Warbird Information Exchange

History:
Delivered to USAAF as 44-85821, 19??.
Delivered as PB-1W to USN as 77247 (actually USCG as Bu77247)
- BOC: July 29, 1945.
- SOC: July 29, 1958.
- Offered for disposal, NAS Elizabeth City, NC, August 1958.
Thompson Aircraft Sales/Division of Ace Smelting Co, Phoenix, AZ, 1959.
- Registered as N2873G.
Empressa Andoriente S.A., Lima Peru, November 1960-1964.
- Registered as OB-SAA-532.
- Registered as OB-R-532, 1964.
Peruinvest y Compania de Formento e Inversiones S.A., Pucalapa/Tarapota, February 25, 1966.
- Withdrawn from use, 1966.
Hugh McDonald, ????.
- Recovered derelict hulk.
Advertised for sale as restoration project, June 2000.

October 2000
•One item of interest recently surfaced. Information was passed along by a gentleman named Hugh MacDonald (e-mail) regarding B-17G 44-85821. This particular B-17G was accepted by the AAF in 1945 but transferred directly to the U.S. Coast Guard to become PB-1G 77247. It served in a air-sea rescue role until 1959 when it was sold as surplus equipment. It became N2783G briefly on the U.S. registry but was exported to Peru in November 1960 and operated as OB-SAA-532 and, later, OB-R-532. Reports suggest that this airplane was dropped off the Peruvian register before 1965 and was scrapped at either Pucalapa or Tarapota, Peru, at around that time.
Now Mr. MacDonald reports that this airplane still exists but is "in need of much repair to ever be airworthy again" and "it is alive and mostly intact...will take much work to get it off the ground but can easily be done." He won't disclose the location of the airplane but says it "is not a crash site" and it is "not in the USA." He reports this B-17G is "very much recovered and for sale." Asking price: he is open to offers over $700,000 USD, as is, where is.

We're looking for more information. If you have really deep pockets, this might be an opportunity to bring back another B-17. Mr. MacDonald is, presumably, open to e-mail inquiries.

February 2001
•In the October 2000 News mention was made of B-17G 44-85821. This ex-USCG PB-1G was sold onto the civil market in early 1960 and appeared briefly on the U.S. civil register as N2873G. It was exported to Peru were it operated for several years. Its fate was never firmly established but it was believed lost in a mid-1960s crash. Hugh MacDonald passed along the information noted in the October 2000 News and he has provided a brief update. He now notes that this airframe has been disassembled in South America and is to be shipped to British Columbia. He states that "we have a customer most interested in this aircraft." However, he later advised that he was not directly involved in any transaction but hopes that a new owner, if there is one, will provide details in the near future. No photos or other details are available so again, we stand by for something more concrete to confirm this report. Any details forthcoming?

June 2002....Part Deux
•A couple of items recently surfaced. On the one hand, more word from Hugh McDonald regarding a mysterious B-17G that reportedly has been recovered from Peru and is currently stored in a warehouse somewhere in British Columbia, Canada. Last noted in the February 2001 news update, it is suggested that this report concerns B-17G 44-85821. This ex-USCG PB-1G was sold onto the civil market in early 1960 and appeared briefly on the U.S. civil register as N2873G. It was exported to Peru were it operated for several years. Its fate was never firmly established but it was believed lost in a mid-1960s crash. Hugh McDonald passed along the information noted in the both the February 2001 and October 2000 News. McDonald reports that the airframe is 'wonderfully intact' and that the same group that recovered the Peruvian B-17 is also going after the submerged B-17G, s/n 44-83790 located in Dyke Lake in Labrador. He states that they plan to recover the airframe in 2003 after 'dealing with local issues.' Several groups have previously tried to recover the Dyke B-17G, as yet to no avail. The group hopes to build one airworthy B-17 from the remains of the two. We shall see...

Texas Raiders was also a PB-1,

Navy PB-1W vs. USCG PB-1G

BTW...the one in Tampa is 43-38978.

Well, the "serial number" for the available airframe parts is 43-38978 (N4906V) but that airplane was scrapped by Bob Sturges circa 1962. The parts for sale is the start of a rebirth of sorts.

B-17G project aircraft, consists of props, tail gear, wheels, tires, brakes, engine mounts and more. Has all paper work - currently on US registry, long term project