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2008 B-17 NEWS

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2007 B-17 News
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2005 B-17 News
2004 B-17 News
2003 B-17 News
2002 B-17 News
1997-2001 B-17 News

We're including this page as an update point for B-17 news. We'll post information garnered from any variety of sources, and notate that source at the end of the item. If anyone has anything they'd like to add, please let us know.

B-17 Tour Information

• The Collings Foundation B-17G Nine-O-Nine, 44-83575 (N93012), is touring again. Tour dates with the B-17, B-24, B-25, and, new for 2008, a P-51C, are posted. All four are scheduled in the midwest through Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania in August, moving to New York at the end of the month. For the most current information, jump to here for schedule information.

• The Commemorative (ex-Confederate) Air Force's B-17G Texas Raiders, 44-83872 (N7227C), remains in maintenance until further notice due to the B-17 Airworthiness Directive issued by the FAA (see below also). Jump to here for the most current information. It may be back up in 2008!

• The CAF's other B-17G, Sentimental Journey, 44-83514 (N9323Z), has dates in August in the midwest, specfically Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois. The Arizona Wing's page can be found here for the only Wing information posted for Sentimental Journey.

• The Experimental Aircraft Association's B-17G Aluminum Overcast, 44-85740 (N5017N), has dates posted for August and September in the midwest and eastern U.S. Check out the most current information here.

• The Liberty Foundation tours with this most recent B-17 restoration, Liberty Belle, B-17G 44-85734 (N390TH). Coming off its visit to England in July, the airplane has dates in New York, Virginia, North Carolina, Missouri, and Colorado in August. Check out the current schedule here.

• The Yankee Air Force out of Willow Run, Michigan, operates the magnificent B-17G, 44-85829 (N3193G), Yankee Lady. The museum is still reeling from the devestating fire that destroyed the hangar facilities but fortunately spared both the B-17 and B-25. Plans are underway to rebuild. The B-17 has its 2008 schedule posted on the website, with dates in the upper midwest in August and September. Jump to here for their most current information.

• New to the B-17 ride business is the Lone Star Flight Museum's Thunderbird, 44-85718 (N900RW), based at Galveston, Texas. They have started offering rides and have a schedule posted for appearances in Texas and Oklahhoma in August and September. Check out the schedule right here.

August 2008

• Several big deals going on in the world of B-17 in the last few months. The biggest and best is that B-17D 40-3097, otherwise knows as The Swoose, or maybe Ole Betsey, has been transferred from the National Air and Space Museum to the National Museum of the USAF at Dayton. The transfer was rumored for months, got stronger in June, was official in late June, and the airplane was moved in July. It emerged from the dark, dank storehouse of the NASM loaded on several trucks and off it went to Dayton, where it was rolled into the restoratin hangar right next to another B-17, B-17F 41-24485.

  

  

  Rumors remain aflutter about what the NMUSAF is planning for the rare B-17D. Chances are pretty good that at this time the NMUSAF doesn't really have a plan for the rare B-17D. The big question for B-17 guys is to what state is this airplane going to be restored: as the wartime transport called The Swoose that was flown by Frank Kurtz and carried Gen. Louis Brereton around the Caribbean, or more like Ole Betsey, the B-17D present in the Philippines on the first day of the Pacific war on December 8, 1941, and flew combat for the better part of two months before it was so shot up and beat up it was withdrawn from combat. Hmmmm. Decisions, decisions.

• Another significant activity that occurred in July was the trip that B-17G 44-85734 (N390TH) made to England in July, arriving at Duxford on, of all days, July 4. It's probable that this was the last of many thousands of transatlantic crossings by B-17s, given the cost and logistical requirements. The airplane participated in a number of events in England and Scotland, and by back in the U.S. by July 23rd, when it resumed its touring schedule. Scott Maher sent along a few photos. These were taken on July 10th over England:

  

  

• John Wegg sent in an interesting photo taken in the early postwar years:

  

  It was reportedly shot around 1950, possibly in Minnesota. A bit of mystery as it appears to have a Cheyenne tail, thus making it a B-17G. Perhaps another of those elusive war memorial birds. Anyone recoginze the airport? Than hangar roof is labeled "University."

