B17 Lil Audrey by Black Viking - Airfix 1-72

[BLACK VIKING]

Hi all to stop me going gaga as I care for my wife so have to self isolate for 12 weeks I have decided to start a naw build from my stash. The model is a Airfix 1-72 scale B17 from 1978 . I am going to build it as Lil Audrey which is a aircraft that took off just behind where I live at Great Ashfield plus my 92 year old mother is called Audrey so it seems quite fitting.

 I will post some pics tomorrow 

keep safe all 

Martyn 

[lmagna]

Another B-17!

 

Are you going to do her in the camouflage finish Martyn?

 

If so she is going to be a very unique B-17 build.

Edited March 24, 2020 by lmagna

[BLACK VIKING]

I'm afraid not Lou the one I am doing is the one from the 385th bomb group located at Great Ashfield airfield near Elmswell Suffollk and she was painted olive drab . The church in the village has a memorial to the guys who didn't return. I must admit that other one looks very unusual with the camouflage on it . 

Thanks for looking 

Martyn

[Edwardkenway]

Another log to help pass the time!! Have fun, I'll follow along if I may?

[mtaylor]

I'm moved this to appropriate sub-forum.   I'm looking forward to seeing the log.

[Old Collingwood]

Another excellent  build  - there was so much activity with B17's  over this side of the pond  during the war.

 

OC.

[Egilman]

If you mean this Lil Audrey,  I'll be sittin in....

 

Aircraft # 41-24560

[mtaylor]

I hope it's that the picture did it, but that .50 looks pretty beat up around the muzzle.

[Egilman]

40 minutes ago, mtaylor said:

I hope it's that the picture did it, but that .50 looks pretty beat up around the muzzle.

Yeah it's the pic, the same image is posted to the B-17 DB....

 

And looking through the DB, I find that there were two "Little Audrey's"

41-24560... B-17F-25-BO: 41-24540 to 41-24584 33 of the 44 aircraft in this production block were lost to enemy action. (only 4 of them returned to the USA after they were worn out)

42-29477... B-17F-55-BO: 42-29467 to 42-29531 When 24560 was transferred into the 369th BS she was the earlier aircraft named "Little Audrey" and 29477 was renamed "Joan of Arc" (lost 10/14/43 over Schweinfurt)

Update:

I found a third...

41-24523... B-17F-20-BO: 41-24504 to 41-24539 Originally called "Golly" was renamed "Lil Audrey" and then renamed again to "Snooks" She was lost 08/31/43 after a mid-air collision with.... 

42-29816... B-17F-70-BO: 42-29732 to 42-29831 "The Eager Beaver" over the english channel with only one survivor from the two crews.

Edited March 25, 2020 by Egilman

[lmagna]

2 hours ago, Egilman said:

If you mean this Lil Audrey

Well we already know that it isn't #41-24560. Guess we will just have to wait and see what is behind door #2

[BLACK VIKING]

Hi all and a big thanks for looking in . I can't find a lot of information on this plane but she was damaged by flack which killed the ball turret gunner but was repaired to fly again. If anyone can find out more I would be very happy.

Hears a picture of her and I believe her code number is232006.

 I will post some pics of the build later 

Martyn

 

[Egilman]

14 minutes ago, BLACK VIKING said:

I believe her code number is232006.

That's not a B-17 code number, all B-17 code numbers were 4 digits up to the model "F" and from there, their code numbers start at 240000...... (although there were some "F" models with 4 digit numbers, assembly line modification to earlier airframes)

 

And that is a "G" model with twin cheek guns, believe it or not that helps....

 

The airfix kit is a "G" model also.... so none of the Little or Lil' Audreys we have posted will work as they are "F" models....

 

I'll do some more looking around....

Edited March 25, 2020 by Egilman

[BLACK VIKING]

1 minute ago, Egilman said:

That's not a B-17 code number, all B-17 code numbers were 4 digits up to the model "F" and from there, their code numbers start at 240000...... (although there were some "F" models with 4 digit numbers, assembly line modification to earlier airframes)

 

I'll do some more looking around....

