USAF Museum Visit Pics

[ebramhall]

Some photos taken on Friday at USAF Museum along with some from my 1st behind the scenes tour. The Swoose and Belle were incredible. I have more from the restoration shop is any one interested. A sidenote. as I was processing these photos today, 64 years ago the 2nd atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki.

B-26 Nose


P-26 Peashooter


Bockscar




Swoose


Swoose Serial


Memphis Belle




Engines

[steve dickey]

More please, museum also

[retroaviation]

Thanks for posting those pictures.

And I'm not slamming anyone, but I'm curious why the B-26 nose has the socket for a machine gun, but no gun installed. Also, the socket has been painted over, rather than leaving it it's natural metal finish. IF there were a gun in there originally, there wouldn't be any paint on the ball part of that socket. Make sense?

Gary

[ebramhall]

A few more. The newly restored Beaufighter looked great. The restoration shop has a fortune tied up in mattresses.









Belle ball-turret


Belle nacelles/spar


Rear of Belle fuselage


Swoose nacelles


Back of XC-99 wing spar and landing gear.

[steve dickey]

Thanks for posting those pictures.

And I'm not slamming anyone, but I'm curious why the B-26 nose has the socket for a machine gun, but no gun installed. Also, the socket has been painted over, rather than leaving it it's natural metal finish. IF there were a gun in there originally, there wouldn't be any paint on the ball part of that socket. Make sense?

Gary

It wuz there in Sept. 07 (note the "spent" shells @ the bottom)and also note the "lack" of paint on the gun socket
Also wuz wondering if they have put ailerons & elevators on the Beau yet

[retroaviation]

Thanks Steve. That's cool how they used to have the B-26 nose displayed. The spent shell casings are a great touch.

ebramhall, thanks again for posting all of those pictures. Those are pretty good shots, especially since I always hear how difficult it is to get good pictures in there.

Gary

[steve dickey]

Kinda make's ya wonder if the "re-paint" of the nose is accurate , from the pic in 07 the bottom gray extends up to the gun where as the "newer" pic has it all painted no gray , anyone, anyone

[ebramhall]

Thanks Gary! For every good photo, there was a couple of slightly blurry ones.

Steve: The Beaufighter was still missing the ailerons & elevators. They must have repainted the nose ribbing and have yet to place the gun.

[JDK]

Thanks Gary! For every good photo, there was a couple of slightly blurry ones.

That's no matter, the good ones are great, and thanks for sharing. Reckon the tail of Bockscar shot and a couple of the others gets you a nod from the WIX imaginative photography award team...

[mustangdriver]

A more accurate and complete gun is being readied for the nose. It was found that the OD on all of the frame work was correct, so it was corrected on the plane when the new (and correct) nose was made.

[Rajay]

Those are some of the best photos that I have seen from there. Must have been a helluva flash, because usually the tall dark ceilings just suck the light right out of the photos.

Thanks again for posting them.

[steve dickey]

Those are some of the best photos that I have seen from there. Must have been a helluva flash, because usually the tall dark ceilings just suck the light right out of the photos.

Thanks again for posting them.

No flash just "using" the camera, manual settings and such or bulb with about a 1-2 second delay, u be amazed how much light dem kameras kan gather in with just a 1 sec. delay shot

[Rajay]

Since I'm in the middle of my multi-engine rating training, the Beaufighter caught my eye. I know that it was common for British engines (and therefore props) to turn counter-clockwise (from the pilot's view) - the opposite direction relative to ours. I wonder what kinda grief or confusion that caused for Yanks in the RAF - suddenly your RIGHT engine is your critical engine and all of the torque is pushing the airplane to the right.

I have also "always" wondered why the props on the P-38 both turned outboard. Wouldn't that make BOTH engines the "critical" engine?



Apparently, that wasn't always the case as with this early model:



Are there any P-38 "experts" out there?

[ebramhall]

Thanks Rajay. Steve is right, I didn't use the flash at all. Believe or not, there is enough light to compose photos.

[Mike Bates]

Problems with airflow over the wing and tail so it was changed.

Mike