• Dave Braun came up with another possible B-17 movie, this one the 1944 Passage to Marseille starring Humphrey Bogart. Not sure of the plot, but it evidently depicts Free French Flying Fortresses, if there were any(?) in 1944. Here a still from the film showing Bogart in a B-17:

  

  Another elusive movie I don't have time to track down.

• Dropped by the 390th Memorial Museum near the end of July to check out 44-85828 again and see how she's doing. Doing pretty good, as far as I can tell. Great museum within a musuem, the larger one being the Pima Air and Space Museum. Well worth a visit.

  

• David Drury sent some information in about the RFC B-17 displayed at Paducah, Kentucky, as related on our RFC Page. He notes:

  Regarding the B-17G at Paducah, KY in the late 40's, my father had a friend that lived at Lotus Road near the end of the runway at the old Paducah airport on Colman Road. My dad's friend did observed the scraping of the B-17 using sledge hammers. According to this man (Mr. Livenwood, deceased) stated that the B-17 was scrapped, because it was no longer capable for takeoff and the airport was being sold, since it was no longer able for air service. I did observe the old airport in the late 1960's and saw a row of old T-hangers and one large hanger on the west side of Colman Road near Cairo Road. I did not see any evidence of the aircraft’s parts. In the late 1980's the airport was cleared for a new manufacturer. I often thought that a junk yard on Cairo Road near Colman Road could have the remains.

  

  When asked about the dates of the B-17 being displayed, he adds:

  I was born in Paducah in 1952. My family moved to Paducah in 1951. If the B-17 were present in 1951, my dad would have known about this plane. Thus, I expect that it scrapped before 1951. You could ask if the local paper (Paducah Sun-Democrat) has any photos or news articles. In the late 1960s, I had look at microfilm for the newspapers from 1945 to 1946 and did not see any reports, but I could have missed it.

  Also other item of interest, there was a wartime B-17G named “Duke of Paducah” (attachment). I don’t have any information. I just want you to be aware that the newspaper may be confused with the after war B-17 and the wartime B-17.

• Dik Shepherd sent in this view of some 19th Bomb Group B-17Bs at March Field probably in 1940 or so. The second airplane in the row is evidently an 88th Reconaissance Squadron airplane, but notable is that the waist windows have been modified to a "C" configuration but the belly blister has not. Other B-17Bs were upgraded to the B-17 configuration with the flat waist windows and the "bathtub" belly gun of the B-17C and B-17D. Curiouser and curiouser.

  

• I put out a call for some updated photos and though I should post this one of B-17G 44-83546 (N3703G) taken at McGuire AFB in early June by Bill Scheuuman. Nice view of the Memphis Belle with the movie subtext in the name (as requested by the NMUSAF so as not to confuse this airplane with the real Memphis Belle.)

  

• Update from Brian Norwood about the B-17 sculpture he is working on:

  

  He sends the following:

  My name is Brian Norwood and I am an artist living in southeastern New Mexico. I am currently working on a sculpture project at the former Hobbs Army Air Field in Hobbs, NM. HAAF was a B-17 training facility where pilots transitioned from two to four-engined bombers. Among the many people who trained there was the actor, Jimmy Stewart.

  The life-sized sculpture will portray a B-17G along with crew members and support personnel. It will be a silhouette made of 1/4 inch plate steel supported by 6 inch square tubing. I am attaching a rendering to show approximately what the sculpture will look like when complete. All the pieces are cut out, and I am currently waiting for site work to begin. The project should be completed in approximately two months.

  Just thought your readers might be interested in this project. Anyone wishing to know more can contact me via e-mail at bgnorwood75@valornet.com or by phone at 575-441-7391. I would be especially interested to hear from anyone who trained at HAAF or who had family that served there.

May 2008

• I had the opportunity to spend two days with the crew touring 44-83734 (N390TH), better known these days as the Liberty Belle. The airplane as been touring in California in April and made a stop at Hayward during the weekend of April 5-6. I could tell that someone was needed to sell copies of Final Cut and since no one else seemed ready to volunteer, I made the trip down from Lincoln. Great bunch of guys and gals, I must say, and I enjoyed a very pleasant Sunday getting to know the crew and sell a few books. The stop was spearheaded by tour director Scott Maher with B-17 pilots Bob Hill and Liberty Foundation chief pilot Ray Fowler, who spent the best part of the weekend in the cockpit of the B-17. Supporting the stop were Norm Schippers as the third B-17 crewmember and mechanic and his wife, Bev, who worked at the merchandise table. Running the paperwork for the ride program was Ron Gause, who also happens to be checked out in the B-17 as a pilot.

