David C. Jones Posted August 15, 2015 Share Posted August 15, 2015 (edited) I recently aquired the means to build a 1/48 Fortress IIA which is something I've wanted to do a long time. My research has hinted that these planes had the ball turret removed among other things. Can anyone recommend a photo reference on Fortress Mk IIA's? All I've found on the web seem to be shots of standard aircraft with the occasional Yagi antenna thrown in. Can anyone help? I can do a 220 Sq IIA which more or less seems to be a standard B-17E with the ball turret but I'd like to explore my options. Thanks in advance, David C. Jones Edited August 16, 2015 by David C. Jones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KB1949 Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 David, Robert M Stitt's Boeing B-17 Fortress in RAF Coastal Command Service will give you everything you need to know about the subject and a lot more. It's a 5 Star book on the subject. The IIA's were delivered with the ball turret which they retained until about October 1943 when the ones deployed to the Azores deleted the turret and the search aerials. KB 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 If you get the book, be sure to also get the amendments PDF: http://mmpbooks.biz/Amendments%20-%2015.04.20.pdf It's actually worth a read in it's own right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robstitt Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 (edited) Dave: MMP has just posted the latest Coastal Command Fortress book update to their site, the second since April 2015. http://mmpbooks.biz/assets/Uploads/Amendments-15.11.23.pdf Glad you enjoyed the content - I've found these updates a great way to pass on follow-up information. Hats off to MMP for enthusiastically agreeing to post them. Cheers: Robert. Edited November 24, 2015 by robstitt 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 Kudos to you as well as MMP for continuing these additions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 From the IWM. http://zoom.iwm.org.uk/view/7513&cat=photographs&oid=object-205018261 http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205208023 http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205210450 http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205210237 http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205210449 Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted November 25, 2015 Share Posted November 25, 2015 Dave: MMP has just posted the latest Coastal Command Fortress book update to their site, the second since April 2015. http://mmpbooks.biz/assets/Uploads/Amendments-15.11.23.pdf Glad you enjoyed the content - I've found these updates a great way to pass on follow-up information. Hats off to MMP for enthusiastically agreeing to post them. Cheers: Robert. Brilliant thanks for that! One Q if I may - the Fortress I on P31 (p213 in the book) - why do you think Dark Sea Grey rather than Extra Dark Sea Grey? - I'd have thought the latter would have been more likely as it was in plentiful supply on a Coastal Command base. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robstitt Posted November 25, 2015 Share Posted November 25, 2015 (edited) Thanks, Graham.Dave: It's at moments like this that I wish I had included endnotes in the book so folks would readily know each source and judge its credibility... and so I could remember the details behind something researched around 10 years ago. Next time!Without going through a chest of papers, my recollection is that the suggestion of Dark Sea Grey came from the writings of and conversations with wartime historian Michael J F Bowyer.As noted on book page 213, Bowyer observed that the grey was applied while the aircraft were still with 90 Squadron, i.e. before the aircraft were assigned to Coastal Command, hence the caption for AN531 on page 23 of the book. And from memory again, I think the application of the grey had something to do with assignment to No. 2 Group.Thanks for posting the photos, Chris. Most are familiar but the second one is intriguing - looks like civilians inspecting the Fortress.Robert Edited November 25, 2015 by robstitt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Etiennedup Posted November 25, 2015 Share Posted November 25, 2015 David, I went through that whole exercise during the past three months. See;http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234992232-148-coastal-command-fortress-iia-b-17e/ Once finished it leaves you with a great sense of satisfaction. Just remember,...........Robert’s book is a must for this. Good luck.......... Cheers, Etienne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GordonM Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 As a side note there seems to be a current fashion for querying Michael Bowyers memory and notes, mainly because during WWII he was a schoolboy. This seems to be especially connected with the blue vs green upper surfaces of the 361st P51's at Bottisham, which leads some people to discount MJF's records of other colour schemes too. At what was probably the 'height of his fame' as an author I found myself sat next to him on a coach from Cambridge to the IAT at Greenham Common, as a late teenager I was in awe of everything he talked about! Certainly in those days he appeared to know what he was talking about when it came to anything regarding aircraft anywhere in Cambridgeshire. If the colour scheme for a B17 was seen and noted by Michael Bowyer I'd believe it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taggart Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 There is a build over on Hyperscale , won't put a link up but it's in Plastic Pix and was posted on the 21st November . Some real life shots of the aircraft as well as the model , which is excellent . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robstitt Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 (edited) Gordon: I took the position when writing the book that Bowyer's observation of the 'grey and green' upper surfaces of the Fortress Is prior to their delivery to 220 Squadron Coastal Command was the best info I had - I talked with him several times and he was emphatic that they had been at least partially repainted. The photo that came through after publication suggested that only the Dark Earth had been overpainted. Bowyer was of the opinion that the repainting of other bombers going on at the time - including Blenheims as I recall - suggested that the grey would have been Dark Sea Grey rather than Extra Dark Sea Grey. I suggested a Temperate Sea scheme in th book as a possibility but now doubt that (with the exception of AN537 which we know from a photo and observation received a full Temperate Sea and White scheme). Certainly was interesting talking with him - his favorite memories were of streams of Stirlings taking off and the RAF Fortresses making contrails. Robert Edited November 29, 2015 by robstitt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GordonM Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 My personal favourite story was a Ju88 flying below tree top level of Midsummer Common in Cambridge - even allowing for the fact the Horse Chestnuts had grown a bit by the sixties when I grew up picking conkers from them that was mighty low! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 That's where my doubt creeps in - at that time, Dark Sea Grey wasn't generally used other than on the lower planes of biplanes in the Temperate Sea Scheme (unless it's not documented). Need to do a bit more digging, but IIRC even the Blenhiems were EDSG and Dark Slate Grey. EDSG would make much more sense. Re Mr Bowyer's observations, I find it quite funny how, as official specs were discovered, some of his thoughts were poo-poo'd, then later some of them were again thought to be correct (Thinking Spitfire undersides and 'fighter bands' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robstitt Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 I'll dig through my project papers and see what I can find. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robstitt Posted October 22, 2019 Share Posted October 22, 2019 Hello All: The second, revised edition of Boeing B-17 Fortress in RAF Coastal command Service has recently been published by MMP Books and available from a variety of sources online.. Robert Stitt 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted October 22, 2019 Share Posted October 22, 2019 5 hours ago, robstitt said: Hello All: The second, revised edition of Boeing B-17 Fortress in RAF Coastal command Service has recently been published by MMP Books and available from a variety of sources online.. Robert Stitt Got, it recommeded it to several people already ! Sits on my bookshelves next to the first edition! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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