Finding visuals...
  • The Locator
  • Airframes Database

    Social media...
    Follow AV on facebook
    Follow AV on Twitter @aerial_visuals
    Follow the AV YouTube Channel

    Site navigation...
  • Home
  • Desktop Calendar
  • The Racers
  • FAQs
  • About Aerial Visuals
  • Comment on this Dossier
    • Search For Airframes Now
    Search - Index - Gallery - Reports - Lists - AV Needs You!

    This page documents a history of a specific aircraft. The details provided vary from aircraft to aircraft and are dependent on the research and amount of data uploaded to the Aerial Visuals database.

    Airframe Family: Boeing B299 / B-17 Fortress
    Latest Model:DB-17P Fortress
    Last Military Serial:44-85599 USAAF
    Construction Number:17-8508
    Compressed ID:Boeing DB-17P sn 44-85599 USAAF cn...
    Latest Owner or Location:Dyess Memorial Museum and Dyess Linear Air Park, Dyess AFB, Abilene, Texas

    EDIT THE HISTORY HERE    		 If you can add to the history or would like to submit a correction please use the editor to do so.

    UPLOAD A PHOTO    		 If you have a photo of this airframe to share then use the photo upload tool.
    The Airframes Database depends on user contributions to stay current.
    If you have any news about this airframe or photos which you would like to share please do so
    by using the links above.
    The more you and others share the better the database becomes!

    Dates

    Event

    Constructed as a B-17G-100-VE by Lockheed-Vega at Burbank, California, USA.
    B-17G built by Lockheed-Vega Airplane Company, Burbank, CA as part of pooled production with Douglas and Boeing.

    30 March 1945

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Army Air Force with s/n 44-85599.

    31 March 1945

    To 6th Ferrying Group, Air Transport Command, Long Beach Field, CA.

    5 April 1945

    Transferred to United Air Lines, Modification Center #10, Cheyenne Municipal Airport, WY.

    29 April 1945

    Transferred to 4168th Base Unit (Oklahoma City Air Technical Service Command), South Plains Field, Lubbock, TX.

    24 June 1947

    Transferred to 4141st Base Unit (San Antonio Air Materiel Command), Pyote Field, TX.

    28 August 1948

    Assigned to 2753rd Aircraft Storage Squadron, Air Materiel Command, Pyote AFB, TX for storage.

    Redesignated as EDB-17G.
    Modified as drone director.

    Redesignated as DB-17G.
    Modified as drone director.

    Transferred to 3225th Drone Squadron, Holloman AFB, Alamogordo, NM.

    1955

    Redesignated as DB-17P.

    August 1959

    Assigned to 2704th Aircraft Storage and Disposition Group, Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson, AZ for storage.

    From Unknown to By 1975

    To 96th Bombardment Group Memorial Association, Abilene Municipal Airport, TX.
    Markings added: Black Hawk

    Recovered.
    The aircraft had fallen into disrepair and was reclaimed by the USAF.

    June 1970


    Photographer: Abilene

    1975

    To National Museum of the United States Air Force Loan Program, Wright Field, Dayton, OH.
    View the Location Dossier

    1975

    Loaned to 7 BW/CVM, Dyess AFB, TX.

    To Linear Air Park/Texas Museum of Military History, Dyess AFB, Abilene, TX.
    View the Location Dossier

    Markings Applied: 238133, Reluctant Dragon

    October 2000


    Photographer: Tom Tessier
    Notes: At Dyess AFB Linear Air Park, TX.

    To Dyess AFB Airpark, Dyess AFB, Abilene, TX.
    View the Location Dossier

    To Dyess Memorial Museum and Dyess Linear Air Park, Dyess AFB, Abilene, TX.
    View the Location Dossier
    Credits
     Data for airframe dossiers come from various sources. The following were used to compile this dossier...
    Print Sources
     Wrecks and Relics
    Internet Sources
     Aerial Visuals - The Locator by Mike Henniger, Senior Editor
    National Museum of the United States Air Force
    United States Military Services Serial Number Lists by Joe Baugher
    Individual Contributors
     Mike Henniger
    Max Sabin
    Tell Others About this Airframe Dossier
    Forum Link: [URL=https://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=58107][IMG]/home/users/web/b1393/nf.aerialvisuals/public_html/AV/Support/Logo_20x20.jpg[/IMG]Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - Boeing DB-17P Fortress, s/n 44-85599 USAAF, c/n 17-8508[/URL]
    Direct Link: https://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=58107
    Copyright 1993-2025 www.ww.AerialVisuals.ca
    The Aerial Visuals pages are best viewed with a screen at least 800 pixels wide.
    In case you are wondering Aerial Visuals is a huge fan Google Chrome. If you do not have Chrome installed why not?
    Aerial Visuals requires cookies and Javascript to function correctly. Please ensure these features are enabled in your browser.
    Aerial Visuals is powered by Netfirms.