Pic Request: Arctic SB-17G

[daviemax]

More info on 41-24500. The aircraft was assigned to the 381st BG but after a relatively short period of combat was sent to Combat Crew Replacement Center (Bovingdon) as TB in July 1943. I have the record card, which is difficult to decode - in part due to poor legibility and in part due to use of codes that (so far) have not been defined. From info available it appears 41-24500 was transferred to Oberfaffenhofen for storage in April 1947 and may not have been active from that time until reclaimed. However, this information should be considered preliminary until the full record card can be understood. Photo below. She was named Annie Freeze.

[Chris Brame]

Thanks Dave. How about photo #054 - Lt. Sandin's plane, 44-85495? Wish I could make out that nose art and name.

[daviemax]

Hi Chris. Me too. Even under enlargement it appears to be very unusual and certainly difficult to decipher. The aircraft itself was transferred to the Navy in January 1950 and dismantled to provide parts needed to sustain the PB-1 fleet.

I may not yet have the full record card for this aircraft but will eventually get it. I'm still planning on decoding the full record card for -497 and will post the results.

[CoastieJohn]

Hi Chris. Me too. Even under enlargement it appears to be very unusual and certainly difficult to decipher. The aircraft itself was transferred to the Navy in January 1950 and dismantled to provide parts needed to sustain the PB-1 fleet.

I may not yet have the full record card for this aircraft but will eventually get it. I'm still planning on decoding the full record card for -497 and will post the results.

Dave,

Would you be speaking about the USCG PB-1G fleet as the recipient of those 44-85495 parts?

Thanks...John

[daviemax]

John,

Both PB-1G and PB-1W. There is a good account of this in Scott Thompson's B-17s in Blue which is highly recommended if you can score a copy.

There were more -W's than -G's and the Navy was concerned about keeping this fleet on a reliable footing as they were considered first-line aircraft (the last first-line use of B-17s in U.S. military service until replaced by Lockheed WV-2s in the mid-50's).

[CoastieJohn]

Thanks Dave. I was wondering if any other B-17 part's/pieces were used on the USCG PB-1G's. I know there was one spare B-17 hanging out at ECity.

[daviemax]

According to my records and the information provided by Scott Thompson, the Navy used a total of 88 B-17's, including 12 CB/VB aircraft borrowed from the USAF in '47-48. Including the 20 RB-17's transferred for parts in 1950 28 in total became parts sources. More digging might refine this information a bit, but I think this is essentially the story.