Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
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I was curious about Monty Wedd's assertion in the above "Oddities on Stamps" post that the aircraft in the 1945 Army commemorative stamp supposedly and mistakenly pictured B-29 bombers, which were indeed not used in the European theatre, as the author states. The primary American bomber in that theatre was the B-17 Superfortress. But I wondered how Monty Wedd came by his information, since the images on the stamp are far too small to be accurately identified as any particular bomber, in my opinion anyway.
Let's start with the two bombers in question. Here's the B-17 (a postcard reprint in my collection), followed by the B-29 (a postcard in my collection):
I used my 8X loupe on my copy of the stamps, and the bombers turned out to be… B-Something Fuzzybombers? Here's a large image of the stamp:
And here are silhouettes of both the B-29, at the left, and the B-17, at the right:
Those silhouettes are pretty darned similar, especially when greatly reduced in size:
I'm guessing that the author based his information on a philatelic article or even a USPS publication that incorrectly identified the planes as B-29s.
This isn't a criticism of the wonderful "Oddities in Stamps" creations. Misidentification of aircraft is hardly new in news or entertainment media. My wife gets (mildly) irritated at me when I tell her that aircraft we are seeing on TV aren't the aircraft we're told they are. The most egregious error I've spotted was in a "documentary" on the History Channel supposedly showing the B-29 Enola Gay dropping its nuclear bomb on Hiroshima, but the plane on the screen was actually a Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter, a "wide-body" postwar variant of the B-29. Here's an official U.S. Airforce photo of a Military Air Transport Service (MATS) C-97 in flight:
Boeing also produced a civilian version of the C-97, the B-377 Stratocruiser airliner:
As you can see, the Stratofreighter and Stratocruiser are not exactly B-29 Superfortress clones. The Stratocruiser was the 747 of its day, with a circular staircase leading to the upper deck, a bar, etc. But it had the same engines as the B-29, and they had the disconcerting habit of catching fire and falling off in flight.
Bob
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Bob, believe it or not I posted that particular Oddities of Stamps because I thought you would enjoy the picture and caption regarding the aircraft. I have no idea regarding the type of aircraft, but you make a very good point.
Next is another Oddities In Stamps.
All illustrations are copyright of the Wedd family and are shown here with permission.
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Mel said, “Bob, believe it or not I posted that particular Oddities of Stamps because I thought you would enjoy the picture and caption regarding the aircraft.”
Well, I do believe you! Thank you.
I’m curious about the headline for the B-29 caption. “Opps!”? I didn’t notice it until after I posted my thoughts on the subject, but it’s so obvious that it’s hard to believe I missed it and that it’s a “typo”. I wonder if it’s a play on the first syllable of “Oddities”. Rotate the two D’s 180° and add a s and you get Opps.
Bob
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When I look at the aircraft on the stamp, the first thing that hits me is the width of their tails. I have always noticed what seems to be a very big tail on the B17, but I have never thought the same about the B29. Just an opinion, as I certainly do like both of these aircraft types, but am no authority by any means.
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MBO, Bobstamp & Benque- Namaste to our historians.
Dan C.
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I would be remiss if I did not mention Studebaker's contribution to the B17 (they supplied the engines).
Don
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I came across a booklet titled "Stamp Oddities" was published by Harold Cohn & Co., Inc. (HARCO), Chicago, Illinois, some time back. It contained about 65 pages of illustrations that appear to be by Monty Wedd, and sold for $1.00... There is no copyright indicated in the booklet, and there is no illustrator credit. I noted that there were a few "oddities", but actually the booklet contained more like interesting facts about various stamps and postal issuing authorities.
P.S. I have subsequently verified that these illustrations are, in fact, the work of Monty Wedd. So these illustrations are copyright of the Wedd family and are shown here with permission. Enjoy!
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Terry,
Very interesting. I have the same booklet, the cover is the same, however the first page in mine indicates that the illustrations are from Monty Wedd and has a different publisher. See below.
I have sent you a private message.
Mel
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Another new one.
All illustrations are copyright of the Wedd family and are shown here with permission.
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All illustrations are copyright of the Wedd family and are shown here with permission.
