Michael Enright
Recruit
Hi,
I tried this query on another site and it fizzled out. Perhaps someone here might be able to help.
It concerns the engine cowl colours (if any) on 838th BS aircraft by late 1944 / early 1945.
Reference is made to varying engine cowl colours on p.101 of Roger Freeman's Mighty Eighth Warpaint and Heraldry, although there is no specific mention of colours being employed on the 838th BS aircraft cowlings, which is strangely missing from his account (the other three squadrons do get a mention).
He does state that,
"In December 1944 the 4th Combat Bomb Wing chevron was painted on the upper surface of the right wing and the under surface of the left ..... the inner yellow and the outer red".
On p. 91 of his work, The Mighty Eighth in Colour, there appears a photograph of a reputedly 487th formation showing the yellow / red chevrons.
Now, whilst not mentioning cowl colours in his much earlier 1970 The Mighty Eighth work, he does provide a colour profile of a 'representative' 487th B-17G with red cowlings and chin turret. The '2G' code suggests it is from a sister 839th BS aircraft.
All this just seems to add to the confusion, especially when the 487th BG homepge (487th Bomb Group: Markings) shows the same illustration.
The attached photograph of an 838th BG B-17G of the 838th BS appears to show coloured cowlings. But what colour?
Regards,
Michael
I tried this query on another site and it fizzled out. Perhaps someone here might be able to help.
It concerns the engine cowl colours (if any) on 838th BS aircraft by late 1944 / early 1945.
Reference is made to varying engine cowl colours on p.101 of Roger Freeman's Mighty Eighth Warpaint and Heraldry, although there is no specific mention of colours being employed on the 838th BS aircraft cowlings, which is strangely missing from his account (the other three squadrons do get a mention).
He does state that,
"In December 1944 the 4th Combat Bomb Wing chevron was painted on the upper surface of the right wing and the under surface of the left ..... the inner yellow and the outer red".
On p. 91 of his work, The Mighty Eighth in Colour, there appears a photograph of a reputedly 487th formation showing the yellow / red chevrons.
Now, whilst not mentioning cowl colours in his much earlier 1970 The Mighty Eighth work, he does provide a colour profile of a 'representative' 487th B-17G with red cowlings and chin turret. The '2G' code suggests it is from a sister 839th BS aircraft.
All this just seems to add to the confusion, especially when the 487th BG homepge (487th Bomb Group: Markings) shows the same illustration.
The attached photograph of an 838th BG B-17G of the 838th BS appears to show coloured cowlings. But what colour?
Regards,
Michael