B-17 with exotic painting

**pampa14** · 08-23-2015, 04:38 PM

I share with you some photos of a Boeing B-17 bomber with an exotic and unusual camouflage. Does anyone know if this plane entered service and what the function of this painting? I count on your visit.

Avia

Best Regards.

**FALLSCHIRMJAGER** · 08-23-2015, 04:43 PM

These wacky cammo aircraft were used and came in all sorts of colour schemes. I forget what their purpose was exactly, something like a marshalling aircraft for large formations I think, but someone will know for sure. Leon.

**asterperious** · 08-23-2015, 05:03 PM

Leon is correct:
"Assembly Ships, also known as Formating Aircraft or 'Judas Goats', were used [mostly] by the B-24 groups of the Eighth Air Force 2nd Air Division, whose airfields were concentrated around Norwich, Norfolk. The combination of new, inexperienced crews attempting to cope with precise formation procedures in crowded skies and often poor weather led to ships joining up with the wrong group and a high level of accidents. In 1943 the idea was conceived of issuing each B-24 group with a dedicated Assembly Ship. A war-weary B-24 was painted in a distinctive scheme unique to each Group, with additional lights in a group pattern, and armament generally removed. The assembly ship, flown by a minimal crew, was first off, and flew an orbit around the assembly area while the group formed up, the crew firing colored flares.
(source: Michael Chilestone)" Aircraft

**lithgow** · 08-23-2015, 05:25 PM

Note that the assembly plane didn't take part in the mission beyond helping the other planes form up-they went off to mainland Europe etc and the brightly coloured ship then landed back at base.