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
| Status | Series | Identification | Components | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Partial | B-17F | 42-30861 | Aft 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 |
| Partial | B-17G | 44-83316 | Aft 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 |
| Partial | B-17G | 44-83722 | Outer 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
| Status | Series | Identification | Fate | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIP | B-17G | 44-83575, N93012 | Destroyed by 10/2/2019 accident | Nine-O-Nine |
| RIP | B-17G | 44-85643, F-BEEA | Destroyed by July 1989 accident | Some small components survive |
| RIP | B-17G | 44-85734, N390TH | Badly damaged by fire after 6/13/2011 off-field landing | Liberty Belle; under rebuild by Liberty Foundation; remains civil registered |
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