B-17 Flying Fortress captured

[pampa14]

During WW2, several B-17 Flying Fortress were captured by German and Japanese forces. The first B-17 to come under Japanese control was an B-17D which was pieced together from the remnants of other destroyed B-17Ds on Clark Field in the Philippines. The same thing was done to two B-17Es on Bandung Field on Java.


The Luftwaffe captured several dozen of Fortress and they could use as many as seven Fortress. Five of them were B-17F version and two others were B-17G planes. The following link presents a small compilation of photos of the some these planes captured in Japanese and German markings:


aviacaoemfloripa.blogspot.com.br/2011/02/fortalezas-voadoras-capturadas.html



Hope you enjoy and I count on your visit!

[komata]

pampa14

Thanks for the images. We tend to forget that both sides of a conflict capture examples of the opposition's equipment, and that the Japanese did this as much as anyone else. This is something that is rarely considered, so it was nice to see the B-17's in japanese ownership. The image of the Japanese B-17E and the Curtis-Wright fighter (type number now un-recalled), is especially interesting, as I notice that the CW is the focus of attention rather than the B-17 or 'harvard' variant that are nearby. The  CW was probably one of the Dutch East Indies machines supplied before the 'Japanese' conflict commenced. 

BTW: The Luftwaffe used several of their 'Forts for clandestine operations as part of KG-200, a 'mystery' organisation which doesn't seem to be well documented.

[nuuumannn]

Interesting images.

The image of the Japanese B-17E and the Curtis-Wright fighter (type number now un-recalled), is especially interesting, as I notice that the CW is the focus of attention rather than the B-17 or 'harvard' variant that are nearby.

Yes indeed, Komata. The Curtiss Wright fighter is a CW-21B and the two-seater to its left is a CW-22 two-seat trainer version of the former, as opposed to a 'Harvard' variant. Both of these were formerly operated by the Netherlands East Indies Army Air Corps. Sweet little aeroplanes, the single-seater was designed along the same light weight philosophy as Japanese interceptors had a better rate of climb than both the Ki-43 and A6M.

The B-17 with the Swastika high up its fin, wearing the tail number (4)124585 is a B-17F named "Wulfe Hound" and was the first to be captured by the Germans. It was used extensively by them for fighter affiliation trials. It's the aircraft with the German codes DL+XC.

Komata, if you are looking for a book on KG 200, you won't do much better than Hikoki Publications' book KG 200, the Luftwaffe's most secret unit by Geoffrey Thomas and Barry Ketley. undoubtedly the best English language book on the subject and well worth getting your paws on. It's well worth hunting down a copy.

www.amazon.com/KG-200-Luftwaffes-Most-Secret/dp/1902109333

[komata]

Thanks for the positive a/s identification nuuumannn. I knew that someone would know. The 'trainer' had me puzzled,as the Dutch didn't operate them in Java and the only other source was perhaps a USAAC machine from the Philippines... A guess; thanks.

Thanks too for the book title; I'll follow that one up.

[nuuumannn]

No worries, Komata, the book is definitely worth getting hold of; you won't be disappointed. Some of the images in Pampa's website of the Forts can be seen in the book, not the Japanese ones, of course!