Can anyone identify these B-17F trainers?

[Steve Birdsall]

I’m posting this on several sites in the hope that someone will be able to help me find out a bit more about these three early B-17Fs that served as trainers in the United States: Furlough Myrtle, Redmond Annie and Moonlight Cocktail.



The photos came from various sites on the web but I believe that the very similar and very professional artwork on the noses is all the work of one artist. I’m hoping to perhaps identify that artist, and at the same time identify the B-17s - their serial numbers and the unit or units they were assigned to.

[aerovin2]

Possibly obvious, but Redmond Annie no doubt based at the training field at Redmond, Oregon.

[Steve Birdsall]

I have an idea the photo of Moonlight Cocktail might . . . might . . . have been taken at Ephrata, but can't be sure.

[jmkendall]

Furlough mrytle shows up on the 100th BG website. 349th BS

[jmkendall]

Moonlight cocktail, 301st BG. http://www.301bg.com/AircraftDetails.cfm?AID=402

[jmkendall]

Redmond Annie is Id'd on this site; http://www.ww2color.com/nennius/webapps ... _key=07031

As a war weary B-17 returned to stateside duty as a trainer and noted as Piloted by Capt.Tower. PIc is at Hamilton AFB. It does not say that, but I was stationed at Hamilton for 6 years, and I grew up in Vallejo and could see Hamilton and the Mountains behind it most of my life.

[jmkendall]

And lastly, the second pic has a crew list, and the ball turret gunner is noted as an Artist. Just a thought.
Joe

[jmkendall]

95th BG also claims fertile myrtle; http://www.95thbg.org/95th_joomla/index ... Itemid=376.

This is a better page, and supports the 100th BG claim.http://www.100thbg.com/mainpages/crews/crews2/ford.htm

42-31215 is the number they give her. The problem is, thats a G, isn't it? And the a/c behind them has trainer codes, right????? The a/c behind them has the star, but no bar. it appears that the last three are 523? The only number I am sure of is 2.

The pilot was interviewed in the 90s and said he had trained at Lake Moses and Walla Walla. Could they have taken the a/c with them?

Could not the a/c have all been painted at the same post, and then dispersed when a need came up to re-supply the Combat units?

Reading the history of 215 and her sisters, it seems like most of them were shot down or crashed in a short time.This would be mid 43, when the deployment orders would have been cut.

Joe

[Steve Birdsall]

Thanks Joe . . . it looks like all three aircraft were at west coast training bases, and that these were replacement crews in their final stages of training.

It also looks like some of the latter-day group historians have seen these photos and made a few too many assumptions. In my opinion, none of these three aircraft ever served overseas.

[hang the expense]

Hey gang.There are some b-17 trainer pics on evilbay.You have to look close at the pic to tell.

[hang the expense]

code on verticle is AL

[BillWood]

Don't know if this is any help. But my father was a B17 pilot stationed in England, and the name on his plane was Furlough Myrtle. I don't know what his rank was at the time but when he got out of the Air force he was a Major. ( Cap. William G. Wood USAF)

Hope this is of some help
Bill

[hang the expense]

Hello Bill, welcome to aerovintage.

[varsity07840]

Redmond Annie is Id'd on this site; http://www.ww2color.com/nennius/webapps ... _key=07031

As a war weary B-17 returned to stateside duty as a trainer and noted as Piloted by Capt.Tower. PIc is at Hamilton AFB. It does not say that, but I was stationed at Hamilton for 6 years, and I grew up in Vallejo and could see Hamilton and the Mountains behind it most of my life.

I have my doubts about Redmond Annie being a returned war weary. I don't think that any F models went overseas without
the cheek gun modification made to early Fs. The early dimpled nose piece for .30 cal guns appears to never have had the socket mounts installed. I don't think this a/c ever left the states.

Duane

[hang the expense]

I agree on stateside trainer.It may have been an E model upgraded with paddleblade props and cowlings as well as nose glass.The paint looks too nice for war weary as well.