Aero Vintage Books

Hoping the experts here might know the background on this B-17F (I assume)

6 Japanese kill markings and 14 bomb symbols so a PTO vet. But there are no signs of any guns outside of the ball turret (maybe) and the top turret is missing. I assume some sort of test bird. The CC on the fuselage and on the engine cowling must stand for something. Also interesting that the cowling is part NMF on both the starboard engines. A couple of ID stripes as well and pre-43 markings.

Any ideas? it was one of those unidentified photos I troll for on eBay now and then, mixed in with some photos of individuals. No ID's on any of the photos outside of one photo referencing Lowry Field Laboratory Class 4-42-F

I'm assuming that is some sort of anti-shipping radar under the wing



close up of the nose with the mission and kill markings.

Dan, I suspect (using a process of elimination) that it's 41-24426, a veteran of the 11th Bomb Group. I believe it returned to the U.S. in July 1944, but the no-bars national insignia indicates your photo was taken well before then.

Here's a photo of it taken in Hawaii.



You've found another gem there and I hope we can finally identify it.

That has to be the same bird. My first thought on seeing the original image is that the top turret was airbrushed out for some reason. The CC on the cowl and the same unpainted cowling sure seems to say it's the same Fort.