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    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:44-83514 USAF
    Construction Number:32155
    Last Civil Registration:N9323Z
    Compressed ID:Boeing DB-17P sn 44-83514 USAF cn 3...
    Latest Owner or Location:American Airpower Heritage Fly Museu, Dallas, TX

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    Dates

    Event

    Circa March 1945

    Constructed as a B-17G-85-DL by Douglas at Long Beach, California, USA.

    13 March 1945

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Army Air Force with s/n 44-83514.

    March 1945

    Assigned to the Pacific Theater of Operations for the duration of WWII, then placed in Storage in Japan.

    18 September 1947

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Air Force with s/n 44-83514.

    Redesignated as RB-17G.

    Circa September 1947

    Transferred to Clark Field, Manila, Philippines.
    Assigned for photo-mapping.

    1950

    Transferred to Eglin Field, FL.

    1950

    Converted to a DB-17G.
    Converted for service in Air-Sea Rescue operations.

    Circa March 1951

    Transferred to 3215th Drone Squadron, Patrick AFB, FL.

    Circa March 1951

    Converted to a DB-17P.

    One of its important missions was Operation Greenhouse, the fourth postwar atmospheric nuclear weapon test series conducted by the United States during the spring of 1951. As a mother ship, the DB-17P directed unmanned, radio controlled B-17 drone aircraft to measure blast and thermal effects and to collect radioactive cloud samples. During the test, a drone aircraft would be taken off by ground control. A mother ship already airborne, would then come from behind, take control of the drone and fly it to the target area. (Wikipedia).

    27 January 1959

    Assigned to Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ for storage.

    From 31 July 1959 to 1960

    To Acme Aircraft Parts, Compton, CA with new c/r N9323Z.

    From November 1960 to 1962

    To Western Air Industries, Anderson, CA keeping c/r N9323Z.

    From November 1960 to December 1960

    Converted to fire Tanker.

    December 1960

    Operated as fire service #E17.

    From 6 June 1962 to 1978

    To Aero Union Corp., Redding, CA keeping c/r N9323Z.

    June 1962

    Operated as fire service #C17.

    By 15 September 1968

    Operated as fire service #17.

    15 September 1968


    Photographer: Ron Olsen

    1977

    Restored.
    Markings Applied: B, 44-83514
    Restored to military configuration at Chico, CA.

    October 1977


    Photographer: Geoff Goodall
    Notes: B-17 Fortresses were the mainstay of US heavy fire tankers in the 1960-70ss, and most went on to long lives as warbirds. N9323Z of Confederate Air Force seen in October 1977 was formerly Aero Unions tanker #C17

    From 17 January 1978 to 2015

    To Confederate Air Force, Mesa, AZ keeping c/r N9323Z.
    Markings added: Sentimental Journey, U, 483514, F

    6 October 1978


    Photographer: Peter Nicholson
    Notes: Flying Fortress Sentimental Journey of the Confederate Air Force in action at their 1978 Airshow at Harlingen, Texas.

    From 1981 to 1985

    Restored.
    Restored to full military configuration with turrets, operating bomb bay doors, radio and navigator positions, Norden bomb sight and machine guns.

    By July 1982

    Markings Applied: Sentimental Journey, U, 483514, F

    July 1982


    Photographer: Robert Bourlier
    Notes: Topeka, KS.

    July 1982


    Photographer: Robert Bourlier
    Notes: Topeka, KS.

    September 1982


    Photographer: Nick Taylor
    Notes: Taxiing at the 1982 National Chamionship Air Races in Reno, Nv.

    Circa August 1986


    Photographer: Larry Johnson
    Notes: I shot this as it was getting ready to take off in BOI from the cockpit of a B727 that I was flying.

    30 July 1987


    Photographer: Glenn Chatfield
    Notes: At DuPage Airport, West Chicago, IL

    30 July 1987


    Photographer: Glenn Chatfield
    Notes: At DuPage Airport, West Chicago, IL

    24 October 1988


    Photographer: Robert Abbott
    Notes: Photos were taken at Richmond International Airport (Byrd Field), Richmond Virginia in 1988

    3 July 1989


    Photographer: Glenn Chatfield
    Notes: At DuPage Airport, West Chicago, IL

    3 July 1989


    Photographer: Glenn Chatfield
    Notes: At DuPage Airport, West Chicago, IL

    10 September 1991

    To American Airpower Heritage Fly Museu, Midland, TX keeping c/r N9323Z.

    In the inventory of Commemorative Air Force Airpower Museum, Midland International Airport (MAF), Midland, TX.
    View the Location Dossier

    To Commemorative Air Force-Arizona Wing, Falcon Field, Phoenix, AZ.
    View the Location Dossier

    26 May 1999

    Certificate of airworthiness for NL9323Z (B-17G, 44-83514) issued.

    30 August 1999


    Photographer: Robert Abbott
    Notes: Photo was taken at Chesapeake Airport Air Show 1999. Virginia.

    22 August 2003


    Photographer: Glenn Chatfield
    Notes: At Cedar Rapids, IA airport

    6 August 2010


    Photographer: Mike Henniger
    Notes: Photographed at Thunder Over Michigan in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

    15 July 2012

    2 July 2013


    Photographer: Reinhard Zinab
    Notes: 2013 photo at Hamilton Airport, Canada

    January 2015

    To Commemorative Air Force, Midland, TX keeping c/r N9323Z.

    24 August 2015

    To American Airpower Heritage Fly Museu, Dallas, TX keeping c/r N9323Z.

    25 March 2018


    Photographer: Mike Henniger
    Notes: Photographed at the Los Angeles County Air Show at Fox Field in Lancaster, California.

    29 September 2018


    Photographer: Mike Henniger
    Notes: Salinas International Air Show in Salinas, CA.


    This dossier is waiting for review by an editor.This airframe dossier is based on
    unreviewed imported data.
    If you can verify the documented history or add to it with additional text and/or photos please feel free to do so by using the upload tool and the history editor.

    Credits
    Data for airframe dossiers come from various sources. The following were used to compile this dossier...

    Internet Sources
    Aerial Visuals - The Locator by Mike Henniger, Senior Editor
    Airbus, Boeing, Convair and Douglas Production List
    Federal Aviation Administration in the United States of America
    Warbirds Directory, 6th Edition (2013) by Geoff Goodall
    Wikipedia
    YouTube

    Individual Contributors
    Glenn Chatfield
    Terry Fletcher
    Mike Henniger

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