This list of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress operators is a list of users who flew and operated the
Boeing
The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product ...
B-17.
The B-17 was among the first mass-produced four-engined heavy bombers. A total of more than 12,000 were made, making its use as a heavy bomber second only to the
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models des ...
. Though used at some point in all theatres of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, it was most common in the
European Theatre
The European theatre of World War II was one of the two main theatres of combat during World War II. It saw heavy fighting across Europe for almost six years, starting with Germany's invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939 and ending with the ...
, where its lack of range and smaller bombload relative to other heavy bombers was not so detrimental as it was in the
Pacific
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
, where most American
military airbase
An air base (sometimes referred to as a military air base, military airfield, military airport, air station, naval air station, air force station, or air force base) is an aerodrome used as a military base by a military force for the operation ...
s were thousands of miles apart.
Military operators
Australia
;
Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
Proposal to transfer B-17E Flying Fortresses to the RAAF under the A26 designation. None taken on charge.
Brazil
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
acquired 13 B-17s in 1951, according to the
Rio Pact
The Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (commonly known as the Rio Treaty, the Rio Pact, the Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance, or by the Spanish-language acronym TIAR from ''Tratado Interamericano de Asistencia Recíproca'') is an agreem ...
of 1947. They were used by the 1º and 2º ''Esquadrões'' (1st and 2nd Squadrons) of 6º ''Grupo de Aviação'' (6th Aviation Group), based at
Recife
That it may shine on all ( Matthew 5:15)
, image_map = Brazil Pernambuco Recife location map.svg
, mapsize = 250px
, map_caption = Location in the state of Pernambuco
, pushpin_map = Brazil#South A ...
, for search and rescue and photo-reconnaissance until 1968.
[Hess and Winchester ''Wings of Fame'' 1997, p. 107.]
;
Brazilian Air Force
"Wings that protect the country"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march = Hino dos Aviadores
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 22 May (anniver ...
* 6º ''Grupo de Aviação''
** 1º ''Esquadrão''
** 2º ''Esquadrão''
Canada
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
received six Flying Fortresses (three B-17Es and three B-17Fs) which flew 240 trans-Atlantic mail flights from Canada to Canadian troops serving in Europe from 6 December 1943 to 27 December 1946. All six belonged to
No. 168 Heavy Transport Squadron RCAF which operated out of
RCAF Station Rockcliffe
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environme ...
, Ontario.
;
Royal Canadian Air Force
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
* No. 168 Heavy Transport Squadron
Three B-17F and one B-17E were lost in crash with remaining two B-17E sold to Argentina in 1948 These civilian registered aircraft became transport/VIP in 1948, but parked after 1949 until being scrapped in 1964.
Colombia
*
Colombian Air Force
, "We are the Force"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march = Colombian Air Force Hymn
, mascot = Capitan Paz
, anniversaries = 8 November
, ...
Denmark
Danish airline
DDL bought two B-17s from Sweden in 1945.
One of these planes (B-17G-35-BO 42-32076 "
Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby
''Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby'' , originally ''Shoo Shoo Baby'', is a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress in World War II, preserved and currently in storage at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, awaiting transfer to the Smithsonian's Nationa ...
") was transferred to the
Danish Army
The Royal Danish Army ( da, Hæren, fo, Herurin, kl, Sakkutuut) is the land-based branch of the Danish Defence, together with the Danish Home Guard. For the last decade, the Royal Danish Army has undergone a massive transformation of structures ...
Air Corps in 1948 as 67-672. In 1949, it was transferred to the
Royal Danish Navy
The Royal Danish Navy ( da, Søværnet) is the Naval warfare, sea-based branch of the Danish Defence force. The RDN is mainly responsible for maritime defence and maintaining the sovereignty of Denmark, Danish territorial waters (incl. Faroe Isla ...
and in 1952 to the
Royal Danish Air Force
The Royal Danish Air Force ( da, Flyvevåbnet, lit=The Flying weapon) (RDAF) is the aerial warfare force of The Kingdom of Denmark and one of the four branches of the Danish Defence. Initially being components of the Army and the Navy, it was ...
