A moment to remember: I was was allowed acces to the inside of Liberty Belle. This Belle was completely destroyed by fire because the local firemen did not dare to come close enough.

Built for USAAF in 1945 as B-17G 44-83863. Passed to US Navy as 77231 and modified as PB-1W radar picket serving VX-4, VC-11 and VW-11 squadrons 1945-1954. Sold as N5233V flying with several firms as a fire bomber. Acquired by USAF for display at Eglin, initially wearing spurious '46106' but later its correct 44-83863.

B-17Gs of the 100th Bomb Group, flak explosions, and 'little friends' in the distance. 43-38945 delivered by Boeing in October 1944. Assigned to 351BS / 100BG at RAF Thorpe Abbotts, Norfolk, as EP-F on 2 November 1944. Returned to the USA on 30 June 1945 and sold for scrap metal. Photo from: San Diego Air & Space Museum

Operated by Aero Union.

Displayed in the American Air Museum.

Crashed and burned on takeoff at Binbrook, UK, during filming of the movie "Memphis Belle" July 25, 1989. John Hopton photo

In 1947(!) this B-17 was put up as an eye-catcher at Art Lacey's Bomber Gas & Restaurant on SE McLoughlin Boulevard in Milwaukie, OR, on the west side of Route 99E. In this photo the faded name "Sky Chief" can still be seen on the nose, taken from Texaco's gasoline brand of the same name. Nearly 50 years later, in March 1996, the forward fuselage and the tail gun turret were removed for restoration, but the rest of the aircraft remained at the restaurant until also removed in December 2014. By 2023 the aircraft was still under restoration to flying condition by the B-17 Alliance Foundation in their hangar at McNary Field, Salem, OR. Photo by: John Margolies / John Margolies Roadside America Photograph Archive / Library of Congress

Seen over the green spot.

Later restored to wartime B-17G configuration and operated as warbird "Yankee Lady" by the Yankee Air Museum

This EAA operated aircraft is actually ex 44-85740, one of 2750 B-17's built by Lockheed Vega at Burbank. I flew aboard her for a trip over the Oshkosh Show and back to Appleton.

Restored to military configuration, now at Lyon Air Museum, California