B-17G 44-85718 was sent to Europe in 1945
and was in the replacement depot when the war in Europe ended. No longer
needed by the USAAF it was sold as surplus to the Institute Geographique
National in France. It was used by the French government for aerial mapping
in South America and Africa. The aircraft was then sold to warbird collectors
in England and changed ownership throughout the 70s and 80s.
In 1986 the Lone Star Flight Museum acquired
the aircraft and it was flown back to Houston. The Museum spent 25,000
hours to restore the aircraft between 1987 and 1991. In 1992, Thunderbird
won "Best Bomber" at the annual gathering in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and in
1993 earned the prestigious award for "Best B-17." Thunderbird regularly
flies at the Lone Star flight Museum's flying events and across the nation.
If you have any comments or have found information on my page that
is incorrect, please e-mail
me! If you know of a surviving B-17 that is not on my page, please let
me know!
