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A few new B-17 pictures


renfield
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This 91st ship was actually painted by the pilot, David Hettema. After he had flown a few missions he was moved to another B-17 that he named SUPER MOUSE. He painted the nose art for that ship also.

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The name of this 91st bird is CHIPPEWA THE MILWAUKEE ROAD. I have also seen it listed as CHIPPEWA CHIEF THE MILWAUKEE ROAD.. This nose art was painted by Charlie Busa who was a friend of Tony Starcer. There look to be a few patches over some battle damage in this picture. She flew over 50 missions before the end of the war.

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This picture was in the same group of pictures so I assume it is of a plane in the 91st. What caught my eye is the bracket that is attached to the tail section. I have never seen this before. Does anyone know what was held in place by this? It could be one of those things that is lost to history, an idea that did not work out. I would love to know the name of this ship. Ish Ka Bibble was a musician and comic of the time. The " I should worry" was his catch phrase. I just think it is an interesting picture.

Steve

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Steve Birdsall

I don't know for sure, but I suspect this might be the tail position of 42-97562, the B-17 named Evenin' Folks! How Y'All? Merwyn Bogue, the fellow known as Ish Kabibble, was associated with Kay Kyser before and after the war.

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I found this colour tinted YB-17 picture ( I think that's the model type) and could not pass it up. There are no markings on the picture and I know nothing about it. Another nice picture saved and preserved.

Steve

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You could be right. I looked up a picture of Evenin' Folks! How Y'All? and there is a name painted on the chin turret that looks like the same style of lettering.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Steve R,

 

I attached a photo of BUGGS BUNNY while with the 490th BG after hostilities. The 490th Historian is looking for the serial number of her.( I believe she was with the 96th BG since I viewed an estate lot from aviation writer A.T. Lloyd's estate on ebay about 5 years ago that included BUGGS BUNNY, FIVE GRAND,etc. I figured one of our group bought them or at least clicked the photos. Any assistance is most appreciated.)post-11767-0-31644200-1380208580.jpg

Great color pic,cropped to fit here.

 

Regards,

Jack

 

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  • 5 weeks later...

I have got a hold of some more 91st BG(H) nose art. The pictures are in terrible condition. I have done what I can to bring the images out so you can see the art. Some are done by Tony Starcer, but not all.

post-5349-0-33173100-1382720883.jpg

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  • 1 month later...

This picture is labeled as B-17B Wheeler Field. It that is true, it is a heck of a picture. I simply do not know enough to ID what model it is from what I can see in the picture.

 

Steve

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I know this is a picture of a test flight gone wrong! I have found other pictures of this particular crash, but they are ALL taken from the opposite side of the plane. This is the only photo I have seen of this side.

post-5349-0-79027900-1386544962.jpg

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  • 3 weeks later...

Steve, that's an earlier Banshee. I believe your photo shows 41-24488, which was assigned to Lt William "Wild Bill" Casey and his crew from the 306th Bomb Group. It was shot down on the April 17, 1943 Bremen mission. Fighter attacks had crippled Banshee and she was flying on one engine as she crossed the coast of Holland on the way home. When that last engine ran away Casey was forced to turn back towards enemy territory. The radio operator and four gunners in the rear of the plane were already dead when the others bailed out at 23,000 feet, relying on the wind to blow them back over land. They all narrowly made it and were taken prisoner almost immediately. Great photo, and a rare one I think.

 

Steve, she never made the coast of Holland. She crashed in near Greetsiel, Germany and two of the crew are listed as MIA, though at least one of the two is buried as an unknown in Belgium.

 

Danny

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  • 4 weeks later...

This is cool. It is a press photo that ran in Germany in the mid 1930s I would guess. Little did they know that planes like this one, a later model, would devastate their cities. I only took one year of high school German but can read enough of the caption. a real translation would be great.

Steve

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  • 3 weeks later...

This is my new favorite B-17 picture in my small collection. It was taken from the rear gunners position and shows 16 B-17s in formation! Notice how close the plane is flying to the photographer. To me it is super cool flying over the ice and snow covered ground. I like nose art and named crew photos, but this is a great picture.

 

Steve

post-5349-0-78403300-1392832939.jpg

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The same picture, but having gone through a "real" scanner and cleaned up. I have had this enlarged into a poster and it is super clear and bright. On the enlargement you can see the windshield wiper in front of the pilot.

Steve

post-5349-0-74635300-1393458003.jpg

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