An ex colleague has passed on a photo of a converted B-17 to me, I reproduce it here with his permission.
The photo was taken circa 1950 at RAF Negombo/Colombo airport, he informs me it was owned by an American newspaper millionaire who for some apparent reason was anti-British.
Can anyone throw anylight on this particular aircraft or who may have owned it and its subsequent demise or even survival.
By: Arabella-Cox - 13th May 2004 at 15:46
Wow, that was quick, thank you so much!
By: aerovin - 13th May 2004 at 15:20
44-85507 was purchased from surplus stocks at Altus, Oklahoma, in June 1947 for $5400 by the Chicago Tribune, and was converted to an executive configuration for use by Robert McCormick, owner of the newspaper. It was flown overseas a number of times. It was sold to the Mark Hurd Mapping Company on June 16, 1952, and was on contract for mapping with the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission when it crashed in Nevada.
By: paulmcmillan - 13th May 2004 at 08:49
Found it
http://www.aerovintage.com/b17list.htm
44-85507 B-17G-95-VE 44-85507, N5116N Destroyed, 10th November 52 in Nevada
with Mark Hurd Mapping Company
By: paulmcmillan - 13th May 2004 at 08:44
Post on the aero vintage web site message board
Scott Thompson (who runs it) is the authority on civil B-17’s and survivors
http://www.aerovintage.com//forum/viewforum.php?f=1
Paul
Sign In
May 13, 2004 at 8:07 am