Rosie's Riveters - A picture is worth 1000 words

[DryMartini]

Here is something that Hang can relate to, as he was with me at the time.

We were at Thunder over Michigan back in 2010, when Hang got me to come out
to a hotel to meet some guys. He introduced me to Dave Rosenthal, Robert Rosenthal's son.

"Rosie" as he was known, was a B-17 pilot with the 100th Bomb Group, and his plane was
"Rosie's Riveters"


His time as a pilot was well documented by Edward Jablonski in his book,
Flying Fortress - The Illustrated Biography of the B-17 and the Men Who Flew Them
which is a MUCT HAVE BOOK for ANY TRUE B-17 FAN!
(Along with Final Cut, of course. A true B-17 fan will have ALL FOUR issues)


"Rosie" is 2nd from the right


So, I'm in awe of meeting "Rosie's" son, listening to stories, when Dave tells Hang and me how in
awe he is of *US* - guys with a hobby of rebuilding B-17s, and keeping the history of WWII alive in
this day and age where it seems few really care.

I wish I had met Mr. Rosenthal before he passed away, but meeting his son is something I will
always remember.

[aerovin2]

Cool story. I well remember, back in the day, pouring over the narrative Jabalonski wrote in his book about Mr. Rosenthal and the "Bloody Hundredth."

[Dan Johnson]

I'm with Scott. Lots of dreams of meeting Rosie after reading about him in "Flying Fortress" way back when. I'd love to see the Grissom B17F restored all the way and painted as Rosie's Riveters"

[hang the expense]

Isnt the Grissom bird a G model?

[JohnDell]

Perhaps he meant the B-17F (42-3374) on display at Offutt Air Force Base. If so, that wouldn’t be a bad idea as this B-17F has the correct cheek gun window configuration for "Rosies Riveters".

[hang the expense]

That would be awesome.What would be more awesome is the aircraft having a hangar.The winters are doing that aircraft no damn good.

[Waltchap]

hello everyone
Iam walt chapman and Iam one of the maintainers (sheetmetal) that takes care of 3374 at offutt
in reply to changing the nose art ,i proposed that 2 years ago that maybe we could have alittle contest to change the nose art every 4 yrs. as a tribute to some of the lesser known a/c but it fell on deaf ears as always.
I also agree that she belongs in ahanger .there is noting worse than driving by the every day during the winter and seeing up to 4 ft. of snow in the wing root.

[cptsmith]

Robert Rosenthal completed primary training at the 63rd Flight Training Detachment in Douglas, GA. You guys have walked the same ground as him. His son attended one of the reunions a few years ago.

[hang the expense]

The Rosenthal family is good people. We have been looking for records to show what stearmans Rosenthal would have flown during his time in sunny douglas.

[Dan Johnson]

Perhaps he meant the B-17F (42-3374) on display at Offutt Air Force Base. If so, that wouldn’t be a bad idea as this B-17F has the correct cheek gun window configuration for "Rosies Riveters".

My mistake. That's the bird. Seems a crying shame that one isn't being restored and as mentioned under cover.

[B17EDave]

A Man among men.

[hang the expense]

Awesome pic Dave, thanks for posting that.