Interesting "abandoned B-17 photo" on eBay

[L. Thompson]

An interesting color photo found tonight on ePay of a wrinkled B-17G sitting derelict on its gear after an apparent belly landing and probably a little fire. The reddish-pink color on the nacelles and cowlings almost looks like primer paint.

Looks like England. Does anybody know anything about this one?



http://cgi.ebay.com/B-17-Bomber-Plane-A ... _500wt_947
B-17 Bomber Plane Abandoned Original Color Photo
Item condition: Used

Their description only says:

"Original photo on Kodak paper of an abandoned B-17. Excellent condition, measures 7" x 5"."

[Jerry O'Neill]

Looks like it might be one of those aircraft recovered after the war from a lake. I know there was one in Swiss hands that ended up getting scrapped.
Jerry

[groundpounder]

That does indeed look like the one that was in Switzerland. I believe it was in a scrapyard or something of that nature and then it was slowly picked apart and vandalized until there was almost nothing left. I think there was a thread on this one and some pics posted here a couple of years ago. I have seen pics of it, just not sure where right now.

[Steve Nelson]

That reddish-brown color looks like badly faded Olive Drab. I agree with the others..a ditched aircraft recovered some years later.

Here's an A-20 in the shop at Pima, after sitting abandoned in the wilds of the South Pacific for many years. The OD has faded to a similar shade.

SN

[whistlingdeath77]

thats too bad

[Todd Hackbarth]

I believe the photo is of B-17G-30-DL 42-38160 "Lonesome Polecat" of the 385th BG, 550th BS. It was shot down by Fw 190s on 16 March 1944 and crashed into a lake in Switzerland. It was recovered in 1952 and the remains were scrapped around 1972. A few pieces still remain today. See:
http://aerovintage.com/forum/viewtopic. ... a02a27ca90
http://www.warbirdregistry.org/b17regis ... 38160.html
http://www.aerovintage.com/b17news7.htm
http://shockwaveproductions.com/forum/v ... 29&t=21502

Todd