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  #631  
Old 06-12-2020, 07:20 AM
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The B-17F “Memphis Belle” kit is now available again at Ecardmodels. I’m going to try and upload the files for the B-17G “Wee Willie” today.

Looking back through some of my B-17 kits I discovered I had done a kit of one of the skip bombing B-17s. B-17F “Tuffy”. See below. I failed to mention this interesting bit of history in my write up on the info/instruction sheet. I’ll add this information when I get the kit ready for re-release.

Rock55, I have been giving thought to the re-release of the B-24s. Some of them are going to require some updates. I’ve discovered that “The Dragon and His Tail” had the ball turret removed and replaced with a hand held gun position. Much like the one on my kit of B-24J “Booby Trap/Jolly Roger”. At the time when I did “Booby Trap/Jolly Roger” I didn’t have any decent reference on what this gun position looked like so I made an educated guess, which turned out to be wrong. I have since found sufficient reference to model this gun position accurately. The first B-24 in the que will be B-24H “Sunshine”. This was B-24 captured and put into use by the Germans. Once again, when I did the original kit, I wasn’t quiet sure what the German paint scheme was. I have since discovered she carried the German wave pattern (Wellenmuster) night camouflage on her upper surfaces. Since I’m now working on a captured German B-17, I thought it and the German B-24 would make an interesting pair. And yes, the family (and cats) are doing well. I hope all is well with you.
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B-17 Flying Fortress-tuffy.jpg  
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  #632  
Old 06-12-2020, 08:47 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John Dell View Post
The B-17F “Memphis Belle” kit is now available again at Ecardmodels. I’m going to try and upload the files for the B-17G “Wee Willie” today.

I have both the "Belle" and "Willie" from your original release. Are the models being re-posted significantly changed/improved?


Your B-17s and B-24s set the standard for models of these aircraft. Keep 'em coming!


Cheers,
Ron (YankeeBoy, formerly OldTroll)
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  #633  
Old 06-12-2020, 10:18 AM
Rock55 Rock55 is offline
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It is good to know all is well. I am sure others as well as myself will be eagerly looking. for your kits again...They are absolutely beautiful.....And I forgot to mention my favorite fortresses, "Kwiturbitchin" (15th AF)and "A Bit O' Lace"......take care and stay well...
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  #634  
Old 06-12-2020, 10:32 AM
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Thanks everyone. "Memphis Belle" and "Wee Willie" are two of my most recent kits so they do not need any updates. "Kwiturbitchin" should not need any up grades either. I discovered I missed a couple antennae on the underside of the nose on "A Bit O' Lace" that I'd like to add.
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  #635  
Old 07-01-2020, 01:25 PM
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1/144 VB-17G converted from Academy/Minicraft Kit

John and everyone -

I thought you would be interested to see this VB-17G in plastic showcased in the current issue of the IPMS/USA Journal.

Apparently there is decal set that includes the Far East Air Logistic Force (FEALF) emblem, or else Jack Gilbert made the decal himself.

Don
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B-17 Flying Fortress-boeing_vb-17g_144_plastic_model_jack_gilbert_ipms-usa_journal-may-june_2020_p66r.jpg  
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  #636  
Old 10-19-2022, 02:50 PM
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Friends of the Air Force Museum Articles on B-17s

The current issue of the National Museum of the United States Air Force Friends Journal (Summer 2022, Vol. 45, No. 3 - Friends Journal - Air Force Museum Foundation) has two B-17-related articles.

1. A recurring feature on Medal of Honor awardees features 2nd Lieutenant Jospeh R. Sarnowski, who was awarded the MoH for his actions as bombardier/nose gunner of B-17E (modified) 41-2666, "Lucy" or "Old 666" over Buka in the Solomon Islands on 16 June 1942.

The article mentions that Captain Jay Zeamer (of my home town of Carlisle, Pennsylvania) was also awarded the MoH for actions aboard the same aircraft.

At one time, John Dell was working on a model of 41-2666. See:
B-17 Flying Fortress and B-17 Flying Fortress

See also Clint Hayes’s (texvanwinkle in this Forum) exhaustive research on the topic at: Jay Zeamer, the Eager Beavers, and Old 666 - The Definitive Resource

2. The Journal also reprints an article from Air Power History (Vol. 67, No. 2, Summer 2020) about the use of B-17s as low level and skip bombers in the Southwest Pacific.

While skip bombing was mainly done with A-20s and B-25s in SWPA, the 63rd Bombardment Squadron, 43rd Bomb Group, of the Fifth Air Force initially developed the methodology with B-17s.

The most detailed source on the subject is Matthew K. Rodman, A War of Their Own: Bombers over the Southwest Pacific, Maxwell AFB, AL: Air University Press, 2005, pp. 32-33, available at A War of Their Own > Air University (AU) > Air University Press

Skip bombing and low level bombing by B-17s is also covered in:

Martin Bowman, B-17 Flying Fortress Units of the Pacific War, Osprey Combat Aircraft 39, (Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 2003), pages 58-70

Gene Eric Salecker, Fortress Against the Sun: The B-17 Flying Fortress in the Pacific (Conshohocken, PA: Combined Publishing, 2001), pages 249-250, 276-277, 282-283, et passim 287-371.

