Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Aircraft and Vehicles => Topic started by: Andy Bush on December 23, 2000, 09:06:00 PM

Title: What Is This?
Post by: Andy Bush on December 23, 2000, 09:06:00 PM

Look close now...

  (http://www.doitnow.com/~alfakilo/B24.jpg)  

[This message has been edited by Andy Bush (edited 12-23-2000).]

Title: What Is This?
Post by: ra on December 23, 2000, 09:18:00 PM

It looks like a B-24 with a funky nose.  It looks like they grafted a B-17G nose on it.

ra

Title: What Is This?
Post by: SKurj on December 23, 2000, 09:38:00 PM

UGLY  (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/biggrin.gif)

AKskurj

Title: What Is This?
Post by: Jekyll on December 24, 2000, 12:09:00 AM

Yup, it's a B24 alright.

It looks a bit like the transport version, but with a glass nose.  The C-87?

------------------
=357th Pony Express=
Aces High Training Corps

[This message has been edited by Jekyll (edited 12-24-2000).]

Title: What Is This?
Post by: M.C.202 on December 24, 2000, 12:15:00 AM

As I recall... one B-24 was given a B-17 nose as a test for changes in speed and range, and to use the same chin turret. This be it?

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M.C.202
Dino in Reno

Title: What Is This?
Post by: Betown on December 24, 2000, 06:30:00 AM

MC.202. I agree.
Didn't catch on though.

Title: What Is This?
Post by: Andy Bush on December 24, 2000, 09:51:00 AM

Yep...it's a B-24J with a complete B-17G nose section. I don't have any info on where, when, or why this was done...anybody have any ideas?

Andy

Title: What Is This?
Post by: chunder' on December 24, 2000, 07:47:00 PM

Taken from "Big Bombers of WWII" (ISBN 0-681-07570-8)....

"The dissatisfaction with cramped quarters in the noses of turret-equipped Liberators led to one of WWII's most bizarre surgeries.  The complete forward fuselage of a B-17G Flying Fortress was grafted to a B-24J.  According to an AAF test summary, the massive splice job resulted in an operationally unsuitable airplane."

Scan down a bit in the paragraph...

"The findings:  The operational performance of this aircraft is poor in all respects... lacked directional and longitudinal stability, especially at altitude... disappointing service ceiling of only 18,000 feet."