B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies Latest entries in the database

Delivered Louisville 15/5/45; following late adjustments at Bowman Fd, KY Assigned Syracuse 29/6/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Altus 7/11/45; sold Metal Products for $750 in 1946, Esperado Mining Co. 12/5/47, to Universal Aviation Co, Tulsa, OK then Vero Beach, Fl Imp/Exp/Co as carrier for cattle to Puerto Rico; Aero Service, Phil. and modified for high altitude mapping projects; in 1962 purchased by Chris Stoltzfus, Coatsville, PA before moving to Dothan Aviation Co. in 1966 as an agricultural sprayer; in 1980 was given to EAA Aviation Foundation, due to high costs. In turn served several owners in Libya, Thailand, Iran, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Egypt and Jordan. Now (Civil N5015N) restored (as 42-102516, which was assigned 601BS/398BG [3O-H] Nuthampstead, and shot down over France 13/8/44, on its 34th mission) after ten years work at EAA Aviation Foundation, Oshkosh, Wis. Dressed as 42-102516 of 398BG as airworthy ALUMINIUM OVERCAST.

Delivered Louisville 18/5/45; Assigned 509th Comp Gp, as Drone, possibly the last survivor of Operation Crossroads, A-Bombs tests in Pacific; Returned to the USA 1946 for restoration at Tulare, Cal; operated by TWA as NX4600, then as NL before being donated to Iran government and later to France as survey aircraft; sat at Arizona garage 1974; Tulare, Cal. 1988, where damaged by vehicle collision 8/82 in USAF Museum. Repaired as displayed at American Veterans Memorial, Highway 99, Tulare, Cal, as PRESTON’S PRIDE.

Delivered Louisville, Ky 17/5/45; Syracuse, NY 5/7/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Altus 15/11/45; Used as experimental Allison T-56 turbo-prop, Seattle with Buzz No BA-747B, as Civil NX-5111N ANUDDERONE, sold to Pratt & Whitney 19/11/47 as engine test-bed with an XT-34P in the nose and cockpit moved back 4ft. Was severely damaged by tornado in Connecticut where a SA-16 Albatross was lifted by the wind and thrown on top of the bomber, October 1979. Donated to Connecticut Aero. Hist. Soc. at Bradley. Taken on by Tom Riley who bought the wreck in 1987, and taken to Kissimmee, FL and rebuilt as B-17G; purchased by Don Brooks in 2003, now displayed as 42-97849 [DI-O] of 570BS/390BG Framlingham, Sfk, UK, at Liberty Foundation, Douglas, GA, as airworthy LIBERTY BELLE. (During an airshow with Capt John Hess, Co-pilot: Bud Stittic plus five passengers on 13/6/2011 force landed Oswego, Ill., an accompanying T-6 Texan spotted a fire on B-17s inboard left wing and informed pilot, who made a successful landing in nearby field. It was not a severe fire but the appliances were unable to negotiate the soft ground, thus passengers all OK and many items of equipment were saved before the flames took a big hold and ship burnt out.)

Delivered Louisville 9/5/45; Rome 5/7/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Altus 21/11/45; IGN France [F-BEEC] 10/12/47 CHARLOTTE; Bitteswell, Leics, GB as G-FORT 12/6/84; US Civil N900RW; restored as 42-38050 of 359BS/303BG at Molesworth, UK, now N900RW at Lone Star Flight Museum at Galveston, Tex., airworthy as THUNDERBIRD.

Assigned USAF and in 1951 converted to drone director DB-17G then DB-17P until 1957. Retired to Dyess AFB, Tx 1977 as BLACK HAWK. Now displayed as 42-38113 of 96BG, Snetterton, UK, at Linear Air Park, Dyess AFB, Abilene, Tex., called THE RELUCTANT DRAGON.

Ass USAF Burbank in March 1945, converted as TB-17H search & rescue duties then as SB-17G before being sold to Brazilian AF {5402}, 1951 1st & 2nd Sqd 60BG at Recife. Retired in 1968, now on static display at Base Aerea do Recife AFB, Brazil.

Delivered & Assigned US Navy Johnsville 13/7/45 as PB-1W {77244}; Assigned VX-4 Quonset Pt 5/47; Norfolk 1/50; Patuxent River 29/9/50; re-designated VW-2 18/6/52; Norfolk 24/2/55; Litchfield Pk 12/3/55; SO 10/7/56; AmComp Steel Corp, Dallas 2/12/57, Civil N5230V; Marson Equip/Sal Co, Tucson 18/10/60; Aero Union Corp, Anderson, Cal 10/61 (tanker); at Barksdale AFB 8AF Museum, restored in colours of 359BS/303BG, (BN-R) at Molesworth, UK as YANKEE DOODLE DANDY II. Now at Eighth Air Force Museum, Barksdale AFB, Bossier City, LA, static as MISS LIBERTY.

