B-17 "GreenGerda" or "Gushing Gertie"

Posted:
By: Tim Mc Hugh
On: 06/22/2003

  Dear sirs,
I am trying to locate our family B-17. In the early 1960`s my father (Navy Vteran) rescued the front part of a B=17 called "Green Gerda" as I recall it. I noticed your squadron had a request for an aircraft information  called Gushin Gertie. Wondered if this could be the same one. In our case the nose had the body of a Hula Girl with the head of a Popeye cartoon "Goon."  It was donated to Lackland Air Force base museum where it sat in storage for twenty five years before "disappearing" around the time of the remake of Memphis Belle in the early nineties. Does any one have info about where abouts past or present of either of these planes. We never did get picture as it wass hauled away at my mothers insistence a day later. Hoped someone would remember it as it made home as far as the Arizona boneyard.
                       Thanks Tim Mc Hugh
                       345 Bluebonnet Blvd.
                       San Antonio Tx. 78209
                       (210) 826-4743

Gushin Gertie or Green Gerda

Posted:
By: Scott McElvain
On: 06/23/2003

I could not find a B-17 by the name of Green Gerda in a book on B-17s of the 1st Air Division of which the 401st was a part. If we can connect a serial number to the name Gushin Gertie, I can supply basic info about the airplane.

#2. Re: B-17 "GreenGerda" or "Gushing Gertie"

Posted:
By: Scott McElvain
On: 06/24/2003

Another book, Foreman's book on B-17 Nose Art, also has Gushing Gertie with the 401st, but no serial number connected with it. We have been able to put a lot of serial numbers with B-17s through this forum. Hope somebody out there can help.