B-17G 44-83684 in square-K colors

[L. Thompson]

There's a pretty good older photo of B-17G 44-83684 on eBay right now with the airplane wearing square-K colors. When did it wear those markings and for what movie or TV show?

gbo Photo, USAAF Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress (483684)
Item number: 270117442778


http://cgi.ebay.com/gbo-Photo-USAAF-Boe ... dZViewItem


Starting bid: US $6.00
seller in New Hampshire
History: 0 bids

[L. Thompson]

I solved the riddle thanks to:

http://www.447bg.com/

The Fortress never wore these 447th BG colors as part of a movie or TV show. This was its original assignment. The web site says this:

B-17G-90-DL 44-83684 Delivered to USAAF: 4/5/1945 and assigned to 447th on 04/19/45. Possibly "last a/c assigned to grp" (Freeman) but perhaps not delivered; tran to drone director until 1960; Civil N3713G at Chino, CA 1984; used in 12 O'Clock High; PICADILLY LILLY (film name)

This is probably a pretty rare photo. I wonder if the guys in Chino have seen it?

[Second Air Force]

44-83684 was delivered in natural metal finish, so this paint scheme had to be applied sometime post-war--also the 447th "K" is not quite the same size as the wartime application done at Group level. Chances are that the scheme was applied for a Group reunion or some other function, but it is still a rare photo nevertheless!

[aerovin]

44-83684 was delivered in May 1945 and went straight to storage, first at Patterson Field, Ohio, and later Lubbock, Texas, and then Pyote, Texas. It wasn't pulled from storage until 1950. It was not assigned to any 8th AF unit nor did it go overseas in 1945. This is as per the aircraft record card.

44-83684 wore the fictitious 447nd BG colors for a short time beginning in 1977 while displayed by the Air Museum. All evidence suggests that the Ebay photo is from this time period.