Happy 75th Birthday

[aerovin2]

My two cents...

It will be restored with the bathtub, or at least Aero Trader built a bathtub for it.

Trying to replicate it as a combat veteran, either as Ole Betsy or The Swoose will be difficult because its condition at that point in its utilization was pretty poor. However, the Memphis Belle restoration is facing much the same problem...how do you restore a B-17 to how it actually looked after flying 25 missions. So, I would expect a concession to the reality of the situation and complete it as a B-17D either just ending its use as a bomber or as it was just starting its role as a transport. The configuration for each is pretty much the same. It wasn't actually modified (guns stripped, new interior) until later in its career.

[Second Air Force]

That's certainly true--there's no way the Museum would give The Swoose an accurate, oil-stained, run-down, chipped up paint scheme identical to the way she looked when Brett "rescued" her, nor would it be easy to do. Same thing with the Belle, but it would be neat if she had the missing paint on the cheek window frames like she had toward the end of her combat tour.

As I mentioned earlier, I'll be happy to see 40-3097 reassembled and on display, regardless of paint scheme and configuration.

Scott

[pokryshkin]

What is that line from W.E.B. Griffin? "Thw true test of a man's intelligence is how much he agrees with you"?
If so, you two are GENIUSES!!! (Or else I'm a lot smarter than I thought....)
This would be the easiest and best configuration to convert to, as both paint schemes are almost identical; the only difference would be the "swoose" cartoon on the right side behind the crew entry door; "21" on the fin in black over the camouflage paint job serves for both configurations; I totally agree, this is the highest andbest restoration choice for 3097.

Humbly,
Dan Katz
pokryshkin