Bugsy Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 20 polishers, 50lb of polish & 600+ man-hoursBut what a result, beautiful.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola2 Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 Can't quite recall the model numbers, but is that a B17g? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 Given that it has 12 x defensive guns (I couldn't see the 13th) it is most probably a G model, the addition of the chin turret makes it more certain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just john Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 AAAAAA . . .mazing, Interesting, the removed bomb decals, about 60, still visible after the polish, and what looks like quite a few external patches? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chas Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 A lot of hits if you google "B17 297400". OH's cousin was an airgunner, shot down in a B17G of 214 Sqn in November 1944. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krusty Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 An interesting story about a B17 just arrived in my email.Charlie Brown was a B-17 Flying Fortress pilot with the 379th Bomber Group at Kimbolton, England. His B-17 was called 'Ye Old Pub' and was in a terrible state, having been hit by flak and fighters. The compass was damaged and they were flying deeper over enemy territory instead of heading home to Kimbolton.After flying over an enemy airfield, a German pilot named Franz Steigler was ordered to take off and shoot down the B-17. When he got near the B-17, he could not believe his eyes. In his words, he 'had never seen a plane in such a bad state.' The tail and rear section were severely damaged, and the tail gunner wounded. The top gunner was all over the top of the fuselage. The nose was smashed and there were holes everywhere.Despite having ammunition, Franz flew to the side of the B-17 and looked at Charlie Brown, the pilot. Brown was scared and struggling to control his damaged and blood-stained plane. Aware that they had no idea where they were going, Franz waved at Charlie to turn 180 degrees. Franz escorted and guided the stricken plane to, and slightly over, the North Sea towards England. He then saluted Charlie Brown and turned away, back to Europe.When Franz landed, he told the CO that the plane had been shot down over the sea, and never told the truth to anybody. Charlie Brown and the remains of his crew told all at their briefing, but were ordered never to talk about it.More than 40 years later, Charlie Brown wanted to find the Luftwaffe pilot who saved the crew. After years of research, Franz was found. He had never talked about the incident, not even at post-war reunions. They met in the US at a 379th Bomber Group reunion, together with 25 people who are alive now - all because Franz never fired his guns that day. Research shows that Charlie Brown lived in Seattle and Franz Steigler had moved to Vancouver. After the war when they finally met, they discovered they had lived less than 200 miles apart for the past 50 years!The two pilots died in 2008. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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