CAF and Collings Foundations to reapint their planes?

Second Air Force · **Posted:** Tue Feb 03, 2009 2:10 pm

Django,

I don't believe there is any artwork on the left side of the airplane. For some reason Bartigan preferred the right hand side according to what I've seen, though "Cocktail Hour" has it on the left. I just did a little research on his work and found out that the "Mabel" on "Mabel's Labels" was actually his wife. How cool is that?!

Scott

hang the expense · **Posted:** Tue Feb 03, 2009 4:03 pm

Ken wrote:

I was going through my files and here's the Collings B-24 when I saw her unexpectedly at KLEX in August, 2001.

By far the coolest and most outrageous nose art for a warbird.I wish the lib was still adorned with this art.Political correctness be damned

Ztex · **Posted:** Tue Feb 03, 2009 4:10 pm

Port side...

465th!!! Oh Yeah!

airnutz · **Posted:** Tue Feb 03, 2009 4:16 pm

hang the expense wrote:

By far the coolest and most outrageous nose art for a warbird.I wish the lib was still adorned with this art.Political correctness be damned

I still have an issue of Flypast(?) purchased in Saudi with her on the cover. Of course the "Tail" is censored
with black felt marker.

RickH · **Posted:** Tue Feb 03, 2009 5:24 pm

Here's a before and after.

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Tue Feb 03, 2009 5:37 pm

For an F-4, it looks to clean!!!!!! Another note, has CF ever thought of stacking on some ordinance for a photo op???? I love the look of eric's spad all loaded with rockets.

RickH · **Posted:** Tue Feb 03, 2009 7:06 pm

We usually have the outboard tanks on. We also usually have the travel pods mounted on the pylons. Since we are getting ready to do an FCF she's clean.

Having said that, we've been trying to get hold of captive/dummy AIM 9s for the rails. Some would like the AIM 7s for the belly, but coming from someone who has bled heavily on the ramp, we don't need anything else sharp hanging down !

RSpivey · **Posted:** Tue Feb 03, 2009 8:49 pm

Another one just added to the CF Website.

Ryan Keough · **Posted:** Tue Feb 03, 2009 9:23 pm

RSpivey wrote:

Another one just added to the CF Website.

Looks like they caught the three wire at the Tijuana Airport. :lol:

I'm guessing engine runs?

JimH · **Posted:** Tue Feb 03, 2009 9:24 pm

The paint schemes is, are, on average changed every five years on the 24. Witchcraft may be on awhile as the B-17 is in need of a refresh. It is not our choice. Painting the B-24 and or the B-17 is around $30,000 (on the low end)...sooo that said if anyone wants to pony up the funds I am sure the Foundation would entertain a fast change. We have tried to represent the various theaters with well known B-24s.

jim

RickH · **Posted:** Tue Feb 03, 2009 9:42 pm

Yep engine runs on the replacement #2, as well as exercising all systems.

Notice that shiny tailhook !

The paint scheme while it retains the overall SE Asia scheme has been changed to duplicate the aircraft flown by Robin Olds the day of Operation Bolo. The original aircraft 63-7680 got an additional kill before being shot down with the loss of the pilot on a later mission. The original currently resides at the bottom of the South China Sea.

Robin was asked, shortly before he passed away that we were considering doing one of his aircraft. He was pleased and said that he wanted us to do 680, since 829 resides in the NMUSAF.

All research, prep, and painting, was done in house by Houston volunteers.

RSpivey · **Posted:** Tue Feb 03, 2009 10:07 pm

Two more added at the request of RickH. Here she is in all her glory.

A close-up of that shiny tailhook

A left side view

John Dupre · **Posted:** Tue Feb 03, 2009 10:45 pm

JimH wrote:

The paint schemes is, are, on average changed every five years on the 24. Witchcraft may be on awhile as the B-17 is in need of a refresh. It is not our choice. Painting the B-24 and or the B-17 is around $30,000 (on the low end)...sooo that said if anyone wants to pony up the funds I am sure the Foundation would entertain a fast change. We have tried to represent the various theaters with well known B-24s.

jim

If an organization such as a reunion group donates the money doesn't their scheme get picked, at least the basic unit insignia and codes?

JimH · **Posted:** Tue Feb 03, 2009 11:15 pm

Quote:

If an organization such as a reunion group donates the money doesn't their scheme get picked, at least the basic unit insignia and codes?

thats a big IF...and that hasn't happened in a long time. Witchcraft was chosen because it was the best known B-24 in the ETO. In fact another B-24 was painted as "Witchcraft II" and placed under the Eiffel during the VE celebrations in Paris. Like I mentioned if a Bomb Group or individual was willing to donate the funding for a new paint scheme it would be seriously entertained by the Foundation. It is not a small task.

jim

Steve Birdsall · **Posted:** Tue Feb 03, 2009 11:27 pm

Second Air Force wrote:

Django,

I don't believe there is any artwork on the left side of the airplane. For some reason Bartigan preferred the right hand side according to what I've seen, though "Cocktail Hour" has it on the left. I just did a little research on his work and found out that the "Mabel" on "Mabel's Labels" was actually his wife. How cool is that?!

Scott

I agree, there's no reason to believe there was art on the "other" side of any of these aircraft.

I identified this artist as "Bartigan" in one of my books, and his name certainly appears that way in some AAF records, but his name was actually Bartigian - Sarkis E. Bartigian.

I think 44-40428 Cocktail Hour is my favourite, (although It Ain't So Funny is a masterpiece). The photo was taken by Jasper D. Skinner of the 90th Bomb Group.

As far as I know, 44-40429 Michigan was the only other B-24 with his artwork on the left side of the nose. Bartigian died in 1955, but let's do our best to insure that his name lives on.

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CAF and Collings Foundations to reapint their planes?

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