Ex USAAF 44-83563. One of three B-17s which passed through Gatwick en-route to Bovingdon for the filming of the movie The War Lover. Once at Bovingdon all three were painted in the USAAF camouflage of the 324th Bomb Squadron of the 91st Bomb Group, N9563Z wearing the serial 41-27742/DF-T. After filming she returned to the US to join Aviation Specialties of Mesa as a fire tanker and in 1969 was involved in the film Tora Tora Tora. Sold to the National Warplane Museum at Geneseo NY. in 1985 flying as '297400' 'Fuddy Duddy' and current with the Lyon Air Museum in Santa Ana CA. at time of upload.

On display at RAF Museum Hendon. Built in July 1945, this USAAF B-17G was transferred to the USN as BuNo. 77233 to serve as a land-based AEW aircraft. It was equipped with an AN/APS-20 search radar and flew as a PB-1W with VPW-1 in support of the Pacific Fleet and with VW-2 in the Atlantic Fleet. Struck off charge in 1956, it was converted to a firefighting tanker in the 1960s. It was restored to military configuration and ferried from California to the UK via Lajes in 1983. The aircraft wears the markings of 332nd BS, 94th BG(H) based at Bury St. Edmunds.

The aircraft was built in July 1945 by Douglas Aircraft Corporation, Long Beach, California. Displayed at Hendon from December 1983.

Caught of fire for unknown reasons when returning from a mission over Austria. Landed safely and crew escaped unharmed. Aircraft too damaged to be repaired. Note the unusual application of the full serial on the fin. Photo from: National Archives at College Park, Maryland

41-28678 crashed in the Netherlands on March 22, 1944, with engine problems while returning from a raid on the BMW factory in Berlin. Some sources say this photo shows the aircraft returning from 458th BG's 200th mission. However that did not take place until February 26, 1945. The last possible mission that this aircraft could have completed was the 17th mission on March 15, 1944. Photo from: National Archives at College Park, Maryland

12 Jul '45: TOS USAAF as B-17G 44-83872. 16 Jul '45: TOS USN as PB-1 77235 at Naval Aircraft Modification Center, Johnsville, PA. 12/46: Converted for AEW tests as a PB-1W. Served with VX-4, FASRON 103, VW-2 and VW-1. 1/55: NAS Litchfield Park, AZ for storage. 10 Jul '56: SOC. 10/57: Aero Service Corp., Philadelphia, PA with c/r N7227C. Converted for aerial surveying. 12/61: ACS Incorporated; used for aerial photography, including photographing a solar eclipse from 31,500 feet for the University of Alaska. 9/67: Confederate Air Force, Harlingen, TX.

12 Jul '45: TOS USAAF as B-17G 44-83872. 16 Jul '45: TOS USN as PB-1 77235 at Naval Aircraft Modification Center, Johnsville, PA. 12/46: Converted for AEW tests as a PB-1W. Served with VX-4, FASRON 103, VW-2 and VW-1. 1/55: NAS Litchfield Park, AZ for storage. 10 Jul '56: SOC. 10/57: Aero Service Corp., Philadelphia, PA with c/r N7227C. Converted for aerial surveying. 12/61: ACS Incorporated; used for aerial photography, including photographing a solar eclipse from 31,500 feet for the University of Alaska. 9/67: Confederate Air Force, Harlingen, TX. Note lack of dorsal turret, sparse nose art.

12 Jul '45: TOS USAAF as B-17G 44-83872. 16 Jul '45: TOS USN as PB-1 77235 at Naval Aircraft Modification Center, Johnsville, PA. 12/46: Converted for AEW tests as a PB-1W. Served with VX-4, FASRON 103, VW-2 and VW-1. 1/55: NAS Litchfield Park, AZ for storage. 10 Jul '56: SOC. 10/57: Aero Service Corp., Philadelphia, PA with c/r N7227C. Converted for aerial surveying. 12/61: ACS Incorporated; used for aerial photography, including photographing a solar eclipse from 31,500 feet for the University of Alaska. 9/67: Confederate Air Force, Harlingen, TX.

In 1998, the museum at Elmira was called the National Warplane Museum. The rights to that name was taken over by the current museum at Geneseo, NY in 2010. The collection is now known as the Wings of Eagles Discovery Center. "Fuddy Duddy", ex 44-83563, Douglas built, painted as USAAF 297400/E/K. It was a VB-17G and fire tanker before restoration.

7 Apr '45: TOS USAAF with s/n 44-83563 at Hunter Army Air Field, GA, then delivered to Patterson Field, OH. 5/45: Delivered to Philippines. Converted to CB-17G. Ca.6/45: Converted to VB-17G. 7/45: Used by Gen Jimmy Doolittle at Kadena, Okinawa. Also carried Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower. 1952: Returned to the USA for overhaul and then to 6000th Base Service Group, Japan. 1955: Stored at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ. With civilian fire-bomber owners it flew in two movies: "The War Lover" and"Tora, Tora, Tora". 1985: National Warplane Museum.

7 Apr '1945: TOS USAAF with s/n 44-83563 at Hunter Army Air Field, GA, then delivered to Patterson Field, OH. 5/1945: Delivered to Philippines. Converted to CB-17G. Ca.6/1945: Converted to VB-17G. 7/1945: Used by Gen Jimmy Doolittle at Kadena, Okinawa. Also carried Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower. 1952: Returned to the USA for overhaul and then to 6000th Base Service Group, Japan. 1955: Stored at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ. With civilian fire-bomber owners it flew in two movies: "The War Lover" and"Tora, Tora, Tora". 1985: National Warplane Museum.

7 Apr '45: TOS USAAF with s/n 44-83563 at Hunter Army Air Field, GA, then delivered to Patterson Field, OH. 5/45: Delivered to Philippines. Converted to CB-17G. Ca.6/45: Converted to VB-17G. 7/45: Used by Gen Jimmy Doolittle at Kadena, Okinawa. Also carried Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower. 1952: Returned to the USA for overhaul and then to 6000th Base Service Group, Japan. 1955: Stored at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ. With civilian fire-bomber owners it flew in two movies: "The War Lover" and"Tora, Tora, Tora". 1985: National Warplane Museum.

This is actually B-17G 44-83872. After construction, it was transferred new to the US Navy which modified it to a PB-1W airborne early warning a/c with BuNo 77235. Retired from the USN in 1955 and sold to the civilian market where it was used as an aerial survey a/c. Sold to the CAF in 1967 and initially marked as a B-17 from the 305th BG, as seen here.

After almost eight years of restoration work by the Commemorative Air Force Gulf Coast Wing 'Texas Raiders' is making its first public appearance at Wings over Houston 2009. 'Texas Raiders' is illuminated by the very last sunrays on the Friday evening before the show.

Aircraft D of the 332nd Bombardment Squadron, which was working up at Dow Field, Bangor, Maine in April 1943 as part of the 94th Bombardment Group which deployed to England in May. 42-3259 was damaged by flak over Flensburg during one of its first missions on 19 May 1943. Transferred to 384th BG for which it flew 34 missions, now named Alabama Whirlwind. Transferred to 44th BG in March 1944. Retired from combat duty and flown to Tinker Field, Oklahoma in August 1944. Sold for scrap in 1946. Photo by: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Institution