Cheers m8 . I was a bit dubious about the number but the only picture I could find was a long distance one of her with her bomb bay doors open flying over Germany and it's very fuzzy. I must admit I'm not very good at all this computer stuff lol . 

Thanks agane 

Martyn 

[Egilman]

B-17 42-32006... B-17G-35-BO: 42-31932 to 42-32116 This was Duration Plus which was forced down in France 03/03/44 eventually salvaged 10/15/45.

 

I found her....

 

B-17 42-32008... B-17G-35-BO: 42-31932 to 42-32116  Delivered Denver 01/15/44; Kearney 01/29/44; Assigned: 551BS/385BG Gt Ashfield [HR-T] 02/21/44; Returned to US: 121 BU Bradley 06/24/45; 4168 BU Sth Plains 07/05/45; 237 BU Kirtland 12/10/45; Scrapped: Albuquerque 02/07/46. LI’L AUDREY.

[Egilman]

17 minutes ago, BLACK VIKING said:

Cheers m8 . I was a bit dubious about the number

That's cause it was a partial number mate... in the post above this one I've identified her... 42-32008 and she was named Li'l Audrey the apostrophe was actually in the name....

Here is another image of her...

Edited March 25, 2020 by Egilman

[BLACK VIKING]

Wow thanks m8 . I've looked again at the picture and have just noticed that little triangle that's the apostrophe  

Martyn

[Egilman]

One last note: she was in the 551st Bomb Squadron/385th Bomb Group stationed at Great Ashfield. Her aircraft designation was HR-T and the unit designation was the Square "G"

 

Color scheme: Standard Olive Drab over Neutral Grey, Yellow Lettering/numbering Red outlined stars & bars. Tail: Insignia blue "G" on a white square background, yellow serial  "232008"  and below that a yello "T". Left Fuse would be the yellow "HR" and Star&Bar ahead of the waist gun position and a yellow "T" following. Right Fuse would be the same markings positioned as shown in the images below... of course this is late war, early on she appeared like in the photo above with the vertical stabilizer in bare metal, blue square with white "G" and black lettering on the tail. The rest, Olive over Grey with yellow lettering ws standard

 

Unit emblem....

 

And a period write up of the planes history. She flew 111 missions over Germany.....

Edited March 25, 2020 by Egilman

[Canute]

Guys, take a look at this website. It the 8th AF memorial down in Savannah, GA.  https://www.mightyeighth.org/

 

Lots of a/c inside and out. Main display is B-17G City of Savannah, GA.  (Apparently, Boeing built planes there) And they built a replica English chapel on the grounds. Very moving memorial. Their cafeteria is decorated as an English pub, too.

[BLACK VIKING]

May I say a big thank you for all the information Egilman and everyone who has looked in   .

Hears a few pictures. The fuselage and wings where painted with Tamiya USAF olive drab and the underside USAF mid grey . I have built up the cockpit which is very basic. It needed a bit of filing to get it to fit . Next job painting the logo on the side before I start putting it together.

cheers for following 

Martyn

[popeye the sailor]

List of surviving Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses - Wikipedia

 

I wish now that I hadn't dumped all the sites I gathered......a couple in particular would have been a great help    the info I've seen so far has her in the 91st BG with the 323 BS......#41-24523,  coded OR-N.  lost on  8/3/43 in a mid air collision with B 17 42-29816,  the eager beaver..  both were B 17F's.   she went by three different names in her service...... Golly......Li'l Audrey,  and Snooks

 

 

[Egilman]

3 hours ago, popeye the sailor said:

List of surviving Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses - Wikipedia

 

I wish now that I hadn't dumped all the sites I gathered......a couple in particular would have been a great help    the info I've seen so far has her in the 91st BG with the 323 BS......#41-24523,  coded OR-N.  lost on  8/3/43 in a mid air collision with B 17 42-29816,  the eager beaver..  both were B 17F's.   she went by three different names in her service...... Golly......Li'l Audrey,  and Snooks

 

 

There was actually four of them brother, three "F"'s and a "G" that carried the Little or Lil Audrey name.... 