. It has since been displayed at the
National Museum of the United States Air Force
The National Museum of the United States Air Force (formerly the United States Air Force Museum) is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is the ...
, but is currently being transferred to the
National Air and Space Museum
The National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution, also called the Air and Space Museum, is a museum in Washington, D.C., in the United States.
Established in 1946 as the National Air Museum, it opened its main building on the Nat ...
.
[Schrøder, Hans (1991). "Royal Danish Airforce". Ed. Kay S. Nielsen. Tøjhusmuseet, 1991, p. 1–64. .]
Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic Air Force
The Air Force of the Dominican Republic ( es, Fuerza Aérea de República Dominicana), is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Dominican Republic, together with the Army and the Navy.
History
At the end of the United States ...
acquired two B-17Gs in 1947, remaining in use until 1954.
France
French Air Force
The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Army; ...
used one B-17F as an executive transport for Free-French General
Marie Pierre Kœnig
Marie may refer to:
People Name
* Marie (given name)
* Marie (Japanese given name)
* Marie (murder victim), girl who was killed in Florida after being pushed in front of a moving vehicle in 1973
* Marie (died 1759), an enslaved Cree person in T ...
.
Nazi Germany
During World War II, after crash-landing or being forced down, approximately 40 B-17s were repaired and put back into the air by the
Luftwaffe
The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...
. These captured aircraft were codenamed "Dornier Do 200", given German markings and used for clandestine spy and reconnaissance missions by the Luftwaffe - most often used by the Luftwaffe unit ''
Kampfgeschwader 200
''Kampfgeschwader'' 200 (KG 200) (" irCombat Squadron 200") was a German ''Luftwaffe'' special operations unit during World War II. The unit carried out especially difficult bombing and transport operations and long-distance reconnaissance flight ...
'', hence a likely possibility as a source for the "Do 200" codename.
;Luftwaffe
*''Kampfgeschwader'' 200
Israel
When
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
achieved statehood in 1948, the Israeli Air Force had to be assembled quickly to defend the new nation from the war it found itself almost immediately embroiled in. Among the first aircraft acquired by the Israeli Air Force were three surplus American B-17s, smuggled via
South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...
and
Czechoslovakia
, rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי,
, common_name = Czechoslovakia
, life_span = 1918–19391945–1992
, p1 = Austria-Hungary
, image_p1 ...
to avoid an arms trading ban imposed by the United States. A fourth plane was abandoned due to malfunctions and confiscated by American officials. On their delivery flight from Europe, in retaliation for
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
ian bombing raids on
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...
, the aircraft were ordered to bomb
King Farouk
Farouk I (; ar, فاروق الأول ''Fārūq al-Awwal''; 11 February 1920 – 18 March 1965) was the tenth ruler of Egypt from the Muhammad Ali dynasty and the penultimate King of Egypt and the Sudan, succeeding his father, Fuad I, in 193 ...
's Royal Palace in
Cairo
Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo metro ...
before continuing to Israel. They performed the mission (despite some of the crew fainting due to defective oxygen equipment), but caused little damage. The B-17s were generally unsuitable for the needs of the Israeli Air Force, and the nature of the conflict in which long-range bombing raids on large area targets were relatively unimportant—although the psychological impact of the raids was not lost on the enemy. The aircraft were mainly used in the
1948 Arab–Israeli War
The 1948 (or First) Arab–Israeli War was the second and final stage of the 1948 Palestine war. It formally began following the end of the British Mandate for Palestine at midnight on 14 May 1948; the Israeli Declaration of Independence had ...
, flown by 69 Squadron; they were withdrawn in 1958 after seeing minor action in the 1956
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, or the Second Arab–Israeli war, also called the Tripartite Aggression ( ar, العدوان الثلاثي, Al-ʿUdwān aṯ-Ṯulāṯiyy) in the Arab world and the Sinai War in Israel,Also known as the Suez War or 1956 Wa ...
.
;
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force (IAF; he, זְרוֹעַ הָאֲוִיר וְהֶחָלָל, Zroa HaAvir VeHahalal, tl, "Air and Space Arm", commonly known as , ''Kheil HaAvir'', "Air Corps") operates as the aerial warfare branch of the Israel Defense ...