Delivered & Assigned US Navy Johnsville 12/7/45 as PB-1W {77235}; Assigned VX-4 Quonset Pt 5/47; Norfolk 4/50; transferred NAS 103 Quonset Pt 22/11/50; VX-4 Patuxent River 1/52; re-designated VW-2 18/6/52; Norfolk 6/53; VW-1 Atsugi, Japan 4/2/54; RetUS, Litchfield Pk 15/1/55; SO 10/7/56; AeroServ Corp, Phil 1/10/57, Civil N7227C; ACS Inc 29/12/61; Confederate AF Mercedes, Tx 22/9/67; restored as 533BS/381BG [VP-X], (based at Ridgewell, Essex, UK) at CAF Gulf Coast Wing, Spring, near Houston, Tex., performing at air shows as TEXAS RAIDERS. Mid-Air-Collision with P-63 on 12/11/2022.

Delivered Syracuse 6/7/45; Assigned US Navy Johnsville 11/7/45 as PB-1W {77233}; Assigned VX-4 Quonset Pt 4/47; transferred VPW-1 Ream Fd 4/48; Norfolk 2/50; VX-4 Patuxent River 21/7/50; Glenview 8/50; re-designated VW-2 18/7/52; TD Gardamoen, Norway 8/52; RetUS, Norfolk 10/52; VW-2 Patuxent River 3/6/53; Litchfield Pk 26/5/55; SO 10/7/56; AmCom Steel Corp, Dallas 2/12/57, Civil N5237V; Ashland Corp, Tucson 26/2/60; Marson Equip/Sal Co, Tucson 7/7/60; AeroUn, Anderson, Cal 27/9/61 (tanker); Butler Avn, Redmond, Or 28/12/61 (tanker); TBM Inc, Tulare, Cal 1/2/83; to UK 1983, restored as 94BG in RAF Museum, Hendon, UK.

Delivered Syracuse 4/7/45; Assigned US Navy Johnsville 11/7/45 as PB-1W {77231}; Assigned VX-4 Quonset Pt 2/47; Norfolk 2/50; Litchfield Pk 5/50; transferred VC-11 Miramar 4/52; VC-11 Barbers Pt, Hawaii 6/52; re-designated VW-1 18/6/52; RetUSN, San Diego 5/54; Litchfield Pk 14/6/54; SO 10/7/56; AmComp Steel Corp, Dallas 2/12/57, Civil N5233V; Marson Eqip/Sal Co, Tucson 26/2/60; AirUn, Anderson, Cal 27/9/61 (tanker); Rogue FlyServ, Medford, Or 3/1/62; Eglin AFB Museum 1975, (was displayed in 95BG colours, now as 44-6106 of 388BG Knettishall, UK as WANDA THE WITCH.) Based at USAF Armament Museum, Eglin, Fla, as GREMLIN’S HIDEOUT.

Delivered Syracuse 15/6/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Altus 5/11/45; then Civil N66571 in Canada og geophysical surveyor and fire-bomber; Mexico as XB-BEC; rebuilt 1969 at Pima Museum, Tucson, Az. With NASM at Dulles Apt, Washington since 1982. Now under restoration at Mighty Eighth Museum, Pooler, Savannah, GA, as CITY OF SAVANNAH.

Delivered Cheyenne 8/6/45; Hunter 14/7/45; Slated Oahu 7AF, transferred Sth Plains 25/10/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 30/4/46; 4134 BU Spokane 11/9/46; 594 BU Topeka 15/9/46; re-ass 31/3/47; 1377 BU Westover 22/5/47; crash landed on frozen Dyke Lake, Labrador 23/12/47 with Chester Karney and cp Jack Bullington, eventually aircraft sank when ice melted and found in 1998. After years of negotiation with Canadian government was recovered 9/10/2004 and acquired by Don Brooks, of Douglas, Ga. with restoration currently by Tom Riley.

Delivered Cheyenne 7/6/45. After retiring as a search & rescue SB-17G, operated in Japan 1948-50, later on secret operations from Clark AFB in the Philippines. Registered N809Z, involved in personnel recovery from abandoned Russian ice station. Joined Evergreen Vintage Aircraft, Inc., of McMinnville, Or., once as a fire bomber, now on display at Portland, Oregon.

Delivered Rome 18/5/45; 4202 BU Syracuse 26/9/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Altus 5/11/45; retired from USAAF in February 1947, became Civil NL68269 Transocean Air Lines owned by president of Phillipine Airlines named SAN MIGUEL 17/2/47; sold to IGN France as F-BDRS 23/8/52 named CHATEAU DE VERNEUIL; now at Duxford, UK, Air Museum.

Mod as SB-17G Air Sea Rescue aircraft with H2X in nose turret with yellow nads and wing panels, Hamilton 4/46; Yucca Flats where badly damaged in ground atomic bomb tests; purchased by Aviation Specialties at Falcon Fd as hangar queen 5/65; then by Kermit Weeks in 10/85, still stored dismantled Borrego, Cal 1988.

