[aeroeng]

I think it'd be cool to see Tom Landry's (NFL) B-17.

[STARMAN 352ND]

Originally Posted by aeroeng

I think it'd be cool to see Tom Landry's (NFL) B-17.

What did his bomber look like ??
Do you know the name of it ?
I know he served as a co-pilot on the B-17 for 30 missions with the 860th BS.
JP

[Shawn 507]

OK I'm still thinking Aircraft here. Hollywood war records are know, but no aircraft are made representing those actors who flew during the war. And FWIW. Despite what we think, John Wayne wasn't the Hollywood big wig that could walk away from it all without ruining his carrer. He wasn't A-List like Stewart, or Gable, Republic Pictures would've taken him to the cleaners since he really only was a B-rate actor.
But after watching SAC last night, I was thinking a WW2 bomber of Stewart's would be nice. I'd hold that in greater awe than say Memphis Belle.
- Shawn

[aeroeng]

Originally Posted by STARMAN 352ND

What did his bomber look like ??
Do you know the name of it ?
I know he served as a co-pilot on the B-17 for 30 missions with the 860th BS.
JP

I've looked many times for a photo of it and never found one. I've never heard what it was named either. I'm going to give it another try tomorrow and see if I can find anything. I might try the WWII forum if I come up empty again.

[1250ships]

I'd certainly buy a Jimmy Stewart B-24. But I've never seen a photo of any of his planes. He avoided publicity about his military service so perhaps that is not so surprising.

[Hornchurch]

Originally Posted by 1250ships

I'd certainly buy a Jimmy Stewart B-24. But I've never seen a photo of any of his planes. He avoided publicity about his military service so perhaps that is not so surprising.

Good to see several guys on the forum feel the same way I do about James Stewart & 'his' Consolidated B.24 Liberator !!!!!!!!

When I was a kid, (& used to watch loads of his movies, & knew of his association in East Anglia with the B.24, in combat), I used to dream & wish idealogically (!) that I could literally bump into him, at one of his two 'old-wartime' bases !!!!!!!

Tibenham (& his next posting,) Old Buckenham.


As most English a/c enthusiasts were familiar with the (1/72nd) 'Airfix' B.24, it used to come with 392nd Bomb Group Markings, when on sale during the late Sixties, & early '70's.

That changed around 1974 onwards (till recently), as, if you bought the B.24 kit, it now came with two options.......

A 'Pacific' based 'Sharkmouth' option....... (that MIGHT appeal to kids....)
OR.......
A 445th Bomb Group option, JUST LIKE (ALL) the B.24's that operated from Tibenham WHILST the Great-
Man-Himself was based there, & flying combat missions over Germany, in 'HIS' Olive-Drab B.24 ..... (there were no N.M.F. (Silver) 'birds' operational there in December '43, when the unit started flying combat).


ALL the Olive Drab B.24's at Tibenham, started wearing the B.G.'s 'Identifying-Mark' within the 2nd Air-Division reg's........the "Circle-F" marking..... which was a White Circle
(common to ALL 2nd A.Div.groups), with the B.G.'s identifiying letter 'F' in Black, (or ultra dark blue), painted within the (White) Circle.......... which assisted Group Identity, especially during the hour long Forming-Up/Assembly time, before the mass of B.24's would head-off towards the 'Third-Reich'


The 445th Bomb Group, was made up of Four Squadrons...... 700th, 701st, 702nd & 703rd Bomb-Squadrons



The "Airfix" kit, from 1974 onwards, offered markings for the 700th Bomb-Squadron
(wearing the Codes, ' IS' )

James Stewart, was the 'Op's-Officer', & then the Commander of the 703rd Bomb-Squadron
(wearing the Codes, 'RN' )




So, in a nutshell, whilst Commanding the 703rd, his B.24, was an Olive-Drab bird,
with the 2nd A.Div "Circle-'F'" marking, on the upper-Starboard & Lower-Port wings, as well as both Outer Tail-Fin's...... & wearing a 'RN' squadron/fuselage code behind the 'Star-&-Bar' national (U.S.) insignia.


(Sadly, It's anyone's guess, as to the individual a/c letter that went on 'the other-end'
of the 'RN' Squadron code......

or, for that matter, the 'Yellow-Painted' fiscal year/Serial Number/Identity (assigned to each individual a/c) of HIS actual B.24 !!!!!!!!


I've attached a picture of my (then) Three-year-old-Son, standing on one of the Main Runway's, at Tibenham (in 1994), from where James Stewart & the 445th, Attacked Nazi-Germany !!!!!!!

[jim]

Jimmy Stewart donated his uniform to the American Air Force Museum at Duxford, its on display in a glass case along with his service record.

[C17driver]

I've enjoyed reading the Jimmy Stewart threads. Thought I would supply my story. As stated before, the 445th BG was comprised of the 700,701, 702 and 703 BS's. In 1942, B Gen Harry Kreidler was selected as the first 701st commander while still a 1Lt. As a member of the current 701st AS, I had the pleasure taking him on a flight about 8 years ago when my squadron invited him up for the weekend. Gen Kreidler was amazed at what we did with the aircraft but I knew there was no way to compare his accomplishments in the air with we were doing today. Anyways back to Jimmy Stewart. B Gen Kreidler was Jimmy Stewart's roommate at Tibenham. He told me that the man you saw in the movies was the same in person. His mannerisms and speach. They would go out to one of the local lakes in a row boat and discuss leadership, tactics, command policies and life in general. On 27 Sep 44, the 445th flew a mission to bomb Kassel, Germany. They became seperated from the main bomber stream due to a navigational error. Without fight escort, they were attacked by over 100 German fighters. In 5 minutes, 25 of 30 B-24's were shot down. Only 4 made it back to England. Gen Kreidler was a member of the investigation team. He told me that Jimmy Stewart was in tears as the surviving crews were debriefed. His Squadron had been wiped out with maybe one aircraft returning. The 445th holds the distinction for suffering the worse loss of aircraft by a Group on a single mission. One last story concerning Gen Kreidler. He received the DFC on a mission after the left seat pilot was literally cut in half by flak. The shrapnel also severed the pilots seat from the floor causing the seat and the pilots remains to fall backwards off the flightdeck. Gen Kreidler's window was shattered and splattered with the pilots remains making vision impossible. To make a long story short, he ended up sitting on an ammo can where the pilots seat had once been so that he could land the aircraft back in England. That is a real hero. Hope I didn't get to many facts wrong in retelling these stories.

[flyXwire]

Hornchurch, thank you for your post on the Jimmy Stewart thread. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

[flyXwire]

I just felt compelled to buy this book in order to learn more about the man and I knew why I've always admired Jimmy Stewart.

motorbooks.com/Store/ProductDetails_16600.ncm