B-17 Instrument Trainer?

[Second Air Force]

Does anyone here know the function of the fuselage and wing bands on this B-17?



There was some discussion at our Air Field reunion last weekend that the markings indicated an instrument trainer, but the fellow who was stationed there at that time was unsure of his memory. The airplane was based at McCook Army Air Field in October of '44 and was serving as a fill-in trainer for the 9th Bombardment Group (VH). The 9th still had insufficient B-29s to work with and had to use Forts for portions of the Phase Training curriculum. The airplane had previously been assigned to a B-17 Crew Training field judging from the station code and ship number being painted out on the vertical. I've narrowed down the serial number to 42-30844 or 42-30944 from the poor print we have. '844 was scrapped at Walnut Ridge, but no final disposition is available for '944. Both were Boeing-built "F" models.

Thanks in advance for any help,
Scott

[Django]

I think I saw a similarly marked '17 in the Hawaii website jackpot thread. I don't know which section though other than '40s.

[TonyM]

Does anyone here know the function of the fuselage and wing bands on this B-17?



There was some discussion at our Air Field reunion last weekend that the markings indicated an instrument trainer, but the fellow who was stationed there at that time was unsure of his memory. The airplane was based at McCook Army Air Field in October of '44 and was serving as a fill-in trainer for the 9th Bombardment Group (VH). The 9th still had insufficient B-29s to work with and had to use Forts for portions of the Phase Training curriculum. The airplane had previously been assigned to a B-17 Crew Training field judging from the station code and ship number being painted out on the vertical. I've narrowed down the serial number to 42-30844 or 42-30944 from the poor print we have. '844 was scrapped at Walnut Ridge, but no final disposition is available for '944. Both were Boeing-built "F" models.

Thanks in advance for any help,
Scott

Scott,

B-17 # 42-30944 was destroyed in a mid-air collision with a P-47D on 12 July 1944; the airplanes crashed two miles east of Daykin, Nebraska. The P-47D was part of a flight of four that was conducting a simulated attack on the B-17. Seven men were killed in the crash of the B-17; two B-17 crew were able to parachute to safety. The P-47D pilot was killed when the P-47 slammed to earth and exploded.

See Page 852, Volume 2
FATAL ARMY AIR FORCES AVIATION ACCIDENTS
IN THE UNITED STATES, 1941-1945

Good luck with your research.

TonyM.

[Second Air Force]

Thanks, Tony! If I had been diligent I could have found that information here at home. The P-47s were from Bruning AAF and the B-17 was from Sioux City AAF, and I have a friend who has been to the accident site. Here is a grainy copy of the crash report photo:



The P-47 pilot involved in the accident radioed his element lead that he was having supercharger problems and dropped back from the formation. Later he radioed that he was rejoining and somehow collided with the right wing of the Fort during the mock attack.

Scott