  

  Liberty Foundation founder Don Brooks showed up on Sunday afternoon, and I had a chance to meet him and talk to him a bit about the airplane. The Liberty Belle is operatated as a flying memorial to World War II veterans, one of which was Don's father, Elton Brooks, who flew as a tail gunner with the original Liberty Belle operating with the 390th Bomb Group from Parham with the Eighth Air Force from England. The airplane that now flies as the Liberty Belle should be no stranger to anyone reading these pages regularly. It is the old Pratt & Whitney five-engine test bed that has taken an unusual journey since its delivery in 1945.

  

  Besides being the midst of the 2008 Salute to Veterans tour, the Liberty Foundation has announced the exciting news that this B-17G will cross the Atlantic and go to England in 2009 July 2008 to attend the Duxford Air Show and tour the U.K. It will quite possibly be the last transatlantic crossing of a B-17, the last of untold thousands of Fortresses to make the journey. It is not an simple proposition to make such a trip, and the foundation is looking for additional support. Check out their website here for more information about the U.K. tour. Update: As of June 1, the tour is a go! The airplane will spend the month of July in England. For detailed information, jump to here. Donations to offset the rising price of avgas and everything else are needed and most welcome.

  

  On Sunday evening, the B-17G was photographed air-to-air with Challenge Publication's Michael O'Leary and company from a Beech Bonanza, making several passes over the Golden Gate Bridge with the sun setting to the west. On Monday, April 7, the airplane was moved from Hayward to Sacramento's Mather Field, and I had the opportunity to ride along. This flight started with another air-to-air photo session with Challenge Publications before we moved on toward Sacramento. The local media met the airplane on the ramp and several flights were made to provide some publicity for the weekend appearance.

  
  Liberty Belle chief pilot Ray Fowler, honorary B-17 veteran Iris Taggert, and Liberty Foundation founder Don Brooks on the ramp at Mather.

  The following Saturday, April 12, I spent a long sun-soaked day talking to folks and selling books next to the Liberty Belle. I met a couple of guys who I've only corresponded with via email for the past few years, and it was nice to put a face to a name. There were a number of elderly veterans out to see and ride in the airplane and, as always, they are a fascinating listen as the stories come spilling out. It was interesting to watch two Eighth Air Force veterans discover that they had both been shot down, captured, and held in the same POW camp for the last year of the war. Now, 63 years later, they meet for the first time next to a B-17 on the ramp at Mather Field.

• Speaking of B-17s that used to be five-engine test beds, Dave Shiffer sent in some recent photos of the effort to rebuild another (there were three) of the airplanes used as engine test beds, this being B-17G 44-85813 that was operated by Curtiss-Wright in the post-war years and then went on to be operated as an air tanker for a decade. This airplane has been under rebuild at Urbana, Ohio, for the past several years, and is actually the compilation of several airframes. Dave provided a number of photos showing the current state of the airframe in its long-term rebuild.

  
  The fuselage is coming back together in the Urbana hangar. The struture on the top of the fuselage is the upper turret mounting framework.

  Dave reports that a not-for-profit foundation has been set up to eventually operate the aircraft. The name of the foundation is the Champaign Aviation Museum, the Champaign part of it being the Ohio county where the operation is located. An effort is underway to get approval to build a large hangar to hold the B-17 and other airplanes including the B-25 that was just purchased (see also B-25 News).

  
  The interior of the aft fuselage looking aft.

  The unofficial working name for the airplane has become Champaign Lady and the rebuilding effort continues to seek volunteers to help with the restoration and also welcomes visitors to see the progress. Check out their website for more information.

  
  The cockpit framework is being rebuilt separately and will be reattached to the fuselage structure.

• Coincidently, Bruce Orriss sent along a couple of photos from the past of this same airplane being rebuilt at Urbana, that being 44-85813 when it was operated as a five-engine test bed for Curtiss-Wright. Interesting story about these test beds, particularly the one operated by Curtiss-Wright and the one operated by Pratt & Whitney. Both had significant airframe mods done by Boeing that primarily involved moving the cockpit aft by four feet, strengthening the fuselage structure with additional framework and thicker skin, and constructing a fuselage firewall to accept the test engines.

