WIX Archives
Re: Miss Angela
Posted by Ryan Keough on Thu Mar 06, 2003 04:27:46 PM
In reply top Re: Miss Angela posted by Rob Mears on Thu Mar 06, 2003 03:44:40 PM
Here is a summary of post-service history for B-17G s/n 44-85778. Information attributed to Final Cut: The Post-War B-17 Flying Fortress: The Survivors by Scott A. Thompson. The book is a great resource and read and can be found at www.aerovintage.com
August 14, 1959 - Purchased by the Ace Smelting Co. for $2889 as surplus & registered as N3509G
Sept. 20, 1960 - Sold to Sonora Flying Svce. of Columbia, CA on and slated for tanker conversion. Company went out of business and a/c was sold.
May 25, 1961 - Sold to Leo Demers of Madras, OR. Demers converted it to a sprayer/fire bomber as of April 1962
April 29, 1966 - Sold to Aero Union of Chico, CA as Tanker 97
June 2, 1972 - Sold to William Dempsey, operating Central Air Services in Wenatchee, WA. Became Tanker 42 and flew as tanker in WA state. 5021 hrs on airframe by 8/73.
July 6, 1978 - Sold to Western Aviation Contractors, became Tanker 102.
June 15, 1981 - Sold to aircraft broker Westernaire Inc. of Albuquerque, NM. Trade-a-Plane ad run in July 1981 listing a/c for sale for $325,000.
May 28, 1982 - Purchased by Aircraft Component Equipment Supplies (ACES) of Klamath Falls, OR. Moved to Mojave, CA and stored with Wally McDonald.
Moved in early 1983 to Stockton, CA to restore aircraft for documentary filming in Hawaii. Plan fell through and restoration stopped. Stored for 10 years and some parts used by Aero Nostalgia (Jim Ricketts) to form components for other restorations.
Aircraft became embroiled in a very complex lawsuit and settlement claim action as ACES supposedly used the B-17 and a P-51 in their hands to secure a loan. Attempted seizure by US Marshalls in July 1990, but ACES quickly transferred ownership to another person on July 20, 1990 to avoid seizure. Sold at some point during this to Florida Aircraft Leasing Corp.
March 21, 1991 - Sold to Air-Srv Inc. of Houston, TX with affiliation with Robert Waltrip. Don Whittington of World Jet also had a stake in this purchase through a possible partnership. Restored to flying condition in Stockton, CA.
October 1991 - Featured at Museum of Flying of Santa Monica, CA Aircraft Auction as "Miss Museum of Flying". No sale announced at auction. Rumors surfaced in 1992 that 44-85778 would be going to Warbirds of Great Britain, but sale never made.
April 21, 1993 - Purchased by Bob Pond and became Miss Angela. Flown to Mesa, AZ for corrosion prevention and other maintenance by Gosshawk Aviation at Falcon Field and flown back to Palm Springs, CA where 44-85778 is now on display.
: What's the post-service history on this bird? Is this one
: of the B-17's that came from the fire bomber auction in t
: he late 1980's?
Click here to order the book "Final Cut"