**** DONE: 1/48 B-25C 41-12971 345th BG 499th BS "Dirty Dora" , Heavy Hitters GB (2 Viewers)

Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules

Thanks guys, it should be good. Paul, I"m open for business on this one, so anything you got would be welcome. Here's a great pic that appeared in the book by Jeffrey Ethell "WWII Nose art in Color"

Cheers

Peter
 

Attachments

  • dora pic from nose art of ww2.jpg
    dora pic from nose art of ww2.jpg
    148.7 KB · Views: 322
Beaut pic! Have you got the nose art decals Peter? I'm guessing you have, but if not, I've got the whole set from the old Revell kit if you need them.
 
Thanks for the offer Terry, but the kit has a combination of decals and paint masks to add the nose markings. It's straight OOB for this build. 8)

Here are some more photos found on the net, with the Source being Vic Tatelman, the pilot of Dirty Dora. Enjoy!

Vic Tatelman's Photos

For those curious about the name and how it came to be, the website above also has the story as told by Vic himself. Here it is.

THE NAMING OF DIRTY DORA

Toward the end of 1943, with targets becoming tougher, particularly the neutralization of Rabaul, our losses became significant, calling for replacement of aircraft and crews. The 38th Bomb Group had been in the theater a little longer than our Group so they, being the senior B-25 Group, acquired the new "H" and "J" models and therefore we fell heir to their "C" and "D" models.
The B-25C, 41-12971 -- DIRTY DORA -- was transferred into the 345th Bomb Group and then assigned to the 499th Squadron. I inherited the airplane along with a crew.
Sydney, Australia was the leave and furlough spot for 5th Air Force flight crews in New Guinea and the Squadron policy was rotational, which worked out to be a week in Sydney about every six weeks for each crew.
One must realize that Sydney, during those months, was devoid of young men. Australia had gone to war when Britain declared war in September 1939 and the entire Australian military; army, navy, air force, had been sent to North Africa to join Montgomery's campaign against Rommel.
So, when the American Air Force arrived in Australia the latter part of 1942 and 1943, there were no young men there and hadn't been since 1939. Well, one can imagine the paradise that young, lusty yanks found when they arrived in Sydney on leave with pockets full of money (where could one spend money in New Guinea?) to find that the young women there were equally "ready" having no men around for months.
On one such leave, I met a 38th Bomb Group pilot who knew the story of the naming of the airplane. One of the crew had met an Australian girl, Dora, who moved in with him for the week he was there. He was amazed and delighted at the talent (and virtuosity) of his young partner in bed; particularly at the height of her pleasure when she would inexplicably scream out the most profane obscenities, words that even shocked him, coming from a seemingly otherwise modest and sweet young girl. So the perfect name for the airplane, DIRTY DORA.
On a subsequent Sydney leave, I met Dora and explained that she was the namesake of my airplane, I even took her out to the airport to show her the name painted on the nose of the airplane; she was unimpressed!
Vic Tatelman
Winter Haven, 2002


Cheers

Peter
 

Attachments

  • 01 Vic  Dirty Dora colour resized.jpg
    01 Vic Dirty Dora colour resized.jpg
    49.1 KB · Views: 229
  • 01 Vic  Dirty Dora colour resized 2.jpg
    01 Vic Dirty Dora colour resized 2.jpg
    104.2 KB · Views: 314
  • 1 ground crew  - resized.jpg
    1 ground crew - resized.jpg
    98.2 KB · Views: 312
  • 2 Willie Graham copilot - resized.jpg
    2 Willie Graham copilot - resized.jpg
    97.6 KB · Views: 334
  • 3 Dora Landing - resized.jpg
    3 Dora Landing - resized.jpg
    46.9 KB · Views: 358
  • 6 combat crew - resized.jpg
    6 combat crew - resized.jpg
    83 KB · Views: 338
  • 5 Bill Park in cockpit - resized.jpg
    5 Bill Park in cockpit - resized.jpg
    62.5 KB · Views: 236
  • 4  max ferguson - resized.jpg
    4 max ferguson - resized.jpg
    70.9 KB · Views: 350
Last edited:
Great stuff peter, and nice pics again. BTW, I just checked - the stuff i have isn't Dirty dora, but hell's Angles. Same design etc, just different name. The blue and white bat's head, and the sharks mouth etc are part of the decals, so if they're any use, just let me know.
 
Sun was out today thought I would take a couple of pics of my LONG TIME AGO build of Dirty Dora, this is the old Revell Kit......hope you don't mind Peter!:D
 

Attachments

  • B-25_Dirty Dora_8298.JPG
    B-25_Dirty Dora_8298.JPG
    45.2 KB · Views: 93
  • B-25_Dirty Dora_8299.JPG
    B-25_Dirty Dora_8299.JPG
    60 KB · Views: 89
  • B-25_Dirty Dora_8302.JPG
    B-25_Dirty Dora_8302.JPG
    43.1 KB · Views: 109

Users who are viewing this thread

Back