In World War II B-17 Flying Fortresses filled the skies in all parts of the world. And after the war they continued to be seen in the same skies, used not for bombing, but for mail delivery, passengers, freight, fire fighting, aerial mapping and all sorts of other tasks. Most of the surviving Forts, however, came home from the war only to disappear at the hands of the salvagers. Only a handful escaped the bomber bone yard. And currently, this number is 48. This comes courtesy of the "B-17 Co-Op" a voluntary, informal association of persons involved with the restoration of the B-17 aircraft, with special thanks to 398th friend Tommy Garcia of Alvin, Texas. Of these 48, only 13 are currently on flying status, such as the 457th's own Sentimental Journey, sponsored by the Confederate Air Force. No more than 23 are on static display, proudly showing off at various sites around the world. Then there are a dozen others in various shapes -- some in hulk form, some in the process of being restored and others still out there to be found and brought home.

FLYING DISPLAY

SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY - Confederate Air Force, Arizona Wing, Mesa, AZ. Paint - 457th Bomb Grp.

ALUMINUM OVERCAST - EAA Aviation Foundation, Oshkosh, WI. Paint - 398th Bomb Grp.

CHUCKIE - Vintage Flying Museum, Meacham Field, Fort Worth, TX. Paint - 486th Bomb Group

NINO-O-NINE - Collings Foundation, Stow, MA Paint - Orig. 91st Bomb Group (Sister ship to Sentimental Journey)

FUDDY DUDDY - National Warplane Museum, Elmira, New York. Paint - 457th Bomb Group

PINK LADY - Forteresse Toujours Volante, Cerny, France. Paint - 351st Bomb Group

SHADY LADY - Evergreen Vintage Aircraft, Inc., McMinnville, OR. Paint - 34th Bomb Group

TEXAS RAIDERS - Confederate Air Force, Gulf Coast Wing, Houston, TX. Paint - 381st Bomb Group

THUNDERBIRD - Lone Star Flight Museum, Galveston, TX. Paint - 303rd Bomb Group

YANKEE LADY - Yankee Air Force, Belleville, MI Paint - 381st Bomb Group

MISS ANGELA - Palm Springs Air Museum, Palm Springs, CA. Paint - 34th Bomb Group

SALLY B - American Air Museum, Imperial War Museum, Duxford, England. Paint - 447th BG

MEMPHIS BELLE II - Military Air Restoration Corporation, Chino, CA. Paint - 91st BG

STORAGE/RESTORATION

PICCADILLY LILLY II - Planes of Fame Museum, Chino, CA. Paint - 91st Bomb Group

SUZY Q - Fantasy of Flight, Kissimmee, Florida

DESERT RAT - Mike Kellner, Marengo, Illinois. Paint - 97th Bomb Group

SWOOSE - National Air & Space Museum, Washington, D.C. Paint - 11th Bomb Group

BOEING BEE - Museum of Flight, Seattle, WA Paint - 91st Bomb Group

FIVE ENGINE - Tom Reilly, Kissimmee, Florida

MY GAL SAL - LSI Industries, Cincinnati,Ohio

SWAMP GHOST - A B-17 partially submerged in swamp area near Papua, New Guinea

NO NAME - Musee €™ de I €™Air, LeBourget, France

NO NAME - Museum Aerospacial, Rio de Janiero, Brazil

NO NAME - Vintage Wings, Arlington, Washington

NO NAME - Fantasy of Flight, Polk City, Florida.

B-17 "hulk"-partial airframe used for parts

NO NAME - Abandoned B-17 in Newfoundland, Canada

STATIC DISPLAY

HEAVEN'S ABOVE - USAF History & Tradition Museum, Lackland AFB, San Antonio, TX. Paint - 457th BG

MEMPHIS BELLE - Memphis Belle Memorial Association, Memphis, Tennessee. Paint - 91st Bomb Group

I'LL BE AROUND - 390th Memorial Museum Foundation, Pima Air Museum, Tucson, AZ. Paint - 390th BG

RELUCTANT DRAGON - Texas Museum of Military History, Dyess AFB, TX. Paint - 96th Bomb Group

GREMLIN'S HIDEOUT - USAF Armament Museum, Eglin AFB, FL. Paint - 388th Bomb Group

YANKEE DOODLE II - 8th Air Force Museum, Barksdale AFB, LA. Paint - 303rd Bomb Group

MARY ALICE - Imperial War Museum, Duxford, England. Paint - 401st Bomb Group

MISS LIBERTY BELLE - Grissom AFB Heritage Museum foundation, Kokomo, IN. Paint - 350th Bomb Grp.

SLEEPYTIME GAL - USAF Museum/DRC, Dover AFB, DE. Paint - 381st Bomb Group

SHORT BIER - Hill Aerospace Museum, Hill AFB, Utah. Paint - 493rd Bomb Group

AMVETS - American Veterans Memorial, Tulare, CA. Paint - 379th Bomb Group

VIRGIN'S DELIGHT - Castle Air Museum, Castle AFB CA Paint - 94th Bomb Group

RETURN TO GLORY - March Field Air Museum, March Field AFB, CA. Paint - 97th Bomb Group

HOME SICK ANGEL - USAF Offut AFB, NE Paint - 388th Bomb Group

SHOO SHOO SHOO BABY - USAF Museum/DRC Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. Paint - 91st BG

BOMBER GAS STATION - Jayson Scott. Milwaukee, OR NO NAME PLANES: Strategic Air Command Museum, Ashland, NE. Paint - 96th Bomb Group

Forca Aerea Brasilia, Base Aerea De Receife, Brz RAF Bomber Command, Hendon War Museum, England. Paint - 94th Bomb Group Fantasy of Flight, Kissimmee, Florida.