*
69 Squadron IAF
Japan
Three B-17s (one early "D" model and two "E" models) were captured with their top secret
Norden bombsight
The Norden Mk. XV, known as the Norden M series in U.S. Army service, is a bombsight that was used by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) and the United States Navy during World War II, and the United States Air Force in the Korean and t ...
s and rebuilt from wrecks to flying status in the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
and
Netherlands East Indies
The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies ( nl, Nederlands(ch)-Indië; ), was a Dutch colony consisting of what is now Indonesia. It was formed from the nationalised trading posts of the Dutch East India Company, which ...
. The three aircraft were thoroughly flight tested and evaluated at
Tachikawa
250px, Showa Memorial Park
is a city located in the western portion of Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 184,383 in 93,428 households, and a population density of 7600 persons per km2. The total area of the ci ...
, Japan by the
IJAAF Koku Gijutsu Kenkyujo (Air Technical Research Institute). They were also used to develop effective fighter aircraft battle tactics against the Flying Fortress.
Nicaragua
The B-17s were used during the occupation of Nicaragua against the
Sandinista National Liberation Front
The Sandinista National Liberation Front ( es, Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional, FSLN) is a Socialism, socialist political party in Nicaragua. Its members are called Sandinistas () in both English and Spanish. The party is named after ...
(''Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional'')
Peru
;
Peruvian Air Force
The Peruvian Air Force ( es, link=no, Fuerza Aérea del Perú, FAP) is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with defending the nation and its interests through the use of air power. Additional missions include assistance in safeguardin ...
Portugal
The
Portuguese Air Force
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 1 July
, equipment =
, equipment_label ...
(''Força Aérea Portuguesa'') operated five SB-17Gs as search-and-rescue planes from 1947 to 1960.
Soviet Union
Late in World War II, RAF and USAAF bombers that had been damaged in raids over the Reich would put down in Soviet-controlled territory rather than try to make it back to Western bases, and in April 1945 the
Soviet Air Forces
The Soviet Air Forces ( rus, Военно-воздушные силы, r=Voyenno-vozdushnyye sily, VVS; literally "Military Air Forces") were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces. The Air Forces ...
(VVS) issued a directive to its units in the field to report the location of any aircraft of its Western Allies that were in Soviet hands; among the aircraft salvaged were a total of 73 B-17s. The Fortresses that were in the best condition were returned to the USAAF, but a number were retained as interim heavy bombers. Although Russian aircrews and maintenance crews had no experience with such aircraft, the Soviets proved ingenious at keeping them flying, and in fact were delighted with the B-17's handling, comparing it to a "swallow" and the nimble
Polikarpov Po-2
The Polikarpov Po-2 (also U-2, for its initial ''uchebnyy'', 'training', role as a flight instruction aircraft) served as an all-weather multirole Soviet biplane, nicknamed ''Kukuruznik'' (russian: Кукурузник,Gunston 1995, p. 292. NA ...
biplane trainer. Soviet officials tended to order the "filthy pictures" applied to the aircraft removed or painted out. The B-17s remained in service until 1948, when the
Tupolev Tu-4
The Tupolev Tu-4 (russian: Туполев Ту-4; NATO reporting name: Bull) is a piston-engined Soviet strategic bomber that served the Soviet Air Force from the late 1940s to mid-1960s. It was reverse-engineered from the American Boeing B-29 S ...
began to arrive at operational squadrons.
Republic of China
Beginning in 1952,
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
(under the guise of the CIA's
Civil Air Transport
Civil Air Transport (CAT) was a Nationalist Chinese airline, later owned by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), that supported United States covert operations throughout East and Southeast Asia. During the Cold War, missions consisted in ...
(CAT) and Technical Research Group (TRG) organizations, operated a number of "enhanced" B-17s (with as many as 14 crewmembers at a time) on surveillance and related flights of mainland China. These were crewed by Chinese crews, largely and wore Nationalist Chinese markings. At least one B-17 was shot down by a MiG-15 over mainland China.
