Skull Leader Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 So my (long departed) grandfather in law was in the navy in WWII and evidently worked on a B-17. The photo in my grandmother in laws album shows what is clearly a B-17G with the nose scanner radar instead of the chin turret... but has all other guns and turrets installed (at least the dorsal one, and it has cheek guns). The aircraft is NMF and not blue (which I thought was weird). So... is this a navy SB-17G? Some other bastardized configuration? My father in law wants a model of the aircraft, but I can't extrapolate a lot from this photo. Anyone able to help? It's a pacific theater aircraft if that helps. Thanks guys! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joe Hegedus Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 The Navy did get some B-17Gs (redesignated the PB-1 when in Navy service). As far as I know, they were received in natural metal and had the nose turret replaced with a radar. The ball turret may have been removed as well but I won't commit to that. After the war, at least some had a belly-mounted radar (like that on the AD-5W or TBM-3W) and were painted blue. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skull Leader Posted July 13, 2023 Author Share Posted July 13, 2023 Thanks, Joe. Don't suppose you have an image somewhere that shows what the rest of the markings on a NMF Navy B-17G would look like? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joe Hegedus Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 Sorry, no, I don't have any images of Navy PB-1s in that scheme. There are several images of USCG PB-1Gs, but those don't have any of the turrets installed (the typically have an ADF "football" where the top turret would have been) and also usually have a lifeboat carried on the belly for SAR work. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
barkin mad Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 Some B-17's were fitted with H2X radar in place of the ball turret, it wouldn't be that mounted in place of the chin turret, would it? instead of the ball turret. I know that the RAF certainly had the H2s radar dome mounted in much the same place under the nose. ----------- Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Buckmeister Posted July 15, 2023 Share Posted July 15, 2023 I think all of the PB-1Gs that had the radome in the nose like that were Coast Guard birds. The Navy’s B-17s were PB-1Ws with the big radome in the belly, used for early AEW platforms. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skull Leader Posted July 17, 2023 Author Share Posted July 17, 2023 On 7/15/2023 at 1:46 PM, Buckmeister said: I think all of the PB-1Gs that had the radome in the nose like that were Coast Guard birds. The Navy’s B-17s were PB-1Ws with the big radome in the belly, used for early AEW platforms. Hmmm. What is the likelihood of a Navy wrench-monkey working on someone else's bird while stationed on saipan? Would the coast guard have kept rescue birds out there? What about the USAAC? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skull Leader Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 Mystery solved: he worked on a B-17H! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnEB Posted July 24, 2023 Share Posted July 24, 2023 I was not aware the Navy operated B-17Hs...I have found no record of that. (The B-17H was a lifeboat equipped rescue version. It was soon redesignated SB-17.) Maybe he was "loaned" to an AAF SAR unit on the island?I That would account for the type and lack of the usual Navy finish. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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