Finished!
The above is fifteen years in the making — I complained about the foolishness of the first version I completed in 2009 on my Substack. Suffice it to state, earlier this year was commissioned for a public display and immediately saw it as a sign from Gawd to right the wrongs I committed back then.
For here, however, I'll focus on the artwork as much has changed since the one below:
George likely flew 6+ different B-24s in combat. Though I was able to scan his combat diary, it wasn't as detailed on specific airplanes as it was as a narrative of his life as a combat pilot. A page from 25-26 December, 1944 is below — it's terrific to 'hear' the man's thoughts through the ancient pages but it doesn't tell me much about markings!
42-50419 "Big Gas Bird" (first combat mission)
44-48754
The photos above are pretty-much what I had to go on (thanks to B24bestweb.com and the AmericanAirMuseum.com).
42-51279 (first mission as Pilot in Command)
42-78166 "Rosalie Mae"
42-51917
and of course, 44-11199 "YO-YO"
Still, the photos of YO-YO available, give only general detail.
The choice to draw the port side was purely due to the display of 95 mission markers. It's interesting to note that YO-YO survived the war, only for George to see a newsreel of it waiting to be turned into toasters. I'm hoping the color picture above is from that very film!
All in all, I'm happier with the "new" YO-YO but still wishing for a Time Machine.
