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B-17 Stencils


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Folks,

This is something that hasn't really been discussed in the past that I can find in an extensive manner. The stenciling and other unique small details added to the B-17s (Not just the G, but lets say D-through G), what was there, and where?

We know the Revell B-17 decal sheet comes with A LOT of stencils, but what would there actually be?

Thanks from me (and anyone else who may find this helpful),

Cheers!

Mark.

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I searched when I was researching for Revell, and wasn't able to find anything. Looking at photos, there really wasn't very much on them anyway.

J

Edited by Jennings
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That's what I figured Jennings.

I'm by no means 100% sure of it, but I'm leaning towards the OD/Neutral gray stencils being put on as a "1 time thing" from factory, if anything was replaced, repainted, repaired, etc... no more stencils repainted. Going through the many many photo's I've got, I've found a few oddities here and there of stencils I haven't seen. But I wont take those as a common item.

There are some OD/Neutral grey bombers with various - dare I call them - painted lines on the wings:

http://0.tqn.com/d/militaryhistory/1/0/z/-/-/-/b17.jpg (B-17G 42-38091 - though this one I believe was in a training base state side)

http://photohome.com/photos/aircraft-pictu...fortress-3.html This one a little different...

A different variation found here: http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/ubbthreads.php?...;Number=1199100

And a little odd, but nothing on this NMF: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TZ4zYEBSw1I/SNWA..._fortress_2.jpg

Aside from all those, going specifically on the stencils, I'm having a hard time finding them. At all.

Mark.

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Hi Mark:

The areas so marked are the recommended walkways. If you will notice, they are along the spars and where the wing panels join. I think I have seen them painted on some NMF airplanes, but mostly they just had a decal that said "WALKWAY" IIRC. That was also stenciled on the black walkways on the camoed birds. I have a picture of this somewhere, but that particular manual is in the (COLD!) attic over the garage and this is not a day I feel like looking for it ; ) !

Walkways.jpg

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Hi Mark:

The areas so marked are the recommended walkways. If you will notice, they are along the spars and where the wing panels join. I think I have seen them painted on some NMF airplanes, but mostly they just had a decal that said "WALKWAY" IIRC. That was also stenciled on the black walkways on the camoed birds. I have a picture of this somewhere, but that particular manual is in the (COLD!) attic over the garage and this is not a day I feel like looking for it ; ) !

Walkways.jpg

I've seen colored pictures of B-17E ( wartime originals) with the walkways in red and I believe even in some B&W one can tell that some were red. I believe there were periodic "No Step" along the outer edges. The underside is full of oval inspection plates and those have approriate stencils. The data block is often still with OD background on the early NMF from at least Boeing (same for many B-29). The actual particulars are not part of the decal of course.

Below is the crew weight and then the octane service instruction. I can't say positive for the B-17 but othe AAF bombers have a red bar across the wheel and tire to show if there is a misalignment due to slippage. I believe the life raft compartment handles are marked. There are markings on the chin turret between the guns.

The project number is stenciled near the data block, sometimes above, sometimes below, but in the vicinity. ETO projects were 92XXX on original complements after winter 1943, replacements were 92XXX-R ( x =numerics). About Jan 1945 these crossed into the 93XXX range; for MTO these would be 90 then 91XXX-R. *

There is a stencil at the wing tip panel line ; i think it reads no step to the outboard edge, along the panel line. By 1945 the cut here or rescue here corner register marks start to appear near crew stations.

*All rights reserved, PCM circa 1986 on project no interpretation (all types; all thearters).

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That's some good information! I'm scrolling through the pictures I've got of LMM as best I can to see what's specific to it and what isn't there. Unfortunately the pictures show maybe 25% at best of the bomber.

The data block is very visible and easily seen, and no doubt that it indeed complies with everything that Phil wrote out.

Was there a standard way of stenciling around the fuel caps on top of the wing? If so, what would it have been?

Was there anything specific stenciled around, below, or behind the engines?

I can't seem to find anything for stencils around the jack points underneath the wings - though it seems almost common sense "place the jack here dummy"

...I need more coffee

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I don't even think the walkways were applied after a certain point in time. They certainly were on early B-17s.

I'm looking at pages 276/277 of the Freeman/Osborne Flying Fortress Story at 44-6566 a fairly late Fort ( G-55-DL) and it still has walkways, so when and if the point came that those were dropped it was after Sept 1944.

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I'm looking at pages 276/277 of the Freeman/Osborne Flying Fortress Story at 44-6566 a fairly late Fort ( G-55-DL) and it still has walkways, so when and if the point came that those were dropped it was after Sept 1944.

Could it be that certain plants kept them going until the Sept. '44 date? I can find a number of bombers who in August of '44 no longer had them.

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Could it be that certain plants kept them going until the Sept. '44 date? I can find a number of bombers who in August of '44 no longer had them.

Yes, could be, meant to put "where "in that sentence too...i.e. I was addressing the Douglas example. I certainly have not surved the population. I just took he book and went backwards. That is not even to say DL had them the whole period up till then.

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