discussion B-17 with exotic cammo

[Guest]

I share with you some photos of a Boeing B-17 bomber with an exotic and unusual camouflage. Does anyone know if this plane entered service and what the function of this painting? I count on your visit.


http://aviacaoemfloripa.blogspot.com.br/2011/01/boeing-b-17-flying-fortress-spotted-cow.html


Best Regards,


Stephan

 

[Guest]

Yes they did operate. I am pretty sure they used liberators before they used B-17s, saw colour profiles of same camo pattern on liberators.


I am hypothesizing here, but they could had operated in Operation MANA many planes had their guns taken out for that, the only guns I see is the top turret. The bomb aimers postition has had it's browning taken out and so has the rear turret and bottom.


It also is missing it's chin turret, (but only later models had that)

 

[rickoshea52]

I think they were used as formation leaders/marshallers. When a raid took off the aircraft had to be arranged into formation before setting out to their target and these aircraft were the ones that the bombers would form around.

 

[Guest]

That's correct when you have 800 aircraft that have to be in a certain place at a certain time you need aircraft that can easily be seen when the group are formatted these aircraft would turn for home hence not many guns neaded

 

[eddiesolo]

They are formation-assembly aircraft. As Demon points out, very lightly armed, no tail gunners.

 

[tr1ckey66]

I believe it won the 'King of the Mountains' jersey in the Tour de France in 1944





P

 

[stona]

'Assembly ships' as has been noted. They were typically unarmed and with a minimal crew. They did not fly the missions and were usually older aircraft adapted for the task. They were known with typical dark humour as 'Judas Goats' after the trained goats used in stockyards to lead animals to various pens, wagons.....or to slaughter.


The aircraft in that link was used by the 384th Bomb Group and had previously flown 61 combat missions as 'Patches II'.


The polka dots on 'Spotted Cow' are generally accepted to have been blue. Nigel Julian did a superb model of this very aircraft and his dots were an insignia blue IIRC.


Cheers


Steve


Edit: I did remember correctly and here's a picture of Nigel's excellent model.


View attachment 117653


View attachment 230676