BOEING B-17 FLYING FORTRESS
B-17 SERVICE
| Manufacturer: | The Boeing Aircraft Co., Seattle, Washington, USA |
| Model: | Boeing Model 299 |
| Designations: | B-17; B-38, B-40, BQ-7, C-108, CQ-4, F-9, PB |
| Name: | Flying Fortress |
| First official flight: | (Model 299) 28/07/1935 |
| Factory production period: | 1934 - 1945 |
| Primary service period: | 1936 - 1945 |
| Last official flight: | (QB-17L) 06/1960 |
B-17 VARIANTS
| 1935 | Model 299 | Prototype (XB-17) | 1 | |
| 1936 | Model 299B | Y1B-17 (YB-17, B-17) | 13 | |
| 1938 | Model 299F | Y1B-17A (B-17A) | 1 | Total: 00015 |
| 1939 | Model 299M | B-17B | 39 | |
| 1940 | Model 299H | B-17C | 38 | |
| 1941 | Model 299H | B-17D | 42 | Total: 00119 |
| 1941 | Model 299O | B-17E | 512 | |
| 1942 | Model 299P | B-17F | 3405 | |
| 1943 | Model 299P | B-17G | 8680 | Total: 12597 |
|
Grand Total: 12731 |
B-17 PRODUCTION
Model 299 (XB-17)
Prototype heavy bomber, 4 engines, bubble turrets,
ADF antenna, unofficial designation was XB-17.
Produced 1934 - 1935
Boeing Seattle, Washington (BO)
| X-13372 (civil reg.) | 1963 | 1 | Total: 00001 |
Y1B-17 (YB-17, B-17)
As Model 299, engine upgrade.
Redesignated B-17 after service tests.
Produced 1936 - 1937
Boeing Seattle, Washington (BO)
| 36-149 / 36-161 | 1973 / 1985 | 13 | Total: 00013 |
Y1B-17A (B-17A)
As Y1B-17, engine upgrade, superchargers.
Redesignated B-17A after supercharger tests.
Produced 1938
Boeing Seattle, Washington (BO)
| 37-369 | 1987 | 1 | Total: 00001 |
B-17B
As Y1B-17A, redesigned nose, enlarged flaps, rudder.
Produced 1939 - 1940
Boeing Seattle, Washington (BO)
| 38-211 / 38-223 | 2004 / 2016 | ||
| 38-258 / 38-270 | 2017 / 2029 | ||
| 38-583, 38-584 | 2030, 2031 | ||
| 38-610 | 2032 | ||
| 39-001 / 39-010 | 2033 / 2042 | 39 | Total: 00039 |
| 1 (39-011), additional airframe cancelled. | |||
B-17C
As B-17B, bathtub ventral gun, revised turrets, armour.
Produced 1940
Boeing Seattle, Washington (BO)
| 40-2042 / 40-2079 | 2043 / 2080 | 38 | Total: 00038 |
B-17D
As B-17C, revised systems, armour, cowl flaps.
Produced 1940 - 1941
Boeing Seattle, Washington (BO)
| 40-3059 / 40-3100 | 2087 / 2128 | 42 | Total: 00042 |
B-17E
As B-17D, redesigned nose, cockpit, tail, new gun turrets
(top, bottom, rear), minor changes.
Produced 1941 - 1942
Boeing Seattle, Washington (BO)
| 41-2393 / 41-2669 | 2204 / 2480 | ||
| 41-9011 / 41-9245 | 2483 / 2717 | 512 | Total: 00512 |
B-17F
As B-17E, frameless glass nose, engine upgrade,
many block no. changes, Lockheed built were Vega Model 17.
Produced 1942 - 1943
Boeing Seattle, Washington (BO)
| 41-24340 / 41-24639 | 3025 / 3324 | ||
| 42-5050 / 42-5484 | 3589 / 4023 | ||
| 42-29467 / 42-31031 | 4581 / 6145 |
2300 |
Douglas Long Beach, California (DL)
| 42-2964 / 42-3482 | 7900 / 8418 | ||
|
42-3483 / 42-3562 - 80 redesignated as B-17G-DL in service. |
8419 / 8498 | ||
| 42-37714, 42-37715 | 8500, 8501 | ||
| 42-37717 / 42-37720 | 8503 / 8506 |
605 |
Lockheed-Vega, Burbank, California (VE)
| 42-5705 / 42-6204 | 17-6001 / 6500 | 500 | Total: 03405 |
B-17G
As B-17F, chin turret, many block no. changes.