  

  

  

• Bruce also notes that progress is being made looking to start the restoration project of B-17G 44-83887 under the cover of the California Air Heritage Foundation in the near future. This is the "Greeley" B-17 that was displayed in a Colorado bar for the better part of four decades. More details to follow so stay tuned. Whet your whistle with a view of this website. Here is an interesting view of this airframe from that website while it was a studio prop for the 20th Century Fox studio in the 1970s:

  

  And another of the radio room after it was lowered from the roof of the bar two years ago:

  

• Bruce also was nice enough to provide a bit of background about the fate of the four B-17s used in The War Lover back in 1961. To quote,

  One final note on the Israeli birds. I had always hoped that somehow one of the three B-17's left in England after "War Lover"(the two PB-1W's and the IDF fuselage) had somehow survived. When I was in the UK working on Memphis Belle with Roger Freeman I asked him to confirm this.He had been tracking these birds and had led an effort to save them at the time. He confirmed that they had been cut up and said that Columbia Studios refused his repeated requests to save them stating it would cost them money due to tariffs on the aircraft and that they were better off scrapped. I actually later spoke to the scrapper who cut them up as oddly enough he was supplying us with scrap aircraft parts for a crash scene in the film. He again confirmed this fact. The only reason the other B-17 survived was they used it for a publicity tour around the USA to promote the fim so they could justify the cost and also later used it to film background aerial scenes in Canada for another film --believe it was Dr. Strangelove.

  That last bit about Dr. Strangelove is actually not correct but that's probably my fault as it is included in Final Cut. The airplane used to film the scenes in that film was 44-85643 (F-BEEA).

• Okay, then, Bruce has been busy. He also saw this photo online (not sure where) but I had to include it at the risk of getting yelled at by the source of the photo. This is a nice color view of B-17G 44-83735, then operating as NL68269 with Trans Ocean Airlines out of Oakland, California. It carries the name San Miguel on the nose and was used for transportation of Philippines Air Lines owner Andres Soriano between the west coast and the Philippines. This photo was taken between 1947 and 1949, when the airplane was sold to the Assemblies of God church for work with missionaries.

  

  This airplane later flew for the IGN in France as F-BDRS and is now displayed at the American Air Museum at Duxford, England, as the Mary Alice.

• Got an interestig note from Zaq Harrison of Ranaana, Israel, about the 1949 movie 12 O'Clock High. He notes that the character of Gen. Frank Savage was based on Gen. Edgar Wittan who commanded the 390th Bomb Group. He passes along that book co-author Bernie Lay wrote a letter to Wittan's widow Mae informing her that he and Sy Barlett based the character on her husband. It is commonly thought and often noted that the character was based on Gen. Frank Armstrong, whose biographical details certainly fit the 12 O'Clock High character better. Perhaps a blending of two men to create the Savage character, but another bit of information to be passed along.

• Dave Braun sent along this photo of some WASP pilots who crewed a B-17E named Pistol Packin' Mama, noting the photo was taken at Lockbourne Field at Columbus, Ohio:

  

  Looks like overpainted nose art and markings on this B-17E. Combat veteran, perhaps, and lending itself to some of the discussions on the subject in B-17 News last year.

• Dik Shepherd sent along this little tidbit he unearthed:

  

  This appears to be an advertisement of some sort for the Kay Kyser song Alexander the Swoose--Half Swan-Half Goose that is the basis for the name applied to the B-17D, 40-3097, held in storage at the NASM. The song was number 3 on the hit parade for three weeks in 1941. Looks a bit like Donald Duck to me.

• In the line of the continuing discussions of RFC and WAA B-17s, a good photo of B-17G 42-102542 showed up on Ebay recently. The photo obviously depicts the airplane at Sioux City, Iowa, in the early post-war years. This airplane was later sold and became N5845N before it was destroyed in a mid-1950s accident. I bid on the photo but, alas, someone wanted it more than I did. I offer it here in this very low resolution file in the hopes that the new owner does not protest. If he does, it comes down but, again, alas, it is all in the furtherence of important aviation history.

