This on intrigues me. Image is dated April 24, 1945 so the airwar in the ETO is about done and 17s weren't going to the PTO.
A training relatively early B17F still on the job. Turrets in place and gun mounts visible. Paint has been stripped. Not sure why this bird would still be in that configuration. I'd think they'd have wanted training 17s by that point to be G models with the same turrets etc that the crews would have had in combat. Why keep this bird going like that? Someone's personal favorite?
Anyway, since it's been quiet in here I thought I'd throw it out here to see if anyone has any idea to explain this bird
This is either 42-30044 or 42-40044; I'm thinking the latter, because there's a photo of it in Ontario, CA on page 18 of the fifth edition of Final Cut, and it's in bare metal. It had an oddly-painted tail code "L-1" from its last use at Minter Field:
why wouldn't B-17F still be used as valuable training ships - they were only 2-years old.
Still very good for Pilot transition trainers, navigation trainers and flex gunnery ships. Except for the lack of chin turrets (as well as the difference in supercharger controls) the F's were still valuable, low time aircraft. Even the Memphis Belle was still used at MacDill until June 1945
