Friday, April 28, 2000
Painting depicts aviation history
By Randy McNutt
The Cincinnati Enquirer
LEBANON — The B-19, called the “world's largest airplane,” will be remembered Saturday when Warren County raises money for the proposed World War II Memorial in Washington.
A painting of the B-19 by a Lebanon artist and other donated items will be sold at the auction, from 9 a.m. to noon at Wal-Mart, 1879 Deerfield Road.
Enormous aircraft
Though it played a minuscule role in the war, the B-19 remains a fascinating airplane with a local connection. Only one was ever built, and it was based at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton. Its landing gear — with 9-foot tires — is displayed at the base's muse um.
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ABOUT THE B-19
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• Wing spread: 212 feet.
• Height: 42 feet, 9 inches to top of rudder.
• Rivets used: 3 million.
• Gross weight: 140,000 pounds.
• Speed: 200 mph.
• Bomb capacity: 18 tons.
Source: Gen. Ron Huey
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“It's aviation history,” said Nancy Metcalf, the aircraft's painter and a dispatcher at the Warren County Sheriff's Department. “One of the men I work with approached me about painting the plane. I had to work from black-and-white photographs. I took the background from aviation books. This is out of my genre. I usually paint portraits.”
Another artist, Earl Issacs of Waynesville, will donate official Vietnam Memorial T-shirts that he designed.
The idea for the B-19 painting came from retired Brig. Gen. Ron Huey, who lives in Centerville. He flew on the plane, built by Douglas Aircraft from 1937-41.
“It was built as a bomber, but it became our flying laboratory,” Gen. Huey said. “We learned a lot from it. It didn't go into production because it was too big — a monstrous aircraft. To give you an idea, the B-19 held 11,000 gallons of gasoline.”
The bomber's crew chief, Maj. Dom De Vito of Kettering, provided the photographs and literature for Ms. Metcalf.
Romey Reynolds, manager of Lebanon's Wal-Mart, said the company got involved when it learned that the World War II Memorial might fall short of needed financial support. So Wal-Marts across the country accepted donations for the proposed memorial, which needed $100 million.
Fund-raising push
“We've helped raise about $15 million,” he said. “As of March, about $80 million had been raised. Now, we're assured that ground will be broken.”
Gen. Huey attributes a part of the success to Wal-Mart and its customers, and he thanks Mrs. Metcalf for bringing back to life a part of his past.
“I'd love to have that painting,” the general said. “But as good as it looks, the price might be high.”
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