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AL HOFFMAN
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SURVIVOR

May 2, 2013 · in Aviation · · 9 · 1.9K

This is a Speedi-Bilt model my father built some time in the early 50's. I can remember from about '54 on & I don't remember him building this so it must have been before then. These kits were plank balsa & acetate. As you can see this one still exists.

I rememeber having a P-51 that was a Speedi-Bilt or maybe a Strombecker.

My Father was a 2nd pilot in the 15th AF, 47th bomb wing, 376th bomb group, 512th squadron. They were known as the "Liberando's" I believe this was the same Squadron that the "Lady Be Good" was in & the same Group as the "Strawberry B***h" although both were earlier in the war.

I have a picture ofm him & the crew in front of one of the aircraft named "Cap'n & the KId's"

This was not the plane in the nose art book. This plane just had the name in script.

His log says he flew D's, H's & J's.

Reader reactions:
4  Awesome

1 additional image. Click to enlarge.


9 responses

  1. Thanks for sharing that! Somewhere in storage, I have a Speed-built B-26 Invader that my uncle made in the mid 50s. He also flew them in Korea. Those are really cool old kits.

  2. Yeeeaaah buddy! Now that is the "RealDealHolyfield"! For a kit as old as that one is, it held up well. What is the scale? Is the nose art hand painted or is it a decal?

  3. Speedee-Bilt's didn't come on the scene until 1953, - the MiG-15, F4U-5, P-40E and P-51D, and the big ones like theB-24 didn't come till around 1956, when I recall buying both the B-26 Invader and B-25 Mitchell.

  4. THAT is beautiful! Do you have more pictures?

  5. that is a real treat...i remember attempting the corsair stearman p-51 etc...great to see one built

  6. said on May 19, 2013

    Al .. appears this model I ready to be fueled and a crew on board .. as Tom says .. a professional job .. "we", VMF-215, had one of these in '54 at Olathe Ks NAS that the older reserve pilots used to get "flightime" .. I got to "hop" several times .. REAL treat .. the paint job, decals are really marvelous !

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