בגיליון 41 של "קנה מידה" הייתה כתבה נרחבת על מטוסי ה B17 שכתב אילן ורשאי.
מתוך הכתבה: "
AC #1601: originally owner of a US civilian registration NL5014M and an Israeli #”Heh-1” (H-1), it had been painted in Czechoslovakia in a quickly decaying camouflage pattern. During the war, it had accumulated 33 bomb markings, applied on both sides of the fwd fuselage. Its most distinctive feature had been two teardrop navigation antennas, installed on the upper fuselage. One of which had been removed in 1949.
During 1950, the A/C had been repainted in a two tone pattern (blue/brown?), and carried the 69 sqn emblem on both sides of the fwd fuselage, while sporting a “baseball cap” logo on both side of the vertical stabilizer.
A year later, all colors and markings (including the sqn. and IAF) had been removed, and three machine gun turrets had been installed on it. Consequently the antenna had been relocated to the under fuselage.
It appears that it did not return to active duty, following the reactivation of 69 sqn, during 1956.
Photos of IAI’s backyard, from the late 50’s, show a metal finished B-17, which may have been #1601 (already serial 1621 at that period), if so, than it had ended its service with a natural metal finish, without any camouflage colors and markings.
AC #1602: originally owner of a US civilian registration NL5024M and an Israeli #”Heh-2” (H-2), it had been painted in Czechoslovakia in a non standard, four tone, camouflage pattern and a bomb dropping “Mickey Mouse” logo was painted on both sides of the vertical stabilizer. Its distinctive feature had been two, side facing, machine gun windows, in the fwd fuselage, absent from the other two A/C. A year later, it had been repainted in the two tone pattern, apparently blue/brown, in conjunction with A/C #1601. During 1951 it had been converted for long range maritime surveillance missions. The camouflage colors had been removed, and while on a metal finish, a search radar was installed into a special fluorescent triangular chin turret, and a new astrodome was added above the fwd fuselage. A bomb carrying eagle logo of the local “Malt” beer was painted on the port side of the fuselage, the old emblem of the “Valley” sqn. Two machine gun turrets had been installed on the upper and under fuselage, while retaining the existing under wing bomb racks. In 1956, it had been repainted with the blue/brown camouflage pattern, and carrying the number 22, apparently, took part in the “Kadesh” operation. It ended it service in the junkyard of IAI in the early 60’s.
AC #1603: originally owner of a US civilian registration NL1098M and an original teardrop antenna on the under fuselage, it had been painted in Czechoslovakia in a none standard two tone camouflage pattern in the shape of vertical lines. Despite having received the Israeli #”Heh-3” (H-3), it had initially carried the number 693 (apparently a combination of the sqn. no. and the tail no.)
During 1949 or 1950 the A/C had performed an emergency landing.
It had been repaired and returned into service during 1951, natural metal finished and carrying three machine gun turrets. The 69 sqn. emblem was also painted on this A/C fwd fuselage, plus the baseball hat logo on both side of the vertical stabilizer, but contrary to its “brother”, #1601, it also carried the IAF markings. Later on, its no. had been converted to 23, and during the “Kadesh” operation, it was operated with two machine gun turrets, an APS-4 search radar, installed in a fwd fuselage tubular fairing and under wing bomb racks. The “Kadesh” identification stripe markings had only been applied on the fuselage and not on the under wing surfaces. An astrodome was installed on the upper fwd fuselage.
It had been withdrawn from service in 1957, ending its service at the IAI bone yard."
ראשי
צ'אט
19-05-2014, 22:46
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