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Old Able in Olive Drab

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Few of us can appreciate the affinity that a combat crew has for an aircraft that has carried them through thick and thin, flying mission after bloody mission through some of the most dangerous skies and weather conditions the world has known, the skies over North Korea during the Korean War 1950 -1954. Built near the end of WWII and seeing limited use, this B-26B Invader, code name "Old Able" was one such aircraft. Flying out of Iwakuni AFB in Japan and seen here in her original WWII Olive Drab "OD" colors, she was later repainted black with 13th Bomb Squadron red trim. The nose art is the 13th Bomb Squadron's Grim Reaper insignia, better known to 13th crews as Oscar, the Devil's Own Grim Reaper. Oscar has been with the squadron since WWI and continues to be paint on 13th Bomb Squadron aircraft today. In this illustration Old Able (also known as Versatile Lady [link] ) is showing some battle damage. The entire vertical stabilizer and top gun turret have been replaced along with part of the engine nacelle with parts that were cannibalized from another B-26 that was damaged beyond repair, giving her a patched up, war weary look. Old Able was a tribute to the skills of her Crew Chief and ground crew who painstakingly kept her flying even after severe damage from enemy Triple A and small arms fire, not to mention overly aggressive combat tactics by some of the pilots. The Korean War took it's toll on the B-26 Invaders and many were lost, but the ones that survived, went on to fight with the French in Indochina and later with the USAF in Vietnam. Many of the surviving B-26 Invaders were the backbone of several South American Air Forces throughout the 1960's and 70's. Rumors among 13th Bomb Squadron Veterans is that "Old Able" finished her days in South America.

Adobe Illustrator 8.0, Apple Macintosh G4 Power PC, OS 9.2.
Image size
1440x773px 427.62 KB
© 2004 - 2024 yankeedog
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zimm's avatar
you work at 100x100 inches!?!
i assume you take your own shots for reference then......

excellent gallery you've got.....i really like your layouts and your overall vector work in general.....great work on the nosecone arts too...