One of the most formidable aerial weapons unleashed by the U.S. military during the Second World War was the B-17 Flying Fortress, a bomber that could absorb a great deal of punishment from the enemy, yet was still difficult to bring down. Thousands were manufactured during the war, but only a few of them remain, including one currently being rebuilt in Illinois. Another one, a B-17E issue under reconstruction by Vintage Airframes in Seattle, is reportedly 80 percent complete. That restoration project is so far along that World Jet Inc., the current owners of the aircraft, are already seeking buyers for the plane once it finally rolls out of the repair hangar. But be prepared to shell out at least $9 million if you're interested in owning a piece of war history.
Combat-Ready In 1942
To be fair, however, this particular bomber may have been combat-ready when it was built in 1942, but it never saw any action. By 1945, when the war in Europe was shifting in favor of Allied forces, this B-17E was still being tested and subsequently relegated as a training aircraft. Speculation has it that the plane was even likely used in instruction videos produced by the Disney film studio.
Had it seen active duty, this Flying Fortress was well-equipped for the task of inflicting heavy damage on the opposition. It featured two heavy-duty gun turrets occupied by twin 0.50-caliber machine guns, one sitting on the fuselage with the other perched on the bottom of the plane. It also had a storage bay strong enough to carry a payload of up to 8,000 lbs. of bombs.
From U.S. Bomber To Bolivian 'El Tigre'
This plane's history was far more colorful after the war, however. It was first donated to the University of Minnesota as a classroom for potential pilots, then found its way to Canada, where an aviation company used the B-17E for photography junkets as part of a number of aerial survey contracts starting in 1955.
In 1962, the B-17E was sold to a company in Bolivia, where it went into service as a food cargo plane. Several years later, the plane that the locals called "El Tigre" was showing a great deal of wear and tear. One flight resulted in the plane damaging its landing gear in 1974. Two years later, during a landing at San Borje, "El Tigre" crashed.
12,000 Hours Of Service
With considerable damage to the engines and fuselage, the plane was used for parts to service other B-17s until it was finally salvaged. Once the work in Seattle is completed, this Flying Fortress will likely continue to enjoy a legacy of peacetime service, especially after logging more than 12,000 hours in the air.
Source: Platinum Fighters