B-17G Flying Fortress (GU2002) | Guillow's Plane Kits- Historic Ships

Description

B-17G Flying Fortress (GU2002)

B-17G-95-DL “Flying Fortress” No. 44-83690 is a historic B-17 Flying Fortress Heavy bomber located at the Aviation Museum, Grissom Air Force Base in Pipe Creek Township, Miami County, Indiana. It was built by the Douglas Aircraft Company and delivered for use on May 9, 1945. It was flown to Grissom Air Force Base for display as a museum piece in 1961, and subsequently restored.

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993. It was moved to the Museum of Aviation in Warner Robins, Georgia in August 2015.

44-83690 is a G-series B-17, Flying Fortress, delivered on May 9, 1945 to Patterson AFB (Ohio), 4100 Base Unit, and put into storage. On November 14, 1945, it was assigned to Air Material Command, 4168 Base Unit in South Plains Field, Texas. In June 1947, it was again transferred to Air Material Command, 4141 Base Unit, Pyote Field, Texas.

In July 1950, it was fitted with special equipment and redesignated as a DB-17G (Director B-17G). The conversion was completed at Olmstead Air Force Base, Pennsylvania. Once converted, it was transferred to the 3200 Drone Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. In February 1951, 44-83690 sent to Kwajalein, Enewetak (Marshall Islands) and assigned to the 3200 Proof Test Wing as participation in Operation Greenhouse, a series of nuclear tests for the Atomic Energy Commission.

In May 1951, it was once more transferred, to Patrick Air Force Base in Florida, where it was assigned to the 3205 Drone Group, 3215 Drone Squadron. Enhanced in 1955, the craft was redesignated DB-17 to serve in the 3235th Drone Squadron, Missile Test Center, Patrick AFB from 1956 to 1959. As one of the last active B-17s, it was removed from the Air Force inventory in August 1960 and in 1961, flown to Grissom Air Force Base (then known as Bunker Hill) for permanent display.

The Heritage Museum Foundation, established in 1981 as part of the Air Force Museum Program, maintains 44-83690.[5] In 2015 the aircraft was moved to the Museum of Aviation at Robins AFB, Georgia and is currently undergoing a lengthy restoration.

B-17G Flying Fortress (GU2002)

Scale: 1:28

Wing Span: 45.75 inches

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Additional information

Weight	5 lbs

Brand

Guillow’s

Sometimes, even an Historic Ship Modeler needs to take a break and build something different, which is why we carry a range of balsa airplane kits from Paul K. Guillow, Inc., an American manufacturer that has been making these kits since 1926.

From the Fokker triplane to the Sopwith Camel of WWI to the P-51 Mustang and P-38 Lightning of WWII to the modern day F-15 Eagle fighter jet, you will find that our balsa airplane models appeal to both the young and the “young at heart”. Who doesn’t remember those shiny red propellers on a favorite toy airplane!

Note that many Guillows kits are designed for flight, but many are for display only. Be sure to check the kit descriptions to make sure you get what you’re expecting.