Warbird Information Exchange

Anyone no anything more about this?
According to Baugher " Other QB-17Ls were used for various unmanned but destructive tests such as the ditching tests carried out by NACA in San Francisco Bay."
I have seen the photo's of the B-24 ditching, but can find nothing on B-17's.
The QB-17G Flying Fortress serial number 44-83669 below was known as Ditchers Dream, I wondered if this is one of the drones used.


Thanks in advance.
Regards Duggy

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When I was young "sex was safe & flying was dangerous".

Great paint scheme, I assume the stripes are black, any idea what the overall color was? that F-80 looks pretty cool too, red?

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The overall colour is yellow.

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When I was young "sex was safe & flying was dangerous".

Just saw this the other day (different B-17):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7W-ly_lMFw
44-85649 was also used (different from the YouTube video; there's a photo in Final Cut that shows it with only one horizontal tail stripe):
http://www.americanairmuseum.com/aircraft/17579

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

Funny they use a remote controlled B17 for ditching, but the B24 test they use REAL pilots

I'll bet if the real pilots had a choice they would have taken the B-17...

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

QB-17s were used at Holloman AFB for missile testing primarily
here is a color photo of QB-17 at China Lake 1954

QB-17 tail location unknown. Anybody have more info about the tail number(s)?

QB-17s out of Eglin also.

Those 24 pilots just didn't give a dang for nothing is why.

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Hang The Expense

Two below via the late Dave Menard:

On a B-17 related drone subject,does anybody know where they crashed the B-17 drone into the mountain in "The War Lover"?

On a miniature set at Shepperton Studios. There has been some misinformation of a drone B-17 being used for that crash scene, and in fact footage of a B-17 drone crash does exist where it disintegrates in a fireball as it flies into a roughly 45-degree slope, but it was NOT used in this movie. What you see in the end is a quick shot of a model attached to a miniature cliffside exploding - not one of British special effects man Wally Veevers' proudest moments.

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

I believe they did use the footage in the Qwinnmartin series 12 oclock high.

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Hang The Expense

I think this view was taken during the Operation Crossroads operation in the South Pacific in July 1946. The six director DB-17Gs and ten QB-17Gs had those distinctive tail markings during that test series. the aircraft were based at Eniwetok for the test series. First color shot I've seen from that period.

The record card for s/n 44-83603 was not available on any of the microfilm records I got from the Air Force, so I can't add anything to that particular question. It is probable that a number of the drones used in Crossroads ended up being used in the filming of the movie Twelve O'Clock High two years later at Eglin Field.

The Director DB-17G in the background is probably 44-85752 and the other drone B-17 is probably 44-83528. 44-83528 was 'reclaimed' at Elgin in January 1948 (Twelve O'Clock High bird??) while 44-85752 survived to be scrapped at Pyote AAF in 1950.

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Scott Thompson
Aero Vintage Books
http://www.aerovintage.com
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