#259 Garand Picture of the Day B17

[Mark in Rochester]

A view of an Army dog making the rounds with a watch guard.
Location: Honolulu, HI, US
Date taken: 1942
Photographer: Ralph Morse

OK which model B17 ?

Information

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[Bob Womack]

I'm going to venture a guess that it's a B-17E.

Bob

[Bill Hollinger]

An E model. More than likely not guarding the plane as much as the Norden Bomb sight inside it. My dad told me stories about how they treated the Norden Bomb sight in the early years like it was made of solid gold.

[Bob Womack]

And if you look really close, you can see the Norden under its soft cover in the nose. I only guessed an E because there was a period when the Fs looked just like Es.

Bob

[gunsmith II]

observations are supported that this aircraft is Boeing's Famous "E" model.
The photo would need to show more of the tail section... but the date of the photo and the production of "F's" coming late in '42 by the time they were placed in service..... "hey isn't this a M-1 yikes:

[Mike Haas]

An E model. More than likely not guarding the plane as much as the Norden Bomb sight inside it. My dad told me stories about how they treated the Norden Bomb sight in the early years like it was made of solid gold.

"Pickle Barrels" in those days as well!. Flat *** amazing how the R & D guys do under optimum circumstances.

Combat condition results, as I'm sure you know, failed to verify the much vaunted claims on the "Nordan".

[Bill Hollinger]

Mike, the "pickle barrel" was pure BS and all associated with the Norden sight soon found this out. They were a much needed improvement over what they had though I used to have a few photos of a WC Carry All with MPs securing the sight after flight. It looked more like an armored car delivery. Tommy guns out, three or four guards for one sight.

Dad did not "fly" them but he "flew" them whenever a pilot wanted a staff car for a date. Dad said it was like flying in a dream. The only other plane he liked more was the B26. He talked of them often. He said he thought it was the prettiest plane ever built. I asked him about the B25 and he said they flew okay but landed like a tub of sh**!

Dad had an eye injury early in his life that left him blind in his left eye so he was unable to go to pilot's school. His brother did it with a fingernail while playing. Odd but in the late 1990s dad was able to get it fixed and see fine out of both eyes. Modern medicine!

[Bob Womack]

I'm not sure that you are aware, but you might be: The Norden was supplied with a hefty explosive charge and timer built into it. It was the bombardier's responsibility to set the charge to destroy the device before he left a plane going down over enemy territory or one that crashed landed. They took this thing darned seriously.

Bob

[Mike Haas]

Mike, the "pickle barrel" was pure BS and all associated with the Norden sight soon found this out. They were a much needed improvement over what they had though I used to have a few photos of a WC Carry All with MPs securing the sight after flight. It looked more like an armored car delivery. Tommy guns out, three or four guards for one sight.

Dad did not "fly" them but he "flew" them whenever a pilot wanted a staff car for a date. Dad said it was like flying in a dream. The only other plane he liked more was the B26. He talked of them often. He said he thought it was the prettiest plane ever built. I asked him about the B25 and he said they flew okay but landed like a tub of sh**!

Dad had an eye injury early in his life that left him blind in his left eye so he was unable to go to pilot's school. His brother did it with a fingernail while playing. Odd but in the late 1990s dad was able to get it fixed and see fine out of both eyes. Modern medicine!

You Dad sounds like an interesting fellow! - I lost my medical so I don't fly anymore. 1400+ hrs in Viet Nam (RU-8D's). 1000+ Hrs in various single engine(Private Fixed Wing).
Re: the 'Norden' - Wind at altitude, does stuff to falling object/flying objects.
I once "backed up" at 3500 ft.in my favorite airplane pictured below. Had an approx. 65 MPH headwind vrs a cruise speed of 85 MPH. For shixx & Giggles I reduced power and "reversed " to the Airstrip I departed from. I "hovered" over the Airport fof about 10 minutes before I got bored and landed. Surface wind was about 15 MPH.
Maybe you can quess the Make & Model of my now sold and much missed airplane.

[30-06_mike]

Mike,

Looks like a Piper Cub in Military Markings.
But I thought the Cub was flown from the rear seat when solo?