Wuligal Loc: Slippery Rock, Pa.

Original B17 909
Nine-O-Nine was a Boeing B-17G-30-BO Flying Fortress heavy bomber, of the 323rd Bomb Squadron, 91st Bomb Group, that completed 140 combat missions during World War II, believed to be the Eighth Air Force record for most missions, without loss to the crews that flew it.

Service history
The original aircraft, a block 30 B-17G manufactured by Boeing, was nicknamed after the last three digits of her serial number: 42-31909. Nine-0-Nine was added to the USAAF inventory on December 15, 1943, and flown overseas on February 5, 1944. After depot modifications, she was delivered to the 91st BG at RAF Bassingbourn, England, on February 24, 1944, as a replacement aircraft, one of the last B-17s received in factory-applied camouflage paint.

A former navigator of the 91st BG, Marion Havelaar, reported in his history of the group that Nine-O-Nine completed either 126 or 132 consecutive missions without aborting for mechanical reasons, also believed to be a record. M/Sgt. Rollin L. Davis, maintenance line chief of the bomber, received the Bronze Star for his role in achieving the record.

Her first bombing raid was on Augsburg, Germany, on February 25, 1944. She made 18 bombing raids on Berlin. In all she flew 1,129 hours and dropped 562,000 pounds of bombs. She had 21 engine changes, four wing panel changes, 15 main gas tank changes, and 18 changes of Tokyo tanks (long-range fuel tanks).

After the hostilities ceased in Europe, Nine-O-Nine was returned to the United States on June 8, 1945, and was consigned to the RFC facility at Kingman, Arizona on December 7, 1945, and eventually scrapped.
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I had the good fortune to take a short flight on the Nine-O-Nine yesterday.

Dr.Nikon Loc: Honolulu Hawaii

What a B-17 story .. and backed up by pics .., wow .. thnx ...

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Very nice!

NMGal Loc: NE NM

What a Grand Old Lady.

fbeaston Loc: Vermont

Great bird ... great story ... great photos. Thanks for sharing.

Jbrustrom

Was that in Butler PA? Because I went to the Collings Foundation airshow in Jamestown to see those aircraft. My late uncle was a tail gunner in the B17 while my late dad was a belly gunner in a B24, which was also at the airshow.

Wuligal Loc: Slippery Rock, Pa.

Yes, it was at the Butler airport. I met so many great people that had a connection to those planes including 92 year old Bob Butker who was a tail gunner on a B-17 at the age of 18. It was an amazing day that made me remember that my life is so easy today because of all the brave courageous people that came before me.

rick_n_wv Loc: Charleston WV

Loved the pictures and the back story. A great reminder of why we has liberty today. Thanks for sharing.

Wuligal Loc: Slippery Rock, Pa.

Thanbk you everyone for caring and sharing.

J-SPEIGHT Loc: Akron, Ohio

Nice set of images.

billgran

3 years ago I splurged and rode in "Aluminum Overcast", another restored and flying B-17. The creaks and groans of the airframe, the vibrations, and the rumble of the engines were awesome to the senses.

I did leave the aircraft with a new-found appreciation of what our fathers and grandfathers went through and had to endure during wartime. No insulation, no pressurization, exposed control wires, and no heating of the interior must have made the missions miserable at high altitudes, not to mention the claustrophobic conditions for the tail gunner and ball-gunner. Those 8, 10, and 12 hour long range missions tested everyone, I'm sure.

Thanks to the "greatest generation" for their sacrifices at home and overseas and for winning the war. A round of applause also goes out to those who keep history alive and flying while doing their best to make us "spoiled generations" to learn history and to appreciate what was accomplished by the generation before. May those grand old birds keep flying for many more years.

AirWalter Loc: Tipp City, Ohio

I'm a little confused. It says that She was scrapped at Kingman, AZ. Then you say you were lucky enough to take a ride on it. Is someone just using 909 on a rebuilt B-17 or something else? I worked with a very good friend at Wright Patterson Air Force Base who flew B-17s during the war, but He never talked about it much.

JoAnneK01 Loc: Lahaina, Hawaii

Such great photos and appreciate the dissertation/history. Mahalo for sharing.

jbk224 Loc: Long Island, NY

What a great story! And to get to fly is the icing on the cake. Thanks.

kerry12 Loc: Harrisburg, Pa.

Congratulations on your flight Very nice photos. I also flew on the Nine-o-Nine about 15 years ago. My father was a B17 pilot in the 91st.