Aero Vintage Books

In November, I made an armaments inquiry to the National Air & Space Museum (NASM), and have just received a reply; as the inquiry was for the Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina, the Navy BuOrd microfilm collection was searched. It turned out that the BuOrd had drawings from many sources, and copies turned...

Does anyone here know anything in particular about the Consolidated PBY-5 aircraft shown briefly in the filming for Destination Tokyo (1943 production, released 1944)? I tried an inquiry via a Naval Air Museum located (IIRC) in Florida, but they could only suggest inquiry through the current Souther...

According the the fact sheet at NMUSAF, there were only 18 B-17D aircraft actually made on the Army's order for 42; the balance are reported to have been built as B-17C aircraft and sent to England under "Lend-Lease." According to what I've read, there were 21 B-17 aircraft in the first mass flight ...

I have collected a few pertinent related images. First, the gunnery-manual page for the E-12 adapter, used on B-17B, C & D aircraft after the upgrade from the E-4, also I believe used on the B-24 side-guns: http://www.scale-models.co.uk/gallery/data/720/E12-E10-E8-Edgewater.jpg The E-8 flexible adap...

Now that is an exciting group of photographs! I wish I could be around that route ... if only I were young again! I wonder if my friends in Texas are anywere in the vicinity (rehetorical question).

Thanks for posting all those photos,

Regards, John M.

I have just been working on a drawing for the E-10 Ring-Spring adapter cartridge, used on B-17 and other aircraft armaments. This is the working part, the recoil adapter, with dimensions as taken from Handbook of Instructions With Parts Catalog, Type E-12 Gun Mount Adapter, T.O. No. 11-10-12, revise...

Thanks Scott! Here we go! http://www.scale-models.co.uk/gallery/data/582/DSCF2270.JPG AOK! Here is a 47% scale-model of the E-8 mounted M-2 .50 cal BAM gun as used on the B-17E & F aircraft. The stand is not, of course, representative. The barrel-jacket is 7/8" aluminum-tubing, muzzle/bushing hand-t...

I tried to post model photos, but the BBC code is apparently not working, and there are no editing tools appearing in this particular new forum! I made a first post (to be moderated) in the Warbirds forum, did not have missing editing controls. There is only a "quick post" window here in this forum,...

Hello, I'm a newcomer here, but got interested in early B-17 armaments by a strange route - two Hollywood movies, Destination Tokyo (uses replica E-8 mounted M-2's & Boeing B-17 side-gun ammo boxes in a submarine movie!) and Air Force , both by Warners. I've been corresponding with NASM archives for...