WIX Archive: A few familiar B-17's ...

[WIX_Archive]

Originally posted by Mark Allen.

Some of these guys are no longer with us but several still are in various states of either flying condition or restoration. Source SDASM archives. Charles M. Daniels Collection.


Sold as surplus to a commercial user sometime after WWII. Eventually wound up in Great Britain and used for film production. Reportedly scrapped in 1961.


Delivered to USAAF as 44-83684. Converted to DB-17, then DB-17P. This aircraft made the last operational B-17 mission as a drone controller in 1959. Eventually sold to the civilian market as N3713G. Starred as ""Piccadilly Lily"" on the '60s TV show ""Twelve O'Clock High"". On static display at the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino, CA. Now undergoing restoration to airworthy.


Delivered to USAAF as 43-38322. Eventually to Lloyd Aero Boliviano of Bolivia as CB-80 Aug 5, 1981. Later reserialed as CP-580 Oct 1, 1954. Crashed at La Paz Feb 7, 1965 and rebuilt. To Frogorifico Reyes as CP-936 in 1971. Crashed at San Ignacio de Moxos, Bolivia Feb 11, 1972. Parts used in restoration of 44-6393.


Delivered to USAAF as 44-83872. Transferred to US Navy as PB-1W Bu. No. 77235. Eventually to the Commemorative Air Force flying as ""Texas Raiders"", N7227C. Still airworthy.


Deliverd to USAAC as 41-9210. Many owners post war. Seen here with Compania Boliviana de Aviacion, La Paz, Bolivia, registered as CP-753. Eventually returned to the U.S. Now registered as N12355 and undergoing restoration to flightworthy by the Flying Heritage Collection of Seattle, WA.


Delivered to USAAF as 44-85734. To Pratt & Whitney for use as a turboprop test bed. To the New England Air Museum, Windsor Locks, CT. Eventually restored to airworthy and became the ""Liberty Belle"". The aircraft was destroyed in a forced landing and fire in June of 2011 in Illinois


Delivered to USAAF as 44-83873. To the Navy as PB-1W, Bu. No. 77236. Eventually to Canada as CF-JJH. Scrapped in 1962.


Sold as surplus to a commercial user sometime after WWII. Eventually wound up in Great Britain and used for film production. Reportedly scrapped in 1961


Delivered to USAAF as 44-83525. Part of the Tallmantz collection in the mid '60s. Flown in the 1969 film ""The Thousand Plane Raid"" as "Balls of Fire". Eventually sold to Kermit Weeks where it is undergoing restoration at his Fantasy of Flight museum in Florida.


Not sure that the story is on this unidentified B-17


Delivered to USAAF as 44-85778. Converted to TB-17G, then to VB-17G. Through many owners after the war. Eventually to Aero Union as aerial tanker #16 as pictured. Eventually to the Palm Springs Air Museum in 1993. Still flying as "Miss Angela".


Delivered to USAAF as 44-85824. To the Coast Guard as PB-1G, Bu. No. 77250. Shown in civilian hands, ca. 1957-59. Eventually to Bolivia as CP-694. Crashed and destroyed in December of '63.


Delivered to USAAF as 44-85806. To the Coast Guard as PB-1G, Bu. No. 77245. Sold to a commercial operator as an aerial sprayer (as shown). To Bolivian Air Systems, Bolivia as CP-762 in 1964. Destroyed in December of that year.


Delivered to USAAF as 44-85840. To Lloyd Aero Boliviano, Bolivia as CP-620. Back to the U.S. with Aircraft Specialties of Arizona as N620L. Used in the 1969 film ""Tora, Tora, Tora"". Converted to fire tanker # C54 (54). Destroyed in a crash in Nevada in 1973.


Delivered to USAAC as 41-2599 at Lowry Field, CO. Named ""Tugboat Annie."" Eventually to Hickam Field, HI. Ditched at sea in January, 1943. Participant in the Battle of Midway.

Last edited by Mark Allen M on Mon Jan 20, 2014 11:12 am, edited 5 times in total.

[Pat Carry]

Great ones, Mark.

[Mark Allen M]

Sorry, had a few out of sequence Corrected now I hope.

[Pat Carry]

Just out of curiosity, when is the last time Miss Angela at the PSAM flew?

[Mark Allen M]

Where did the pics come from?

Originals? not sure. Owner now would be the San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives.

[Bomberboy]

Some of these guys are no longer with us but several still are in various states of either flying condition or restoration. Source SDASM archives. Charles M. Daniels Collection.