  

• And, finally, it should be noted that the stocks of that fine B-17 book Final Cut are drawing down, and the 1st revised edition will soon follow the path of the original edition...that into oblivion as far as new copies go, only to sought after in increasing and frothing demand as the teeming masses realize what they cannot have and what they have lost. It will be only be then available in frantic online bids driving the prices higher and higher, well into the dozens of dollars.

  

  Well, you might say, how about a 2nd revised edition, say, to bring the book up to date and move it from the dawn of the new century (2000) to the, well, I guess, just past the dawn of the new century, maybe 2009? The first edition was published in 1990 at the bargain, even for 1990, price of $14.95. The current edition is priced at a bargain price, even for 1990, of $18.95. Preliminary looks at the price of producing another edition suggest it will come in at at least $24.95 which is admittedly, still, a bargan at 1990 prices for a 216 page book with even words and text included. And, if a revised edition comes forth, it will be expanded and updated, maybe even have few more pages added.

  The bottom line, if you want a new copy of Final Cut start satisfying those urges now. Do your patriotic duty. Use that tax rebate!! Christmas is coming! There may be another edition if the surge of demand soars like a lightly loaded B-17 with 100 octane fuel. We shall see. Stay tuned, all those dedicated readers out there (I know you are out there, somewhere).

March 2008

• As noted above, the Lone Star Flight Museum is offering rides in its fine B-17G, 44-85718 (N900RW), marked as the 303rd Bomb Group's Thunderbird. The B-17 is making numerous appearances in Texas this spring, where ground tours are also offered. More information can be found right here. Prices for the 35 minute flights in the B-17 are $425, which pretty much covers the cost of operating the airplane, costs that continue to rise as avgas soars over $5.00 a gallon. Thanks to Steve Siegmund for the update.

• Speaking of B-17s moving about, as noted above the Liberty Belle is coming west again, showing up in California in early March and spending five weeks in the Golden State including appearances at San Diego, Long Beach, Van Nuys, Bakersfield, Salinas, and San Francisco. If you are near any of those places or have even heard of them, go check out the airplane.

• Dave Littleton passes along some updated photos of the B-17 cockpit section he is building. He has made some great progress over the last year. This is a remarkable effort.

  

  

  

  Dave is now trying to figure out what authentic nose art he wants to add to the exterior.

• Floating around on the web, specifically the WIX website, was this interesting photo of B-17G 44-85702 operating from France Field in the Panama Canal Zone circa 1948. The B-17G was operating as a squadron "hack" and marked as Super Stud. Probably an interesting story behind that name! This photo was taken by Richard Kamm and posted by August Hovarth.

  

  This particular airplane was built by Vega, accepted on May 4, 1945, and placed immediately into long term storage. It was pulled out in November 1945, redesignated as a TB-17G, and served as a squadron transport until early 1950. It's last entry on the record shows it being reclaimed at Eglin AFB, Florida.

• Dave Braun contributed the following information and query:

  In the wake of the U.S. Army and Army Air Force disasters in the Philippines, the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service salvaged two B-17s from Clark Field and ferried them to the air technical center located at Tachikawa air field, Japan. This center was operated by the First Tachikawa Army Air Arsenal, and was involved in evaluating captured Allied aircraft. Tachikawa itself is located in the far western suburbs of Tokyo. The various B-17 books identify the Flying Fortresses as B-17D 40-3095 and the other, apparently a composite of salvaged pieces from different aircraft, is generally listed as B-17D 40-3069. Both aircraft were from the 19th Bomb Group

  

  A little over two months later, a third B-17 was acquired. That aircraft was probably B-17E 41-2471 from 7th Bomb Group, which was involved with the rear-guard actions in the Java area. Late in the afternoon on March 1, 1942, the ship was deliberately set on fire at Djogjakarta air field, deemed not airworthy for the general evacuation then underway. The Dutch completed the demolition of the field and hangers the next day. The aircraft fire apparently soon burned itself out, and the new management arriving several days later decided to salvage the Fortress and ferry it back to Tachikawa. Why the Japanese would go to such lengths to obtain a third Fortress is unknown, unless they felt this was the only relatively intact E model available to them at that point in time.

