Dates

Event

Constructed as a B-17G-95-DL by Douglas at Long Beach, California, USA.

4 July 1945

First flight.

6 July 1945

Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Army Air Force with s/n 44-83868.
Accepted by the USAAF at the factory in Long Beach.

From 8 July 1945 to 8 July 1945

Ferry flight.
Flown from Long Beach, CA, to Syracuse Army Air Base at Syracuse, NY, via Chanute Field, IL.

14 July 1945

Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Navy with BuNo 77233 and operated with these markings: XD 2.
On this date a Navy crew left Syracuse enroute to NAS Johnsonville.

From August 1945 to August 1945

Transferred to Naval Aircraft Modification Unit (NAMU), NAS Johnsville.

Converted to a PB-1W.
The conversion involved the removal of the armament and the installation of the AN/APS-20 radar along with antennae.

1947

Photographer: Unknown

From April 1947 to April 1947

Transferred to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron No. 4 (VX-4), NAS Quonset Point, RI.

April 1948

Transferred to Air Early Warning Squadron No. 1 (VPW-1), Ream Field, San Ysidro, CA.

From 7 September 1949 to 7 September 1949

Transferred to Naval Air Material Centre (NAMC), Norfolk, VA.
Overhauled.

Transferred to NAF Litchfield Park, Phoenix, AZ.
Placed in storage at Litchfield.

20 July 1950

Transferred to VX-4, NAS Patuxent River, MD.
Operated with markings: XD 5
Operated in support of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet.

17 July 1952

Transferred to Airborne Early Warning Squadron 2 (VW-2), NAS Patuxent River, VA.

From 14 October 1952 to 14 October 1952

Transferred to NAMC Norfolk, VA.
Overhauled.

2 June 1953

Transferred to VW-2, NAS Patuxent River, MD.

From 8 December 1954 to December 1954

Transferred to NAS Norfolk, VA.
Overhauled.

By 9 July 1956

Markings Applied: USN, XD 2, Hell Wagon

9 July 1956

Struck off Strength/Charge from the United States Navy.
When removed from the inventory 77233 had logged 3,484 flying hours.

From Circa 2 December 1957 to By 1957

To American Compressed Steel Corp, Dallas, TX with new c/r N6466D.

March 1958

Assigned civil registration: N5237V (B-17G, 77233)

Transferred to a museum.

From Circa 1958 to Circa 1958

Stored uncovered in at Dallas-Love field. Parked near the Dallas Aero Service ramp on the north side of the airport.

26 February 1960

To Ashland Corp., Tucson, AZ keeping c/r N5237V.

From 6 July 1960 to By 1960

To Marson Equipment Salvage Co., Tucson, AZ keeping c/r N5237V.

26 September 1961

To Aero Union Corp., Anderson, CA keeping c/r N5237V.

Circa November 1961

Ferry flight.
Flown to California.

From December 1961 to By 1961

To Butler Aircraft Co./Butler FARM Air/Calvin J. Butler, Redmond, OR keeping c/r N5237V.

23 May 1962

Converted for use as a fire bomber by the installation of a 2,200 gallon four-door fire retardent tank.

Operated as fire service #F15.

20 August 1962

Spay booms installed for aerial spraying.

27 July 1967

Involved in an incident.
Struck trees during fire bombing on the Gifford Pinchot National Forrest near Carson, WA.

27 July 1967

Involved in an incident.
Summarized NTSB narrative from report number SEA68A0009: There were no fatalities. Incident occurred at 16:30 hours. The damage was substantial. Collided with trees while pulling up from a crop dusting run. The factors included; high obstructions on terrain. The sky conditions were clear. The visibility was 5 or over (unlimited). There was smoke. The temperature was 70 degF. The wind direction was 270 degrees. The wind velocity was 10 knots. The weather conditions were VFR...
For a complete description of the event read the NTSB Report.

1 August 1970

Photographer: Scott Vilander
Notes: Bend Oregon Air Tanker Base August 1970

30 May 1971

Photographer: Ron Olsen

17 August 1973

Photographer: Ron Olsen

17 August 1973

Photographer: Ron Olsen

Operated as fire service #E15.

Operated as fire service #F15.

By 27 September 1975

Operated as fire service #65.

Photographer: Greg Leyva
Notes: I think Greg said this was in Redmond, OR in the 1970s.

From By 1979 to By 1979

To TBM Inc, Sequoia, CA keeping c/r N5237V.

Operated as fire service #65.

Photographer: Mike Woodley
Notes: At the Fresno tanker station on July 19, 1982.

To USAF Museum keeping c/r N5237V.
This was a paperwork acquisition as the intended recipiant was the RAF Museum. Did not leave Sequoia while under USAF Museum ownership.

Restored.
Markings Applied: 483868
Restored to military configuration at Sequoia, CA, by TBM Inc. The restoration included new bomb bay doors, the installation of a new plexiglass nose and the installation of fibreglass replica turrets.

Ferry flight.
Flown from Sequoia to Fresno, CA.

31 March 1983

Photographer: Lewis Grant
Notes: N5237V Boeing B-17G Fortress - TBM Inc., tanker 65. Originally 44-83868 - at Sequoia Field, California

September 1983

Markings Applied: The Flying M
Sent to Castle AFB for the paint work.

From 3 October 1983 to 3 October 1983

Ferry flight.
Frown from Fresno, to Peterson AFB, Colorado Springs, CO.

6 October 1983

Ferry flight.
Flown to England AFB, Louisiana for refueling.

7 October 1983

Ferry flight.
Flown to the USAF Museum, Wright Patterson AFB, Dayton, OH.

8 October 1983

Ferry flight.
Flown to Andrews AFB, Washington, DC.

11 October 1983

Ferry flight.
Flown to Gander, Newfoundland.

13 October 1983

Ferry flight.
Flown to Lajes, Azores.

13 October 1983

Ferry flight.
Arrived at RAF Brize Norton, Oxon, completing a 7,000 mile trip in 50 hours.

25 October 1983

While temporariliy based at RAF Honington, made a flypast at RAF Hendon.

27 October 1983

Along with the Duxford based B-17 Sally B, performed a flypast over the former East Anglia USAAF bases.

7 November 1983

Last flight.
The last flight was the delivery flight to Standsted Airport to be dismantled.

The engines were exchanged with B-17 44-85784 G-BEDF. It was then dismantled at Stansted in preparation for transport.

From 8 December 1983 to 8 December 1983

Transported by ground.
Trucked to Hendon for reassembly and display.

9 December 1983

To RAF Museum, Grahame Park Way, Hendon, London, England.
View the Location Dossier

Reassembled.

21 December 1983

Engines installed.

January 1984

Placed on public display.

1 September 1988

To unknown owner with c/r N5237V (B-17G, 77233).

23 November 1993

Civil registration, N5237V, cancelled.
The FAA incorrectly recorded the reason for cancellation as destroyed.

23 November 1993

To unknown owner with c/r N5237V.
Sale reported to a new owner in Tulare, CA.

2009

Photographer: Andy West

11 December 2011

Photographer: Terry Fletcher
Notes: Flying Fortress is displayed in the Bomber Hall Collection at RAF Museum at Hendon

11 December 2011

Photographer: Terry Fletcher
Notes: Flying Fortress is displayed in the Bomber Hall Collection at RAF Museum at Hendon

24 June 2013

Photographer: Arjun Sarup
Notes: On display at RAF Museum Hendon in the markings of 332nd BS, 94th BG(H) based at Bury St. Edmunds.