Weathered Warbirds ...

[Mark Allen M]

These photos I'd say are about as close as you could get to "daydreaming" about what 70+ years ago could have looked like. IMHO anyway.
Kind of like them that way ...

First three are of course the Collings Foundation B-17 and B-25. Wonderful machines indeed and beautifully photographed by Britt Dietz.







... and B-25H "Barbie III" I believe I heard she's up for sale? ...


Posted by: Gary Chambers
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =1&theater

[Mark Allen M]

Almost can't tell there's a 70+ year difference.



Pacific wrecks:

B-25D-25 "Mitch The Witch" c/n 42-87293

Aircraft History
Built by North American. Delivered to the U. S. Army. Ferried overseas to the Pacific.

Wartime History
Assigned to the 38th Bombardment Group. Later, transferred to the 17th Tactical Recon Group, 71st Tactical Recon Squadron. Nicknamed "Mitch The Witch" and assigned to pilot Captain Bertram"Bert" Sil.

Wartime History
On February 25, 1944, this B-25 piloted by Captain Bert Still shot down a Ki-21 Sally between Kavieng and Rabaul, and recorded the shoot down in a series of photographs that have been highly reproduced.

This B-25 flew 190+ missions in the Pacific. Ultimate fate unknown, likely scrapped at the end of the war.

Bob Pond had his B-25 painted as M the W and on diplay at the Palms Springs Air Museum.

[Neal Nurmi]

Here's one, on PSP no less. This thing turned up at airshows all over California in the summer of 1977. It was apparently one of the "Hanover Street" birds, and moldered for a while in some French museum. I think it's still around, somewhere...

[Neal Nurmi]

Here it is at a very damp Beale AFB.

[67N20]

I believe Barbie III is now owned by Cavanaugh Flight Museum.

[Neal Nurmi]

Special K nearly 30 years ago

Last edited by Neal Nurmi on Wed Jun 01, 2016 9:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Clifford Bossie]

I saw this at Cannon AFB last week, told the crew I thought it looked great. They told me it had been at a convention of gunship veterans and it was mentioned that she might be repainted. They said the veterans told them "Please don't, it looks right!"

Last edited by Clifford Bossie on Thu Jun 02, 2016 5:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[T J Johansen]

Great photos Neal. Cool to see shots of Lee Schaller's B-25 before it went to Europe. I told Lee 20+ years ago that the 25 went straight from California across the pond right after purchase by Visionair and he just looked at me as though I was mad. "That plane wasn't fit to fly around the pattern, let alone the Atlantic" was his comment!

After "Hanover Street" it was flown by John Hawke to Spain for the filming of "Cuba" starring Sean Connery. It hit an obstacle and laid dormant in Malaga for years before being taken on charge by the Air Force Museum in Madrid.

More info in this thread:http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=228518

T J

[leo]

I remember when that B-25 left Nut Tree for what would be the last time. I worked in a 2-story building downtown Vacaville. We heard him coming, then engines faltering, and he flew over just feet over our heads it seemed. we really thought he was going in as he disappeared behind buildings. A few seconds (seemed like minutes) we saw him banking and passing between the hills to the southwest, following the freeway.
Must have been some ride!

[p51]

I got to spend a week with Tallichet's B-17 a couple of months after it came back from England for the "Memphis Belle" filming. It didn't have any of the movie weathering on it by then but the paint was pretty worn and it looked perfect for a well-used wartime bomber:

[Jerry O'Neill]

Double Post (deleted)

Last edited by Jerry O'Neill on Thu Jun 02, 2016 10:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Jerry O'Neill]

44-92121 now at the Spanish Air Force Museum (Museo del Aire, Cuatro Vientos AB, Madrid, Spain). Played "Brenda's Boys" in "Hanover Street". Later painted as and "Miami Clipper" and was damaged while flying during the the filming of "Cuba".

Here it is at a very damp Beale AFB.

[Django]

909 looks great. Tondelayo and Barbie III do as well. I didn't realized Barbie III had gotten so weathered. It was always so fresh looking when it was here in IL.

You could add the Devil Dog PBJ to the list as well. (online photo)