YB-40 pic ID

[tulsaboy]

Ok folks...

I found this pic while cruising around on the net, trying to find pictures of the elusive YB-40. (Has anyone else realized that most of the pictures available on the net are the same 4-5 pictures recycled and reformatted on every website that mentions this aircraft?) Can anyone provide some info on the markings? The s/n seems to be missing, and a large "253" is on the tail and the nose. It reminds me of statside training aircraft markings. 4 B-17Fs were modified as TB-40s, so this could theoretically be one of those. Or it could be one of the others after the failed combat trials, when they were relegated to training duties. Thoughts? It also looks to me like the ball turret is gone and the nose turret is missing its guns.

Does anyone else out there have any YB-40 pics?

Thanks so much!

kevin

[img][img]http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g204/tulsaboy/YB-40colorpic253.jpg[/img][/img]

[CWBuff]

This image originated from a scan I made from an ish of 'Wings of Fame' (Volume 6). Looks like someone took an already bad image and made it even worse...

Anyhoo, I have not been able to identify this ship for sure, but after playing around in Photoshop and comparing possibilities for each digit with a serials list for B-40s, I suspect that this is 42-5927, which ended its days at Walnut Ridge.

The WoF caption for the photo is useless for identifying this ship, but it does mention the fact that those examples used overseas were returned to the US and used as trainers. And the markings shown here are indeed those of a training ship.

Hopefully someone else will have more definite info as to this ship's identity.


Fade to Black...