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re: Oddities In Stamps
I was curious about Monty Wedd's assertion in the above "Oddities on Stamps" post that the aircraft in the 1945 Army commemorative stamp supposedly and mistakenly pictured B-29 bombers, which were indeed not used in the European theatre, as the author states. The primary American bomber in that theatre was the B-17 Superfortress. But I wondered how Monty Wedd came by his information, since the images on the stamp are far too small to be accurately identified as any particular bomber, in my opinion anyway.
Let's start with the two bombers in question. Here's the B-17 (a postcard reprint in my collection), followed by the B-29 (a postcard in my collection):
I used my 8X loupe on my copy of the stamps, and the bombers turned out to be… B-Something Fuzzybombers? Here's a large image of the stamp:
And here are silhouettes of both the B-29, at the left, and the B-17, at the right:
Those silhouettes are pretty darned similar, especially when greatly reduced in size:
I'm guessing that the author based his information on a philatelic article or even a USPS publication that incorrectly identified the planes as B-29s.
This isn't a criticism of the wonderful "Oddities in Stamps" creations. Misidentification of aircraft is hardly new in news or entertainment media. My wife gets (mildly) irritated at me when I tell her that aircraft we are seeing on TV aren't the aircraft we're told they are. The most egregious error I've spotted was in a "documentary" on the History Channel supposedly showing the B-29 Enola Gay dropping its nuclear bomb on Hiroshima, but the plane on the screen was actually a Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter, a "wide-body" postwar variant of the B-29. Here's an official U.S. Airforce photo of a Military Air Transport Service (MATS) C-97 in flight:
Boeing also produced a civilian version of the C-97, the B-377 Stratocruiser airliner:
As you can see, the Stratofreighter and Stratocruiser are not exactly B-29 Superfortress clones. The Stratocruiser was the 747 of its day, with a circular staircase leading to the upper deck, a bar, etc. But it had the same engines as the B-29, and they had the disconcerting habit of catching fire and falling off in flight.
Bob
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re: Oddities In Stamps
Bob, believe it or not I posted that particular Oddities of Stamps because I thought you would enjoy the picture and caption regarding the aircraft. I have no idea regarding the type of aircraft, but you make a very good point.
Next is another Oddities In Stamps.
All illustrations are copyright of the Wedd family and are shown here with permission.
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re: Oddities In Stamps
Mel said, “Bob, believe it or not I posted that particular Oddities of Stamps because I thought you would enjoy the picture and caption regarding the aircraft.”
Well, I do believe you! Thank you.
I’m curious about the headline for the B-29 caption. “Opps!”? I didn’t notice it until after I posted my thoughts on the subject, but it’s so obvious that it’s hard to believe I missed it and that it’s a “typo”. I wonder if it’s a play on the first syllable of “Oddities”. Rotate the two D’s 180° and add a s and you get Opps.
Bob
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11:34:59am
re: Oddities In Stamps
When I look at the aircraft on the stamp, the first thing that hits me is the width of their tails. I have always noticed what seems to be a very big tail on the B17, but I have never thought the same about the B29. Just an opinion, as I certainly do like both of these aircraft types, but am no authority by any means.
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re: Oddities In Stamps
MBO, Bobstamp & Benque- Namaste to our historians.
Dan C.
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re: Oddities In Stamps
I would be remiss if I did not mention Studebaker's contribution to the B17 (they supplied the engines).
Don
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re: Oddities In Stamps
I came across a booklet titled "Stamp Oddities" was published by Harold Cohn & Co., Inc. (HARCO), Chicago, Illinois, some time back. It contained about 65 pages of illustrations that appear to be by Monty Wedd, and sold for $1.00... There is no copyright indicated in the booklet, and there is no illustrator credit. I noted that there were a few "oddities", but actually the booklet contained more like interesting facts about various stamps and postal issuing authorities.
P.S. I have subsequently verified that these illustrations are, in fact, the work of Monty Wedd. So these illustrations are copyright of the Wedd family and are shown here with permission. Enjoy!
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re: Oddities In Stamps
Terry,
Very interesting. I have the same booklet, the cover is the same, however the first page in mine indicates that the illustrations are from Monty Wedd and has a different publisher. See below.
I have sent you a private message.
Mel
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this post
re: Oddities In Stamps
Another new one.
All illustrations are copyright of the Wedd family and are shown here with permission.
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