How many B-17D aircraft did Boeing make?

[Guest]

WARNING: This is a trick question, and the correct answer is not "... the ultimate answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything ..." :thinking:

Philosophically yours,

John

[spanner570]

42.....18 B17-C's were converted to the D spec. later.

Go on then John, I'll buy it! What's the trick?

Cheers,

Ron

[flyjoe180]

I thought the trick might have been that the D models were built by Douglas or Vega, but a check online shows 42 were built by Boeing in Seattle only.

[spanner570]

Joe, that was my first thought too.....on the face of it, it does seem too easy doesn't it?

I guess we'll have to wait a while 'till John lets us all know the 'correct' answer.....

Ron.

[Guest]

It was almost said right; Boeing made B-17C's basically, and the USAAF liked the last group of 42, primarily for their superior engines and better electrical wiring than the previous group on the contract. They were originally commissioned as B-17C's; so technically, Boeing did not make any B-17D's; they were created by the stroke of an Army pen with a status upgrade to B-17D. The T.O. 01-20ED-1 is technically the status upgrade which created the B-17D, and it's called (without the all caps, which does not look good without the correct font):

Handbook

of

Operation and Flight Instructions

for the

Model B-17D Bombardment Airplane

Manufactured by

Boeing Aircraft Company

Seattle, Washington

Contract W535 AC-13257, Specification Type C-212, Model C-212-4.

That T.O. did not come out until October 1, 1941, months after most if not all of the last 42 B-17C's were accepted and commissoned; the "Swooze" as it would be named by mid-1942, was amongst the group that flew en-mass to the Phillipines in May, 1941. The previous group of C's had to be given 'R' for restricted status, so under T.O. 01-20EC-2 became RB-17D (although I have the contractor's preliminary copy, not the release, so the title page refers to B-17C.). They could not be given "RB-17C" status as that was taken previously by the B-17B, 01-20EB-1; increment the last digit and it would be the number, in this case, for the contractor's preliminary for restricted conversion to RB-17C.

The B-17D status upgrade is the only one that did not involve a downgrade of the weapons systems, or any changes to the delivered aircraft. The original aircraft were flown with the 01-20EC-1 handbook, which would not cover the changes of course.

HTH John

[flyjoe180]

You learn something every day. Interesting info there John, cheers mate.