[PappyB]

(Man, this area sure is quiet!)

Once again, I'm thinking hard about picking up a B-26 -- either the Flak Bait or Big Hairy Bird. I know the history of FB, and am leaning towards it... but don't know the history of BHB. Anyone have a link? (I love the scheme, but if it didn't see much action I'm probably going with FB.)

I actually just tried to order BHB via DD for a fantastic sale... but it was out of stock, and apparently, now discontinued...

[Hornchurch]

Originally Posted by PappyB

... but don't know the history of BHB. Anyone have a link? (I love the scheme, but if it didn't see much action..........

but it was out of stock, and apparently, now discontinued...

B.H.B saw plenty of action alright - with at least two different B.G.'s in the 9th A.F....(she ended up with the 387th B.G. towards the end of her service - I used to live 12 miles away from their Base - Willingale/Chipping Ongar - the U.S.A.A.F. base closest to N.E. London).

There are quite a few pix of her, during active service - though as I'm typing this purely from memory, I can't give you a link yet, but give me time .

I belive she survived the war & ended up being scrapped, like most of her sisters.
As you're probably aware, very few Marauders survive today (F.B. being one of five - in the whole world ! - if memory serves correct ?).

Given the fact they're now discontinued, i'd imagine the prices for s/h will now creep up.

You could always get the Revell (ex-Monogram) 1/48th plastic kit, & buy some after-market decals ?

[PappyB]

Originally Posted by Hornchurch

B.H.B saw plenty of action alright - with at least two different B.G.'s in the 9th A.F....(she ended up with the 387th B.G. towards the end of her service - I used to live 12 miles away from their Base - Willingale/Chipping Ongar - the U.S.A.A.F. base closest to N.E. London).

There are quite a few pix of her, during active service - though as I'm typing this purely from memory, I can't give you a link yet, but give me time .

I belive she survived the war & ended up being scrapped, like most of her sisters.
As you're probably aware, very few Marauders survive today (F.B. being one of five - in the whole world ! - if memory serves correct ?).

Given the fact they're now discontinued, i'd imagine the prices for s/h will now creep up.

You could always get the Revell (ex-Monogram) 1/48th plastic kit, & buy some after-market decals ?

Thanks for the info!! (you just made the choice harder though! I know, where's Gort to say "just get both!". This are 1:48.... only room for one!)

I'd love to just get the kit... but the reason I collect diecast is my model skill are terrible I guess I'll just go with the scheme I prefer between the two... which is probably the Bird! Can't believe they scrapped her, that no one thought to look at such an unusual looking paint scheme and say "maybe we should save this one" -- same with Dragon & His Tail....

[mustangdriver]

Here she is. Pretty neat looking airplane..

[Hornchurch]

Apparently she was used by the 599th Bomb Sqdn, within the 397th Bomb Group based at Rivenhall in Essex (as were all the 9th A.F. Marauder Groups).
You'll have probably noticed that all the Marauder Groups, used different type/style/coloured tail markings to identify themselves...... the 397th used a yellow diagonal band bordered in black.

From memory (again) there were two other similarly marked sister ships within the group - B.26's with nose art, that became famous........

Missuori Mule X2*M & Dee-Feater X2*A she was easily the

most heavily photographed B.26 in the E.T.O.- due to a publicity/press visit at Rivenhall - in early 1944........ (click the link below, for a 1944 colour picture of her in flight)........


http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/URG/b26marauder...



Notice how weather worn & weary the paint is - though not as bad as 'Flak Bait' who flew & completed an astonishing 202 missions - in her Olive Drab paint....... though still not the top scoring Allied bomber of the War !

[Hornchurch]

Originally Posted by mustangdriver

Here she is. Pretty neat looking airplane..

Nice one MustangDriver !

That Black & White photo is pretty famous & is the one featured on the instruction sheet of the Esci/ERTL 1/48th B.26 kit - released in the early '1990's, it's also featured in numerous books on the B.26.

That second photo in the snow (I belive) is one of a series that were taken on the European continent in the winter of '44/'45, when the 397th had moved across the 'Channel and were based in either Peronne, in France from 7th Oct '44 OR (less likely), Venlo in Holland, from Apr '44.

I've seen a very similar shot of B.H.B. in the snow, from a different angle, very possibly from the same series of film - featured in a book on the 9th A.F. (I have a copy of Roger Freeman's ' 9th A.F. in Colour, which sadly is stored in a cabinet in my old spare bedroom round my parents house, as there are FOUR of us taking up too much space in this one (teenagers !)



Sadly that link looks defunct (in my previous post), yet it came out o.k. via Google 'Image' search

[aeroeng]

I like "Flak Bait" & "BHB". I wanted to get an olive drab B-26 without the invasion stripes, but I didn't like the odd fluorescent looking green on the leading and trailing edges of the wing on "Gunga Din" (FM-B11E206, see below). It doesn't seem even close to accurate. If Franklin Mint doesn't offer a different paint scheme for 2007 that I like, I think I'm going to go ahead and get "Flak Bait". It'll be my first die-cast with invasion stripes .

[SKUNKY]

Oh man,excuse me a moment while I .....I don't think they even had paint that color back then....

[PappyB]

Thanks for the info guys -- I went ahead and ordered the BHB seeing as it's being "retired" and all (I just had to jump on it now, Mrs. Dabspk, it was going to be gone in a few weeks! -- think that'll work? )

I'll post my impressions and some pics after she touches down (hopefully tomorrow!)

[Hornchurch]

Originally Posted by aeroeng

I like "Flak Bait" & "BHB". I wanted to get an olive drab B-26 without the invasion stripes, but I didn't like the odd fluorescent looking green on the leading and trailing edges of the wing on "Gunga Din" (FM-B11E206, see below). It doesn't seem even close to accurate. If Franklin Mint doesn't offer a different paint scheme for 2007 that I like, I think I'm going to go ahead and get "Flak Bait". It'll be my first die-cast with invasion stripes .

That "odd fluorescent Green" is a new one, on a long term die-hard/hardcore Marauder nut like me.

The placement & scheme IS technically correct, as many EARLIER '26's HAD an alternate Green disruptive pattern along their leading & trailing edges, in a similar manner to your (above) pic - BUT, it was referred to as "Medium Green" (over & along the Main-top-surface Green - OLIVE DRAB.

Medium Green (disruptive pattern) more closely resmbled what many refer to as 'Regency Green' (over Olive Drab), & looked NOTHING like that pictured above.

HOWEVER the "Yellow Chromate" did feature on a very odd few '26's.....

There is one wartime colour photo', of a B.26 painted ALL OVER, in "Yellow Chromate" (flying over the Aleutian Islands).

In my 30 - 35 years studying Marauders, I have yet to see any evidence of these (above) colours featured on ANY E.T.O. B.26's.
(yes, I know the inner nacelle doors would be Chromate - I'm talking about the EXTERIOR/TOP-SURFACE !).

The B.26 in the above photo CLEARLY has tail markings TYPICAL of Mediterrainian based units - NOT the 9th A.F. units, based in Essex.

I wouldn't touch the above with a barge-pole (unless you intend to spray it yourself).