I believe it is real, modified to test that new engine, which appears to be powering the aircraft all by itself. Hopefully someone like @mccoffee can confirm exactly what it is. Landing gear is a good point and might explain why the B-17 - a tail-sitter - was used rather than something like a -24 with tricycle gear.
From Wiki . . . "B-17 modified for testing of the XT-34 turboprop. When testing concluded, the aircraft was restored to stock configuration as the "Liberty Belle", but was lost in a post-forced-landing fire near Oswego, Illinois on 13 June 2011."
Someone's daydream turned nightmare. Delivered to USAAF as 44-85734. Esperado Mining Co., Altus, OK, June 25, 1947. - Sold to Esperado as scrap. Pratt & Whitney Engines, Hartford, CT, November 19, 1947-1967. - Purchased for $2,700 - Registered as N5111N. - Civil conversion by Boeing, Settle, 1948. - Converted for use as engine test bed with 5th engine in nose. — Used for development of P&W T34 & T64T urboprops. Bradley Air Museum, Windsor Locks, CT, June 16, 1967-1981 - Badly damaged by Tornado, October 3, 1979. New England Air Museum, CT 1981-1987. - Wreck stored. Tom Reilly Vintage Aircraft, Kissimee, FL 1987-1999. - Stored Windsor Locks, CT til 1992. - Being rebuilt to flying condition. - Initially named Outhouse Mouse. Randsburg Corp, Portland, OR, July 13, 1999-2001. - Registered as N817BR. Don Brooks/The Liberty Foundation, Atlanta, GA, 2003-2011. - Restored to airworthy at Tom Reilly Vintage Aircraft. - Returned to the air on December 8, 2004 at 2:40pm and 12 seconds. - Suffered in-flight fire & forced to make an emergency landing in field, Oswego, Il June 13, 2011. -- Landing successful and crew and passangers evacuated the aircraft which was subsequently consumed by fire. Source(s): Chapman, John & Goodall, Geoff, Edited by Paul Coggan - Warbirds Directory,Warbirds Worldwide Ltd., Mansfield, England, 1989. Goodall, Geoff - Warbirds Directory-4th Edition, 2003. Photo Source(s): Chuck Gardner/Warbirds Resource Group Bill Shuerman Scott Rose/Warbirds Resource Group Henry Rose/Warbirds Resource Group Research Assistance: - WARBIRD REGISTRY > B-17 FLYING FORTRESS REGISTRY > PREVIOUS PAGE ADDITIONAL RESOURCE CENTERS:
It’s for real gents. Here’s the description that goes with the pic. “Boeing 299Z five-engine B-17G test bed was flown by Pratt and Whitney Aircraft from the late 1940s to the mid 1960s. The turboprop under test was sufficient to keep the bomber aloft with all other engines stopped.”
