mhaselden Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 (edited) A propos of nothing much, I stumbled across this great pic of an Iraqi Northrop A-17 doing a crazy low-level flight, apparently under a bridge. RAFM research indicates it may be the Al Shahuda bridge spanning the Tigris in Baghdad: (Source: http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/blog/a-question-of-aircraft-recognition/) Sadly, the aircraft's identity isn't clear, but it does appear that the aircraft wears the same nose-art as seen on the pic below of another Iraqi A-17: I know this stuff probably isn't to most people's taste...but it appealed to me (and the A-17 is a good-looking 'tween-the-wars type). Edited December 14, 2015 by mhaselden 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Av8fan Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 Interesting photo. Thanks for posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darby Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 There is a model of this with Iraqi markings. I think it's SH or MPM. Can't remember which but I have done it. A rare won battle on my part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 Nice find,.....the Northrop was also used by the RCAF & SAAF using aircraft ordered by the British Air Ministry and it was one of the highest performing types used by the Iraqi`s when they fought against the British! Cheers Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhaselden Posted December 14, 2015 Author Share Posted December 14, 2015 (edited) For such a short production run, the A-17 (or 8A-5 for the Douglas variant) had a surprisingly large number of operators, including: Argentina Canada Iraq Netherlands Norway (never operated) Peru South Africa Sweden UK USA There's some nice colour footage of Canadian Nomads in the yellow/black target tug scheme in the film "Captain of the Clouds". Also, US service saw it in blue/yellow and overall natural metal schemes, as well as a couple of interesting camo patterns for exercises: And a more mundane camo'd versions: Edited December 14, 2015 by mhaselden 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 (edited) Remember that the Norwegian ones flew for a while in Canada in `Little Norway' before being sold in South America,.....to Peru I think? I think that one Nomad flew in the UK with Boscombe Down before the rest were sent on to the SAAF & RCAF. Cheers Tony ps- Look at this beauty for release next year!!! Edited December 14, 2015 by tonyot 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 (edited) Great photo - from description it looks that 1944? SH produce this model - I made the model of DB8 of Iraq AF by converting SH A17 before it appeared in SH. I posted it here: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234972420-two-opponents-of-oxford-from-habbaniya-1941/?hl=habbaniya Cheers J-W Edited December 14, 2015 by JWM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 I remember that one J-W,......it was a beauty! Tony 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhaselden Posted December 14, 2015 Author Share Posted December 14, 2015 Remember that the Norwegian ones flew for a while in Canada in `Little Norway' before being sold in South America,.....to Peru I think? I think that one Nomad flew in the UK with Boscombe Down before the rest were sent on to the SAAF & RCAF. Yep, there are pics of A-17s in Norwegian markings...even though they weren't flown operationally in that scheme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flankerman Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 I photographed this Douglas 8A-3P in Lima in 2007 - is it the same aircraft ?? They also had a North American NA-50.... More pics here. Ken 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhaselden Posted December 14, 2015 Author Share Posted December 14, 2015 Hi Ken, Yes, the Douglas 8A and Northrop A-17 are the same basic airframe but with engine and equipment differences. There's a pretty comprehensive Wikipedia page on the type. Cheers,Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 Douglas 8A and Northrop A-17 are the same basic airframe but with engine and equipment differences. Yes - and they are right in the middle of evolution line from Northrop Gamma 2a to Douglas SBD Dauntless Besides Iraq the Netherland was interesting user of this type in WWII. I've read somwhere, that most of Iraqi DB8 were destroyed during Habbaniya revolt battles. So if the photo of flying under the bridge is from 1944 - it will be one of the last Iraqi DB8. Tony, thanks for remembering my model Cheers Jerzy-Wojtek P.S. On side (a bit) - the NA 50 looks "doable" to convert from Harvard... or Boomerang??? (the original concept is the same - to do a single seat fighter from Harvard). And this Peru markings temptate me a little... