Warbird Information Exchange

I have to ask another question about the B-26.

My understanding is that it is a B-26 Serial # 40-1501. The restoration page has B-26A as the heading for the Aircraft and then on the Pima Aircraft spreadsheet is referred to as a B-26B # 41-31856.

I’m confused. Is this confusion created because it’s a “parts” bird? I’d like to be able to most properly name my pictures I have of this aircraft during its time in NYS.

Thanks

_________________
www.tailhookstudio.com

The confusion is from the multiple parts donor aircraft. The 41-31856 serial is from the dataplate in the nose section. The 40-1501 number is the ID of the plane from which the wings were taken. This is also the ID the plane will carry when it is finished. The reference to a B-26A is a mistake by the person who put the web site together.

James

Are these the nose and tail sections in question (from my '83 Chino photos)?



Note the hinomarus on the tail - movie markings?

_________________

All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

The Tail is for sure the one we got. It was used in a movie during the war as a stand in for a Betty. It even had a line of fake bullet holes in it that had later been patched over. I can't tell for sure about the nose, but the general condition looks right. It got a coat of green paint in New York, so I don't know if there were numbers on the nose before or not.

James

856 is a B Model. It was due to be scrapped at Chino when Charles Patterson retrieved it's nose and the Nose of a C model and took them back to his property at Pacific Palisades. There are pics of both noses in the book I will look them up later to see if it's the same nose in that pic. (I don't think it is). After his death, in 1984 Tallichet picked up both noses and then stored them at Chino. So if your photo is 83 it must be the movie nose that Tallichet also had, because he didn't get the other noses till 84 according to Martha Patterson's book. The C model nose is only 4 SN's away from the CAF Marauder that crashed.

John

There is still one more Marauder out there, 1426 on the island of Kiriwina in New Guinea. The nose is missing but the rest of the airframe is still there, missing some sheet metal thanks to the locals.

John

Here is a link to most of my shots of it while it was in NY.

http://community.webshots.com/album/170499503CRnhCR/0

_________________
www.tailhookstudio.com

Yes, and the remains of one buried in the mud in Salamaua (?) in PNG. The tail and rear fuselage appeared inact--but I think the fuselage was burned.

I think there's a few more wrecks.

Maybe these are the other two B-26 noses behind the P-40?



I know the pictures were taken in '83 because the last negs on the disc were of my '62 Imperial before it was wrecked that November 19th .

_________________

All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

Current status of the noses?

It was interesting to see the second Fi 103 from the The National Aeronautical Collection in Canada has been sold.

I'm no expert in the paint scheme of the Fi 103 but I've never seen that paint scheme on any V1 either preserved or on wartime photo. THe reference document in the photo on their website seem to be a painting... I wouldn't use that as a reference document.

Comments!?
/Mike

While it is true that the V-1s did generally leave the factory in the dark green over light blue scheme some do seem to have had another lighter color oversprayed on the upper surfaces in the field to create a blotchy camouflage scheme. I would not have let them use the three-view in that book without having seen period photos to document it. I don't have the source here at home, but if anyone really wants to have the citation send me an email at jstemm@pimaair.org and I'll send it to you. That having been said, I will admit the painter took a little artistic license with his interpretation. Frankly he did too tidy a job of the oversprayed light green.

James