-restored aircraft locked away in a private hangar where nobody but the owner can enjoy it. This also may comes as shock to some, but aircraft can and do get repainted.

It will be great to have another B-17 on tour next year. I hope I get the opportunity to see it.

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Matt

I would say that sums it up quite nicely for me as well. Nicely stated kalamazookid.