Lockheed built were Vega Model 17.
Produced 1943 - 1945
Boeing Seattle, Washington (BO)
| 42-31032 / 42-32116 | 6146 / 7230 | ||
| 42-97058 / 42-97407 | 7531 / 7880 | ||
| 42-102379 / 42-102978 | 7881 / 8480 | ||
| 43-37509 / 43-39508 | 8487 / 10486 |
4035 |
Douglas Long Beach, California (DL)
| 42-3563, 42-37716 | 8499, 8502 | ||
| 42-37721 / 42-38213 | 8507 / 8999 | ||
| 42-106984 / 42-107233 | 21899 / 22148 | ||
| 44-6001 / 44-7000 | 22224 / 23223 | ||
| 44-83236 / 44-83885 | 31877 / 32526 |
2395 |
|
| 600 additional airframes cancelled. | |||
Lockheed-Vega, Burbank, California (VE)
| 42-39758 / 42-40057 | 17-6501 / 6800 | ||
| 42-97436 / 42-98035 | 17-6801 / 7400 | ||
| 44-8001 / 44-9000 | 17-7401 / 8400 | ||
| 44-85492 / 44-85841 | 17-8401 / 8750 | 2250 | Total: 08680 |
| 100 additional airframes cancelled. | |||
|
Grand Total: 12731 |
B-17 CONVERSIONS
WW2
USAAF
| RB-17B | 1+ | B-17B, 1942, redesignation as "restricted" from combat. |
| RB-17C | 1+ | B-17C, 1942, redesignation as "restricted" from combat. |
| RB-17D | 1+ | B-17D, 1942, redesignation as "restricted" from combat. |
| B-17H | 12 | B-17G, 1945, air-sea rescue aircraft with droppable
lifeboat. Nicknamed: Dumbo. |
| (SB-17G) | 12 | 1948-1956, redesignation of B-17H. |
| TB-17H | 5 | B-17G, 1945, crew trainer for B-17H. |
| XB-38 | 1 | B-17E(Vega Model 117), 1943, engine upgrade. |
| TB-40 | 4 | B-17F, 1943, crew trainer for YB-40. |
| XB-40 | 1 | B-17F(Vega Model 217), 1942, armed escort with additional machine guns. |
| YB-40 | 20 | B-17F(Vega Model V139-3), 1943, armed escort with upgraded armament. |
| BQ-7 | 25+ | B-17E/F, 1944, convertions as flying unmanned bombs. |
| XC-108 | 1 | B-17E, 1943, VIP aircraft for General MacArthur, named "Bataan". |
| YC-108 | 1 | B-17F, 1943, staff executive transport. |
| XC-108A | 1 | B-17E, 1944, cargo conversion with side cargo door, unarmed. |
| XC-108B | 1 | B-17F, 1943, tanker conversion, armament deleted. |
| CQ-4 | 1+ | B-17G, 1944, drone director aircraft for the BQ-7. |
| F-9 | 16 | B-17F, 1942, reconn. Aircraft with cameras in bomb bay. |
| F-9A | 25 | B-17F, 1942, camera aircraft with alternative cameras. |
| (F-9B) | 1+ | 1943, modified F-9A. |
| (FB-17F) | 1+ | 1945, redesignation of F-9 / F-9A. |
| (RB-17F) | 1+ | 1948, redesignation of FB-17F. |
| F-9C | 10+ | B-17G, 1944, conversion with camera installations. |
| (FB-17G) | 1+ | 1945, redesignation of F-9C. |
| (RB-17G) | 1+ | 1948, redesignation of FB-17G. |
British RAF
| Fortress Mk. I | 20 | Model 299U B-17C, 1941-1946, aircraft serving with the RAF. Assigned RAF s/n: AN518 / AN537. |
| Fortress Mk. II | 20 | B-17F, 1942-1946, aircraft serving with the
RAF. Assigned RAF s/n: FA684, FA695 / FA713. Conversions: B.Mk. II, GR.Mk. II. |
| Fortress Mk. IIA | 45 | B-17E, 1942-1946, aircraft serving with the
RAF. Assigned RAF s/n: FK184 / FK213, FL449 / FL460, FL462 / FL464. Conversions: B.Mk. IIA, GR.Mk. IIA. |
| Fortress Mk. III | 98 | B-17G, 1944-1946, aircraft serving with the
RAF. Assigned RAF s/n: HB761 / HB820, KH998, KH999, KJ100 / KJ127, KL830 / KL837. Conversions: B.Mk. III, GR.Mk. III. 3 to RCAF as 9205 / 9207. 13 back to USAAF. |
