B17 Nine-O-Nine cockpit v1 Digital Art by John Straton

B17 Nine-O-Nine cockpit v1

by John Straton

Canvas Print

$75

Framed Print

$93

Art Print

$22

Poster

$22

Metal Print

$81

Acrylic Print

$89

Wood Print

$61

Tapestry

$41

Throw Pillow

$31

Fleece Blanket

$53

Duvet Cover

$110

Shower Curtain

$83

Bath Towel

$40

Jigsaw Puzzle

$38

Tote Bag

$31

Weekender Tote Bag

$48

Zip Pouch

$30

Portable Battery Charger

$54

Yoga Mat

$65

Greeting Card

$4.95

Spiral Notebook

$15

Sticker

$3.50

iPhone Case

$27

Beach Towel

$40

Round Beach Towel

$75

Weekender Tote Bag

$48

Coffee Mug

$14

Men's Clothing

$33

Women's Clothing

$33

Youth Clothing

$29

Toddler Clothing

$27

Baby Clothing

$31

Title

B17 Nine-O-Nine cockpit v1

Artist

John Straton

Medium

Digital Art - Photograph

Description

Nine-O-Nine was a Boeing B-17G-30-BO Flying Fortress heavy bomber, of the 323rd Bomb Squadron, 91st Bomb Group, that completed 140 combat missions during World War II, believed to be the Eighth Air Force record for most missions, without loss to the crews that flew it.
The original aircraft, a block 30 B-17G manufactured by Boeing, was nicknamed after the last three digits of her serial number: 42-31909. Nine-0-Nine was added to the USAAF inventory on December 15, 1943, and flown overseas on February 5, 1944. After depot modifications, she was delivered to the 91st BG at RAF Bassingbourn, England, on February 24, 1944, as a replacement aircraft, one of the last B-17s received in factory-applied camouflage paint.[1]

A former navigator of the 91st BG, Marion Havelaar, reported in his history of the group that Nine-O-Nine completed either 126 or 132 consecutive missions without aborting for mechanical reasons, also believed to be a record.[2] M/Sgt. Rollin L. Davis, maintenance line chief of the bomber, received the Bronze Star for his role in achieving the record.

Her first bombing raid was on Augsburg, Germany, on February 25, 1944. She made 18 bombing raids on Berlin. In all she flew 1,129 hours and dropped 562,000 pounds of bombs. She had 21 engine changes, four wing panel changes, 15 main gas tank changes, and 18 changes of Tokyo tanks (long-range fuel tanks).[3]

After the hostilities ceased in Europe, Nine-O-Nine was returned to the United States on June 8, 1945, and was consigned to the RFC facility at Kingman, Arizona on December 7, 1945, and eventually scrapped.
B-17G-85-DL, 44-83575, civil registration N93012, owned and flown by The Collings Foundation, Stow, Massachusetts, currently appears at airshows marked as the historic Nine-O-Nine.

The Collings Flying Fortress was built at Long Beach, CA by the Douglas Aircraft Company and accepted on April 7, 1945. Although she was too late for combat, #44-83575 did serve air-sea rescue duties as part of the Air/Sea 1st Rescue Squadron and later in the Military Air Transport Service.

In April 1952, #44-83575 was instrumented and subjected to the effects of three different nuclear explosions. After a thirteen-year "cool down" period, #44-83575 was sold as part of an 800-ton scrap pile and Aircraft Specialties Company began the restoration of the aircraft.

Damaged skin was fabricated and replaced on site; engines and props were stripped, cleaned, repaired, and tested; four thousand feet of new control cable was installed; all electrical wiring and instrumentation was replaced.

For twenty years, without a major problem or incident, #44-83575 served as a fire bomber dropping water and borate on forest fires. She was sold in January 1986 to the Collings Foundation. Restored back to her original wartime configuration by Tom Reilly Vintage Aircraft, she represented one of the finest B-17 restorations and won several awards.