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A few new B-17 pictures


renfield
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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.post-70300-0-83328400-1469293073.jpg

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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 prevalepost-70300-0-63224000-1469293368.jpgnce of the reptiles in the area back then.

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Funny you mention "Thunderbirds" I actually have Vol 1 Issue 1, didnt think anyone else knew what it was.

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5thwingmarty

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.

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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.

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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

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  • 1 month later...

attachicon.gif749th009.jpgattachicon.gif749th012.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

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  • 3 weeks later...

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.

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  • 9 months later...

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

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Steve Birdsall

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.

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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.

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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.

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