Re: B-17 EXPERTS NEEDED ASAP!!!!
 

Cheyenne , Wyo. was Modification Center for New B - 17s.
Cheers

Re: B-17 EXPERTS NEEDED ASAP!!!!
 

Interesting!!!!

Well, the Column was found in Paris. But where the actual crash was is unknown.

Is there anyplace I can find construction numbers?

So maybe rather than it being the aircraft name, it could be a message "from" a Miss Winnie??

Mike

Re: B-17 EXPERTS NEEDED ASAP!!!!
 

It was common practice for Ladies to write names and notes to B - 17 Crews so these may be their names.
A possibility:
42- 102501 BK H " The Challenger "
384th BG 546th Sq.
Delivered Cheyenne March 9 , 44
Ditched North Sea Feb. 2 , 45
3 KIA - 6 RTD Parts Recovered ?
Mike

Re: B-17 EXPERTS NEEDED ASAP!!!!
 

Hi shooshoobaby...

Some info you provided has really brought this all together...

So far this is what I have gathered...

Miss Dixie (Winnie?) Mai M......tti
1025w284
Cheyenne, Wyo
Good Luck Boys
Cha..g Je....ding
with this sky

I've attached pics in-case anyone can read the handwriting better than I can... :)




http://www.geocities.com/mr-bigg@sbc...t/DSCN4170.JPG



http://www.geocities.com/mr-bigg@sbc...t/DSCN4173.JPG








http://www.geocities.com/mr-bigg@sbc...t/DSCN4176.JPG



http://www.geocities.com/mr-bigg@sbc...t/DSCN4177.JPG



http://www.geocities.com/mr-bigg@sbc...t/DSCN4180.JPG










http://www.geocities.com/mr-bigg@sbc...t/DSCN4186.JPG

Re: B-17 EXPERTS NEEDED ASAP!!!!
 

Mike - I think this is an address. Gals put it in so Boys could write them.
B- 17s with MAI ---- Examples
Maid of Tin
Maiden America
Mairzy Doats
Mainline
Have you gone through www.b17-france.org Lists all B- 17 crashes in France. serial#s , names etc.
Scratch the 384th B- 17 - it Ditched middle of N Sea.
Mike

Re: B-17 EXPERTS NEEDED ASAP!!!!
 

Hi Mike,


So...from that info, it has to be an 8th airforce bird...

Turns out you are right on the address part...

It reads:

1025 W 28th
Cheyenne, Wy

I thought the "th" was a 4, but after a close look it is 100% a "th"

The Miss Dixie (Winnie?) part is her name, not the aircraft
1025 W 28th
Cheyenne, Wyo
Good Luck Boys
Happy Landing

The aprt I NOW need to figure out is the last sentence...

It looks like either...

a) happy landing with this sky

b) happy landing with this shit

c) happy landing with BLUE sky. This makes more sense, but if you look at the above photos, it in no way looks like Blue.

d) happy landing with thin sky

What do you think?

You have been a great help!

Mike

Re: B-17 EXPERTS NEEDED ASAP!!!!
 

I would say:
'Happy landing with this stick'.
It must have been difficult to inscribe it in 'free hand', so don't judge too hard on the handwriting.
Kind regards,
Ivo

Re: B-17 EXPERTS NEEDED ASAP!!!!
 

Mike - Most likely 8th AF B - 17 but 15th AF B - 17s did Bomb targets in July , August 44 in Support of " Operation Dragoon " - Southern France.
The Column could also be from Crash in Germany , Italy , CZ. Etc.
Who Knows?
The Hub on the Wheel with Boeing Logo - I believe it is the old style from F Model - anybody ?????
Mike

Re: B-17 EXPERTS NEEDED ASAP!!!!
 

I don't know myself, but I have seen a later style that had a white circular ring around the logo...

Mike

http://www.geocities.com/mr-bigg@sbc...t/DSCN4187.JPG

Re: B-17 EXPERTS NEEDED ASAP!!!!
 

happy landing with this ship ?