The subject was also discussed in the Battle of Midway Models Project thread in this Forum: Battle Of Midway models project

Don
Attached Thumbnails
B-17 Flying Fortress-b-17e_666-sarnowski_friends_journal_45-3_2022_p27.jpg   B-17 Flying Fortress-fortesses_on_the_deck_friends_journal_45-3_2022_p41.jpg   B-17 Flying Fortress-rodman_fig4.png  
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  #637  
Old 03-04-2023, 11:30 AM
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VB-17s appear in a Japanese film

John and Everybody -

Last night I caught a glimpse of a couple of VB-17Gs in an unlikely place. Lil and I were watching the Ozu Yasujiro film "The Flavor of Green Tea over Rice," a domestic drama, when two VB-17Gs appeared under the tail of a Boeing 377 that one of the characters in the film was boarding.

At least, I think they are VB-17Gs. Except for an American flag on the vertical stabilizer, no markings are visible. The film was made in 1952 just after the Allied occupation of Japan ended.

Interestingly, four different 377s were used in the boarding and takeoff sequence:

At 1:28:10 there is a good view of the rear end of Boeing 377-10-26 N1022V (C/N 15922) with the two B-17s visible under the tail. Image 1.

At 1:28:26 and 1:28:51 the airplane appears again, but now it is 377-10-29 N90946 (C/N 15961). Image 2.

At 1:29:07 there is a close up, but the registration number is now N88881 (Image 3), which is a mystery, since I can find no record of that number being applied to any 377 and the only aircraft I can find that was ever issued that number was a China Airlines Airbus A300 B4-622R. Furthermore, the shape of the vertical stabilizer and the tail bumper and trim-tab control housing make me think that Ozu threw in a shot of the tail of a PAA DC-6B (compare Image 4).

At 1:29:12 we see N90946 again, and shortly thereafter (1:29:56) we see a 377 roll down the runway (presumably Haneda airport) and take off. No registration number is visible. Image 5.

The movie, like all Ozu films, was very enjoyable (we have watched it several times over the years) and it was fun to see the airplanes and have an excuse to do a little research.

If anyone can add additional information or clear up the N88881 mystery, I would be glad to get feedback.

Don

The film is available on YouTube at Flavor Of Green Tea Over Rice (1952) HD Full Length Movie - Dir. by Yasujirō Ozu (Ochazuke no aji) - YouTube

Aircraft identifications are based on Peter M. Bowers, Boeing Aircraft Since 1916, London: Putnam, 1966.

Info on the N88881 serial is from Aviation Database available at Aircraft Query - Aviation Database - AviationDB
Attached Thumbnails
B-17 Flying Fortress-ozu-green_tea-1-28-10_boeing_377-10-26_stratoclipper-n1022v-b-17s.png   B-17 Flying Fortress-ozu-green_tea-1-28-26_boeing_377-10-29_stratoclipper-n90946.png   B-17 Flying Fortress-ozu-green_tea-1-29-07_boeing_377_stratoclipper-n88881.png   B-17 Flying Fortress-paa_dc-6b_n6534c.jpg   B-17 Flying Fortress-ozu-green_tea-1-29-56_boeing_377_stratoclipper-takeoff.png  


Last edited by Don Boose; 03-04-2023 at 12:01 PM.
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  #638  
Old 03-04-2023, 04:29 PM
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N88881 found

N88881 was a DC-4A C/N DC236 built in 1944 as a C-54E-10-DO, bought by PanAm on 23 December 1945 and converted to DC-4A standards. It was operated with the N88881 registration as Clipper Raven from 1946 until 1953. It would have been filmed during this time and the film used as B-Roll by Ozu in the “Green Tea” film. It was renamed Clipper Lighting in September 1963, sold to California Eastern Airways in September 1953, leased to World Airways July 1960, leased to Resort Airways from October 1954 to May 1962 (sub-leased to World Airways July 1960 to June 1961), owned by Slick Airways May 1962 to September 1965. Privately owned thereafter and registration cancelled 27 April 1977.

Source: RZJETS database, available at Douglas DC-4 (C-54) production list (Aircraft are listed by C/N. DC236 is on page 8.)

I realize this no longer has anything to do with B-17s, but I wanted to close the loop.

Don
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  #639  
Old 03-06-2023, 08:14 PM
RyanShort1 RyanShort1 is offline
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John,

Did you ever design a Cheyenne turret for your B-17s?
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  #640  
Old 03-06-2023, 09:40 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Boose View Post
N88881 was a DC-4A C/N DC236 built in 1944 as a C-54E-10-DO, bought by PanAm on 23 December 1945 and converted to DC-4A standards. It was operated with the N88881 registration as Clipper Raven from 1946 until 1953. It would have been filmed during this time and the film used as B-Roll by Ozu in the “Green Tea” film. It was renamed Clipper Lighting in September 1963, sold to California Eastern Airways in September 1953, leased to World Airways July 1960, leased to Resort Airways from October 1954 to May 1962 (sub-leased to World Airways July 1960 to June 1961), owned by Slick Airways May 1962 to September 1965. Privately owned thereafter and registration cancelled 27 April 1977.

Source: RZJETS database, available at Douglas DC-4 (C-54) production list (Aircraft are listed by C/N. DC236 is on page 8.)

I realize this no longer has anything to do with B-17s, but I wanted to close the loop.

Don

Don, I am just reading this thread and your comment regarding the movie.

In addition to N88881 being a DC-4 / C-54, so is N6524C. You can tell since all the DC-4, 6,7 family had a tail bumper to support the ground anti tipping arm/rod.


and yes, the B-17 in the background are G models with all guns and turrets removed. It is interesting that they retained the bomb bay doors as cargo loading entry points. All ex military planes were de militarized when sold to civilians. These were probably used as cargo planes after WW2.


Isaac
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