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Phoenix
5/17/2007 12:40:48 PM | As B-17F's are a very rare commodity in the 401st I thought one of them would make a very interesting modelling project. So out of a cast of not very many I have chosen 42-30855 'Ol Massa'. Does anyone out there on the rest of the planet have any photographic material of this aircraft they would be willing to share with me so I can study markings, any nose art etc.
All the best
Dale
improvise, adapt, overcome
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donaldbyers
5/17/2007 2:35:31 PM | The B-17 Nose Art Name Directory indicates NO Picture available. And that would be from the National Archives. Will look for other possabilities.
Sgt. Donald C. Byers, 613th Bomb Squadron, Togglier, 42-97344 Carrie B II, KIA 08/24/1944.
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EDanaII
5/19/2007 12:25:08 PM | Let us know how it goes, Dale. 🙂
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Phoenix
5/21/2007 2:18:25 PM | Sure thing Ed although I have a horrible feeling it's going to be a long hard slog.
All the best
Dale
improvise, adapt, overcome
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Paul Bellamy
5/22/2007 6:03:07 AM | Modelling Ol' Massa accurately will be a tricky project, especially as she was lost on her 3rd mission, but there are ways around the problem......
As a B-17F-125-BO the colour scheme will be OD upper surfaces over grey underside.
Add serial number and squadron markings (IN-N) in yellow, white triangle with black S on the fin with the letter N below, no yellow stripe.
National markings will be the standard "star and bars" with blue outline.
For particular block details such as waist windows, aerial locations,etc, look for photos of any B17 with a serial number in the range 42-30832-42-30931 from any bomb group.
Just had a thought... although the directory lists no photo of the nose art, the Combat Mess had copies painted on the walls... might be lucky.........
... checks Blue Book......
Bingo! It's there, right on the edge of the photo. Ol' Massa in a gothic script, no picture... now to find it in the NA Gallery.
Will post up what else I find.
Hope that's of use,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
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Paul Bellamy
5/22/2007 6:26:59 AM | Not found the photo in the NA Gallery yet, so will probably have to scan it it... but I knew I'd seen a photo of a 401st B-17 landing at Deenethorpe somewhere....
Aviation in Northamptonshire, page 161.
B-17F 42-30855 Ol' Massa on finals.
Photo source, the late Vic Maslen, so another one to scan, unless the 401st Bomb Group Historical Society holds a copy.
(Is Mr Bratley a member on here yet?)
This is the smaller version of the photo from the NA Gallery.
Paul Bellamy
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donaldbyers
5/22/2007 9:04:42 AM | No he is not registered yet.
Don Byers
Sgt. Donald C. Byers, 613th Bomb Squadron, Togglier, 42-97344 Carrie B II, KIA 08/24/1944.
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Phoenix
5/22/2007 12:05:50 PM | Paul
Thanks for all that information I will get around to further study of the subject presently, holiday in Scotland coming up you see. I have a copy of Aviation in Northamptonshire and have seen the photo you posted before my problem now is finding out wether this particular 'F' had a chin turret or not as I believe some later models did. Time for the magnifying glass to come out maybe. Anyway thanks again for your efforts. Oh yes must tell Graham about my perimeter walk!
All the best
Dale
improvise, adapt, overcome
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Phoenix
5/22/2007 12:24:43 PM | Paul
Talk about feeling a real prat......... I have just been to page 161 and there it is all the info I need in black and white I can't believe it was under my nose all the time what a donkey!!!!!! In my defence I probabley didn't look hard enough because that photo appears in the airfield focus book and I took my eye off the ball momentarily. Now for some graphics of the gothic nose art and I'm in, I think!!!
Feeling rather silly
Dale
improvise, adapt, overcome
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EDanaII
6/2/2007 9:07:13 AM | Dale,
As an experiment, I bought a 144th scale B17 and used that Tamiya silver I mentioned in the Hard Seventeen thread. It went on straight, with no need for primer, unlike the metalizer, it covered up the underlying blemishes in the plastic. I've also masked and painted the AG patches and tail stripe without the mask removing any of the silver and my fingers are clean.
The metalizer may still be better at preserving the underlying texture of the plane, such as on the control surfaces, I still haven't tested that, but the Tamiya silver appears to be better.
FYI.
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Paul Bellamy
6/16/2007 2:39:14 PM | Scan of the picture showing the Ol' Massa script, top right:
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
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Phoenix
6/21/2007 12:37:13 PM | Paul,
Many thanks for the scan I'm sure I'll find that type of lettering without too much difficulty...............now just for the colour, black, red, blue still more questions!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks
Dale
improvise, adapt, overcome
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