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Air Classics article: B-17G N7712M

Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2022 7:09 am
by aerovin2
In the October 2022 issue of Air Classics is an article I did that pulls together as much information as possible about the fourth Israeli B-17G...the one that ended up being seized at Santa Maria in July 1948 on its way to join the 1948 Israeli war for independence. Three other B-17s were exported in June 1948 to form the basis of the Israeli bomber force, but the fourth never made it. This was B-17G 44-85764 and it carried the bogus civil registration of NL7712M on its tail when impounded on July 18, 1948.

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It is an intriguing and admittedly obscure story. For anyone interested, the issue is available directly from Challenge Publications by calling 818-700-6868 or at http://www.airclassicsnow.com/ (though the website has not yet been updated to the current issue). Though the opening spread color photo is not directly related to the story, it is a great photo of a combat veteran B-17G. We took a lot of time to try and find any photos of the new B-17s in storage at Altus, OK, in the post-war period...there were at least a hundred brand new B-17s there...but came up empty. 44-85764 was one of those Altus B-17s, as were most of the post-war surplus B-17s that made it to the civil world. If anyone is aware of on-the-ground photos of those new B-17s at Altus, I'd sure like to see them.

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Re: Air Classics article: B-17G N7712M

Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2022 11:39 am
by terveurn
Going to add a couple other wants as well

I would love to see the brand new B-17's in storage at Syracuse AAF before they were ferried to the permanent storage yards

I have only seen one photo of B-17's at South Plains AAF