Subject: Bomber Series--Boeing B-17 Fortress (27 of 27)

From: [email-masked]
Date: 16 Sep 94 17:25:39 GMT

>From [email-masked]

This series of articles on the B-17 concludes with a description of
various odds and mods.

Even though the B-17 was ineligible for a FAA license to carry revenue 
passengers, several were converted as business or executive executive 
transports and used by American corporations.  These conversions were 
essentially similar to the wartime CB-17/XC-108 cargo transport 
conversions.  A few surplus B-17s were converted into cargo transports 
with XC-108A-type cargo doors installed.  

Several ex-military B-17s were fitted with extra tanks and were used 
for spraying operations.  

In 1960, the first of 23 ex-military B-17Fs and Gs were converted into 
fire-fighting aircraft.  The bomb bay was reconfigured to accept a 
2000-gallon tank which carried a water-borate mixture to be dropped on 
forest fires.  The tank was divided into four compartments, each with 
a quick-opening bottom which allowed the water to be dropped.  These 
planes were operated under contract to the US Forest Service, and a 
few were still flying as late as 1984.  

By the early 1980s, most B-17 water bombers had been grounded, mainly 
due to the lack of Wright R-1820 Cyclone engines.  One water-bomber 
operator solved this problem by installing Rolls-Royce Dart turboprop 
engines in place of the Cyclones.  This was done for B-17G Air Tanker 
N134ON.  N1340N crashed in October of 1970, when fire smoke caused
engine failure in the Dart turboprops. 

The Institut Geographique National of France operated thirteen
B-17s during the post-war years to perform worldwide survey and
geophysical research missions. 

USAAF Serial 	French civil	Disposition

42-30177	F-GBSG		used for spares, scrapped 1973
42-32076	F-BGSH		currently on display at WPAFB 
				Museum
43-39304	F-BDAT		Destroyed in 1950.
44-8846		F-BGSP		Still flying in France
44-8889		F-BGSO		on display at Musee de l'Air
44-83728	F-BGOE		scrapped in 1970.
44-83729	F-BEED		scrapped in 1962.
44-83735	F-BDRS		with Imperial War Museum.
44-83757	F-BDRR		scrapped
44-85594	F-BGSO		scrapped in 1972.
44-85643	F-BEEA		destroyed in 1989.
44-85718	F-BEEC		with Lone Star Flight Museum
44-85733	F-BEEB		destroyed 1949.
44-85784	F-BGSR		with B-17 Preservation Ltd. 

In 1988, there were 43 B-17s that still survive.  Only about twenty 
of them were flyable or capable of being made so.  Another twenty were 
on display in various museums.  Three were abandoned hulks.  Today, 
the only B-17s still flying are those that are used by such 
organizations as the Experimental Aircraft Association and the 
Confederate Air Force as "flying museums".  Here is a list of
surviving B-17s and their current disposition:

B-17D serial number 40-3097 "Swoose":  In storage at Paul E. Garber
Restoration Facility in Silver Hill, Maryland.

B-17E serial number 41-2446: Sitting out in the open abandoned in
Papua New Guinea.

B-17E serial number 41-2595: Converted to XC-108A.  In storage at
Galt Airport in Illinois.

B-17E serial number 41-9101:  Abandoned in Greeland.  Now under
260 feet of ice.

B-17E serial number 41-9105:  Abandoned in Greeland.  Now under
260 feet of ice.

B-17E serial number 41-9210: Derelict at the La Paz airport in
Bolivia.

B-17F-10-BO serial number 41-24485:  "Memphis Belle".  On display
in Memphis, Tennessee.

B-17F-50-DL serial number 42-3374.  In storage at Offutt AFB, Nebraska.

B-17F-70-BO serial number 42-29782.  In flying condition with Museum 
of Flight in Seattle, Washington under civilian registration of
N17W.

B-17G-35-BO serial number 42-32076.  "Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby".  On
display at Wright-Patterson AFB Museum, Ohio.

B-17G-90-BO serial number 43-38635.  On display at Castle AFB, California.

B-17G-50-DL serial number 44-6393.  On display at March AFB as 
B-17F-105-BO 42-30092.

B-17G-70-VE serial number 44-5843.  Flying with B.C. Vintage Flying
Machines of Fort Worth, Texas under civil registration of N3701G.

B-17G-85-VE serial number 44-8846.  Flying in France under civil
registration of F-AZDX.

B-17G-85-VE serial number 44-8889.  On display at Musee de l'Air
at Le Bourget near Paris.

B-17G-75-DL serial number 44-83316.  Stored in pieces at Ocotillo
Wells, California

B-17G-85-DL serial number 44-83512.  On display at Lackland AFB, Texas.

