The Spearhead.

[lyric1]

I just like this plane. 

































If any one wants to do this I will buy the decals & scan them,even though they don't quite match the paint colours of the plane.

http://warbirddecals.com/component/virtuemart/?page=shop.product_details&category_id=13&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=42&vmcchk=1

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Warbird-1-48-B-29-Spearhead-decals-48019-/400251504527?_trksid=p4340.m185&_trkparms=algo%3DSIC.NPJS%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUA%26otn%3D5%26pmod%3D400250206132%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D3829795251785430133

[TwinBoom]

hmm some show tail band while others dont nice bird though

[Krusty]

The plane was dedicated 2 days after VJ-Day, according to that caption. Not a war-time paint scheme. 

[lyric1]

The plane was dedicated 2 days after VJ-Day, according to that caption. Not a war-time paint scheme. 

MMMmmmmm NO.
Dedications while a war is on & a squadron actively bombing Japan Not likely.

So they waited till the war was over to honour those the plane was named after.



 

[Krusty]

Dedications while a war is on & a squadron actively bombing Japan Not likely.

So they waited till the war was over to honour those the plane was named after.

That sounds strange to me. Not that I know for sure, it just sounds strange and at odds. During the war they'd need what little morale boosters they could get. They also were in no danger from Japanese counter-attacks at their airbases (being too far in most cases).

Why wait?

[Krusty]

I notice you had a pic from pacificwrecks.com. It says:


*********
Wartime History
This B-29 flew its first combat mision on May 18th. The 5th Marines logo was painted on the right side of the nose, and the left side with a painting of the second flag raising, photographed by Joe Rosenthal.

Dave L. Rogan, AC, 1st Squadron (via 9th BG history) recalls:
"On May 28, 1945, General A.W. Kissner, Chief of Staff, 21st Bomber Command, wrote to General Keller Rockey, Fifth Marine Division, that as a token of respect and appreciation of the great contribution made by the Fifth Marine Division in the taking of Iwo Jima; they desired to name a new B-29 for the Fifth Marine Division in the taking of Iwo Jima, and to inscribe the Division Insignia on the plane. Our crew was selected for this honor and crew 11A was proud to have a new ship named “The Spearhead”. The brass of the Fifth Marine Division and the 9th BG got together and had a dedication ceremony on Tinian, August 17, 1945. About 100 Marines including their band took part. “The Spearhead” also took part in the ceremony. All in all, it was fun, and since our crew led many missions, “The Spearhead” was an appropriate name. Its two waist gunners were twins (Burton and Langdon Dyer) and as far as I know, were the only twins to fly combat missions together."
*********

Out of curiousity (not that I'm doubting, more like looking into the history), when was the nose are painted? Was it right away, or was it painted later (because some B-17s and such were repainted sometimes)?

[lyric1]

I notice you had a pic from pacificwrecks.com. It says:


*********
Wartime History
This B-29 flew its first combat mision on May 18th. The 5th Marines logo was painted on the right side of the nose, and the left side with a painting of the second flag raising, photographed by Joe Rosenthal.

Dave L. Rogan, AC, 1st Squadron (via 9th BG history) recalls:
"On May 28, 1945, General A.W. Kissner, Chief of Staff, 21st Bomber Command, wrote to General Keller Rockey, Fifth Marine Division, that as a token of respect and appreciation of the great contribution made by the Fifth Marine Division in the taking of Iwo Jima; they desired to name a new B-29 for the Fifth Marine Division in the taking of Iwo Jima, and to inscribe the Division Insignia on the plane. Our crew was selected for this honor and crew 11A was proud to have a new ship named “The Spearhead”. The brass of the Fifth Marine Division and the 9th BG got together and had a dedication ceremony on Tinian, August 17, 1945. About 100 Marines including their band took part. “The Spearhead” also took part in the ceremony. All in all, it was fun, and since our crew led many missions, “The Spearhead” was an appropriate name. Its two waist gunners were twins (Burton and Langdon Dyer) and as far as I know, were the only twins to fly combat missions together."
*********

Out of curiousity (not that I'm doubting, more like looking into the history), when was the nose are painted? Was it right away, or was it painted later (because some B-17s and such were repainted sometimes)?

Not real sure I know two of those photos I posted showing the entire plane are post war photos as you can see PW SUPPLIES written underneath the wing.

Those aircraft that had that done almost immediately at wars end where pushed in to supplying prisoners with food & clothing. The right side colour photo you can see the nose gear is red now & the yellow & black stripes are gone.

The left side complete still has all the markings plus the the pwsupplies. Also some of the names written on the plane have changed in some of the photos over time. Best I can do at this point.

[Krusty]

Okay, so the main differences to note for the war-time bird would be the tail stripes (seen on another skin also) and the lack of words under the wings, correct?

I think I'll give this one a try.

Have you got a clear shot of the text beneath the nose plexiglass? It's missing in other pictures. Would that be part of the war-time markings, or something later?

[lyric1]

Have you got a clear shot of the text beneath the nose plexiglass? It's missing in other pictures. Would that be part of the war-time markings, or something later?

I will buy the decals & that will complete it they are war time.

[lyric1]

I will buy the decals & that will complete it they are war time.

Done.

[skorpion]

Delicious find lyric.

paging Dr. Greebo, paging Dr. Greebo.

[Krusty]

Heh, I believe I just called proverbial "dibs" ? 

[skorpion]

Heh, I believe I just called proverbial "dibs" ? 

well...

greebo thought it before you called it!

[lyric1]

Decals arrived today Krusty I scanned them at 300 DPI my scanner won't let me do them at any higher rate if I scan them as a document. If you need them scanned higher than that let me know & I can redo them only problem is the scanner breaks each image down to its own individual picture. That aside if I do do that I can only post them at 600 DPI as Photobucket wont support anything higher. If you want them at a higher DPI I will have to email them to you.







First off a few errors that I do see with the decals.

#17 Decal is clearly the wrong colour for the the arrow it looks very dark blue not black in the photo most likely like the USA roundel. Also the yellow portion should be red not yellow.

#11 Decal as you can see pointed out on the photo below is clearly on both sides of the plane but only shown on one side on the decal sheet.





#9 shows the wheel as solid yellow.
Also not correct based off of the photo below.

[Krusty]

Thanks Lyric. I probably could have made it without that, but every bit helps. Thanks for the continued zeal you present on the skins forum!