2 Engined B-17 Thread on Flypast forum - Help!

[Seafuryfan]

Hi all, we've got a good thread running on a mystery 2 engined B-17 on the Flypast board. Any inputs there, or here, welcome! Regards, SFF

[bdk]

That photo, if it is the same one, was discussed here years ago.

[Noha307]

Can you post a link to the thread in question?

[RAMC181]

That photo, if it is the same one, was discussed here years ago.

Yes, my fault for resurrecting it after finding some new info.

Can you post a link to the thread in question?

The Flypast thread is HERE.
I couldn't find the related thread on here I'm afraid.

All the best,
PB

[robkamm]

Neat picture. i think pratt& whitney had a 5 engine bird used for testing the 4360 and some turbo props.

[bdk]

That description certainly looks plausible. Three engined ferry flights, while not common, are done occasionally on 4-engined commercial jets.

[Jerry O'Neill]

Neat picture. i think pratt& whitney had a 5 engine bird used for testing the 4360 and some turbo props.

I think the Pratt B-17 (the late Liberty Belle)only flew with turbo props. T-34 turbo was one of them.

[gary1954]

Neat picture. i think pratt& whitney had a 5 engine bird used for testing the 4360 and some turbo props.

I think the Pratt B-17 (the late Liberty Belle)only flew with turbo props. T-34 turbo was one of them.

you are correct Sir

as per topic, The "twin engine B-17" as discussed does not appear to have three engines...why would anyone leave the far starboard on...the shadow fails to indicate a 3rd engine. it would not make aeronautical sense to do so.

[RAMC181]

Righto Chaps,

To save everyone from having to pick through the Flypast thread, here's the photo in question:



And here's the entry I found in the 2nd Strategic Air Depot records that may refer to the aircraft in the photo:

Headquarters, 2nd Strategic Air Depot

Weekly Activity Report
Period 22nd March 1944 to 28th March 1944

Maintenance:
Instances occur in which flying aircraft from on-site repair to the depot presents unique problems. One such example occurred last week, in that one outboard engine and nacelle of an aircraft had been shot away, which required an inner wing panel change.
Since such repairs are beyond the capacity of field working parties, the remainder of the nacelle was removed and a regular wing leading edge built over the nacelle root. The aircraft was then successfully flown to the depot on three engines.

So what do we know so far?

1: 2SAD was at Abbots Ripton, adjacent to RAF Alconbury, and was the maintenance facility responsible for aircraft of the 1st Air Division.

2: The aircraft in the photo is a 1st Air Division B-17, assigned to the 379th Bomb Group, 526th Bomb Squadron, based at RAF Kimbolton, less than 10 miles from Alconbury.

3: The photo was taken prior to August 1944, as the coloured edging to the fin triangle hasn't yet been added.

4: There is battle damage to the visible inboard engine cowling and nose of the aircraft, which would tie in with the 2SAD report but is by no means conclusive.

5: The photo appears to have been taken on the western dispersals at Abbots Ripton depot, with the depot water tower in the background.

6: There appear to be the shadows of three nacelles visible, the starboard inner merging with that of the fuselage. There also appear to be three props visible.

I suppose the next step would be to check the 379BG records to see if one of their aircraft matches the damage and timeframe.

All the best,
PB

[Chuck Giese]

Hi Paul,

I really wanted this to be a picture of a 2 engine B-17, but after playing around with a model for a while, I can see this as a picture of a 3 engine airplane. I do believe that there are shadows of only 2 nacelles. I think that the inboard starboard nacelle is completely in the shadow of the fuselage. That's the only way I could get the shadow line of the left nacelle to match the picture.

I'm still having trouble visualizing the position of the inboard starboard prop to give such narrow edge-on view.

Knowing the way that I take pictures , if it was a 2 engine bird, the photographer would have picked a better angle to show that. As it is, he's documenting that it came in with one engine missing.

My 2 cents,

Chuck

[hang the expense]

I've seen pics of this bird in the field where it landed and it had the three engines on it.They scabbed over the removed nacelle so it could be ferried out and back to a base.Look for jato mounts.

[gary1954]

Righto Chaps,

To save everyone from having to pick through the Flypast thread, here's the photo in question:



And here's the entry I found in the 2nd Strategic Air Depot records that may refer to the aircraft in the photo:

Headquarters, 2nd Strategic Air Depot

Weekly Activity Report
Period 22nd March 1944 to 28th March 1944

Maintenance:
Instances occur in which flying aircraft from on-site repair to the depot presents unique problems. One such example occurred last week, in that one outboard engine and nacelle of an aircraft had been shot away, which required an inner wing panel change.
Since such repairs are beyond the capacity of field working parties, the remainder of the nacelle was removed and a regular wing leading edge built over the nacelle root. The aircraft was then successfully flown to the depot on three engines.

Well now.... ain't my face tight

[RAMC181]

As a follow-up, here's the B-17 under discussion, 42-31927 LF-F, sitting outside Hangar 520 at Abbots Ripton AAD following her ferry flight from Kimbolton.

Hangar 520 remained in use as an aircraft maintenance hangar right up to Alconbury's closure in 1995, ending up as the primary Phase Shop for RF-4s and A-10s.
I'll try to get a current-day comparison photo tomorrow, ahead of 520's planned demolition in August.

[DH82EH]

This thread from the dead, has more vitality than the Flypast forum

[Snake45]

The Flypast thread is HERE.
I couldn't find the related thread on here I'm afraid.

All the best,
PB

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