Trying to ID Specific Aircraft...

adambhoy · Sep 19, 2018

Hi All--

Trying to ID this particular B-17G by the number 2462 on the nose (and by extension, the crew) and figure out what BG/BS it served in. I'm not an expert--does the number on the nose correspond to the last four of the tail number? Or was this a squadron-specific number somehow with no connection to the A/C number?

What's the "8902" on the placard in front of the men? A crew number? Is there anywhere to research that?

Looks like the cowlings are a different color than the fuselage--red perhaps?

Based on the unis I'd guess ETO.

Pic attached.

TIA
Adam

lwd · Sep 19, 2018

Looking at:
Boeing B-17 serial numbers
the 8902 could be the C/n of the aircaraft as it corresponds to:

B-17G-75BO 43-37874 / 43-38073 8852 / 9051
Click to expand...

This site:
1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-30032 to 42-39757)
has the following looking at 2462

]31572 (91st BG, 401st BS) lost Feb 21, 1944, Germany. MACR 2462
Click to expand...

Not an expert so may or may not be related.
B-17 Serial Numbers From 1942 All US Military A/C S/N's 1908 to Present
might also be of some use.
*** edit for ***
It lead to this site:
USASC-USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Military Aircraft Serial Numbers--1908 to Present
Which contained:

...
The lack of a readily-visible serial number on Army aircraft began to be a serious problem, and on October 28, 1941, shortly after the USAAF had been formed, an order was given that numbers of no less that 4 digits would be painted on the tail fin of all Army aircraft (where feasible) in a size large enough to be seen from at least 150 yards away. This was officially called the radio call number, but was almost universally known as the tail number. Since military aircraft were at that time not expected to last more than ten years, the first digit of the fiscal year number was omitted in the tail number as was the AC prefix and the hyphen. For example, Curtiss P-40B serial number 41-5205 had the tail number 15205 painted on its tail fin, Curtiss P-40K serial number 42-11125 had the tail number 211125 painted on the fin, and P-51B 42-106559 had 2106559 painted on the tail. Since the Army (later Air Force) used the last four digits of the tail number as a radio call sign, for short serial numbers (those less than 100), the tail number was expanded out to four digits by adding zeros in front of the sequence number. For example, 41-38 would have the tail number written as 1038.

Consequently, in most situations for a World War II-era aircraft where the tail number is visible, you can deduce the serial number simply by putting a dash after the first digit, prefixing a 4, and you automatically have the serial number. Unfortunately, there were many deviations from these rules--there are examples in which only the last 4 or 5 digits were painted on the tail, which makes identification of the aircraft particularly difficult. ...
Click to expand...

This book might also be prove useful:
https://www.amazon.com/B-17-Nose-Art-Name-Directory/dp/1580072259

In any case our experts should be along shortly to tell you where I've gone wrong.
Hopefully you'll succeed. Let us know if you find the info elsewhere pls.

mcoffee · Sep 19, 2018

The numbers on the nose are most likely the last 4 of the s/n as was common on training aircraft. The crew photo was probably taken stateside so the aircraft probably did not go overseas with the crew. A likely candidate is 42-102462, B-17G-50-BO. 42-102462 | American Air Museum in Britain

The 8902 on the placard is probably a reference for the photographer to match the photo with his notes on the crew. I have seen a few where it was a crew number but those usually read "Crew XXXX" rather than just the bare number.

lwd · Sep 19, 2018

mcoffee is one of the experts I was referring to on this sort of thing.

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Trying to ID Specific Aircraft...

adambhoy Member

lwd Ace

mcoffee Son-of-a-Gun(ner)

lwd Ace

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