Formation of Boeing B-17Gs of the 532nd Bomb Squadron, 381st Bomb Group. Near aircraft is B-17G-65-BO (S/N 42-37655), and far aircraft is B-17G-35-DL (S/N 42-107112). (U.S. Air Force photo)
Boeing B-17G formation bomb drop. Closest aircraft (SO-H) is B-17G-70-DL (S/N 44-6898) of the 384th Bomb Group, 547th Bomb Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo)
Boeing B-17Gs of the 92nd Bomb Group, 325th Bomb Squadron. Near aircraft is B-17G-85-BO (S/N 43-38401) (NV-E), and far aircraft is NV-J. (U.S. Air Force photo)
Princess Elizabeth at the dedication ceremony for this Boeing B-17G of the 306th Bomb Group, which was named "Rose of York" in her honor. The aircraft was later lost after a mission to Berlin when it crashed into the North Sea. (U.S. Air Force photo)
Boeing B-17G-20-VE (S/N 42-97557) "Mercy's Madhouse" (VK-X) of the 303rd Bomb Group, 358th Bomb Squadron, after a wheels-up emergency landing on Dec. 7, 1944. (U.S. Air Force photo)
Boeing B-17G two-aircraft formation. Front aircraft is B-17G-35-DL (S/N 42-107040) (OR-K), and back aircraft is B-17G-65-BO (S/N 43-37625) (OR-W). Both aircraft are from the 91st Bomb Group, 323rd Bomb Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo)
Flak damage completely destroyed the nose section of this Boeing B-17G, a 398th Bomb Group aircraft flown by 1Lt. Lawrence M. Delancey over Cologne, Germany. (U.S. Air Force photo)
Parked aircraft at Deenethorpe, England. Closest aircraft is Boeing B-17G-80-BO (S/N 43-38077) (IY-Q) of the 401st Bomb Group, 615th Bomb Squadron. Photo taken on Jan. 12, 1945. (U.S. Air Force photo)
Emergency wheels-up landing of Boeing B-17G-45-BO (S/N 42-97272) (BN-T) "Duchess Daughter" of the 303rd Bomb Group, 359th Bomb Squadron. Note: The original "Duchess" (S/N 41-24561), also coded BN-T, was the aircraft in which Lt. Jack W. Mathis earned his Medal of Honor. Lt. Mathis was lead bombardier for a mission on March 18, 1943, when the "Duchess" was hit by flak. Lt. Mathis, although seriously wounded, completed the bomb run. He died soon after. (U.S. Air Force photo)
The B-17G was the result of an almost continuous improvement program of earlier B-17 models. The G model was basically the production version of the B-17F after the modifications and improvements were incorporated into the design. Although the Bendix chin turret is the most obvious improvement incorporated into the B-17G, it was actually first used on late model B-17Fs. More than 8,500 Gs were built by three different manufacturers: Boeing, Douglas and Lockheed-Vega. More than 12,500 B-17s of all types were built before production ended.
The museum has one of the few B-17Gs remaining that actually flew in combat. The B-17G-35-BO, S/N 42-32076, Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby flew 24 combat missions with the 91st Bomb Group before landing in Sweden with engine trouble on May 29, 1944. The aircraft and crew were interned in neutral Sweden for the duration of World War II.
Type
Number built/
converted
Remarks
B-17G
8,680
Improved B-17F
TECHNICAL NOTES: Armament: 12 .50-cal. machine guns and 8,000 lbs. of bombs Engines: Four Wright R-1820-97 turbo-supercharged radials of 1200 hp each Maximum speed: 302 mph at 25,000 ft. Cruising speed: 160 mph Service ceiling: 35,600 ft. Range: 3,400 miles (maximum ferry range) Span: 103 ft. 9 in. Length: 74 ft. 9 in. Height: 19 ft. 1 in. Weight: 65,500 lbs. gross weight (actual - normal load) Serial numbers: Boeing production: 42-31032 to 42-32116; 42-97058 to 42-97407; 42-102379 to 42-102978; 43-37509 to 43-39508; Douglas production: 42-37716; 42-37721 to 42-38213; 42-106984 to 42-
107233; 44-6001 to 44-7000; 44-83236 to 44-83885; Lockheed-Vega production: 42-39758 to 42-40057; 42-97436 to 42-
9798035; 44-8001 to 44-9000; 44-85492 to 4485841
