User:Rlandmann/B-17 Flying Fortress operators

   
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Military operators of the B-17
Civil operators of the B-17
Boeing B-17G Shoo Shoo Baby

The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress 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. Though used at some point in all theatres of World War II, it was most common in the European Theatre, where its lack of range and smaller bombload relative to other heavy bombers was not so detrimental as it was in the Pacific, where most American airbases were thousands of miles apart.

Military operators

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Brazil acquired 13 B-17s in 1951, according to the Rio Pact 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, for search and rescue and photo-reconnaissance until 1968.[1]

Brazilian Air Force
  • 6º Grupo de Aviação
    • 1º Esquadrão
    • 2º Esquadrão

Canada 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 which operated out of RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario.[2]

Royal Canadian Air Force

Danish airline DDL bought two B-17s from Sweden in 1945.[3] One of these planes was transferred to the Danish Army Air Corps in 1948. In 1949, it was transferred to the Royal Danish Navy and in 1952 to the Royal Danish Air Force.

Dominican Republic Air Force acquired two B-17Gs in 1947.[1]

French Air Force used one B-17F as an executive transport for Free-French General M. P. Koening.[1]

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. 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 known as KG 200, hence a likely possibility as a source for the "Do 200" codename.[4]

Luftwaffe

When Israel 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 and Czechoslovakia 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 Egyptian bombing raids on Tel-Aviv, the aircraft were ordered to bomb King Farouk's Royal Palace in Cairo 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, flown by 69 Squadron; they were withdrawn in 1958 after seeing minor action in the 1956 Suez Crisis.[5][6]

Israeli Air Force

At least three early versions B-17s (2 B-17Ds and early B-17E) were captured by the Japanese in the Philippines and Netherlands East Indies. Planes were tested by the IJAAF Koku Gijutsu Kenkyujo (Air Technical Research Laboratory) at Tachikawa.

The B-17s were used during the occupation of Nicaragua against the Sandinista National Liberation Front(Frente Sandinista de Liberacion Nacional)]]

Força Aérea Portuguesa (Portuguese Air Force) operated five SB-17Gs as search-and-rescue planes from 1947 to 1960.[1]

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 Force 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 Po-2 biplane trainer. On the other hand, 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 began to arrive at operational squadrons. [7]

Royal Air Force received 20 B-17Cs, redesignated Fortress I, in early 1940 from USAAC. By September, after the RAF had lost eight B-17Cs in combat or to accidents, Bomber Command had abandoned daylight bombing and RAF transferred its remaining Fortress I aircraft to Coastal Command 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).[8]. From 1944 the Fortress IIs and IIIs were being used by the specialist electronic coutnermeasures squadrons of No. 100 Group RAF

Royal Air Force
United States Army Air Corps / United States Army Air Forces

USAAC / USAAF was main operator of all versions of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. Most units operating B-17 were based in the European Theatre of World War II but aircraft was used at some point in all theatres of World War II.

First Air Force, Second Air Force, Third Air Force, Fourth Air Force

1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Air Force stationed in the continental United States.

1st Photo Group
1st Search Attack Group
2d Bombardment Group, Heavy
39th Bombardment Group, Heavy
88th Bombardment Group, Heavy
304th Bombardment Group, Heavy
331st Bombardment Group, Heavy
333d Bombardment Group, Heavy
346th Bombardment Group, Heavy
383d Bombardment Group, Heavy
393d Bombardment Group, Heavy
395th Bombardment Group, Heavy
396th Bombardment Group, Heavy
444th Bombardment Group, Heavy
469th Bombardment Group, Heavy
488th Bombardment Group, Heavy
504th Bombardment Group, Heavy
505th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Fifth Air Force

Fifth Air Force stationed in the Pacific Theater of Operations.

19th Bombardment Group, Heavy
43d Bombardment Group, Heavy
Sixth Air Force

Sixth Air Force stationed in the Panama Canal zone.