  

  Subsequently, three captured Flying Fortresses appeared in a propaganda photograph taken with Mount Fujiyama in the background, reproduced here from a contemporary Japanese magazine. The story line becomes confused because the three ships shown are one D and two E's, and not the two D's and one E as reported in the various texts. A search of known B-17 aircraft in the Pacific Theater, including C, D, E and F models, does not show a fourth B-17 as having been ferried to Japan. Some of the E models listed are "MIA" or "disappeared" and their ultimate fates are unknown. The photograph speaks for itself: there were two E models in Japan during the War. What is the identity of the second B-17E aircraft ? And, what ultimately happened to all three (or four) of the IJAAS’s miniature "bomb group" Flying Fortresses?

  

  So, we ask, can anyone lend anymore information about these captured B-17s?

• Photo floating across the E-Bay world recently was this very early (c. 1948?) view of 44-85740 (NL5071N) that now flies, still as N5017N, with the EAA. This airplane was one of the first civil B-17s, and the detailed history of the airplane is available in Final Cut. Exact date, location, or other details about this photo are not known. It's no longer available on E-Bay. Thanks to Chris Brame for the head's up.

  

January 2008

• Happy New Year to all as we start another season of All Things B-17, All The Time. Well, sort of. Anyway, we start with old news but if it's new to me, it's news to me. Alan Moore of the 1941 Historical Aircraft Group confirms what I guess everybody already knew: the MARC B-17G 44-83546 (N3703G), otherwise known as the mock Memphis Belle is now based with the museum at Geneseo, New York. The B-17 was last based at New York's Republic airport but will undergo its winter maintenance at Geneseo and operated from that airport for the 2008 season. Actually, it's been based at the museum since April 2004 but I've been pretty busy and hadn't picked up on this. Besides, everything east of the Sierra's sort of run together. I'm pretty sure Farmingdale and Geneseo are right next to each other. (Look for the 1941 HAG's airshow July 11-13 this coming summer.)

• The status of MARC, otherwise known as the Military Aircraft Restoration Corp., owned and operated by the late David Tallichet, remains somewhat clouded by Tallichet's passing on October 31, 2007. Tallichet was a Eighth Air Force 100th Bomb Group veteran and was intimately involved with two B-17s, the aforementioned 44-83546 (N3701G), which he owned, and 44-83663 (N47780), which he had leased from the USAF Museum program back in the 1970s. The future of the large aircraft collection held by MARC and Tallichet has not yet been announced, or at least announced to me. So it's not news to me yet.

• Dean Coryell sent in a pair of nice photos of the prototype Boeing Model 299, apparently taken at Boeing Field. If so, the photos were taken between July 17, 1935 (rollout from the assembly hangar) and August 20, 1935, when it left for testing at Wright Field, Ohio. It crashed October 30 after a takeoff with locked controls.

  

  

• Interesting little item offered on ebay back in November: a shooting script for the 1949 movie 12 O'Clock High with notes and production thoughts added in the margins by producer Darryl Zanuck. The script ran at 201 pages and was dated July 26, 1948. It was bound in an orange paper cover and noted as copy 218. Twenty-two of the 201 pages had hand-written notes entered by Zanuck. Winning bid: $3,000. Bummer.

• A bit tardy to report, but the B-17 Co-op Meeting was held October 26-27 at Oshkosh, with 71 attendees representing 11 B-17s. Lots was discussed. How about main wheel tires at $2,500 a pop? How about a new blown nose glass for $15,000. Safety issues were discussed. FAA oversight, air tours, air shows, user fees, parts, insurance, all discussed from the perspective of trying to operate a B-17 in these modern days. The Co-op, by the way, for those wondering, is the banding together of the B-17 operators to discuss common problems, attempt the economy of scale in ordering made-to-order parts (like tires), and generally help each other out. Compare notes. Share information. Rumors. Probably lie a bit too, you know, about who's turbochargers are cleaner, etc.