Turkey
;
Turkish Air Force
The Turkish Air Force ( tr, ) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces. The Turkish Air Force can trace its origins back to June 1911 when it was founded by the Ottoman Empire, however, the air force as it is known t ...
United Kingdom
The
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
received 20 B-17Cs in early 1940 from the
USAAC
The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical r ...
, giving them the name Fortress I while in service. By September, after the RAF had lost eight B-17Cs in combat or to various accidents,
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the Royal Air Force's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. Along with the United States Army Air Forces, it played the central role in the strategic bombing of Germany in World War II. From 1942 onward, the British bo ...
abandoned daylight bombing, due to the bomber's uneven high altitude performance. The RAF transferred its remaining Fortress I aircraft to
RAF Coastal Command
RAF Coastal Command was a formation within the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was founded in 1936, when the RAF was restructured into Fighter, Bomber and Coastal Commands and played an important role during the Second World War. Maritime Aviation ...
for use as very long range patrol aircraft. These were later augmented in August 1942 by 19 Fortress Mk II and 45 Fortress Mk IIA (B-17F and B-17E, respectively). From 1944 the Fortress IIs and IIIs were being used by the specialist electronic countermeasures squadrons of
No. 100 Group RAF
No. 100 (Bomber Support) Group was a special duties group within RAF Bomber Command. The group was formed on 11 November 1943 to consolidate the increasingly complex business of electronic warfare and countermeasures in one organisation. The g ...
;Royal Air Force
*
No. 59 Squadron RAF
No. 59 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force, based in Norfolk, England.
History
No.59 Squadron was formed at Narborough Airfield in Norfolk on 1 August 1916 as a squadron of the Royal Flying Corps. On 13 February 1917, the Squadro ...
- Fortress IIA from April 1943 to December 1941, based at
RAF Thorney Island
Royal Air Force Thorney Island or more simply RAF Thorney Island is a former Royal Air Force station located on Thorney Island, West Sussex, England, west of Chichester and east of Portsmouth, Hampshire.
Station history
The airfield was bu ...
and
RAF Chivenor
Royal Air Force Chivenor or RAF Chivenor was a Royal Air Force station located on the northern shore of the River Taw estuary, on the north coast of Devon, England. The nearest towns are Barnstaple and Braunton.
Originally a civil airfield open ...
.
*
No. 90 Squadron RAF
No. 90 Squadron RAF (sometimes written as No. XC Squadron) is a squadron of the Royal Air Force.
History
World War I
No. 90 Squadron was formed as a fighter squadron of the Royal Flying Corps at Shawbury in Shropshire on 8 October 1917, movin ...
- Fortress I from 7 May 1941 to February 1942, based at
RAF Watton
Royal Air Force Watton or more simply RAF Watton is a former Royal Air Force station located southwest of East Dereham, Norfolk, England.
Opened in 1937 it was used by both the Royal Air Force (RAF) and United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) ...
,
RAF West Raynham
Royal Air Force West Raynham or more simply RAF West Raynham is a former Royal Air Force station located west of West Raynham, Norfolk and southwest of Fakenham, Norfolk, England.
The airfield opened during May 1939 and was used by RAF Bomb ...
and
RAF Polebrook
Royal Air Force Station Polebrook or more simply RAF Polebrook is a former Royal Air Force station located east-south-east of Oundle, at Polebrook, Northamptonshire, England. The airfield was built on Rothschild estate land starting in Augus ...
.
*
No. 206 Squadron RAF
No. 206 Squadron is a Test and Evaluation Squadron of the Royal Air Force. Until 2005 it was employed in the maritime patrol role with the Nimrod MR.2 at RAF Kinloss, Moray. It was announced in December 2004 that 206 Squadron would disband on ...
- Fortress II from July 1942 to March 1944, based at
RAF Benbecula
Benbecula Airport ( gd, Port-adhair Bheinn na Faoghla) is located on the island of Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides, off the West Coast of Scotland. It is a small rural airport owned and maintained by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited.
H ...
,
RAF Lagens
Lages is a Brazilian municipality located in the central part of the state of Santa Catarina, in the region known in Portuguese as "Planalto Serrano".
It is located in the mountain region of the state and is the largest municipality of it. It i ...