41-24560 B-17F one of the first Fortresses in England 368th BS - 306th BG code: BO-D carried the "Little Audrey" name her entire service life she was eventually scrapped in Texas during '44

42-29477 B-17F Assigned to the 369th BS - 306th BG code: WW-H. Also carried the name "Little Audrey" until she was transferred into the same squadron as 41-24560, she then became "Joan of Arc" she was on the second Schweinfurt mission 10/14/43 when she was lost over Bamburg to a Messerschmitt antiaircraft rocket.

41-24523 B-17F Assigned to the 323rd BS - 91st BG, code: OR-N, you covered her naming history and loss...

42-32008 B-17G Assigned to the 551st BS - 385th BG code: HR-T her name "Li'l Audrey" she also survived the war eventually being scrapped in New Mexico 02/07/46.

 

You can find any B-17's in the B-17 Database... Also for many, their service life and final disposition....

I find it an invaluable resource brother when researching B-17's...

 

It was hard to find a color and marking reference for it though, there is only a few decal sets made for the 551st squadron and the best one is for a silver bird or the one I posted above... and her scheme changed after she arrived in Europe going from an unpainted NMF to a drab over grey scheme that most of them wore....

Edited March 25, 2020 by Egilman
Edited for statement clarity

[BLACK VIKING]

Cheers for looking in Popeye .

Had a bit of time this afternoon to have a go at the name on the side . I think it looks ok , just one more thing the paintwork looks to new and is there a way of whethering without a airbrush. Any help would be most appreciated.

Stay safe all 

Martyn

[Edwardkenway]

Looking good Martyn

[Egilman]

I do believe that the nose turret and it's fairing were bare metal. I believe the reason was that the paint interfered with the operation of the turret, (but I've lost that link, looking for it) It was this way on all B-17G's....

[BLACK VIKING]

Just had a look a a few more pics and I found this.

Martyn

[Egilman]

That pic shows two things, first the BMF on the turret and fairing, and second the ability of the aircrews to follow the regs handed down by the upper echelons.... :-)

[popeye the sailor]

there is some camo done on these birds...it's not too dramatic.  I have the Memphis Belle going at the moment,  and that has some subtle camo work.  if you want to try some fading on the olive drab,  have a look at my Wulfe Hound build.   I used three different tints of Olive drab and a 'wipe brushing'  {dry brushing with a rag} of bomber tan.  great job with the nose art  

 

I had the data base........I tossed it out since I only have the M.B. left to do.......then I'll likely move on to the B 25 I have in stash.   I had a thought to buy an older kit of the M.B.,  just to see how much of an improvement was done to the molds.  chances are they made new molds for the more up to date kits                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

[Egilman]

It always amazed me the intricacies of Olive Drab camo. it can run from a greenish brown to a deep green depending on when it was painted and how long it had been on the surface... and the sun would fade it proportional to the thickness of the paint application.... Most of the B-17's went overseas in BMF and were painted in the field by either the maintenance facilities or the crews themselves by hand.... wipe brushing is a good way to replicate the look and spongeing is another..... I believe there is even fade powders that can replicate the look if used sparingly....

 

Me, I'm looking for a "D" model to model the "Swoose" 

 

There are very few combat used B-17's left most of them were sent to the scrappers immediately after the war..... Almost all the B-17's on display are post war manufacture.....

Edited March 25, 2020 by Egilman

[Old Collingwood]

Some great research and a great start   looking forward to seeing and reading more.

 

OC.

[popeye the sailor]

yea......for a hearty plane like them....they were built too early.  had they been build later,  they might still be around.  the Swoose was in the same hanger with the M.B. when she was interned for restoration...I really need to get busy on her.......she will be my third.   had I not bought that Lindberg kit,  the Nine o Nine wouldn't have been built..........and through her research,  I wouldn't have learned about the Wulfe Hound.   there are so many that are worth modeling.......and there are enough kits out there to do just that.   they do make a D kit....I think you can find it at MegaHobby.