"Hey can you find a wartime photo of the B-17 909?" ...

[Mark Allen M]

"Hey can you find a wartime photo of the Collings Foundation B-17 909?" thanks in advance ...

Here you go, but the CF B-17 is not the original 909 B-17, just represents the original "Nine O Nine" (unless I'm wrong of course) ... Source (U.S. Air Force photo) site fold3



And as you can see from the first photo most photos were real dark and fuzzy. So I hope you don't mind but I took the liberty to clean all these up a bit.


B-17G "Nine O Nine" (OR-R) leads "Priority Gal (OR-C) and "Sweet 17 - The Spirit of St. Louis" (OR-S) - a practice hop for the 323rd Bomb Sq, 91st BG. (Gmasher)


B-17G "Nine O Nine" (OR-R) leads, OD B-17G in the rear is 42-31579 "Betty Lou's Buggy" (coded OR-D) of the 323rd Bomb Sq, 91st BG. A 66-mission veteran at Bassingbourn. (Gmasher)


And yes there's a few more out there from this series as well as these photos are all very well known.


Boeing B-17's of The 381th BG 8Th Air Force In Practice Formation Over Engand.


Boeing B-17's of The 381th BG 8Th Air Force In Practice Formation Over Engand.


Boeing B-17's of The 381th BG 8Th Air Force In Practice Formation Over Engand.


Boeing B-17's of The 381th BG 8Th Air Force In Practice Formation Over Engand.


Boeing B-17's of The 381th BG 8Th Air Force In Practice Formation Over Engand.


Boeing B-17's of The 381th BG 8Th Air Force In Practice Formation Over Engand.


Boeing B-17's of The 381th BG 8Th Air Force In Practice Formation Over Engand.


Four B-17s of the 322nd Bomb Sq, 91st BG over England, early summer 1943.


B-17s of the 322nd Bomb Sq, 91st BG over England, early summer 1943.


B-17F 41-24453 "Mizpah - The Bearded Beauty" (coded LG-O) of the 322nd Bomb Sq, 91st BG. One of the original Forts assigned to the group, "Mizpah" lasted until the 17 August 1943 mission to Schweinfurt; she was lost with 2LT Everett L. Kenner's crew. Five crewmen were captured; Kenner & four others were KIA. (Gmasher)
B-17F 41-24479 "Frisco Jinny" (coded LG-P) of the 322nd Bomb Sq, 91st BG. Ditched in the Channel just short of the English coast returning from the 6 September 1943 strike to Stuttgart; all ten of 2LT William R. Cox's crew were rescued. It was the ship's 26th mission. (Gmasher)


B-17F 42-29536 "Mary Ruth - Memories of Mobile" (coded LL-A) of the 401st Bomb Sq, 91st BG, spring of 1943. Arriving at Bassingbourn 19 April, she was assigned to 1LT Kenneth Brown's crew. On their seventh mission, the 22 June sortie to Huls, part of the Ruhr Valley industrial complex, "Mary Ruth" was struck hard by enemy fighter attacks. Waist gunner SSGT William G. Allen & radio operator TSGT Richard O. Macully were KIA; the remainder of the crew spent the duration of the war as POWs. (Gmasher)


B-17G-70-BO, second plane in the 70th series by Boeing (janZ)


B-17G-35-DL 42-107112
B-17G-40-BO 42-97059, second plane in the 40th series by Boeing, Seattle
B-17G-35-DL 42-106994

... and stay tuned, I'll also post a bunch more for ya's including some famous B-24 color shots.

Last edited by Mark Allen M on Fri Jun 14, 2013 12:05 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[Mark Allen M]

White spinner/cowl band Mustang of 355th FG escorting 452nd BG ~ summer 1944


White spinner/cowl band Mustang of 355th FG escorting 452nd BG ~ summer 1944


354FS/355FG WR-P "Iowa Beaut" escorting 381st BG - summer 1944


·B-17G-40-BO 42-97059 (janz)
·P-51B The Iowa Beaut
·B-17G 43-37791
·B-17G 44-6163


P-47 escort
B-17G-35-DL 42-106994

[Mark Allen M]

Consolidated B-24J Liberator's from the 752nd BS, 458th BG, 8th AF being escort by "blue nose" P-51's


Consolidated B-24J Liberator's from the 752nd BS, 458th BG, 8th AF being escort by "blue nose" P-51's


Consolidated B-24J Liberator's from the 752nd BS, 458th BG, 8th AF being escort by "blue nose" P-51's


Consolidated B-24J Liberator's from the 752nd BS, 458th BG, 8th AF


Consolidated B-24J-145-CO 'J4' Liberator (s/n 44-40066) named "S.O.L." from the 753rd BS, 458th BG, 8th Af. Salvaged on November 14,1944.


B-24J Liberator's from the 753rd BS, 458th BG, 8th Af lead by squadron 'pathfinder'


Consolidated B-24J Liberator's from the 752nd BS, 458th BG, 8th AF

[DH82EH]

Mark, you never fail to impress man!

Thank you so much!

Andy Scott

[Pogo]

Boy, you said it.

Those polka-dots make me wonder if there has been a photo essay on formation ships? I can't remember.

[DH82EH]

Pogo, that sounds remarkably like a challenge

I wonder if he'll take the bait

Andy Scott