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sten Ekedahl Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 (edited) And this is what it looked like in the Swedish Air Force: Edited December 15, 2015 by Sten Ekedahl 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 (edited) Yep, there are pics of A-17s in Norwegian markings...even though they weren't flown operationally in that scheme. They were flown from Little Norway in Norwegian markings but were found to be a handful by the Norwegian trainee pilots so were sold off after a while. I have a few pics which I`m not allowed to post on line depicting these Norwegian Northrop`s in service. There are some at the end of this line up of Curtiss P-36`s, you can make out their silver finish and cheatline; Here are some Norwegian trainees at Little Norway with a Northrop; and here are some out on the airfield; and here is a wonderful painting depicting a Northrop flying over `Little Norway'; And here are some really nice RCAF Nomad target tugs,....some were also overall bare metal without roundels; Plus a SAAF Nomad, also used in the target tug role; And in RAF markings,....the bottom one is at Boscombe; Cheers, Tony PS- Here is the unit insignia from the Iraqi Northrops; here is a Dutch one; I don`t know how true this is but the Northrop A-17 was supposed to have identical outer wing sections to the Curtiss P-36! Tony Edited December 15, 2015 by tonyot 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhaselden Posted December 15, 2015 Author Share Posted December 15, 2015 (edited) Nice pic of the Iraqi "flying bomb" marking. I hadn't seen any starboard side images of Iraqi A-17s so my OP provided the first indication that the marking might be applied to both sides of the fuselage. I do like the Dutch birds with the orange national markings, including that nice black-bordered, orange rudder. When first delivered, they wore the circular Dutch national marking as shown below: You also might like this colour pic of one in Norwegian markings: Finally, some of the captured Dutch machines were operated by Germany: I'm sure none of this is new to you...just sharing for peeps who may be less familiar with this rare, but interestingly-marked, bird. Edited December 18, 2015 by mhaselden 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhaselden Posted December 15, 2015 Author Share Posted December 15, 2015 On side (a bit) - the NA 50 looks "doable" to convert from Harvard... or Boomerang??? (the original concept is the same - to do a single seat fighter from Harvard). And this Peru markings temptate me a little... Antarki do a resin kit of the NA 50 in 1/48. Steven "Modeldad" Eisenman did a favourable review on Hyperscale here. Antarki is also planning (see posts in Rumourmonger) an injection moulded 1/48 Northrop A-17 (or perhaps a series of them to accommodate all variants), which is partly why this aircraft is of interest to me at the moment. I'm looking forward to seeing that kit when it emerges. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 Cheers for the colour view of the Norge Northrop,........it is a corker. I knew that the Germans tested a few captured Dutch aircraft but the pic that you`ve attached shows a unit marking so that is different,....great finds! All the best, Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhaselden Posted December 15, 2015 Author Share Posted December 15, 2015 Here's Special Hobby's interpretation of the Luftwaffe scheme: ] I have the opportunity to visit Dayton, OH, a couple of times a year. I do like to visit the USAF museum and pay homage to the A-17 and B-10 in the collection there. I have a soft spot for aircraft that nobody else finds interesting! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 That looks great and I`d love to visit the USAF Museum at Dayton just once in my lifetime,......but don`t suppose I ever will! Cheers Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhaselden Posted December 15, 2015 Author Share Posted December 15, 2015 You have to mean it to get to Dayton. FYI, I think SH have misidentified the colours in their depiction. The airframe appears to be in standard Dutch camouflage, for which the pale tone should be a tan shade and not grey as depicted on the SH box top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 I don`t know how true this is but the Northrop A-17 was supposed to have identical outer wing sections to the Curtiss P-36! I do not think so - at least if you compare models. But it is very likely, that Curtiss scaled down or follow the construction of wing from Northrop Gamma which is geometrically the same as Nomad. I know - more or less - since Northrops have central flat part like Harvard or DC2 or DC3 and rised outer sections and Curtiss are rised from the fuselage. Regarding scheme for camtured DB8A - I would vote that the rear part of fuselage is left i Dutch colours whereas rest is perhaps in two tone green (RLM 70,71???) and bottom should be yellow, I think. Regards J-W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killingholme Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 Well, let's get the Argentinian 8A-2 in on this too then! http://www.amilarg.com.ar/northrop-8a-2.html 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 Killingholm, many thanks for posting Argentinians. They served until 1953...- very interesting J-W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 You have to mean it to get to Dayton. Oh, I don't know- I've accidentally gotten to Dayton more than once! Of course, living in New England and going to school in Illinois helped... bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 Interesting and informative thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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