• Also not the hottest news to hit the internet waves today, but worth mentioning: Plans appear to be afoot for the Museum of the USAF to swap their B-17G, 42-32076, otherwise known as Shoo Shoo Baby with the National Air and Space Museum's B-17D 40-3097, otherwise known as the Swoose. This is very welcome news for B-17 folks. The B-17D is a rare artifact of the Air Corps and deserves a complete restoration and display in a place of honor, and Dayton is the best place for that airplane. Get into the hands of people who recognize it's value. And, the NASM can get a B-17 on display without working too hard at it. Shoo Shoo Baby comes just about ready to go. If these plans come to fruition, the Museum of the USAF will have two very historic B-17s on display: the Memphis Belle and the Swoose. Of course, the Swoose would be subject to some significant decsions about the restoration effort, and then probably about ten years out in the back shops while it is being done. Need money, too. More money.

• So, just how much is a flying B-17 worth these days? $3 million? $4 million? How about $5 million? It's to the point, folks, were a flying B-17 is worth just about whatever the seller wants it to be worth. Even with the price of avgas spiralling upwards along with the per hour cost of flying the airplane, but with only thirteen flying, it's definitely a sellers market. There are a couple of -17s out there that might be for sale...for the right price.

• Okay, here's one that should be on Entertainment Tonight.

  

  Turns out that part of the B-17 tail section that remained after the crash of B-17G 44-85643 (F-BEEA) during the 1989 filming of Memphis Belle ended up mounted over the fireplace of one of the actors who appeared in the movie. It was actually just the vertical stabilizer, but the above photo (whose source is unknown--Disclaimer: I apologize in advance, and will properly credit said photo or remove it upon request of the photographer) shows what we're working with here. And the actor?

  

  That would be Billy Zane. That would also be a bit bizarre. Even for an actor. But, then again, he's like a fifty or seventy year old man and they still call him Billy. He looks happy, though. Probably thinking "I've got a B-17 tail over my fireplace and Leonardo DiCaprio doesn't. Ha ha. 'King of the World,' my ass."

• Periodical Update: Good article in the January 2008 issued of FlyPast magazine by Jarrod Cotter on the restoration effort being made on the real Memphis Belle, 41-24485, by the National Museum of the USAF at Dayton. Some good photos showing the progress. The article notes that the restoration time frame for the restoration of the B-17F goes out seven to eight years. The restoration crew is currently in need of: nine A-4 oxygen bottles; the radio operator's seat assembly; three Housing Assembly Lamps; and Spare Lamp boxes (three needed). Check out the article and photos.

• Work continues on Texas Raiders, 44-83872 (N7227C) and, as it nears flight status, they are looking for more help to finish the massive job of getting the airplane back into the air in 2008. Detals are available at the CAF Gulfcoast Squadron website but here is the gist of it in a quote from the site:

  "VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: As work continues on TR, the aircraft is beginning to look more and more like a war bird, but much work remains. We are at a stage where we need MORE VOLUNTEERS in order to get the airplane airworthy again. Work crews currently meet on Tuesday evenings and on Saturdays at the hangar and they could use more help.

  On Saturdays, the crew has a lunch prepared on site to conserve time and promote efficiency, so if you can spare even an hour to assist with tools, retrieve parts, clean or organize shelves, sweep floors, wash oily rags (washing machine on premises)...just about any job awaits your skills. Your help brings us closer to flight!

  If you are not a South Texas or Houston resident, you can also help with a donation for the lunch-expenses. A $20, $30, $50 or any donation is tax deductible and the working crew members would definitely appreciate this.

  Now that TR has a roof over her head, work on this project is much more tolerable than in the past. Saturday work crews meet around 0800-0900 and work the better part of the day. Tuesday night crews meet around 1730-1830 and work on both TR and hangar projects."

• Chris Brame posted a photo of another of the obscure RFC B-17s that made it out of the scrapyards to be used as war memorials, most of them being displayed beginning in late 1945 and 1946. Most of these airplanes later disappeared and were presumably scrapped. This photo was of a B-17 sent to the Air Scouts at Paducah, Kentucky, and was take in late 1945.

  

  No identity of this airplane has yet surfaced, but we are looking. Chris notes that his dad said that two local pilots picked it up at a depot in Memphis, Tennessee and flew it back to the Paducah airport, took out the batteries and left it for the Air Scouts to use as a teaching tool/clubhouse. His dad "flew" his share of missions in it before he joined the Air Force in 1947. By around 1949 or 1950 the B-17 was gone. Looking closely at the photo, it looks like the cheek gun position is missing on the starboard side, but the chin and top turrets are intact. Cany anybody add details to this (like the serial, of course!). Maybe someone knows something more about the depot in Memphis? Thanks, Chris, for this tidbit.