Assigned USAAF in May 1945 as a TB-17H, later SB-17G as a search and rescue ship, known to have served in Libya. Transferred to Brazilian AF as {5408}, Assigned 1st & 2nd Sqds 60BG at Recife; retired on October 1968 and now dismantled and stored in Museu Aerospacial, Rio de Janiero, Brazil since 1954-60, now on display in dismantled condition.

Assigned USAF as a drone director DB-17P, before retiring to Grissom Fd, Ind., 1988, painted in various colours and names, now in 365BS/305BG Chelveston, Northamptonshire, UK. now at Grissom AFB, Peru, Indiana, as MISS LIBERTY BELLE (displayed 42-31255).

Assigned 447BG Rattlesden 4/45 as PICCADILLY LILLY (last aircraft assgd grp), transferred to DB-17P Director for Drones at Air Defense Weapons Centre, 3205 Drone Group, Eglin till 1960, operating last B-17 mission for USAF, before retiring to Davis-Monthan, Az.; Civil N3713G at Chino, Cal 1984; Used in film `12 O’Clock High’. Now at Planes of Fame Air Museum, Chino, Cal., under restoration to fly, as PICCADILLY LILLY II (displayed as 42-31255).

590 Comp Gp Roswell Operation Crossroads 15/4/46; sold Brazilian AF 1st & 2nd Sqd 60BG Recife {5400}; back to USA in 1968 as Civil N47780; Chino 1975; Topeka 1980, then to St Petersburg and painted Olive Drab; in 1983 flown in C-5 to Hill AFB Museum, Ogden, Utah, now on display, wearing colours of 860BS/493BG Debach, Sfk, UK, as SHORT BIER.

Assigned 532BS/381BG [VE-F] Ridgewell 4/45 (last aircraft assgd grp); Returned to the USA 1945 and became DB-17P at 3205 Drone Sq in olive drab/grey; retired in 1957and moved to USAF Museum, at Wright-Patterson, Dayton Museum as PICCADILLY LILY. (Originally as 42-107112 with 381BG Ridgewell, Ex, UK, as SLEEPY TIME GAL). Now at AMC Museum, Dover AFB, Del. As SLEEPY TIME GAL.

Delivered Tulsa 6/4/45; Assigned USAF 7/4/45 before conversion to SB-17G search & rescue, before retiring joining 1 Rescue Sqd, Puerto Rico (6AF) 1951; Civil N93012, at Stow, Mass, then to Yucca Flats for nuclear weapons range work as MISS YUCCA; damaged at Beaver Co, PA 1987; repaired and re-built in 1965, now wearing colours of 323BS/91BG, Bassingbourn, Cambs, UK., now at Collings Foundation, Stow, MA., as NINE-O-NINE (displayed as 42-31909).

Delivered Hunter 7/4/45; Slated 447BG, transferred Patterson and modified to CB-17G in Phillipines; used by Gen Jimmy Doolittle at Kadena, Okinawa 27/7/45 as BOOPS; also carried Gen Dwight D.Eisenhower; purchased from USAF in Aug 1959, became Civil N9563Z with AAC 9/5/60 Ryan Fd; new cargo doors fitted at Brownsville; now a Warbird, took part in films `War Lover’ and `Tora, Tora, Tora’; re-painted in 447BG, Rattlesden, Sfk., UK., at National Warplane Museum, Farmingdale, NY., was based at John Wayne Apt, CA, now at Lyon Air Museum, Santa Anna, CA; airworthy as FUDDY DUDDY (displayed as 42-97400).

Delivered Hunter 5/4/45; Topeka 6/4/45; 4100 BU Patterson 8/4/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 11/11/45; 4141 BU Pyote 16/7/47; 2753 AS Sq Pyote 17/2/50; AMC Olmstead 7/3/50 modify to DB-17G; 3200 Drone Sq Eglin 22/6/50; 3200 Drone Sq 58 BW Stickell Fd, Eniwetok 28/2/51; 3200 Drone Sq Eglin 31/5/51; 3205 Drone Gp Holloman 13/10/52; Eglin 16/10/52; 3310 TTW Scott 8/7/53; 3205 Drone Gp Eglin 26/7/53; 3205 Drone Gp as DB-17G and DB-17P Holloman 10/9/53; Recl Comp 5/58 as museum piece, Patrick; Offutt 5/60 still there in 1988; at Offutt AFB, Neb, Currently dressed as 339BS/96BG (EP-B) Snetterton, Nfk., UK., at SAC Museum, Mahoney State Park, Lincoln, Ne., re-painted as KING BEE.

Delivered Topeka 1/4/45; served as VB-17G at Kodiak, Alaska, converted and assigned to Maj Gen Glenn O. Barcus, CO Fighter Command 5AF in Korea; Civil N3703G, first with TBM Inc as Tanker 68E with all-red tailplane in 1974, Porterville. Cal until 1981; used as the MEMPHIS BELLE in 1989 film; owned by David Tallichet, still dressed as such and now at Military Aircraft Restoration Corp., Chino, Cal, now airworthy. (THE MOVIE) MEMPHIS BELLE.