B-17E | B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies

The first of the “Big Ass” B-17’s arrived England to equip the US 8th Air Force in July 1942. All the planes had been modified with enlarged gun windows and 0.50-calibre guns on either side of the nose. Further modifications were made to them after they were operational including work on the radio, bomb rack, lighting, oxygen, extinguisher and survival systems. By the time the B-17E had been shipped across the Atlantic, newer models were already coming off the Boeing production line. In fact, the B-17E was only on full combat status for just over two weeks before the appearance of the B-17F’s

The B-17E was not used in great numbers for combat because the F model was so different in performance that it made joint operations, using both planes unlikely. The B-17E took a back seat and was eventually esed as a trainer, a transport and a target-tower. With its armaments removed it could give better handling and speed.

Random B-17E from database

41-9236

Delivered Cheyenne 28/5/42; Wayne 6/7/42; Dorval 8/7/42; Gander-Prestwick 17/7/42 with Merrill Phoenix, to RAF [FL463]; 59 Sq (PJ-D) Thorney Is, 31/12/42; last squadron mission 27/3/43 with Stephen DuPlooy before switching to B-24s; 220 Sq (VX-D) Benbecula, Scot., 1674 HCU (-C) Aldergrove, N.I. 3/2/44; changed to –C mid 1945; Struck Off Charge with 51MU at Litchfield 31/7/47.

41-2514

Delivered Ogden 23/1/42; Cheyenne 15/2/42; from Wayne Co Apt to RCAF Dorval 24/3/42; Gander 23/4/42; Prestwick 24/4/42 with Sqd Ldr Don Ross, Co-pilot: civilian George Bliss, Navigator: Cowans, Radio Operator: Arnaud, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Sarsfield, Sgt Smith plus civilians G. Bennett, N. Perjul to RAF [FK185]; 220 Sq (ZZ-E) Ballykelly 14/7/42; A&AEE Boscombe Down, Wilts. To be fitted with experimental Bristol B16 nose turret which housed a 40mm Vickers ‘S’ gun 31/1/44; 220 Sq Aldergrove, N.I.; LRASV not fitted; A&AEE Boscombe Down and converted back to original configuration and transferred to 251 Sq Reykjavik, Iceland 11/3/45; Struck Off Charge 10/7/45.

41-2664 / The Jersey Skeeter

Delivered Minneapolis 9/3/42; Assigned 30BS/19BG Hawaii 6/5/42; transferred 64BS/43BG; crashed on take off Port Moresby and exploded 14/6/43 with James A. Pickard, Co-pilot: Capt Jack Ryan, Navigator: Capt Rich Zahm, Lt Francis Damron, John Meehan, Merrill Green, Dale Mitchell plus obs. 15th Weather Sq. (8 Killed in Action); W/O Salvaged. THE JERSEY SKEETER.

41-2527

Delivered Ogden 25/1/42; Portland 27/1/42; Ogden 17/2/42; Cheyenne 10/4/42; Lowry 6/5/42; slated RAF but transferred 431BS/11BG Hawaii 21/5/42; transferred 26BS; flak damage, over Eastern Solomons 10/6/44 with Hugh W. Owens. Salvaged Hawaii 10/8/44.

41-9073

Delivered Boise 4/4/42; Presque Is 31/5/42; Assigned 359BS/303BG Houlton 20/6/42; when taxiing u/c retracted 27/6/42 with Lt Don Sheeler, Sgts Flight engineer/top turret gunner: C.S. Wymen and Radio Operator: S.F.Sevick; no injuries; Written off 4/12/42.

41-2504

Delivered MacDill 6/2/42; West Palm Beach 20/2/42; Assigned 6AF Howard, Panama 4/4/42; Guatemala 15/4/42; canal patrol & anti-sub duties; Returned to the USA Mitchell Fd 11/11/43; Mat Com Wright Fd; 4136 BU Tinker 2/1/45; Recl Comp 9/2/42.

41-2611

Delivered Ogden 22/2/42; Lowry 4/5/42; slated RAF as KH999 but transferred 31BS/5BG Hawaii 16/8/42; transferred 26BS/11BG before retUS Tyndall 17/1/44; Kingman 20/11/44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Albuquerque 16/6/45. (Shown on Midway TV documentary).

41-9196

Delivered Cheyenne 15/5/42; slated RAF but transferred 30BS/19BG Hickam 7/10/42 then Mareeba, Aus.; re-fuelled Pt Moresby t/o but Missing in Action Vunakanau, shot down over New Britain 5/10/42 with Earl L. Hageman, Co-pilot: Dale Hanson, Navigator: Angelo Bianco, Bombardier: Wade Lowry, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Mike Adamow, Radio Operator: Tom Jack, Waist gunner: Frank Mehock, Waist gunner: Tom Wilzbacher,Tail gunner: Frank Plunkett. (9 Killed in Action). Missing Air Crew Report 15207.

41-2543

Delivered Tucson 4/2/42; Geiger 12/2/42; Cheyenne 9/5/42; Wendover 12/5/42; Ephrata 4/6/42; Wendover 22/6/42; Westover 11/8/42; Boise 20/8/42; Topeka 28/10/42; Sioux Falls 21/11/42; Smyrna 28/2/43; Lockbourn, OH, force landed Baer Fd, Wayne, IN. with Leroy Rennfeldt 8/4/43; Written off 18/11/43.

41-9097

Delivered Boise 303BG 16/4/42; West Palm Beach 17/4/42; Gt Britain 9/5/42; India; Con Inv 30/6/43.

B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies B-17E

“Big Tail”