B-17G-85-DL serial number 44-83514.  Flying with Confederate Air Force
as "Sentimental Journey" under civilian registration of N9323Z.

B-17G-85-DL serial number 44-83525.  At Weeks Air Museum at Tamiani 
Airport, Miami, Florida and is maintained in flying condition.

B-17G-85-DL serial number 44-83542.  Stored in pieces at Ocotillo
Wells, California.

B-17G-85-DL serial number 44-83546.  On display at March AFB in
California marked as B-17F-110-BO 42-30604 and is maintained in
flying condition under civil registration of N3703G.

B-17G-85-DL serial number 44-83559.  On display at Strategic Air
Command Museum, Offutt AFB, Nebraska marked as B-17F-65-DL
42-3474.

B-17G-85-DL serial number 44-83563.  On display at National
Warplane Museum at Geneseo, New York and is maintained in flying
condition under civil registration of N9563Z..

B-17G-85-DL serial number 44-83575.  Being restored at Beaver County
Airport in Pennsylvania.

B-17G-90-DL serial number 44-83624.  On display at Dover AFB, Delaware.

B-17G-90-DL serial number 44-83663.  On display at Hill AFB, Utah.

B-17G-90-DL serial number 44-83684.  On display at Planes of Fame
museum at Chino Airport, California.

B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83690.  On display at Grissom AFB, Indiana
painted as B-17G-10-BO 42-31255 "Miss Liberty Belle".

B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83718.  Owned by Brazilian Air Force
Museum at Rio de Janeiro.

B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83722.  Stored in pieces at Ocotillo

B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83735: On display at Imperial
War Museum at Duxford, England marked as B-17G-35-BO 42-31983
"Mary Alice"

B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83785.  On display at Pinal Airpark,
Arizona.

B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83790.  Abandoned in Newfoundland,
Canada.

B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83814.  In storage at Dulles Airport
near Washington, D.C. awaiting display.

B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83863.  On display at Elgin AFB in 
Florida.

B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83868.  On display at RAF Bomber Command
Museum at Hendon.

B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83872.  Flying with Confederate Air
Force as "Texas Raiders" under civilian regiatration of N7227C

B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83884:  On display at the Eighth Air
Force Museum at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana.

B-17G-95-VE serial number 44-85583.  On display at Base Area de Recife
in Brazil.

B-17G-100-VE serial number 44-85599.  On display at Dyess AFB, Texas.

B-17G-105-VE serial number 44-85718.  On display at Lone Star
Air Museum of Houston, Texas.

B-17G-105-VE serial number 44-85734.  Stored in damaged condition
at New England Air Museum at Bradley International Airport in
Connecticut.

B-17G-105-VE serial number 44-85738.  On public display with AMVETS
in Tulare, California.

B-17G-105-VE serial number 44-85740.  "Aluminum Overcast", owned by 
EAA Air Museum of Oshkosh, Wisconsin.  Flying under civil registration 
of N5017N. 
 
B-17G-105-VE serial number 44-85778.  In semi-storage at Stockton,
California awaiting restoration.

B-17G-105-VE serial numer 44-85784.  Flying with B-17 Preservation Ltd
of Duxford, United Kingdom under civil registration of G-BEDF

B-17G-105-VE serial number 44-85790.  On display above a gasoline
station in Milwaukee, Oregon.

B-17G-110-VE serial number 44-85813.  Stored in peices at Kissimmee,
Florida.

B-17G-110-VE serial number 44-85828.  On display with the 390th
Memorial Museum located at Pima Air Museum, Arizona marked as
B-17G-30-BO 42-31892.

B-17G-110-VE serial number 44-85829.  Flying with Yankee Air Force
of Ypsilanti, Michigan under civilian regiatration N3193G.

Sources:

  Flying Fortress, Edward Jablonski, Doubleday, 1965.

  Famous Bombers of the Second World War, Volume One, William
  Green, Doubleday, 1959.

  Boeing Aircraft Since 1916, Peter M. Bowers, Naval Institute
  Press, 1989.

  United States Military Aircraft Since 1909, Gordon Swanborough
  and Peter M. Bowers, Smithsonian, 1989.

  Lockheed Aircraft Since 1913, Rene J. Francillon, Naval
  Institute Press, 1987.

  Boeing B-17E and F Flying Fortress, Charles D. Thompson,
  Profile Publications, 1966.

  American Combat Planes, Ray Wagner, Third Edition, Doubleday, 1982.

  Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II, Military Press, 1989.

Joe Baugher			**************************************
AT&T Bell Laboratories		*  "Round up the usual suspects."    *
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