B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 41-2595 / The Desert Rat

History of
B-17 41-2595 / The Desert Rat

Delivered MacDill 28/2/42; 97BG Sarasota 29/3/42; Ogden 7/7/42; 383BG Ainsworth 19/3/43; Wright-Patterson Fd 17/8/43, modified in 1944 to XC-108A experimental cargo a/c, bomb doors were sealed shut, armament removed, solid hinged nose piece and a large cargo door cut into rear fuselage; this took 19,000 man hours and program halted for others. It was based in India and used for flying material over the Hump and Returned to the USA in 10/44 ending up in pieces on the dump at Dow Fd in Maine. It was virtually complete and eventually sold for scrap to Mike Kellner 1985 at Galt, Ill, for restoration, now complete at Lake Bluff, Marengo, Ill., Destined to fly again. THE DESERT RAT.

Last updated: 3. May 2017