.
*
No. 214 Squadron RAF
No. 214 Squadron is a former unit of the Royal Air Force.
History
World War I
No 214 Squadron was formed from No. 14 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS), itself formerly ''No. 7A Squadron RNAS'' only taking on the new number on 9 December ...
- Fortress II from January 1941 to July 1945 and Fortress III from November 1944 to July 1945, based at
RAF Sculthorpe
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
and
RAF Oulton
Royal Air Force Oulton or more simply RAF Oulton is a former Royal Air Force satellite airfield located west of Aylsham, Norfolk and northwest of Norwich, Norfolk, England.
The airfield was built over 1939 and 1940 as a bomber airfield with ...
.
*
No. 220 Squadron RAF
No. 220 Squadron of the Royal Air Force (RAF) was founded in 1918 and disbanded in 1963 after four separate periods of service. The squadron saw service in both the First and Second World Wars, as a maritime patrol unit, and finally as part of Brit ...
- Fortress I from December 1941 to August 1942, Fortress II from July 1942 to December 1944 and Fortress III from July 1944 to April 1945. Based at
RAF Wick
Wick most often refers to:
* Capillary action ("wicking")
** Candle wick, the cord used in a candle or oil lamp
** Solder wick, a copper-braided wire used to desolder electronic contacts
Wick or WICK may also refer to:
Places and placenames ...
,
RAF Nutts Corner
Royal Air Force Nutts Corner or more simply RAF Nutts Corner is a former Royal Air Force station located east of Crumlin, County Antrim, Northern Ireland and north west of Belfast.
It was originally a civil airfield, then it became a military ...
,
RAF Ballykelly
Royal Air Force Ballykelly or more simply RAF Ballykelly is a former Royal Air Force station which opened in 1941 in Ballykelly, County Londonderry. It closed in 1971 when the site was handed over to the British Army as Shackleton Barracks. A sm ...
,
RAF Aldergrove
Joint Helicopter Command Flying Station Aldergrove or more simply JHC FS Aldergrove is located south of Antrim, Northern Ireland and northwest of Belfast and adjoins Belfast International Airport. It is sometimes referred to simply as Alde ...
,
RAF Benbecula
Benbecula Airport ( gd, Port-adhair Bheinn na Faoghla) is located on the island of Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides, off the West Coast of Scotland. It is a small rural airport owned and maintained by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited.
H ...
,
RAF Lagens
Lages is a Brazilian municipality located in the central part of the state of Santa Catarina, in the region known in Portuguese as "Planalto Serrano".
It is located in the mountain region of the state and is the largest municipality of it. It i ...
.
*
No. 223 Squadron RAF - Fortress II and III from April 1945 to July 1945 at
RAF Oulton
Royal Air Force Oulton or more simply RAF Oulton is a former Royal Air Force satellite airfield located west of Aylsham, Norfolk and northwest of Norwich, Norfolk, England.
The airfield was built over 1939 and 1940 as a bomber airfield with ...
.
*
No. 251 Squadron RAF
No. 251 Squadron was a Royal Air Force Squadron which operated during the First World War and the Second World War. The Squadron was disbanded in 1945 and remains inactive.
History
No. 251 Squadron RAF was first formed in August 1918 from Nos. ...
- Fortress II from March 1945 to October 1945 at
RAF Reykjavik
Royal Air Force Station Reykjavik or more simply RAF Reykjavik is a former Royal Air Force station, at Reykjavík Airport, Iceland.
Beginnings
The station was built in 1940 by the British Army and used by the Royal Air Force from March 1941 a ...
.
*
No. 517 Squadron RAF - Operated USAAF B-17Fs from September to November 1943 at
RAF St Eval
Royal Air Force St. Eval or RAF St. Eval was a Royal Air Force station for the RAF Coastal Command, southwest of Padstow in Cornwall, England, UK. St Eval's primary role was to provide anti-submarine and anti-shipping patrols off the south wes ...
*
No. 519 Squadron RAF
No. 519 Squadron RAF was a Meteorology, meteorological squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.
