Douglas XB-19A 38-471 All Weather Flying Center

These are 1/72 scale decals for Douglas XB-19A 38-471, operated by the All Weather Flying Center, United States Air Force, in its postwar configuration — including its role in Project Thunderstorm.

By the end of World War II, the XB-19 had been re-engined with four Allison V-3420 liquid-cooled engines in place of its original Wright R-3350 radials, earning the XB-19A designation. No longer of any value as a bomber prototype, the massive aircraft found a remarkable new purpose in the postwar years under the All Weather Flying Center — the USAF organization dedicated to understanding and conquering the hazards of flight in adverse meteorological conditions.

Project Thunderstorm was a landmark joint military-civilian research program conducted in 1946-1947 to study the internal structure, dynamics, and hazards of thunderstorms — one of the most dangerous threats to aviation. The XB-19A's enormous size made it uniquely suited to the mission: it could carry large teams of scientists and sophisticated instrumentation packages, penetrate thunderstorm cells at multiple altitudes simultaneously, and withstand the violent turbulence that would have overwhelmed smaller aircraft. The data gathered by Project Thunderstorm fundamentally advanced the understanding of convective weather and directly improved aviation safety for decades to come.

The third and final chapter in the XB-19's remarkable story — from prewar ambition to wartime service to postwar science — and a perfect companion to the rollout XB-19 and the 20th Bombardment Squadron XB-19 (38-471). Please allow some time for decal printing and shipping.