B-17 Nose Art, is there a database?

I figured this would be the best place to post this, to gain the attention of Zaphod and others.

I'm looking to see if I can find the nose art from a couple of B-17's. First is the "Carolyn June", a plane that my great uncle normally flew. It was named after my grandmother.

The second is "St. Christopher's Kids II", which is the plane he went down in into the North Sea.

Any help greatly appreciated.


Here's some additional info on him Harry Hummel

a reply to: Excallibacca

Sorry, I'm looking for and not finding a pic of the 2 B-17's you are inquiring about.

Meantime, here's a couple pictures of "Madras Maiden" formerly "Chukie".
I took them myself
This was at The Allegheny County Airport Pittsburgh PA.

Note: article is about nose art.

Article of Chuckie..
warbirdsnews.com...

Excerpt..

Nothing stays the same for ever”, as the saying goes, and the time has come for the Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress known as “Chuckie” for over three decades to receive a new name. She will soon become “Madras Maiden”, which might take a little getting used to for some, such was “Chuckie’s” fame. The late “Doc” Hospers, who bought “Chuckie” in 1979, named her after his wife, and because of that connection the B-17 sort of took on a life of its own. This connection continued even when Hosper’s widow sold the Fortress to Jerry Yagen in 2010, as he assured the name would remain for as long as he owned the Fortress

I'll keep looking

Edit: Mr. Hummel is from Pittsburgh I see.

Here's info on Carolyn June and Christopher's Kids..
www.americanairmuseum.com...

Delivered Cheyenne 3/7/44; Kearney 10/7/44; Dow Fd 20/7/44; Assigned 332BS/94BG [XM-B] Rougham 22/7/44; Missing in Action Hamburg 4/11/44 with Harry Hummel, Hugh McRae, Dixin Pearce, Bill Lewis, Paul Schwartz, Eldon Hudson, Albt Dente, Jack Stoltze, Harry Vance (9 Killed in Action); ship was also testing anti-exhaust flame devices and seen dropping back amid flak, crashed Channel. Missing Air Crew Report 10305. CAROLYN SUE (JUNE) aka ST CHRISTOPHER KIDS.

Nicknames
Carolyn Sue (June), St Christopher Kids
Production block numberB-17G-80-BO FortressManufacturerBoeingMarkings and paint scheme/liveryNot yet known

Harry Hummel

MILITARY | LIEUTENANT | PILOT | 94TH BOMB GROUP 
Killed in Action (KIA) into channel in B-17 'Carolyn Jane' #4338165

a reply to: Excallibacca

Perhaps you could contact an aviation forum ,that might help, they might take some photos or allow you to see them for yourself, hell someone might have the Memphis Bell or the Enola Gay, not sure if they are B-17's but still...I dunno antique hunters are a crazy breed.

Zaphod would be of more assistance, and giving this is posted in the aviation forum i'm pretty sure he is coming in at mach 3 and preparing the landing gear.

a reply to: Excallibacca

A quick web search produced this (a couple "St. Christopher's Kids" and crew photos)
ww2aircraft.net...


There is a book:
www.amazon.com...

Unfortunately it does not contain "Carolyn June", "St. Christopher's Kids" photos.

www.airplanenoseart.com...

Google Image Search...
www.google.com... 2j0i5i30j0i8i30l2j0i24l2.14686.14686..23775...0.0..0.56.56.1......1....1..gws-wiz-img.W-p1B7Zxits

Google Search...
www.google.com... 90.2390..5832...0.0..0.92.180.2......0....1j2..gws-wiz.....0.OzC2AulicXE

A quick search found this.
www.airplanenoseart.com...

Two forums I go to.
Flypast forum
Warbird Exchange Forum

Been kinda busy getting ready for our Christmas vacation, but I'll ask around and do some poking around myself.

a reply to: Excallibacca

Just a tit bit I read recently. The 3 b-29s that Russia interned and copied had their nose art painted over for being too scandalous. All except one with a rabbit holding a bomb.

They did this with all American planes they acquired.

Apparently the half naked women were too distracting.

LoL

originally posted by: tadaman
a reply to: Excallibacca



Apparently the half naked women were too distracting.

LoL

I would hand paint a wide-open beaver with shark teeth and fire breathing on the nose if I was the pilot.
Use your imagination.

a reply to: Thecakeisalie

Memphis Belle was a B-17. Enola Gay was a B-29.

originally posted by: skunkape23

originally posted by: tadaman
a reply to: Excallibacca



Apparently the half naked women were too distracting.

LoL

I would hand paint a wide-open beaver with shark teeth and fire breathing on the nose if I was the pilot.
Use your imagination.

You naughty naughty dude!😆😆😆😆🤜🤛


Edit: BTW that's an Embraer.

a reply to: tadaman

The artwork, and some of it was great work, wasn't so much distracting, as it was photo's and what not were deemed too risque for the homefront.

My Dad was a volunteer gunner aboard a B-24 Liberator for a couple of missions before it was shot down, and it had to have its noseart painted over for a film making of some sort. I saw a picture of it once, it was a woman, obviously, whose was, shall we say, well endowed by her creator.... Whether that was God, or the artist, remains a mystery.

Just typical standard American puritanism.

My dad's plane had snap, crackle and pop riding a bomb. First time the regular crew had a leave, it got shot down over France. One of the crew bailed out, his chute didn't deploy and he fell 20,000 into a bog, and lived.

The nose art is apparently mounted in the small town where it happened, or was years ago. They got another rendering for their new plane (which got shot down the next time they had leave, rinse, repeat).

a reply to: Baddogma

One of the crew bailed out, his chute didn't deploy and he fell 20,000 into a bog, and lived.

I have heard that story before. Apparently he walked away with nothing more than some minor scratches. I believe he unofficially held the record for furthest survivable fall until the 1970's.

Also a Lancaster rear gunner..
Nicholas Alkemade

Alright, after a few days, we've tracked down a few pictures of St Christopher's Kids and gotten a book with info on 8000/12700 B17s produced.

St. Christopher's Kids is tail number 43-38165 XM-B

General consensus is that Carolyn June was 4x-xx342 but we haven't found a complete and accurate number.

Thanks for everyone's help so far.

And Harry Hummel flew for the 94BG/332BS