Boeing B-17G-35-VE 91stBG, 324thBS, "Little Miss Mischief", RAF Bassingbourne, D

[oboe]

Boeing B-17G-35-VE 91stBG, 324thBS, "Little Miss Mischief", RAF Bassingbourne, Dec 1944
Pilot Lt Paul R McDowell

This is an adoption of ReDHawKs skin.   Nearly cut in two by a direct falk hit over Cologne on 15 October 1944.  She was repaired by the 441st Sub Depot using parts of other aircraft and went back into action.  She was finally salvaged after a belly landing on 4 April 1945.

Still have some more work to do on this one - the crew door is supposed to be bare metal, and the right side ID letters were an unusual arrangement that I have to work out.  The original did not have staggered waist gun windows like our model does.

Click images to enlarge

[Devil 505]

Very nice.

[lyric1]

 

[JimmyD3]

Very nice Oboe. 

[Banshee7]

Glad this is getting updated! I used to love this skin!

[Shane]

very nice 

[Greebo]

Great skin Oboe, love a parts bin special.

[Vraciu]

The original Scatterbrain Kid.   Nice work.

[Fencer51]

Beautiful.

[oboe]

Thank you very much guys, here is the near final version. 

Click images to enlarge






Some more information about her: 

Tony Starcer painted the pinup noseart.  After the aircraft suffered significant damage, she was repaired with parts from another aircraft, including the whole fuselage aft of the radio room and the right outer wing (parts believed to have come from the 303rd BG's "Walleroo Mk. 2", BN-X, serial number 42-31405).  Various cowlings were replaced as well, creating a colorful and diverse aircraft. Repair is said to have included parts from 13 different aircraft to keep Little Miss Mischief airworthy.   She was finally salvaged after a belly landing on 4 April 1945.

[Devil 505]

Looks great, but I did just notice something that seems odd. Your Insignia Blue is darker than the black markings. Is that something seen in the reference photos?

[oboe]

The insignia I think is just carried over from the default skin.  I'll take a closer look at the reference photos I have available. 

I think I could darken the balck tail markings and at the same time fade the dark blue of the insignia a bit.  Thanks for noticing that, Devil.

[Vraciu]

The black needs darkening.  Start there before you touch the blue.

[oboe]

This color photo shows the black tail markings darker than the star and bar insignia, which look somewhat more faded than mine.


Looks like I also need to take the paint off the tail gunner hatch under the stabilizer, and add a touch of green overspray.  This B-17G does not have staggered waist gun positions, so my right waist gun window and the right insignia's position are swapped, an unfortunate but necessary concession.

In this B&W photo, the black tail triangle marking doesn't appear as dark as the dark blue of the insignia, though the serial numbers appear to be darker.

[Vraciu]

That first photo is badly desaturated overall.

Also, as we've seen, some film types can turn a dark color into near-white.