B-17E | B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies

The first of the “Big Ass” B-17’s arrived England to equip the US 8th Air Force in July 1942. All the planes had been modified with enlarged gun windows and 0.50-calibre guns on either side of the nose. Further modifications were made to them after they were operational including work on the radio, bomb rack, lighting, oxygen, extinguisher and survival systems. By the time the B-17E had been shipped across the Atlantic, newer models were already coming off the Boeing production line. In fact, the B-17E was only on full combat status for just over two weeks before the appearance of the B-17F’s

The B-17E was not used in great numbers for combat because the F model was so different in performance that it made joint operations, using both planes unlikely. The B-17E took a back seat and was eventually esed as a trainer, a transport and a target-tower. With its armaments removed it could give better handling and speed.

Random B-17E from database

41-9229

Delivered Cheyenne 26/5/42; Wayne 30/6/42; Houlton 4/7/42; Gander-Prestwick 12/7/42, to RAF [FL457]; 206 Sq (VX-F) Benbecula, Scot. 30/7/42; on 17/6/42 with Leslie Clark, damaged U-338 from St Eval; sunk submarine U-627 (its first patrol) with Bob Cowey 27/10/43; 251 Sq (-P) Reykjavik, Iceland 2/5/45; 521 Sq Langham 29/11/45. Struck Off Charge sold to International Alloys 11/3/47.

41-2453

Delivered MacDill 25/12/41; Assigned 7BG Java 31/1/42 with Rouse, then 28BS-30BS/19BG Hickam; Returned to the USA Hamilton 19/11/42; Pocatello 28/11/42; Oklahoma City 12/12/42; Pyote 19/1/43 where involved in taxi accident 19/2/43 with Elmer Nardi; force landed Lockbourn with Ewart Hooper 9/9/43; damaged again Lockbourn 26/11/43; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Altus 9/10/45.

41-2659 / Frank Buck

Delivered Minneapolis 7/3/42; Assigned 30BS/19BG Hawaii 22/5/42; transferred 28BS/43BG Fort Hood, Port Moresby 13/7/42; then 11BG; scrapped at Port Moresby, Written off 31/10/44. TOJO’S JINX aka FRANK BUCK. (?Scrapped at Torrens Creek/Mareeba, Aus. 27/8/43?)

41-2406

Delivered Salt Lake Strategic Arms Depot (SAD) 26-Nov-41; Assigned 22BS/7BG Java 13-Jan-42 with Major Ken Hobson; crash landed Madera Is, Category E – Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR), with Ken Hobson 25-Jan-42. Written off 31-Oct-44. Never served in the UK.

41-9036

Delivered Palm Beach 22/3/42; Assigned 6AF Panama 7/4/42; 5BG Gautemala 15/4/42; SAD 17/7/42; Guatemala 31/7/42; force landed Duncan Fd, TX with George Herman 2/8/42; Gautemala when with Gus Seiferman crashed Frain Janes after hitting object in flight; Written off 28/9/42.

41-2628

Delivered MacDill 1/3/42; with Boardman Reed damaged in taxi accident at MacDill and another aircraft 19/4/42, rep; Assigned 341BS/97BG Polebrook 4/42; transferred 92BG Bovingdon 8/42; CCRC 1/43; 305BG Chelveston as tow target & hack; Returned to the USA 4104 BU Rome 25/8/44; Recl Comp 14/8/45.

41-9106

Delivered Sarasota 97BG 13/4/42; West Palm Beach 24/4/42; Bangor 26/6/42; Boise 2/8/42; Assigned 11AF Aleutians 22/9/42; Umnak 1/2/43; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Walnut Ridge 14/9/45.

41-9085 / Jarrin Jenny aka Li’l Butch

Boise, Idaho – 7 April 1942; Prestwick, Scotland – 12 May 1942; Polebrook, England (97BG) – 1 July 1942; Molesworth, England (359BG/303BG) – 21 September 1942; VIII Air Force Service Command – 16 December 1942; Salvaged – 26 July 1945. First 8AF Boeing B-17 in Great Britain. Part of diversion force on VIII BC 1 (17 August 1942).

41-9188

Delivered MacDill 411BS/29BG 12/5/42; Westover 14/7/42; damaged on base 23/7/42; force landed Gowen with Larche Washer 26/9/42, Written off.

41-2590

Delivered MacDill 24/2/42; Cheyenne 14/5/42; force landed with Bill Bloodgood MacDill 20/6/42; Walla Walla 26/6/42; Eglin 3/8/42; Wright 25/9/42; Lockbourn 22/4/43; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Walnut Ridge 18/10/45.

B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies B-17E

“Big Tail”