Sold as surplus to a commercial user sometime after WWII. Eventually wound up in Great Britain and used for film production. Reportedly scrapped in 1961.

This is actually French IGN B-17G F-BEEA that was still earning it's keep right up until the summer of 1989, where during the filming of Memphis Belle, at the then RAF Binbrook, it was destroyed during a take off accident on the 25th July.

Delivered to USAAF as 44-85806. To the Coast Guard as PB-1G, Bu. No. 77245. Sold to a commercial operator as an aerial sprayer (as shown). To Bolivian Air Systems, Bolivia as CP-762 in 1964. Destroyed in December of that year.

If I am not mistaken, is this not the Late ex Bob Richardsons B-17F N17W, former tanker/fire bomber, that is now in the hands of Boeing as the 'Boeing Bee'?

[Mark Allen M]

Thanks kindly for the clarification on a few of these photos. That's what's good about this place. Someone usually knows the real story.

[SaxMan]

N17W is the ex-Richardson plane that is now Boeing Bee.

[Chris Brame]

Not sure what the story is on this unidentified B-17

Looks like 44-83575/N93012 now known as Nine-O-Nine; there's a photo showing it in the same condition on page 133 of Scott Thompson's Final Cut (3rd edition). You can see a lot of the skin repairs needed from nuclear test damage.

[daviemax]

Great Stuff, Mark. Thanks so much. Will have some other photos and comments to add in a few days, when I can make time.

[Pat Carry]

If I am not mistaken, is this not the Late ex Bob Richardsons B-17F N17W, former tanker/fire bomber, that is now in the hands of Boeing as the 'Boeing Bee'?

Yes, but not in the hands of Boeing, it was "donated" by Richardson to the Museum of Flight, Seattle. Sadly displayed outdoors, unless that has changed recently (hopefully).

I know their B-29 is ouside but the last I heard Boeing Bee did find inside storage.

[Bomberboy]

I know their B-29 is ouside

That is not good news.

but the last I heard Boeing Bee did find inside storage.

That is good news if true.

@Triangle P, thanks for pointing out the error with my simplistic statement.
The reason I said it the way I did, was because it was and may still be in some kind of way, within the confines of a Boeing facility, (Boeing Field).
In the same vein, I would also point out that the word 'donation' that you used, was itself I believe, too simplistic a description of the 'events' that actually took place in the MoF eventually aquiring her, but hey-ho.

This reminds me, somewhere I'm sure I have a handful of photos of this wonderful aeroplane, where she was undergoing her rebuild/rework/restoration.
I'll have to try and find where they are.

[The Inspector]

Some of these guys are no longer with us but several still are in various states of either flying condition or restoration. Source SDASM archives. Charles M. Daniels Collection.


Sold as surplus to a commercial user sometime after WWII. Eventually wound up in Great Britain and used for film production. Reportedly scrapped in 1961.

This is actually French IGN B-17G F-BEEA that was still earning it's keep right up until the summer of 1989, where during the filming of Memphis Belle, at the then RAF Binbrook, it was destroyed during a take off accident on the 25th July.

Delivered to USAAF as 44-85806. To the Coast Guard as PB-1G, Bu. No. 77245. Sold to a commercial operator as an aerial sprayer (as shown). To Bolivian Air Systems, Bolivia as CP-762 in 1964. Destroyed in December of that year.

If I am not mistaken, is this not the Late ex Bob Richardsons B-17F N17W, former tanker/fire bomber, that is now in the hands of Boeing as the 'Boeing Bee'?

Sure is Swages old 'F'

[Matt Gunsch]

That was taken at Falcon Field,
Notice the partial conversion to a racer for the proposed B-17 Unlimited liars class, notice the clipped wings and lack of turrets. Only 1 B-17 made the race and it only competed once, and it was also from Falcon Field.


It was a interesting time around Falcon Field, at one time there were 5 B-17s based there.
Sentimental Journey,
and the future
Boeing Bee
909
Yankee Lady
Fuddy Duddy

[daviemax]

I'm finally getting around to adding some photos to this thread. Here is the first: 44-85728, subject of the original limited type certificate when converted to "VB" configuration for TWA; later given to the Shah of Iran as EP-HIM, then obtained by IGN as F-BGOE. Shown being overhauled for latter role. Note Boeing script on vertical stabilizer.

Last edited by daviemax on Sun Feb 02, 2014 4:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.