B-17 with exotic painting

[pampa14]

I share with you some photos of a Boeing B-17 bomber with an exotic and unusual camouflage. Does anyone know if this plane entered service and what the function of this painting? I count on your visit.


aviacaoemfloripa.blogspot.com.br/2011/01/boeing-b-17-flying-fortress-spotted-cow.html


Best Regards.

[Dave Homewood]

It looks like a formation ship, brightly coloured so that other bomber crews would see it easily in the sky as they are taking off and they would form up on it to create the large formations before they headed off to bomb the targets. The formation ship would then land, and not go with them.

[AussieBob]

Correct Dave, 42-3441 was an assembly ship in 384th Bomb Group and here is this one's life history
384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/One384thAircraft.php?AircraftKey=42-3441