Long Range Bomber (B17) Model

[Flying10uk]

A recent thread about the B17 reminded me of my very old Dinkey Toy model B17 that belonged to my father and was obtained by him around the time of WW2. Looking on-line, apparently the model was originally referred to when it was first produced, before the US entered WW2, by it's true name of B17. Interestingly during the initial production run the UK was already at war with Germany before production ceased. It would seem that Dinkey Toys recommenced production of this model immediately after the end of the war but changed it's name to "Long Range Bomber" for some reason. I have seen it stated, on-line, that post war models do not have undercarriages but clearly mine does which would suggest to me that my model could be a very early post war example because it has "Long Range Bomber" cast on the underside with,perhaps, some 1st production run parts.

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[Bob Womack]

Looks like a B-17B, which is interesting because the ones that were purchased by Britain were C models. Even the Cs were considered by Boeing and the Army Air Corps to a "proof of concept," not ready for prime time, but the Brits tried them in combat and, ahem, weren't impressed. Of course, they didn't deploy them in large formations of "combat boxes" as intended. Still and all, it is amazing to think that Boeing developed the B-17 on its own string because the Air Corps weren't biting. But that's the story of so many of the WWII aircraft including the Spitfire, whose designer, R.J. Mitchell, had no interest from the R.A.F. until the prototype flew and proved its design.


Bob