Nose Art Name of B17 124388 ?
 

Hi,
Had a close look at the photo of "124388" as it stood under the Rock at Gib.

There apears to be art work on her starboard nose side that looks very much like an Eagle with outstreched wings.

I have never seen reference to this aircraft having either artwork or a name.

Any one know of other photos of this aircraft that confirm this art work and maybe a name ??

thanks in advance

Alex

Re: Nose Art Name of B17 124388 ?
 

Hi Alex,

I could only find one pic from the plane on "Fortresses of the Big Triangle First" from Bishop, p. 16 but from the right side. No nose art or nickname. Plane was olive drab and seems to have a short operationnal life.

Sorry.
Stephane Muret

Re: Nose Art Name of B17 124388 ?
 

Thanks for reply, YES the right side is the side i am talking about.

Same book same picture.

Look at the marking's just by the inboard prop hub. It's an Eagle i'm sure.

Alex

Re: Nose Art Name of B17 124388 ?
 

I cannot locate any name or artwork information but a brief history.

"41-24388 Ass 92BG Bangor 31/7/42; 340BS/97BG Polebrook 8/42; damaged UK 7/9/42, rep; flew Gens Doolittle & Lemnitzer to Gibraltar 6/11/42; badly damaged again by enemy ground attack Biskra 10/1/43; sal 14/1/43."


Source: The B-17 Flying Fortress Story by Roger A. Freeman with David Osborne.




Ed

Re: Nose Art Name of B17 124388 ?
 

Hallo all,


According to PRIDE OF SEATTLE - THE STORY OFTHE FIRST 300 B-17s by Steve Birdsall this Fortress was piloted by Lt. John C. Summers after transfer to the 340th BS, 97th BG. He and his crew named it 'Summers' Sleepers'. The same photo you described earlier also appears in the above book.

Regards,

Martin Gleeson.

Re: Eagle, it seems to be...
 

Yes, now i took time to look carefully, it seems to be an eagle (like on Col. Eagleston's P47 and P51. I couldn't read the nickname.

Stephane

Re: Nose Art Name of B17 124388 ?
 

Hello Stephane,


Thank goodness ... I thought I might have been seeing things.

Has anyone seen reference to this anywhere ???

Alex

Re: Nose Art Name of B17 124388 ?
 

I just saw rhis post------

B17F 25388 (obviously not the same plane) was flown to N.Africa, as part of the 99th BG., in April 1943, The pilot was Lt. Stan Samuelson, my tentmate,who was an artist and who did a lot of nose art. The name of the plane was "Never Satisfied". After he finished his 50 missions, several people flew the plane, I had about 3 missions in it. The plane had 104 combat flights and was salvaged overseas Nov 1945.

Capt. Samuelson later flew B29s in the Pacific, He was shot down over Tokyo on his 18th mission, no survivors.

Re: Nose Art Name of B17 124388 ?
 

I am replying to this thread several months later because I just joined.
My father was the copilot on that b-17 that got shot up and had to land in gibralter. there is an interesting account of this in the book Flying fortresses by Jablonski. My father was wounded, gave up his seat to dolittle. they almost went into the drink when attacked off the coast transporting all the vip's to the gibralter conference with no guns.
i would love to see a copy of that photo. any chance of that?