  No RFC/WAA listing of such war memorials has ever surfaced, and it is doubtful one ever will surface. So, the next best thing is that we are going to start our own list. Check out this new page for the start of what should be a growing list of such B-17s. Please send along any updates or new information you can supply to make this list a 'good-un.'

• Mike McNab sent in some information about a book his grandfather wrote about his experiences as a B-17 radio operator during World War II. Mike notes that he wanted his book to be sold so people could hear his experiences. He died last November but while he was alive he sold about 700 books mostly by word of mouth. Mike and his family are now in the process of creating a webpage to get his book in peoples hands that are interested in it. The website is located here. Check it out. I've also added a link on the B-17 Links page.

• Noted B-17 author Steve Birdsall sent in a clipping from an Amarillo, Texas, newspaper that answers a few questions about the fate of the B-17B, yes, B-17B, that played the role of the Mary Ann in the 1943 film Air Force. As noted by regular readers of this website, the identity of this movie star B-17 has been elusive and even confounding. With an effort that rivals that of O.J. Simpson looking for killers, we have been trying to find out about this airplane. Well, Steve sent in this newspaper article from his files, and it does provide some more information. From the content, the article was written in 1943. The copy of the article is too poor to reproduce, but I'll quote from it liberally, or at least libertarianally:

  Heroic "Mary Ann" of Movie Fame Assigned to Amarillo Air Field

  "Her last flight has been completed, writing the fianle to the long and famous career of 'Mary Ann,' Flying Fortress featured in Warner Bros' production 'Air Force' The 'Mary Ann' arrived at Amarillo Army Air Field late last week and the day after her arrival it was taken off flying status and assigned to the academic department for instructional purposes.

  Veteran of nearly 3,000 flying house, "Mary Ann," a B-17B still in excellent condition, had outlived its usefullness as a flying airplane and is notw taking her place with other planes helping in the training of airplane mechanics. The plane was stationed at Hobbs Army Air Field, Hobbs, N.M., and was flown here by Lt.Col. N. B. Clinch and Major B.H. Ashworth. (....blah blah blah...more stuff)

  "Stationed at Hendricks Field, Fla., 'Mary Ann' was loaned to the Warner Bros. last fall to make the picture. At the completion of the pictured sure returned from Hollywood to Hendricks Field and about six months ago was transferred to Hobbs Army Air Field. The plane is now stationed in the 25 and 50 hour inspection hangar."

  The article concludes with some unrelated stuff about where the AAF buried twelve brand new cocooned B-17Cs in an empty field with exact directions on how to find them but I accidently spilled egg nog on that part so I can't make out any details.

  Anyways, back to the Mary Ann, using the Freeman/Osborne The B-17 Flying Fortress Story and it's individual B-17 aircraft histories, we note that B-17B 38-268 was delivered at March Field on February 7, 1940, sent to Amarillo in August 1943, and written off in June 1943 (??). No other history is provided for this aircraft. We also note that B-17B 39-3 was delivered at Hamilton Field, CA, in February 1940, assigned to Amarillo in September 1942, and written off in September 1943. No other history on this airplane either. And then there is B-17B 39-6, delivered at March Field in February 1940, sent to Amarillo in July 1942, and written off in August 1942. Then there is B-17B 39-7 that ended up at Amarillo but the rest of the history isn't close to that stated in the article. Finally, there is B-17B 39-10, delivered at Salt Lake City in October 1940, sent to Amarillo in July 1943, and written off in August 1943. Of all these B-17Bs that ended up at Amarillo, the closest matches to what we think we know would be 38-268 or 39-10. Personally, I think the Mary Ann is one of these two airplanes. Now, if only someone with B-17B record cards (eh, Dik?) could pass along any information that might be gleaned from them, maybe we can narrow this down a bit. We are looking for a B-17B that went to Hendricks to Hobbs to Amarillo, and was written off at Amarillo. If we are this close, there is still hope for O.J. Personally, I'm smelling Pulitzer here for investigative journalism, but it could also be the final wafts my egg nog aroma. Not sure on this.

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Updated: 07/31/08