Aero Vintage Books

Gentlemen,
I am new to the board and am looking for some help. Forgive me if this info is imbedded somewhere on the forum.

Brief background- My Grandfather, 1LT Erwin Cihak, was an Aviation Cadet on board B-17E 41-2413 piloted by Maj Landon that arrived at Hickam Field on the morning of Dec. 7, 1941. I am finishing up my research on his military career, and have just finished framing all of his decorations from the war.

The finishing touch I want to put on this display is to get a model made of 41-2413 in the correct paint scheme. Can anyone here help me with that correct scheme via photos or links to a place that has the correct paint scheme? Thank you for any help you can provide!
Mark

If you go to page 2 of Steve's thread on the Hawaiian Air Depot camo scheme, you'll se a pic of two B-17Es and one B-17D. If your intent is to replicate the camo and marking schemes of 41-2413 as of Dec. 7th, look at the B-17E at the left. Eliminate the tail stripes and the serial number and you will have the correct schemes. OD upper surfaces, neutral gray undersurfaces. National insignia on the upper surface of the port wing and undersurface of the starboard wing an on both fuselage sides.
U.S. on the underside of the starboard wing and ARMY on the port wing, in Insignia Blue. The tail stripes, serial number, four position wing insignia and multi color upper surfaces were added later.

varsity07840 wrote:If you go to page 2 of Steve's thread on the Hawaiian Air Depot camo scheme, you'll se a pic of two B-17Es and one B-17D. If your intent is to replicate the camo and marking schemes of 41-2413 as of Dec. 7th, look at the B-17E at the left. Eliminate the tail stripes and the serial number and you will have the correct schemes. OD upper surfaces, neutral gray undersurfaces. National insignia on the upper surface of the port wing and undersurface of the starboard wing an on both fuselage sides.
U.S. on the underside of the starboard wing and ARMY on the port wing, in Insignia Blue. The tail stripes, serial number, four position wing insignia and multi color upper surfaces were added later.

Duane,
Perfect, thank you! I found the picture, and I appreciate your description. I went back and forth on what paint scheme to go with, but I think the one you describe is the best choice.
My grandfather flew 38 combat missions in the Pacific before coming home with a wounded knee courtesy of a Zero over Rabaul, but he always identified most with being a Pearl Harbor survivor. For this reason I think the paint scheme of 41-2413 on December 7th is the most appropriate choice.
Thank you very much again, and Happy New Year!
Mark

Mark,

The airplane also should have the remotely-sighted ventral turret in place of the ball turret.

Scott

Second Air Force wrote:Mark,

The airplane also should have the remotely-sighted ventral turret in place of the ball turret.

Scott

Mark,

Scott is correct. It's been a long time since I've built a model but I don't think an early B-17E is available. You may have to scratch build the Sperry turret and sighting blister. A navigator astrodome from another model may work for the blister.
There are also scanning windows in the lower fuselage above the blister. 12434 on page two of the thread shows the turret, blister and windows. There may be some sort of modification kit out there with the proper components to build n early E.

Good luck!!

Duane

There is or was a 1/48th B-17E conversion kit from Paragon . . . detail set #4851 which "includes replacement engine cowlings, propeller blades, lower gun turret and nose glazings allowing for the modeling of an early E aircraft".

http://www.swannysmodels.com/B17Econversion.html

I wish someone could come up with some photos of 41-2413 at any stage of its long career. It was very badly damaged in an accident in Hawaii sometime not long after the Midway battle and would normally have been junked, but Hawaiian Air Depot decided to repair it “between rush jobs”. Its vertical tail section ended up in 41-24403, a brand-new B-17F passing through Hawaii on the way to Australia in August 1942, but it was finally repaired and went to the 11th Bomb Group as a replacement in December.

The last mission I can find for 41-2413 is a weather recon from Espiritu Santo with Lt Thomas Yager on September 12, 1943. Apparently the plane was flown back to Hawaii in 1944 and condemned there in 1945.

Steve Birdsall wrote:There is or was a 1/48th B-17E conversion kit from Paragon . . . detail set #4851 which "includes replacement engine cowlings, propeller blades, lower gun turret and nose glazings allowing for the modeling of an early E aircraft".

http://www.swannysmodels.com/B17Econversion.html

I wish someone could come up with some photos of 41-2413 at any stage of its long career. It was very badly damaged in an accident in Hawaii sometime not long after the Midway battle and would normally have been junked, but Hawaiian Air Depot decided to repair it “between rush jobs”. Its vertical tail section ended up in 41-24403, a brand-new B-17F passing through Hawaii on the way to Australia in August 1942, but it was finally repaired and went to the 11th Bomb Group as a replacement in December.

The last mission I can find for 41-2413 is a weather recon from Espiritu Santo with Lt Thomas Yager on September 12, 1943. Apparently the plane was flown back to Hawaii in 1944 and condemned there in 1945.

Gentlemen,
Wow, thank you very much for the model info, and for the info on 41-2413. I am an aviator by trade and an avid history buff, but for some inexplicable reason have not delved into the specifics of my Grandfather's war experiences until now. I very much look forward to learning about the specifics of the B-17 campaign in the Pacific, which in my mind has received short shrift compared with the much researched and written about European air war.
I very much appreciate your help, and have a Happy New Year!
Mark

Well, if you want a good history of the use of the B-17 in the Pacific I would start with Fortress Against the Sun.

http://www.amazon.com/Fortress-Against- ... st+the+sun

That and some of the stuff that Steve has put together will provide a foundation of information.

aerovin2 wrote:Well, if you want a good history of the use of the B-17 in the Pacific I would start with Fortress Against the Sun.

http://www.amazon.com/Fortress-Against- ... st+the+sun

That and some of the stuff that Steve has put together will provide a foundation of information.

Scott,
Funny you mention Fortress Against the Sun- it just arrived on my doorstep yesterday and I very much look forward to cracking it open this week.
Thanks again!
Mark