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Assembly Ships- Brightly Painted Bombers

Discussion in 'Information Requests' started by GRW, May 10, 2016.

  1. GRW

    GRW Pillboxologist WW2|ORG Editor

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    Here's something I'd never heard of. Anyone know if any other air force used the same idea?
    "Assembly ships were retired bombers that were still flyable. They were painted in unique paint schemes so large groups of bombers could find them in the air and form up with the correct bomber stream in their flight formations on a bombing run.
    [SIZE=18.2px]Once the bomb group formed up, the Assembly ships returned to base to await the next mission."[/SIZE]
    http://www.warhistoryonline.com/military-vehicle-news/brightly-painted-heavy-bombers.html/2
     
    GRW, May 10, 2016
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  2. LRusso216

    LRusso216 Graybeard Staff Member

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    I never heard of this, either. I did some checking and found this about the RAF.
    http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234944756-assembly-ships/

    The RAF did not fly in the same kind of formations as the USAAF, so did not need formation ships.

    The RAF DID use formation markings, when they flew a lot of daylight missions in 1944 in support of D-Day, adding coloured rudders and wing tips, and outlining letters in yellow.

    There are various pics of Lancs, using white and yellow, and a report of 103 Sq planes using blue...

    Colourful tail markings were also seen on many of 4 group Halifaxes as well..
    thread here
    http://www.britmodel...x-fin-markings/

    these were in red and yellow.

    [​IMG]
     
    LRusso216, May 10, 2016
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  3. GRW

    GRW Pillboxologist WW2|ORG Editor

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    Well done, Lou. It was the RAF I had in mind originally.
     
    GRW, May 10, 2016
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  4. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Good Ol' Boy Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Slipdigit, May 10, 2016
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  5. Skipper

    Skipper Kommodore

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    Consider their goal was to be seen , the dot system did not seem so absurd. On the other hand having Lancs in camo with a visible tail would make it easier to change the aircrafts into a regular bomber again
     
    Skipper, May 11, 2016
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  6. CAC

    CAC Ace of Spades

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    That much paint can be heavy too...believe it or not.
     
    CAC, May 11, 2016
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  7. mcoffee

    mcoffee Son-of-a-Gun(ner)

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    The aircraft is 41-28697 "Spotted Ass Ape" of the 458th BG, 754th Squadron.

    The assembly ships came about in the 8th AF due to the close proximity of multiple bomb groups forming simultaneously.

    I have not seen any dedicated Assembly Ships painted as such in the 15th AF. There were fewer bomb groups to form up and for the most part the proximity of airfield was a bit less crowded. Groups would form over their own field and then rendezvous with the other groups in their Wing as designated geographic locations before proceeding on course. The 449th BG (B-24's) would form on a spare ship flown by the Air Discipline Officer. The headquarters squadron had a B-25 as a "hack" that was sometimes flown by the ADO. The ADO would land after the formation departed. There were a couple of instances where the ADO flying a normal B-24 would continue on the mission with the group.

    As for the weight of the paint, I believe most of the dedicated assembly ships were stripped of armament which would more than offset the weight of the paint scheme.
     
    mcoffee, May 11, 2016
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  8. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    They would have been stripped of their bomb bay equipage as well. These aircraft were one malfunction short of being hangar queens.

    A pilot once related to me the story of a rookie pilot who was assigned unknowingly to a hangar queen. He was very excited about his new "command" until he did a walk around and found that the entire port wing was missing.
     
    OpanaPointer, May 11, 2016
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  9. CAC

    CAC Ace of Spades

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    Was there a flashing light night version?
     
    CAC, May 11, 2016
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  10. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Phosphorescent paint would have been so much cooler.
     
    OpanaPointer, May 11, 2016
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