| Fortress Mk. IIIA | 14 | B-17G, 1944-1946, late models with
RAF. Assigned RAF s/n: SR376 / SR389. 3 to RCAF as 9202 / 9204. |
Post WW2
USAF
| XB-17F | 1 | B-17F, used by NACA for tests. |
| ZB-17F | 1+ | B-17F, 1948, redesignation as "obsolete". |
| CB-17G | 1+ | B-17G, 1946, cargo / transport conversions. |
| DB-17G | 1+ | B-17G, 1947, redesignation of CQ-4's as drone directors. |
| (DB-17P) | 4+ | DB-17G, 1955, redesignation as drone director aircraft. |
| (QB-17P) | 2 | DB-17G, 1955, conversions as drone aircraft. |
| QB-17G | 1+ | B-17G, 1947, redesignation of BQ-7's as target drones. |
| (QB-17L) | 1+ | QB-17G, 1955, redesignation as target drones. |
| (QB-17N) | 1+ | QB-17G, 1955, redesignation as alternative target drone. |
| MB-17G | 1+ | B-17G, test beds wing mounted JB-2 flying bomb. |
| NB-17G | 1+ | B-17G, permanent conversion for test duties. |
| TB-17G | 1+ | B-17G, crew trainer conversion for B-17G. |
| VB-17G | 1+ | B-17G, staff transport. |
| WB-17G | 1+ | B-17G, weather reconn. aircraft. |
| XB-17G | 1 | B-17G, conversion for test duties. |
| EB-17G | 2 | Model 299-Z B-17G, 1946, conversion for turboprop flight testing. |
| (JB-17G) | 2 | 1956, redesignation of EB-17G. |
| Model 299AB | 1 | B-17G, 1946, executive transport for TWA. |
US Navy
| PB-1 | 1 | B-17F, 1945, transfer to the US
Navy. Assigned BuNo. 34106. |
| PB-1G | 17 | B-17G, 1946-1959, US Coast Guard air/sea rescue
aircraft. Assigned BuNo. 77245 / 77257, 82855 / 82857, 84000. |
| PB-1W | 31 | B-17G, 1946, US Navy, fitted with APS-20 search
radar. Assigned BuNo. 34114, 77137, 77138, 77225 / 77244, 77258, 83992 / 83998. 27 additional conversions cancelled. |
| (XPB-1) | 1 | PB1-W, redesignation as a jet engine test bed. |
FOREIGN MILITARY / CIVILIAN SERVICE
- Several B-17D/E's captured and tested by the Japanese Armed Forces.
- Over seven B-17F/G's captured and flown by Nazi Germany under the
designation Dornier Do 200.
- B-17's in military or civil service during and post WW2 with Canada,
Bolivia, Brazil, Dominican Republic, France,
Israel, Portugal, Russia
and Sweden.
- Many conversions as fire fighting tankers, freighters, air-sprayers etc.
BOEING 307 STRATOLINER
BOEING 307 SERVICE
| Manufacturer: | The Boeing Aircraft Co., Seattle, Washington, USA |
| Model: | Boeing Model 307 (Based on Boeing Model 299, B-17) |
| Name: | Stratoliner (Military designation: C-75) |
| First official flight: | (S-307) 31/12/1938 |
| Factory production period: | 1938 - 1940 |
| Primary service period: | 1939 - 1952 |
| Last official flight: | (SA-307B-1) 1952 |
BOEING 307 VARIANTS AND PRODUCTION
Model 307 Stratoliner
1938, pressurized 4-engined civil airliner
with B-17 wings and tail section.
Produced 1938 - 1940
Boeing Seattle, Washington
| S-307 (PAA-307) | 1994, 1995 2002, 2003 |
4 | |
| SA-307B | 1996 1998 / 2001 |
5 | |
| SB-307B | 1997 | 1 | Grand Total: 10 |
BOEING 307 CONVERSIONS
USAAF
| C-75 | 5 | SA-307B, 1942-1944, conversions to military
transports. Assigned s/n: 42-88623 / 42-88627. 3 PAA S-307's also used but without military designations. |
| (SA-307B-1) | 5 | C-75, 1944, upgrades with B-17G components for civil service. |