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Allied and Soviet Air Forces Please use this forum to discuss the Air Forces of the Western Allies and the Soviet Union. |
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#1
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B-17 414th BS colours
Hello friends. Writing to ask your opinion about the camouflage colour of a specific B-17G that was flying with 414th Bomber Squadron USAAF in the Mediterranean during 1944. Serial number was 44-6340 with nickname "REMEMBER ME?". It crashed in Northwestern Greece in August 1944.
As far as I have searched through the internet or in books, I have noticed that aircraft of this squadron carried both colour schemes - some of them in olive drab some others naked metal. Moreover I have seen one photograph depicting another B-17G with full metal scheme and green tailfin with red & white stripped rudder. The question is what scheme did this aircraft carry. Can someone but taking into consideration its serial number and date of delivery to the squadron find out its colours? Thank you in advance. Themis |
#2
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Re: B-17 414th BS colours
Hi Themis.
44-6340 was a G-50-DL unpainted as camouflage was discontinued from block 35-DL. The first 2silver" G-35-DL was "Glittering Gal" 42-106984, 99BG. The B-17 with the striped rudder had a replacement fin section in Medium Green which was also applied to most Olive Drab planes at the factory to break up the outline of the tail. You can see the different colour in lots of photos. The red stripes ( on a couple of 414th planes) were an individual marking not squadron. The Fifteenth AF were much more relaxed about markings than the Eighth so had more variety. Standard markings in the 414th were a Triangle "Y" ( still on a white triangle on bare metal) usually with a plain "4" below the serial ( the designators were the last number of the squadron, ie. 0,1,2,4 for the 4 squadrons). The G-50-DL block had the Cheyenne tail turret in procduction. Nick |
#3
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Re: B-17 414th BS colours
Nick, thank you very much for your detailed information. So concluding, we are heading for the "paint" scheme of the aircraft on the left of the photo - full metal with squadron markings on the tail, black serial number and "REMEMBER ME?" nickname on the left side of the nose (or on the right as well?). Sometime I had located a photograph of another "remember me" bird, so I think lettertype should look similar.
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#4
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Re: B-17 414th BS colours
Themis. Yes similar to that. Note on silver planes the triangle was usually lower down than on camouflage. The designator "4" sometimes on a white disc also.
Without a photo you can't say if the name was both sides. This is another "Remember me" (457BG) also named "Georgia peach" on the right side. http://www.457thbombgroup.org/aircra...PEACH%202.html Nick |
#5
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Re: B-17 414th BS colours
One little question regarding the specific airplane. In the MACR archive of this crash, the serial number of the a/c is refered as "44-6340G". Does this "G" play any role on the s/n itself or does it stand for something else? Thank you.
Themis |
#6
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Re: B-17 414th BS colours
Do not know, but could be that the a/c had some special gear onboard ?
RAF a/c that had were marked with a "G" following the serial number. If correct it meant that when on the ground the a/c had to be guarded by armed troops. Perhaps in the Middle East/Mediterranean the American Groups adopted a similar system ? OR It could just be a reference to the a/c being a B17G ? |
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