History
No. 519 Squadron was formed on 15 August 1943 at RAF Wick from No. 1406 Flight RAF, 1406 Flight, equipped with Handley Pa ...
- Fortress II from October 1944 to September 1945 at
RAF Wick
Wick most often refers to:
* Capillary action ("wicking")
** Candle wick, the cord used in a candle or oil lamp
** Solder wick, a copper-braided wire used to desolder electronic contacts
Wick or WICK may also refer to:
Places and placenames ...
*
No. 521 Squadron RAF
No. 521 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was a Second World War meteorological observation unit operating from Norfolk.
History
First formation
The Squadron began on 4 February 1941 as No. 401 (Met) Flight of RAF Bomber Command. When all the ...
- Fortress II from December 1944 to February 1946, Fortress III from December 1945 to February 1946 at
RAF Docking
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
.
United States
: ''See
'';
The
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical r ...
/
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
USAAC/USAAF was the primary operator of all versions of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. Most units operating B-17s were based in the
European Theatre of World War II
The European theatre of World War II was one of the two main Theater (warfare), theatres of combat during World War II. It saw heavy fighting across Europe for almost six years, starting with Nazi Germany, Germany's invasion of Poland on 1 Sept ...
, but the aircraft was used at some point in all theatres of the Second World War.
Civil operators
Argentina
Two ex-RCAF/USAAF B-17E were sold in 1948 and registered as LV-RTO and LV-RTP Both were delivered to Carlos Pérez de Villa at
Bernardino Rivadavia Airport (
Morón, Buenos Aires
Morón () is a city in the Argentine province of Buenos Aires, capital of the Morón ''partido'', located in the Greater Buenos Aires metropolitan area, at . Located 20 km (13 mi) west of Downtown Buenos Aires, Morón is easily reac ...
) in 1948. Scrapped in 1964.
Bolivia
Used 25 B-17s in civil aviation under different operators.
Canada
Canadian B-17 flown by Kenting Aviation in the 60's for level photo in many parts of the world
Colombia
Denmark
Danish airline
DDL bought two B-17s from Sweden in 1945.
One of these planes was transferred to the
Danish Army Air Corps
Danish may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark
People
* A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark
* Culture of Denmark
* Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish ance ...
in 1948.
France
14 B-17 were used between 1946 and 1975 by the French
IGN (Institut Géographique National) for aerial photography. One of them is still flying today after restoration as
Pink Lady in 2010. It is now on static display à
La Ferté-Alais
La Ferté-Alais () is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France. It is south of Paris. It used to be a fortress closing the access to the French royal estate from the Essonne valley, then became an industrial vill ...
.
Iran
One of
Trans World Airlines
Trans World Airlines (TWA) was a major American airline which operated from 1930 until 2001. It was formed as Transcontinental & Western Air to operate a route from New York City to Los Angeles via St. Louis, Kansas City, and other stops, with F ...
B-17G was given to the
Shah of Iran
This is a list of monarchs of Persia (or monarchs of the Iranic peoples, in present-day Iran), which are known by the royal title Shah or Shahanshah. This list starts from the establishment of the Medes around 671 BCE until the deposition of th ...
in 1947.
Mexico
The Mexican government revived several B-17Gs from the United States for internal policing and anti-mafia operations.
South Africa
One B-17G Flying Fortress "44-85718" was registered in South Africa while in service with the Institut Géographique National between 1965 - 1966 performing geographical survey operations. It was registered as ZS-EEC in February 1965 and operated from Pretoria until its return to Creil, France in August 1966. It is currently flying in the United States as
Thunderbird
Thunderbird, thunder bird or thunderbirds may refer to:
* Thunderbird (mythology), a legendary creature in certain North American indigenous peoples' history and culture
* Ford Thunderbird, a car
Birds
* Dromornithidae, extinct flightless birds ...
with the Lone Star Flight Museum in Galveston, Texas.
Another B-17G "44-8846" was to be registered as ZS-DXM but this was only reserved and not allocated to the aircraft. It is still flying today after restoration as
Pink Lady in 2010. It is now on static display à
La Ferté-Alais
La Ferté-Alais () is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France. It is south of Paris. It used to be a fortress closing the access to the French royal estate from the Essonne valley, then became an industrial vill ...
