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This is the place where the majority of the warbird (aircraft that have survived military service) discussions will take place. Specialized forums may be added in the new future
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Wed Oct 21, 2009 9:47 am

Without pics for details, which seem to be sketchy, it would be a LOT of conjecture. Twin .50's in the waist, extras in the nose, one bolted on somewhere up on the cockpit for the pilot to fire.....about the only thing we know for sure is the serial #! Probably a very faded OD green (with camo blotches) and grey belly. Early star with meatball painted over.Hmmmmm, have to think about that one, the only pics I've seen are paintings of it and the Dogfights episode.

Thu Oct 22, 2009 1:06 am

I'm thinking the fixed forward gun would have been mounted low as on Honikuu Okole to take advantage of the beefier structure of the bombardier flooring. There isn't a lot of material up high to actually hang a machine gun from that would take the punishment of firing the thing.

Good research TriangleP!

S

Thu Oct 22, 2009 2:59 am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Im086TCu3I

Toward the end of the History Channel movie, around the 7:51 mark, they are showing pictures of a heavily damaged early B-17. I am not sure if it is 666 or not, but it has the nose plexiglas shot out with what appears to be fixed twin .50's poking through there. I don't know enough about the more obscure B-17 armament configurations to know if that was OEM. What do you guys think? Is that newsreel of 666 upon landing??

Thu Oct 22, 2009 9:54 am

Edward Sheetmetalhands wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Im086TCu3I

Toward the end of the History Channel movie, around the 7:51 mark, they are showing pictures of a heavily damaged early B-17. I am not sure if it is 666 or not, but it has the nose plexiglas shot out with what appears to be fixed twin .50's poking through there. I don't know enough about the more obscure B-17 armament configurations to know if that was OEM. What do you guys think? Is that newsreel of 666 upon landing??



My guess is that is not 666.

Check out the following from the Memphis Belle documentary at about the 33:24 mark. Slightly different angle from the camera, but even the broken remnants of plexiglass appear identical to what you posted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sn0lHROvqGM

What might be the same B-17 (with nose intact) may be seen at about the 2:31 mark of the Memphis Belle link.

412666

Thu Oct 22, 2009 5:39 pm

Edward Sheetmetalhands wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Im086TCu3I

Toward the end of the History Channel movie, around the 7:51 mark, they are showing pictures of a heavily damaged early B-17. I am not sure if it is 666 or not, but it has the nose plexiglas shot out with what appears to be fixed twin .50's poking through there. I don't know enough about the more obscure B-17 armament configurations to know if that was OEM. What do you guys think? Is that newsreel of 666 upon landing??


That's a sliced in newsreel clip from the ETO. It's a B-17F.

Duane

Re: Looking for a picture of B-17E 41-2666

Wed Aug 17, 2011 5:02 pm

Bump - still looking for a photo of this B-17. :wink:

Re: Looking for a picture of B-17E 41-2666

Thu Feb 07, 2013 2:44 am

Periodic bump. :D

Re: Looking for a picture of B-17E 41-2666

Thu Feb 07, 2013 11:39 am

cleaned up.
Last edited by Mark Allen M on Sun Jan 05, 2020 9:33 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Re: Looking for a picture of B-17E 41-2666

Thu Feb 07, 2013 3:09 pm

Boeing B-17D "The Swoose" at Hammer Fld 1942 (a rare one)


That's one I've never seen before; is that artwork on the wheelcover or just missing paint?

Re: Looking for a picture of B-17E 41-2666

Thu Feb 07, 2013 4:28 pm

Chris Brame wrote:
Boeing B-17D "The Swoose" at Hammer Fld 1942 (a rare one)

That's one I've never seen before; is that artwork on the wheelcover or just missing paint?

I'm pretty sure it just lost some paint. I was enjoying that picture as well. I was sitting here scrolling through the pictures, when I saw that picture and the voice in my head immediately yelled "SWOOSE!".

I have to say, I like Mark's reaction to a topic: "Huh? Somebody said picture? Here, have about 20 to 30 pictures of that airplane type, free of charge!" :lol:
(Just kidding you Mark, please don't stop.)

Re: Looking for a picture of B-17E 41-2666

Thu Feb 07, 2013 4:41 pm

Good stuff, Mark - thanks! :D Actually haven't seen a few of those.

Here's one everyone's probably seen from National Geographic 1942/43 - I forget which issue:

Image

Re: Looking for a picture of B-17E 41-2666

Thu Feb 07, 2013 7:59 pm

Cleaned up.
Last edited by Mark Allen M on Sun Jan 05, 2020 9:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Re: Looking for a picture of B-17E 41-2666

Thu Feb 07, 2013 11:57 pm

You know I would have thought after the mission they would have taken a few pictures... lol...

If your trying to see what the plane would have looked like, I can get some of my friends to make a digital model of a 17 with the required guns...

Re: Looking for a picture of B-17E 41-2666

Fri Feb 08, 2013 1:43 am

Wildchild wrote:You know I would have thought after the mission they would have taken a few pictures... lol...

If your trying to see what the plane would have looked like, I can get some of my friends to make a digital model of a 17 with the required guns...

That's what I have thought since I started this quest - surely someone took some photos after that mission?! I guess they had other things on their minds at the time besides taking photos ...

I've got a pretty good idea what she looked like in my mind; thanks for the offer :D. I think the Dogfights video represents what Old '666 looked like fairly accurately, although I'm not thoroughly convinced that is where the pilot-fired .50 was mounted:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Im086TCu3I

Re: Looking for a picture of B-17E 41-2666

Fri Feb 08, 2013 1:07 pm

Friends,

Although it looks like Australia this is actually Ephrata, Wash and for decades has been mislabel as such. The tail numbers say they never left the U.S. and are from the 307th BG (H) the famous “Long Rangers” before they re-equipped with B-24s and move out to the Pacific. 307th BG was the first unit to occupy Ephrata and the base was very primitive at time and the photo set that this is a part of shows them operating on dirt, Model 1919 issue helmets with leggings and they all look like they just came out of the Philippines.

Image

Image

The “Swoose”, 41-9130 and an unknown B-17 labeled at Hammer Field by San Diego Air & Space Museum in their great Mark Aldrich Photo Set is also mislabeled. Most of the WWII photos are taken at the far western end of Los Angeles Airport, which then was usually referred to by its pervious name Mines Field and is now LAX.

Image

Here is the west side of the same camouflage hanger used by AAF with this impressed Boeing 247 in the foreground.

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Best regards to you all

Tom
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