Aero Vintage Books

Hello,
Can anyone confirm if the Boeing B-17E Fortress 41-2489 Suzy Q had the name on both sides of the nose, also was her tail painted with red and white stripes?
Any other information on color camouflage and which bases she flew out of would be most appreciated.
Was sh painted in a Hawaiian Depot scheme? over sprayed? The roundels red center or no red dot.?

Thanks,
Tim

I can't say for sure if the name was painted on both sides but I'm guessing no since all the pics I've seen were taken from the right side. 41-2489 did not have tail stripes. The only aircraft that had them were those that had previously been based in Hawaii. 41-2489 did not take the Hawaii ferry route. Other than B-17s, the only other aircraft with tail stripes that ventured beyond Hawaii were B-26s from the 22nd Bomb Group. They were held temporarily in Hawaii en route to Australia. 41-2489 had the standard OD finish and insignia with red centers that were eventually painted over, which was typical for all theater aircraft. Tails stripes on B-17s and B-26s were also over painted. 41-2489 also had the Sperry remote ventral turret removed which was also typical for early B-17Es in theater.

Thanks.

To my knowledge the only name that 41-2489 carried while in service in Australia and New Guinea was this:



The more elaborate "Suzy-Q" stuff was added later.

Steve

SUSIUE !!

Now that photo is interesting - changes the meaning of this aircraft's name, she is not Suzy Q but "She's {a} Cutie"

Steve,
Any guess on the color of the name?
Tim

Steve,
Any idea when these markings were added? I notice the top turret was removed.
Tim

No, no idea of the color, or exactly when the name SUSIQUE was applied. Looks quite "fresh" though, and the photo was taken at Mareeba, so it's some time after July 1942. And I don't know just when or where the 93rd Squadron insignia and new name were added, but it seems to me that it might have been in Hawaii on the way home.

Stateside

Steve,

What serial # do you reckon the below is? Surely not the same bird. Link refers to this aircraft as part of the Brereton Detachment.

http://www.armyaircorps-376bg.com/photo ... ey_82.html

As far as I know nobody has ever come up with a serial number for that plane. Looking at old notes, I suspect it could 41-9016, 41-9027 or 41-9028 but I wasn't able to get closer than that.

It carried the tail number 6 and I think it was scrapped after a crash-landing in Algeria. Dana Bell has a nice photo of it in the second volume of his Air Force Colors series.

Steve

Can not be 41-9016 as she was a F-9 (assigned to 1st AF / 68th RG / 16th PMS) and I do not see any camera mods.

41-9027 (c/n: 2497). Accepted: Boeing Aircraft Co, Seattle, Washington
Delivered: 16 March 1942 - 12th AF / HQ Sdn - (MacDill AAF)
Assigned: 30 March 1942 - ATC / Caribbean Wing / 15th Ferry Group - (Morrison AAF)
Assigned: 10th AF / 7th BG / 9th BS - (Karachi Field, Dum-Dum Field)
Assigned: 28 June 1942 - USAMEAF / 1st Provisional Group / 9th BS (Halpro Detachment) - (RAF Palestine)
Assigned: 12th AF / XII Service Command - (Tangier Field, Tafaraoui Field)
Crashed (class 5): Friday, 8 October 1943 - Tafaraoui Field, Algeria - SOC.

41-9028 (c/n: 2498). Accepted: Boeing Aircraft Co, Seattle, Washington
Delivered: 17 March 1942 - 1AF / 7th BG / 9th BS - (MacDill AAF)
Assigned: 30 March 1942 - ATC / Caribbean Wing / 15th Ferry Group - (Morrison AAF)
Assigned: April 1942 - 10th AF / 7th BG / 9th BS - (Karachi Field, Dum-Dum Field)
Assigned: 28 June 1942 - USAMEAF / 1st Provisional Group / 9th BS (Halpro Detachment) - (RAF Palestine)
Assigned: 12th AF / XII Service Command - (Tangier Field, Tafaraoui Field)
Stricken: Wednesday, 31 June 1943 - SOC.

Here is naotehr picture of Suzy Q.

Thanks Dave -

41-9027 seems a pretty good fit.

Tim Rathbone NO it (Memphis Belle) was not the 1st to complete 25 missions B 24 D Hot Stuff was Hell's Angels and one other aircraft completed 25 long before the Memphis Belle. Tell the truth!
Like · Reply · March 22 at 6:51pm

National Museum of the U.S. Air Force The famed B-17F Memphis Belle and its crew became iconic symbols of the heavy bomber crews and support personnel who helped defeat Nazi Germany. The Memphis Belle was the first US Army Air Forces heavy bomber to return to the US after completing 25 combat missions over Europe. The USAAF chose the Memphis Belle for a highly-publicized war bond tour from June-August 1943, and its crew was celebrated as national heroes. The aircraft and crew were also the subject of two widely-seen Hollywood movies (one in 1944 and another in 1990).

Did you know this Steve?
The B-17E Suzy-Q was the first USAAF heavy bomber to complete 25 missions and return to the US--it flew in combat in the Pacific Theater from February-October 1942.

The B-24D Hot Stuff was the first Eighth Air Force heavy bomber to complete 25 combat missions, with about half of these taking place in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. Hot Stuff was destroyed in a crash in Iceland in May 1943 during its return flight to the US.

The B-17F was the first USAAF heavy bomber to complete 25 combat missions over Europe. After flying a total of 48 combat missions, Hell's Angels returned to the US in February 1944 and went on a war bond tour.