338thRCT Posted July 23, 2016 Share #326 Posted July 23, 2016 This is from "The Thunderbird" which was a quarterly publication at MacDill AAF Base in Tampa, FL. The base was part of the 3rd USAAF and was a training/refreshing center for crews headed overseas. Note the tail insignia shown as officers go over a mission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
338thRCT Posted July 23, 2016 Share #327 Posted July 23, 2016 Insignia enlarged, shows a Rattlesnake wrapped around bomb. I don't know the ID of the outfit, but may have chosen the snake due to the prevalence of the reptiles in the area back then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
empireguns Posted July 23, 2016 Share #328 Posted July 23, 2016 Funny you mention "Thunderbirds" I actually have Vol 1 Issue 1, didnt think anyone else knew what it was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5thwingmarty Posted July 23, 2016 Share #329 Posted July 23, 2016 317th Bomb Squadron of the 88th Bomb Group. This was a training group for B-17 crews during WWII. Somewhere I have a patch from the squadron and a photo of the insignia posted at one of its fields. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
338thRCT Posted July 24, 2016 Share #330 Posted July 24, 2016 Here are a few photos from the site Florida Memory. They show some B17's at Sarasota AAF Base. It's now a commercial airport with maybe one or two of the old military buildings remaining in a far off corner of what used to be the base. Those pictures would have had to been taken during the winter months as the flying gear would have been shed very soon after getting out in the heat and humidity here in Sarasota. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
338thRCT Posted July 24, 2016 Share #331 Posted July 24, 2016 and more.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-17Guy Posted July 24, 2016 Share #332 Posted July 24, 2016 Here are a few photos from the site Florida Memory. They show some B17's at Sarasota AAF Base. It's now a commercial airport with maybe one or two of the old military buildings remaining in a far off corner of what used to be the base. Those pictures would have had to been taken during the winter months as the flying gear would have been shed very soon after getting out in the heat and humidity here in Sarasota. It's interesting to note on the right hand pic, that the #2 engine in the background is feathered... John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
338thRCT Posted July 24, 2016 Share #333 Posted July 24, 2016 This is the issue that I own. Funny you mention "Thunderbirds" I actually have Vol 1 Issue 1, didnt think anyone else knew what it was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
338thRCT Posted August 26, 2016 Share #334 Posted August 26, 2016 Picked up a lot of photos and other paper from a Ball Turret gunner that was on this B17 "Remember Me" fronm the 749th Bomb Sqdn/457th Bomb Grp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
338thRCT Posted August 26, 2016 Share #335 Posted August 26, 2016 ...and more...Note reflection of nose plexi-glass on the last picture Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
338thRCT Posted August 26, 2016 Share #336 Posted August 26, 2016 ...and the rest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Driver Posted August 27, 2016 Share #337 Posted August 27, 2016 Very nice. Thanks for sharing those Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
338thRCT Posted August 27, 2016 Share #338 Posted August 27, 2016 749th009.jpg749th012.jpg ...and the rest. Lower photo reverse has ID'd: L to R top row: 2ndLt Hugh Sloan, Co-Pilot Maj. Persia, Air Commander 2ndLt George Inman, Navigator ________________ Spare Navigator 2ndLt Clinton Wells, Bombardier 1st Lt Charles Barrier,Pilot Lto R Bottom Row: SSG Bob Ingraham-Tail Gunner TSGT K. Christensen, Engineer SSG Tommy Ambrose, Observer &Ball Turret Gunner SSG Wilbur Kurtz, Waist Gunner TSGT Don Ferhaman, Radio Operator Photot states: "Just back from mission to Essen, Germany" Sept 14 1944 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobatl Posted September 13, 2016 Share #339 Posted September 13, 2016 B-17 on display at Tulsa, Oklahoma circa 1950. My father said that it was remarkable how much damage was done by kids playing on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobatl Posted September 13, 2016 Share #340 Posted September 13, 2016 B-17's retired from fire ant bombing and waiting for buyers at Wheeless Airport in Dothan, Alabama circa 1977. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renfield Posted September 17, 2016 Author Share #341 Posted September 17, 2016 Great new pictures! I have not been able to find many new pictures for my collection. Thanks for keeping this thread rolling along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-17Guy Posted September 18, 2016 Share #342 Posted September 18, 2016 More great photos! By the way, if you want to read a great B17 story, here is one from the 1980's. http://articles.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/kraus_larry_%20My_1980_Single_Engine_B-17_Landing_page_1.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundance Posted September 19, 2016 Share #343 Posted September 19, 2016 Great photos - please keep them coming. I wonder if there are still B-17s (or B-24s) sitting out in fields somewhere? I'd imagine there are. The photo with all the flak is incredible - how those fliers did that I'll never know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renfield Posted June 24, 2017 Author Share #344 Posted June 24, 2017 I am asking for help and thoughts on this B-17D photo. When the war broke out The USAAF had roughly 60 B-17Ds in service, 18 were upgraded B-17Cs. This plane has a 3 color camouflage job. I am trying to figure out the location of this plane. Look at the size and construction of the hardstand, those are some large rocks in the background using the plane for scale. I feel it is either Hawaii or somewhere in the PTO, or even Australia. All opinions are welcome. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Birdsall Posted June 24, 2017 Share #345 Posted June 24, 2017 Hi Steve - yes, it's Hawaii and that's probably a 72nd Bomb Squadron B-17D at Bellows Field. The photo must have been taken after April-May 1942 because the rudder stripes are gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renfield Posted June 25, 2017 Author Share #346 Posted June 25, 2017 Thank you Mr. Birdsall, I was hoping that you would see this. There are sooooo few early war photos of these early model B-17s, and an unofficial snap shot on top of that. In the time frame of this picture there could not have been too many operational B-17Ds left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Driver Posted June 25, 2017 Share #347 Posted June 25, 2017 Bout time you showed up! Was getting worried that the 17 photos had run their course Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renfield Posted June 26, 2017 Author Share #348 Posted June 26, 2017 Hi Dan, I hope I never run out of B-17 pictures! I sort of got side tracked into pictures of PTO fighters, P-39,P-40,P-47, and even some P-38s.I always come back to the B-17 though. I thought this was a nice detailed picture with the tail number and name clearly visible. When I looked into it I learned that the 480BS was a medium bomber outfit, I think. This picture was most likely taken from a B-26 Marauder. These paper strip pictures are great to get as there is so much info already on the picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garandomatic Posted June 26, 2017 Share #349 Posted June 26, 2017 The American air museum says that B-17 42-30764 was a stateside plane. Poor thing was scrapped in late 45. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-17Guy Posted June 29, 2017 Share #350 Posted June 29, 2017 Here's a pic of Madras Maiden in San Diego. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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