Aero Vintage Books

Found this scrapped B-17 on the 11th BG website Found it here:http://11thbombgroup.org/photoswwii/vil ... tenew.html

Okay, starting the clock on how long it takes to identify the airplane based on the faint few serial numbers seen. Clever and smart guys..ready...set...go!

Well if you flip it over you get some clues

Early B-17E with retractable belly turret (scanning windows are visible)

not many possible B-17 with this combination

41-2?2? (could be 42-242?)

so maybe 41-2420 (if this is actually an 11th BG ship)

41-2420 is interesting as the tail section was dragged ashore in 1944 after the B-17 was discovered.

Not 41-2420 . . . by the time the wreckage of that one was dragged ashore there wasn't even that much left in one piece.

Steve

Without any real background on this picture, there is no real association with the 11th BG attached to this print.

For all we know, this was taken in Panama, it might even be 41-2422.

The serial number is easily readable, the belly scanning windows are also very clear that this is an early B-17E as well as the early (pre summer 1943) US insignia.

so the range is limited. Could the fourth digit be a 5 instead of a 2 (or even a 6), the choices on a 41-245 ship are even more limited and the 41-246 ships are doubtful as well

If you really want to try something stupid, flip the photo and now the 2's become 5's.

The problem is now the entry door is missing.

But still an interesting comparison with 41-24551
(note: yeah, I know not the same ship)

I think it's fair to accept the photo as 11th or 5th Bomb Group, so that dramatically limits the possibilities. We can exclude all the aircraft that were re-camouflaged in Hawaii. It could be 41-2415, which I suspect (but have been unable to prove) was named Bitch Kitty.