Maybe they got the 4 blader that was supposed to go on the 91 Squadron Spit XII EN625 that graces the cover of the Osprey book on 91 Squadron. That Spit XII is swinging a 5 blade prop. All these years chasing XIIs and I’ve yet to see one with a 5 blade prop 🙂

Anyone have any ‘interesting’ A-26 colour schemes [not black]?? 😀

You are clearly too busy with the TBF and A26 to need an unrestored Spitfire XIV.

So if you could ship it to my address in Minnesota, I’ll be happy to take good care of it for you 🙂

Guess I’ll have to take a crack at an A26 profile or two with some paint schemes when I get back from the Legends trip 🙂

Dan

Thanks Mog,
Actually, I didn’t even think of that. I’ll ask them.

Looking at the “B-17 story” again it does say “MIA Warsaw (Op Frantic IV) 18/9/44 W/Miller, flak, f/l Russia 4 POW 5RTD; sal & rep” (with the MACR) and then “tran 352BS/301BG Lucera, MIA Ruhland 15/3/45 w/Thornton 1 KIA [which was Sanchez] 9POW”

Which in itself gives more information than I thought I had. The specific machine was only with the group for 5 months in total.

I’m curious as to what the “sal & rep” was (i.e. how much damage) and what route it took to get from Russia to Italy.

(later)
Hmm. The Mighty Eigth War Diary (page 349 in my edition) says 8th AF Mission 640 Was Frantic VII. One machine was lost (from the 390 BG) and seven others damaged (one of which being ‘683). 1248 containers dropped. There is also a picture of a 95BG B-17 landing at Poltava.

So the chunk of sheet metal in the museum is quite significant, IMHO.

Thanks again,

Rob / Kansan

Almost missed this one. Significant because it was the 17 that Sandy Sanchez lost his life. Apparently the only B17 crewman to have a B17 named for him. Image from the 95th history showing Sanchez sitting on “his” B17.

Note he was lost while flying with the 301st out of Italy.

Dan

Yep, I’m with Eddie. The first photo has the deeper chin cowlings of a J or L model.

Dan

First image to come to mind when I read the thread. 1969 cross deck ops on the Saratoga.

Dan

Seems like I recall seeing photos of a Finnish Museum P39 in original markings. The NASM collections P38J is back together and is in it’s original finish at the Dulles Museum.

Must be more as well out there

Dan

From Glen Horton’s massive history of the 380th Bomb Group “The Best in the Southwest”

Photo of a fully loaded B24 in the process of pulling out of a flat spin and dive December 26, 1943. Another one of those instances where a collision was seconds away. Pilot Harold Mulhollen instinctively pulled up his right wing to avoid the collision. The Lib snapped over inverted and then fell off in a left hand spin. The B24 had 8 1000 pound bombs and full tanks when it happened. They lost 6000 feet in the process of recovering and pulled out at 3500 feet. They had their feet braced against the control panal as they struggled to pull back on the wheels after getting out of the spin.

They returned to base. Needless to say the overstressed B24 was so badly bent it was scrapped for spare parts.

Dan