B-17G El Lobo ii

[von hahn]

Hello everyone. I'm researching the 457th Bomb Group's B-17G-35-BO "El Lobo ii" (Serial 42-32101) and came across this interesting photo. It looks like the right wing has a white triangle marking on it, and the wing itself looks darker than the bare metal of the rest of the aircraft. Bare metal B-17s had black triange unit identifier markings so is it possible this one has a replacement wing?

If anyone has this or any other info at all on El Lobo ii I'd be most grateful.

Photo courtesy of the excellent 457th BG website.

 

[Dana Bell]

Hello everyone. I'm researching the 457th Bomb Group's B-17G-35-BO "El Lobo ii" (Serial 42-32101) and came across this interesting photo. It looks like the right wing has a white triangle marking on it, and the wing itself looks darker than the bare metal of the rest of the aircraft. Bare metal B-17s had black triange unit identifier markings so is it possible this one has a replacement wing?

If anyone has this or any other info at all on El Lobo ii I'd be most grateful.

Photo courtesy of the excellent 457th BG website.

View attachment 621961

Good catch there! It's not a replacement wing, but an outer wing panel that was camouflaged in production before the aircraft was assembled (a fairly common sight on B-17s). Note that the left wing outer panel has been overpainted with aluminum lacquer, although Washington specified that there was no need to repaint mismatched panels.

Cheers,



Dana

 

[Wurger]

Anf two shots more from Planes of the 457th - More Photos of B17 Serial 42-32101, El Lobo II(Page A1

and here another one but from 42-32101 | American Air Museum in Britain

 

[von hahn]

That is fascinating, thank you for that info and photos Wurger and Dana Bell, much appreciated!

 

[Wurger]

My pleasure. Also I have enlarged the image with the landing plane showing her starboard.

the source: Planes of the 457th - More Photos of B17 Serial 42-32101, El Lobo II(Page A1

 

[pbehn]

The marking on the wing looks like it is the same as the tail with the colours inverted, a light "U" on a black triangle.

 

[Wurger]

Yes you are right. Here is a screenshot of with B-17s of the 457th BG found in the slideshow on the Youtube. Usually the triangle was black on the NMF bombers and of the white on the camouflaged with the OD colour. The letter was either of the black or white/silver depending on the triangle background.

However I have noticed that the white triangle without the dark painted wing panel could be on the NMF bombers as well.

the screenshot source:

 

[SaparotRob]

Great post. Thanks for the slide show.

 

[von hahn]

Thank you so much! A wealth of information here!

 

[philmarchese]

As mentioned, several of the B-17 sub-assemblies were painted prior to assembly and were outsourced from other factories. This Boeing was only a few dozen planes after camouflage was discontinued at Seattle (#045).

So the olive drab component continued to arrive for weeks. Notice that the center section of fin is also sprayed in aluminum paint, rather than being bare aluminum. The horizontal tail surfaces were also outsourced assemblied as were the outer wing panels previously discussed.

This particular moved overseas just as this transition was happening at the factories and some ofthe Group's planes were transfered out to other units because the 8th AF was concerned about how assimilate the uncamouflaged aircraft.

In any event, the sprayed over components were common and in particular, one will find this and the in the reverse in the 457th BG inventory, i.e. components left in OD.

 

[macman13]

My name is Ricci McDonald and my father was Tech Sargent Wesley R McDonald. He was on El Lobo 2 with Richard Fitzhugh 1942 to 1944. I wanted to know if those photos of El Lobo 2 in flight and landing were in that time frame.

 

[macman13]

Good catch there! It's not a replacement wing, but an outer wing panel that was camouflaged in production before the aircraft was assembled (a fairly common sight on B-17s). Note that the left wing outer panel has been overpainted with aluminum lacquer, although Washington specified that there was no need to repaint mismatched panels.

Cheers,



Dana

Hi Bell my name is Ricci McDonald. My father was a crew member of El Lobo 2. The pilot was Richard Fitzhugh. I would like more information on it Mostly on the time period of the photos of El Lobo 2 in flight. Thank you.

 

[Maxrobot1]

I thought you guys would appreciate seeing this. My Dad was a Bombsight and Auto Pilot Technician in the 750th Bomb Squadron of the 457th.

 

[Maxrobot1]

Bet you never saw one of these...

 

[Maxrobot1]

By the way, there is a facebook page of the 457th Bomb Group.

 

[Wurger]