Aero Vintage Books

Came across this image, that I didn't intially recognize. But I went back and looked again, and there it was, the fuselage of a Coastal Command B17. Sadly I can't see any serial number. I'm assuming it was headed for the fire dump or something along those lines. IT would be interesting to know the backstory.

Hi Dan:

This is Coastal Command's first Fortress IIA (B-17E), FK184 'A', following service with 251 (Met) Squadron at Reykjavik where it was struck off in July 1945 and scrapped. You can just see the '4' of the serial to the immediate left of the rear entry door.

It served very briefly with 206 Squadron at RAF Benbecula in the fall of 1942.

With thanks to Eggert Norðdahl.

Robert Stitt

It’s believed the Fortress was damaged by a wind storm during the scrapping process - note the flattened fin root fairing and battered forward fuselage. Aircraft damage due to storms was a relatively common occurrence at Reykjavik.

Robert