Sweden
In an exchange with about 300 interned American crew members, nine intact B-17 were given away for free to the Swedish airline ''SILA'' (Svensk Interkontinental Lufttrafik AB) to be operated by ''ABA'' (which later became part of
Scandinavian Airlines
Scandinavian Airlines, more commonly known and styled as SAS, is the flag carrier of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. ''SAS'' is an abbreviation of the company's full name, Scandinavian Airlines System or legally Scandinavian Airlines System Denmark ...
). Seven of these, three B-17F and four B-17G, were converted into 14-seat airliners by
Saab
Saab or SAAB may refer to:
Brands and enterprises
* Saab Group, a Swedish aerospace and defence company, formerly known as SAAB, and later as Saab AB
** Datasaab, a former computer company, started as spin off from Saab AB
* Saab Automobile, a fo ...
. By 1946 all were retired and replaced by the
Douglas DC-4
The Douglas DC-4 is an American four-engined (piston), propeller-driven airliner developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. Military versions of the plane, the C-54 and R5D, served during World War II, in the Berlin Airlift and into the 1960s ...
. Today, one of them is on static display at
National Museum of the United States Air Force
The National Museum of the United States Air Force (formerly the United States Air Force Museum) is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is the ...
in Dayton, Ohio, restored back to combat figuration.
United Kingdom
Two B-17s have been civil registered in the United Kingdom
*G-BEDF
Sally B is a B-17G, a former French
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
survey aircraft that operates as a display and memorial aircraft since 1974, originally registered in the United States it became a British civil aircraft in 1984, aircraft is operational with B-17 Preservation Limited from the Imperial War Museum airfield at Duxford as
Sally B.
*G-FORT was a B-17G, a former French
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
survey aircraft that was based in the United Kingdom from 1984 to 1987 with two private owners, it was sold in the United States. It was flown by the
Lone Star Flight Museum
The Lone Star Flight Museum, located in Houston, Texas, is an aerospace museum that displays more than 24 historically significant aircraft, and many artifacts related to the history of flight. The museum's collection is rare because most of ...
as
''Thunderbird''. Now transferred to the Mid America Flight Museum in
Mount Pleasant, Texas
Mount Pleasant is the county seat of and largest city in Titus County, in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, Mount Pleasant's population was 16,047; it is situated in Northeast Texas.
History
Mount Pleasant was founded May 11, 184 ...
, it is currently undergoing maintenance at the Erickson Aircraft Collection in
Madras, Oregon
Madras ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County, Oregon, United States. Originally called "The Basin" after the circular valley the city is in, it is unclear whether Madras was named in 1903 for the cotton fabric called " Madras" ...
.
United States
*Following the war,
Trans World Airlines
Trans World Airlines (TWA) was a major American airline which operated from 1930 until 2001. It was formed as Transcontinental & Western Air to operate a route from New York City to Los Angeles via St. Louis, Kansas City, and other stops, with F ...
purchased a surplus B-17G and used it to survey and set up routes in the Middle-East. In 1947, it was given to the
Shah of Iran
This is a list of monarchs of Persia (or monarchs of the Iranic peoples, in present-day Iran), which are known by the royal title Shah or Shahanshah. This list starts from the establishment of the Medes around 671 BCE until the deposition of th ...
.
*
Aero Union
Aero Union Corporation was an aircraft operation and maintenance company based in Chico, California, United States. It was known for operating aerial firefighting aircraft, training crews and making custom designed firefighting systems tailo ...
- began operation of the B-17 as a fire fighting aircraft in 1961.
P2VNeptune.org
/ref>
See also
* B-17 Flying Fortress survivors
References
Sources
* Arakaki, Leatrice R. and John R. Kuborn. ''7 December 1941: The Air Force Story''. Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii: Pacific Air Forces, Office of History, 1991. .
* Birdsall, Steve. ''The B-17 Flying Fortress''. Dallas, Texas: Morgan Aviation Books, 1965.
* Bowers, Peter M. ''Boeing Aircraft Since 1916''. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1989. .
