By Justin Hayward

Boeing developed the B-17 starting in the mid-1930s as a replacement for the Martin B-10 bombers. It beat other manufacturers in this, having the aircraft flying in 1935. It offered a payload of 5,000 pounds and had a range of just over 2,000 nautical miles. The aircraft’s name, ‘Flying Fortress,’ was coined by a journalist due to its heavy armaments and protective capabilities. The US Air Force tested and ordered the B-17 before the war, but production, of course, picked up significantly during the war. In total, 12,731 served with the US and the UK RAF. 

As with most aircraft, there were heavy losses during the war. Estimates are that almost 5,000 aircraft were lost. Those that survived mostly were taken back to the US and scrapped. Some carried on service as transport, reconnaissance, or search and rescue aircraft. Some were converted to operate as drone aircraft, including during atomic bomb tests. Most were withdrawn from military service during the 1950s, though.

The number of aircraft remaining on display or in active service varies often as aircraft are restored, taken off display, or moved in and out of operational state. Keeping planes this old airworthy, safe, and operational is no easy task.

As of early November 2023, there are six airworthy and registered B-17 aircraft still flying. Five of these are in the US, and one is based in the UK. There are 19 examples that have a current (November 2023) registration with the US FAA. These are not all airworthy, but some have the potential to fly again or have in the past. Note that many of these aircraft have been renamed in preservation – they do not necessarily have their original war names or liveries.

44-8453: Ye Olde Pub. This is part of the Erickson Aircraft Collection in Madras, Oregon.

44-85314: Sentimental Journey. This is at the Commemorative Air Force Museum in Mesa, Arizona.

44-83546: Memphis Belle. The airplane is undergoing maintenance, such as the FAA-mandated inspection of the wing attach fittings, to return it to airworthy condition. It is based at the Palm Springs Air Museum in Palm Springs, California.

44-85740: Aluminium Overcast. This aircraft is owned and operated by the Experimental Aviation Association (EAA) in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It is also undergoing maintenance for the FAA-mandated inspection of the wing attach fittings, to return it to airworthy condition.

44-85829: Yankee Lady. This aircraft is located at the Yankee Air Force Museum near Ypsilanti, Michigan.

44-85784: Sally B. This is the only active B-17 outside the United States and is based in the UK at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, Cambridgeshire.

#B-17 #FlyingFortress

November 15, 2023