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

41-2560

Delivered Pendleton 5/2/42; Boise 9/2/42; force landed Gowen 23/2/42 with Bob Beebe; Salt Lake City 23/6/42; Biggs 13/9/42; Lockbourn 1/5/43; with B.J. Smith force landed base 18/9/43; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Altus 4/9/45.

41-9180

Delivered Pendleton 34BG 9/5/42; Westover 10/7/42; with Fred Stolp force landed Tinker Fd, OK 18/2/44; Recl Comp 28/11/45.

41-2665 / Lulu aka Pretty Baby

Delivered Minneapolis 7/3/42; Assigned 435BS/19BG Hawaii 14/5/42; transferred 65BS/43BG then 54TCW in PNG before transferred 6SR Clark Fd, Phllipines. LULU.

41-2625

Delivered Ogden 1/3/42; Cheyenne 28/3/42; RCAF Dorval 8/5/42; Gander-Prestwick 20/5/42 with Bob Coffman, to RAF [FK197]; Assigned Scottish Aviation for trial installation of special LRASV MkII radar and additional dorsal aerials, not used on anti-sub ops 18/7/42; 251 Sq (AD-E) Reykjavik, Iceland 3/5/45; Struck Off Charge 21/6/47.

41-2498

Delivered MacDill 3/1/42; 30BS/19BG Java 9/2/42 with Jacques; 7BG, strafed Singosari/Bandoeng, Java 20/2/42; Salvaged.

41-2669

Delivered Minneapolis 11/3/42; Assigned 19BG Hawaii 4/5/42; retUS Pocatello 28/11/42; Oklahoma City 12/12/42; Pyote 19/1/43; Lockbourn 26/2/43; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Altus 9/10/45.

41-2518

Delivered Ogden 23/1/42; Cheyenne 15/2/42; Wright 24/3/42 taking part in ASV trials; Wayne Co. 10/10/42; RCAF Dorval 18/10/42; Gander-Prestwick 4/11/42 RAF [FK189]; 59 Sq Thorney Is 11/1/43; transferred 220 Sq (ZZ-X) Aldergrove, N.I.; then to Lagens, Azores [ -Y]; engine caught fire on take off from Lagens with F/Lt Larry Croft 26/7/44, the fire was extinguished by USAAF fire crew assigned to base; Struck Off Charge 15/8/44.

41-2510

Delivered Albany 22/1/42; Sebring 30/1/42; MacDill 5/2/42; Hendricks 4/3/42; crash landed Olmstead Fd, PA with Willis Beightol 18/4/42;

41-9013

Assigned 341BS/97BG 3/42; courier trip to N.Africa 18/12/42; transferred 327BS/92BG (UX-V) Bovingdon 27/8/43; 482BG Alconbury 27/8/43; 95BG Horham as tow target & hack; 94BG Rougham 10/11/43; Returned to the USA 4136 BU Tinker 22/5/44; Recl Comp 9/2/45.

41-9121 / The Big Bitch

Assigned 359BS/303BG [BN- ] Molesworth 21/4/42; 97BG Polebrook /8/42; 92BG Bovingdon /9/42; /1/43 CCRC; to 351BG Polebrook 15/4/43 as t/t, Salvaged 29/5/45. THE BIG BITCH.

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

“Big Tail”