The B-17 Locator: Where Are They?

Partial B-17 Airframes and RIP B-17s

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The B-17 Locator: Partial B-17 Airframes

There have been a number of partial airframes that have existed over the past few decades. As the supply of B-17 parts has slowly evaporated, these B-17 airframe components became more and more valuable. The ones listed below held major components but these have now been incorporated into on-going rebuild or restoration projects and none of them remain as identifiable airframes. They are nonetheless shown here for reference.

Table Showing Partial B-17 Airframes

StatusSeriesIdentification ComponentsRemarks
PartialB-17F42-30861Aft fuselage
Outer wing panels
Wreck recovery from Alaska circa 1996
No longer identifiable; aft fuselage and outer wing panels are incorporated into 44-83387 project
PartialB-17G44-83316Aft fuselage section
Bomb-bay section
Miscellaneous smaller parts
Ex-film 20th Century Fox studio fuselage from early 1960s
No longer identifiable; aft fuselage is incorporated into 44-85813 project; fuselage;
other small parts are incorporated into 42-3455 project
PartialB-17G44-83722Outer wing panels
Forward fuselage
Bomb bay section
Miscellaneous smaller parts
Recovered from nuclear test site circa 1965
No longer identifiable: outer wing panels, forward fuselage. and bomb-bay sections are incorporated into 44-85813 project; other small parts are incorporated into other projects

The B-17 Locator: RIP B-17s

Three B-17s have been lost during the “warbird” years. Included here are those that were essentially destroyed, though one (44-85734) is being reconstructed using surviving parts, new build structure, and components from other airframes.

Table Showing RIP B-17s

StatusSeriesIdentification FateRemarks
RIPB-17G44-83575, N93012Destroyed by 10/2/2019 accidentNine-O-Nine
RIPB-17G44-85643, F-BEEADestroyed by July 1989 accidentSome small components survive
RIPB-17G44-85734, N390THBadly damaged by fire after 6/13/2011 off-field landingLiberty Belle; under rebuild by Liberty Foundation; remains civil registered

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