* Bowers, Peter M. ''Fortress In The Sky'', Granada Hills, California: Sentry Books, 1976. .
* Bowman, Martin W. ''Castles in the Air: The Story of the B-17 Flying Fortress Crews of the U.S. 8th Air Force''. Dulles, Virginia: Potomac Books, 2000. .
* Caidin, Martin. ''Black Thursday''. New York: E.P. Dutton & Company, 1960. .
* Caldwell, Donald and Richard Muller. ''The Luftwaffe over Germany: Defense of the Reich''. London: Greenhill Books Publications, 2007. .
* Carey, Brian Todd
"Operation Pointblank: Evolution of Allied Air Doctrine During World War II."
''World War II'', November 1998. Retrieved: 15 January 2007.
* David, Donald. "Boeing Model 299 (B-17 Flying Fortress)." ''The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft''. Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada: Prospero Books, 1997. .
* Davis, Larry. ''B-17 in Action''. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1984. .
* Freeman, Roger A. ''B-17 Fortress at War''. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1977. .
* Frisbee, John L. "Valor: Courage and Conviction." ''Air Force Magazine'' Volume 73, Issue 10, October 1990.
* Hess, William N. ''B-17 Flying Fortress: Combat and Development History of the Flying Fortress''. St. Paul, Minnesota: Motorbook International, 1994. .
* Hess, William N. ''B-17 Flying Fortress Units of the MTO''. Botley, Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing Limited, 2003. .
* Hess, William N. ''Big Bombers of WWII''. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Lowe & B. Hould, 1998. .
* Hess, William N. and Jim Winchester. ""Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress:Queen of the Skies". ''Wings Of Fame''. Volume 6. London:Aerospace Publishing, 1997. . . pp. 38–103.
* Hoffman, Wally and Rouyer, Philipppe. "La guerre à 30 000 pieds" . Louviers : Ysec Editions, 2008. . vailable only in French* Jablonski, Edward. ''Flying Fortress''. New York: Doubleday, 1965. .
* Johnsen, Frederick A. ''Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress''. Stillwater, Minnesota: Voyageur Press, 2001. .
* Johnsen, Frederick A
"The Making of an Iconic Bomber."
''Air Force Magazine'', Volume 89, Issue 10, 2006. Retrieved: 15 January 2007.
* Lloyd, Alwyn T. ''B-17 Flying Fortress in Detail and Scale vol.11: Derivatives, part 2''. Fallbrook, California: Aero Publishers, 1983. .
* Lloyd, Alwyn T. ''B-17 Flying Fortress in Detail and Scale vol.20: More derivatives, part 3''. Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania: Tab Books, 1986. .
* Lloyd, Alwyn T. and Terry D. Moore. ''B-17 Flying Fortress in Detail and Scale vol.1: Production Versions, part 1''. Fallbrook, California: Aero Publishers, 1981. .
* O'Leary, Michael. ''Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress (Osprey Production Line to Frontline 2)''. Botley, Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 1999. .
* Salecker, Gene Eric. ''Fortress Against The Sun – The B-17 Flying Fortress in the Pacific''. Conshohocken, Pennsylvania: Combined Publishing, 2001. .
* Thompson, Scott A. ''Final Cut: The Post War B-17 Flying Fortress, The Survivors: Revised and Updated Edition''. Highland County, Ohio: Pictorial Histories Publishing Company, 2000. .
* Willmott, H.P. ''B-17 Flying Fortress''. London: Bison Books, 1980. .
* Wisker Thomas J. "Talkback". ''Air Enthusiast'', No. 10, July–September 1979, p. 79.
* Yenne, Bill. ''B-17 at War''. St Paul, Minnesota: Zenith Imprint, 2006. .
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:List Of B-17 Flying Fortress Operators
B-17 Flying Fortress operators
B-17 Flying Fortress
The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Relatively fast and high-flying for a bomber of its era, the B-17 was used primarily in the European Theater ...
Operators
Operator may refer to:
Mathematics
* A symbol indicating a mathematical operation
* Logical operator or logical connective in mathematical logic
* Operator (mathematics), mapping that acts on elements of a space to produce elements of another sp ...