Amer Com B-24.

[richard m schwab]

A few shots of the Amer Com B-24D i received from Poland recently.


Rich

[skyking20]

What kind of camo is the supposed to be?

[richard m schwab]

Lance

That is a Formation or Assembly ship. They were used to assemble groups after take off. I borrowed this from Wikipedia.

In February 1944, the 2nd Division authorized the use of "Assembly Ships" (or "Formation Ships") specially fitted to aid assembly of individual group formations. They were equipped with signal lighting, provision for quantity discharge of pyrotechnics, and were painted with distinctive group-specific high-contrast patterns of stripes, checkers, or polka dots to enable easy recognition by their flock of bombers. The aircraft used in the first allocation were B-24Ds retired by the 44th, 93rd and 389th Groups. Arrangements for signal lighting varied from group to group, but generally consisted of white flashing lamps on both sides of the fuselage arranged to form the identification letter of the group. All armament and armor was removed and in some cases the tail turret. In the B-24Hs used for this purpose, the nose turret was removed and replaced by a "carpetbagger" type nose. Following incidents when flare guns were accidentally discharged inside the rear fuselage, some Formation Ships had pyrotechnic guns fixed through the fuselage sides. As these aircraft normally returned to base once a formation had been established, a skeleton crew of two pilots, navigator, radio operator and one or two flare discharge men were carried. In some groups an observer officer flew in the tail position to monitor the formation. These aircraft became known as Judas goats.

Rich

[skyking20]

Thanks Richard. That is really interesting.

[richard m schwab]

Lance

One of my Minicraft B-24`s came with decals for a formation ship. I have the sheet somewhere.


Rich

[BobP]

I have to find the pics of the other formation ships that I have. They were planes could not be used in combat so relegated to a form up ship. And I did get to see this model in person.

[Doug]

Nice paint job Richard :thumbsup:

[richard m schwab]

Alastair

I did not paint that one. It is a die cast model. Metal wings and all else plastic. I received a B-17 from them that is all Metal!

Rich

[richard m schwab]

Bob

I found a few formation planes photos. The first one is colorized? Those ships were at the end of their service life and unarmed. They only flew long enough to form the group and land.


Rich

[Baldrick62]

Rich,
I've been toying with the idea of getting some of these to save radical surgery on some CafeReo B24H/Js. From other pictures I've seen it appeared that the interior of the model is also yellow; could you please confirm/deny?
BofB

[csadn]

The first one is colorized?

Nope -- the first one is actual color-photography from the period. Also: As best I can tell, the model depicted in the first post was named "You Cawn't [sic] Miss It".

[richard m schwab]

Chris

I saw both a BW and that photo same exact shot? There is no name on the model or packaging, so take your word on that.



Rich

[BobP]

Somewhere I have that first B-24 picture. I saw where they use older P-47's for air/sea rescue ops. Have to find those photos so you can paint one of them up like that.

[csadn]

I saw both a BW and that photo same exact shot?

It's possible -- there's a lot of color photos which were only ever printed in B&W.

Also p. 42 of _American Warplanes of WW2_ has a full-color pic of that same airplane, this one in-flight; it's possible they came from the same roll of film, which would suggest the color pic is the original.

[richard m schwab]

Chris

I was looking at a wartime B&W photo in a French publication on Norway 1940. The shot was a British 40mm AA gun covering the evacuation. The image was so clear you could see every variation in the uniform and equipment colors. Color was not required!

Rich

[kaufschtick]

Nice formation builder.

*sigh*

I still have 3 B-24G (? the one with the turret in the nose), and 3 B-24Ds sitting on my shelf waiting for their turn at the modelling table. Along with about another 40-50 kits/planes. Never enough time...

Nice formation ship though.

[richard m schwab]

Rob

The price of that was nearly that of a kit. I have reduced my build pile this month slightly. Those are the Minicraft D`s you are talking about? The new decal options help that kit. If you are a exacting modeler they will drive you crazy.:eek: That clear nose is not an exact fit. The large decals covers some of that up. Not so great on the other side.


Rich

[kaufschtick]

Rob

The price of that was nearly that of a kit. I have reduced my build pile this month slightly. Those are the Minicraft D`s you are talking about? The new decal options help that kit. If you are a exacting modeler they will drive you crazy.:eek: That clear nose is not an exact fit. The large decals covers some of that up. Not so great on the other side.


Rich

That is a super pic, Rich! You do super work! When I see your planes, it makes me want to get on the ball and get going on my "overdue to build" list! I love your planes and your work, a big fan here! :thumbsup:

That B-24 scheme is the same one in the United States Air force Museum, one that I have a zillion pics of, and have been a fan of ever since I was a kid! I have three waiting on me to get built; I can only hope to have mine come out half as good as yours here...:clap:

[richard m schwab]

Rob

Do you have any photos or the original nose art versus the current version? This would be from the sixties and at the original museum location.


Rich

[kaufschtick]

Rob

Do you have any photos or the original nose art versus the current version? This would be from the sixties and at the original museum location.


Rich

I can only "just" remember going to the AFM, when it was at it's original site. My grandmother on my Moms side worked at Wright-Patt as a secretary for a colonel there, and she used to invite my parents to come visit her there; at which time I got to go off with the colonel to see jets. I can remeber going to see jets land from a control tower; deploying parachutes behind them as they did.

My folks might have pics of the original nose art, I'll have to ask them about it.

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t163/kaufschtick/Message%20Board%20Pics/050809-F-1234P-002_zps18443cb8.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/kaufschtick/media/Message%20Board%20Pics/050809-F-1234P-002_zps18443cb8.jpg.html)

Funny, now days I can go to the AFM (as I still call it), and see two of the F-4 Phantoms from the base I was at in Desert Storm. Of course, they weren't painted with the little "Shark Mouths" as they are on display with now. ;)

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t163/kaufschtick/Message%20Board%20Pics/070306-F-1234S-018_zps2397d9b4.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/kaufschtick/media/Message%20Board%20Pics/070306-F-1234S-018_zps2397d9b4.jpg.html)

For all I know, this jet is the same one as above?

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t163/kaufschtick/Desert%20Storm/Scan65.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/kaufschtick/media/Desert%20Storm/Scan65.jpg.html)

This scheme is how they all were flown as. Again, for all I know, these could be the same a/c.

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t163/kaufschtick/Message%20Board%20Pics/070827-F-1234P-007_zps6c3bf127.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/kaufschtick/media/Message%20Board%20Pics/070827-F-1234P-007_zps6c3bf127.jpg.html)

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t163/kaufschtick/Desert%20Storm/Scan33-1.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/kaufschtick/media/Desert%20Storm/Scan33-1.jpg.html)