6th Bombardment Group, Heavy
9th Bombardment Group, Heavy
40th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Seventh Air Force

Seventh Air Force stationed in the Pacific Theater of Operations.

5th Bombardment Group, Heavy
11th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Eighth Air Force

Eighth Air Force stationed in England.

34th Bombardment Group, Heavy
91st Bombardment Group, Heavy
92d Bombardment Group, Heavy
94th Bombardment Group, Heavy
95th Bombardment Group, Heavy
96th Bombardment Group, Heavy
100th Bombardment Group, Heavy
303d Bombardment Group, Heavy
305th Bombardment Group, Heavy
306th Bombardment Group, Heavy
351st Bombardment Group, Heavy
379th Bombardment Group, Heavy
381st Bombardment Group, Heavy
384th Bombardment Group, Heavy
385th Bombardment Group, Heavy
388th Bombardment Group, Heavy
390th Bombardment Group, Heavy
398th Bombardment Group, Heavy
401st Bombardment Group, Heavy
447th Bombardment Group, Heavy
452d Bombardment Group, Heavy
457th Bombardment Group, Heavy
482d Bombardment Group, Heavy
486th Bombardment Group, Heavy
487th Bombardment Group, Heavy
490th Bombardment Group, Heavy
493d Bombardment Group, Heavy
Tenth Air Force

Tenth Air Force stationed in South-East Asian Theatre of World War II (Indochina).

7th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Fifteenth Air Force

Fifteenth Air Force stationed in the Italy.

2d Bombardment Group, Heavy
97th Bombardment Group, Heavy
99th Bombardment Group, Heavy
301st Bombardment Group, Heavy
463d Bombardment Group, Heavy
483d Bombardment Group, Heavy

Civil operators

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Used 25 B-17s in civil aviation under different operators.[3]

Danish airline DDL bought two B-17s from Sweden in 1945.[3] One of these planes was transferred to the Danish Army Air Corps in 1948.

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.

One of Trans World Airlines B-17G was given to the Shah of Iran in 1947.[3]

In an exchange with about 300 interned American crew members, nine intact B-17 were given away for free [9] to the Swedish airline SILA (Svensk Interkontinental Lufttrafik AB) to be operated by ABA (which later became part of Scandinavian Airlines System). Seven of these, three B-17F and four B-17G, were converted into 14-seat airliners by Saab Aircraft. By 1946 all were retired and replaced by DC-4. Today, one of them is on static display at National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, restored back to combat figuration.

  • Following the war, Trans World Airlines 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.[3]
  • Aero Union - began operation of the B-17 as a fire fighting aircraft in 1961.[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Baugher, Joe. "B-17 With Foreign Air Forces". Encyclopedia of American Aircraft. Retrieved 15 January 2007.
  2. ^ Air Force Public Affairs/Department of National Defence (2004). "Canada's Air Force:Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress". www.airforce.forces.gc.ca. Retrieved 16 January 2007.
  3. ^ a b c d e Baugher, Joe. "B-17 Commercial Transports". Encyclopedia of American Aircraft. Retrieved 15 January 2007.
  4. ^ Law, Ricky. Dornier Do 200. Arsenal of Dictatorship, January 1997. [1] Access date: 13 April 2007.
  5. ^ Rozen, Owen. "Israeli Air Force Bombers:Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress". The Israeli Air Force – IDF/AF. Retrieved 24 December 2006.
  6. ^ Aloni, Shlomo (October 2006). "The Israeli View". Aeroplane. 34 (10): 70–74.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  7. ^ Goebel, Greg (2005). "Fortress Oddballs". The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. Retrieved 9 January 2007.
  8. ^ Gustin, Emmanuel. "Boeing B-17". uboat.net. Retrieved 2 April 2007.
  9. ^ Wandehall, Jan (September 1991). "The myth about "A fistful of Dollars"". Kontakt. 103: 32–33.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  10. ^ P2VNeptune.org
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