Flak-Bait

[bru888]

Flak-Bait, the American B26 Marauder bomber that survived the most missions of World War II: 200 combat missions and six decoy operations. Its fuselage was patched over 1,000 times to cover holes from shrapnel. Now undergoing restoration at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. Actually, "preservation" is a better word; they are "cleaning and stopping any corrosion ... future generations of museum visitors will be able to see the beat-up old bomber ... its battle-damage patches, its chipped and splotchy paint, and all the exhaust and mud stains that it wore during its days of battle."

Flak-Bait in flight.jpg (293.14 KiB) Viewed 1647 times

Flak-Bait being restored.jpg (488.86 KiB) Viewed 1647 times

Flak-Bait interior.jpg (510.06 KiB) Viewed 1647 times

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithson ... 180974690/

[StuccoFresco]

Absolutely impressive.

[bru888]

Absolutely impressive.

In war, the superstitious among us tend to think in terms of "lucky" ships and planes. Men of that persuasion who flew in this bomber must have felt lucky, indeed.

[Shards]

All the right holes in all the right places