Aero Vintage Books

Looking for information on the NB-17G - specifically aircraft 42-102942

Do not need the information from Freeman's book on this aircraft, I have the aircraft card just need information on NB-17G's (and not B-17N - totally different machines)

The aircraft card has several notations that also might be a clue to this aircraft's mod's;

Caribbean Air Command / PanRpgBCDC1 (BUSMC / Panama Canal Zone) - (Howard AFB)

Thanks

Was this postwar? USAF? I don't recall seeing any other USAF NB-17 designations, indicating permanent modifications, though certainly the modified 5-engine test beds should have been NB-17Gs and not designated as temporary modified JB-17Gs as they were.

Scott:

Direct translation from her aircraft card:

42-102942 (c/n: 8444). Available: 21 April 1944 - Boeing Aircraft Co, Seattle, Washington
Accepted: 21 April 1944
Assigned: 24 April 1944 - ATC / 7th Ferry Group - (Gore AAF)
Ferried: 24 April 1944 (Boeing Field - Gore AAF - Minneapolis Municipal - Bolling AAF)
mechanical delays
Assigned: 28 April 1944 - Army Air Forces / 1st AAFBU (Hq) - (Bolling Field)
Assigned: 3 November 1944 / 25 November 1944 - ATSC / 4136th AAFBU (Oklahoma City ATSC) - (Tinker AAF)
TDY: 25 November 1944 - ATC / 1505th (West Coast Wing, Pacific Division) - (Mather Field)
Assigned: 17 January 1945 / 19 May 1945 - ATSC / 4112th (Area Command) (Middletown ATSC) - (Olmsted Field)
Conversion to VB-17G
Assigned: 20 June 1945 - CAF / 64th AAFBU (Hq) - (Andrews Field)
TDY: 10 July 1945 / 22 July 1945 - 3rd AF / 326th AAFBU (Combat Crew Training Station - Very Heavy) - (MacDill AAF)
Assigned: 21 March 1946 - SAC / 64th AAFBU (Hq) - (Andrews AFB)
Assigned: 24 April 1946 / 30 April 1947 - Pacific Theater
redesignated NB-17G
Assigned: 30 April 1947 / 7 April 1948 - Unknown
Assigned: 7 April 1948 / 20 April 1948 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Assigned: 20 April 1948 - Caribbean Air Command / PanRpgBCDC1 (BUSMC / Panama Canal Zone) - (Howard AFB)
redesignated TB-17G
Stricken: Wednesday, 29 December 1948 - Panama
reclamation number A-R0057

*************

She was redesignated as NB-17G from April 1946 - 30 April 1947

Thoughts from others -- possibly a CIA / OSS aircraft (she was in the same locations as the other "CIA B-17" current on display by Evergreen Aviation Museum)

It is also possible she was associated with the atomic testing.

Big question is why was she designated as NB-17 (the N indicated a major change in the aircraft configuration)

What was BUSMC ??

Also the only B-17 that I have (so far) run across without a project number associated.

Dave

I think you have a genuine mystery on your hands. The technical orders would suggest that the "N" prefix was not used until 1956, and that was by USAF. In the AAF system, I have never seen the use of the "N" designation. I would suggest that this was either a short-lived designation that was not documented, or it was assigned in error. Based on the aircraft usage, it may have been used for diplomatic support. Interesting, interesting.

Stranger and Stranger.....

I know from a lot of the B-17 references that there were several NB-17 designated:

http://www.uswarplanes.net/b17.html

As well a many books listing this designation -- yet to see either a serial number or a photo

Find it hard to think of a B-17 in 1956 being redesignated an NB-17 when the remaining aircraft were already on the way to the storage yards (Most being either QB-17's or DB-17G) -- this aircraft cards, however, clearly shows this aircraft being scrapped long before this 1956 " N " designation.

Wondering if the 1945 / 1946 designation " N " means something totally different than major modification (maybe a weird version of the civilian N number) which would be in keeping with special ops missions.

Well, there may have been a several NB-17s designated in 1956 and afterwards, but I have never come across any. From my research, all the major mod test birds (i.e. five engine test beds) were JB-17Gs or JTB-17Gs or something similar. Then there were EB-17Gs and ETB-17Gs that were also test airplanes, but mostly electronics.

I would suspect the NB-17G designation for 1947 was a short-lived designation, or a locally developed designation. Based on what is on the record card, I don't see any top secret or other special use of the airplane; looks like it was used as a transport to me.

Just my two cents....