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[Kopfdorfer]

Hey Guys,

I am looking for a skin which I cannot find an image for , and certainly there is not one in the places where I usually lurk.
For those who don't know , Royce Force was a composite bomb group of B17Es and B25Cs which were ordered from Australia
to a temporary base out of the Del Monte Pineapple plantation on Mindanao in the Philippines to "break the IJN shipping blockade between Mindanao and Corregidor" in the spring of 1942.

The B25Cs in question were drawn from a batch of over 100 which had been allocated and were en route to the Dutch Air Force , but were withheld to fill gaps in USAAF TO and Es.

Beecause of this unique situation , the skin I "imagine to be correct" is a B25 in Dutch Air Force Green (see the B-10 below as a guide)  - I don't know the correct term for the tint , but in most images it is more green and less brown than  US Army Olive Drab.

https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,49014.0.html

Ideally , I would prefer to have the skin both as a blank , and with US Rondels - the next question would be should they have 1941 rondels  with the red centre dot , or the 42 rondel without ?

Any experts have any thoughts on this ?

Input and knowledge appreciated.

Kopfdorfer

[Bobbo]

Supposedly the B25s never made it the stagging field and this has a picture of one of the B-17s. Looks like the standard paint job for the period.

http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/the-royce-special-mission/

[Kopfdorfer]

Post Edited 22/11/2016 by Kopfdorfer

Hey Bobbo ,

My information does not concur with yours.
3 x B17Es of the 19th Bombardment Group (Heavy) serial #s 41-2421 (named "GI Issue") , 41-2447(named "San Antonio Rose II") , 41-2486 and
12 x B25Cs of the 78th bomber Sqdn/38th Bombardment Group (Medium) which had been intended for the Netherlands East Indies Air Force but after Pearl Harbor were reappropriated by the USAAF,
Serial #s 41-12441 , 41-12442 (named "Feather Merchant"), 41-12443 (named "Mortimer") ,  41-12455 , 41-12466 ,
41-12472 (The Queen) , 41-12480 , 41-12483 (named "Lounge Lizard")  , 41-12496 , 41-12498 , 41-12511
were assigned to Royce Force.
Lounge Lizard had mechanical difficulties and did not make the trip.
3 x B17 and 10 x B25 arrived at Del Monte Field on Mindanao on 11 April 1942.
12 B25s had been intended to be included in Royce Force , but 2 were scratched prior to departure for mechanical failures of some kind.
They flew in total 8 sorties (in various combinations of aircraft) before fuel and ammunition supply ran out and they had to return to Darwin.
2 of the B17s had received damage in Japanese air raids on Del Monte following the first Royce Force Attacks on Cebu (B25s) and on Nichols Field Luzon (B17s) ,and withdrew carrying passengers before the B25s.
Royce Force made 7 attack missions in less than 3 days before being withdrawn on 14 April 1942.
All Royce Force Aircraft returned to Batchelor Field Darwin successfully.

My supposition is that aircraft earmarked for the NEIAF would probably not have been repainted in the desperate flurry of activity following the Japanese attacks on Pearl , the Philippines , Wake , etc etc. , and therefore would have very likely been wearing Dutch colours - along with US national markings.

If someone can disprove this with photographic evidence I am very interested -
my "what if" paint scheme is still a request until that time , if anyone is  interested in doing it.

Thanks for your interest.

Kopfdorfer

[Kopfdorfer]

Just some additional Info.

I have found some photos of B25C "Mortimer" .
It is difficult to determine the paint scheme - could be either US Army OD or NEIAF Green.
The rondel , however , is clear. US 1942 Rondel , no red centre dot.

http://www.ozatwar.com/usaaf/mortimer.htm

Kopfdorfer