Assembly Ship History

Second Air Force · **Posted:** Tue Jan 06, 2009 1:15 pm

Tom,

Only the one airplane was made into a convertible, and some sources say that was done for another special project. I'm not sure if The Roadster actually went on over-the-Channel missions or was used for training. There are a couple of photos floating around that show it with the control antenna farm mounted.

The "normal" BQ-7 was pretty much a standard war-weary Fortress. Egress was through the forward entry hatch with the door removed and a wind deflector riveted in front of the entry to aid departure.

Scott

gilt · **Posted:** Tue Jan 06, 2009 4:08 pm

Scott-

You may be correct, I knew that not all the BQ-7s were open but thought I had seen more than the one that is so commonly used in Operation Aphrodite articles.

Sounds like this is much like the PT-27 in that only one was converted by Boeing but that one is always pictured.

Tom-

Holedigger · **Posted:** Tue Jan 06, 2009 4:12 pm

Looks like the squadron hack I am looking for pics of may be the Gremlin Gus II, converted for Aphrodite but unused for that purpose. Still have not refound the pics, but some stories. Being stripped of guns, armor and other extra weight, it was much faster than a normal B-17, and one of the pilots liked creeping up behind the normally faster B-24s, then floor it. He would blow past them, stand up and salute as he passed!!

Django · **Posted:** Tue Jan 06, 2009 4:27 pm

Holedigger wrote:

Looks like the squadron hack I am looking for pics of may be the Gremlin Gus II, converted for Aphrodite but unused for that purpose. Still have not refound the pics, but some stories. Being stripped of guns, armor and other extra weight, it was much faster than a normal B-17, and one of the pilots liked creeping up behind the normally faster B-24s, then floor it. He would blow past them, stand up and salute as he passed!!

If that is true, that rules.

Holedigger · **Posted:** Tue Jan 06, 2009 4:35 pm

PG 55 in this book preview has that story
http://books.google.com/books?id=1uL-ua ... &ct=result

muddyboots · **Posted:** Tue Jan 06, 2009 10:03 pm

Django wrote:

They all show up for me. Try right clicking on the red x and it will take you there.

The site must have been down when I looked--they're all back up for me

Thanks!

Django · **Posted:** Wed Jan 21, 2009 5:42 pm

Do you guys think that this F-7 Nosie Rosie is some kind of assembly ship, (over on B24bestweb) or is it just elaborate decoration?

Scott Rose · **Posted:** Sat Apr 09, 2022 7:03 pm

Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress/41-9100 of the 379th Bomb Group, 525th Bomb Squadron (FR*U), 1944.

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