The Fortresses that were in the best condition were returned to the USAAF, but a number were retained as interim heavy bombers. Late in World War II, RAF and USAAF bombers that had been damaged in raids over the Reich would put down in Soviet-controlled territory rather than try to make it back to Western bases, and in April 1945 the Soviet Air Forces (VVS) issued a directive to its units in the field to report the location of any aircraft of its Western Allies that were in Soviet hands among the aircraft salvaged were a total of 73 B-17s. The Portuguese Air Force ( Força Aérea Portuguesa) operated five SB-17Gs as search-and-rescue planes from 1947 to 1960. The aircraft were mainly used in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, flown by 69 Squadron they were withdrawn in 1958 after seeing minor action in the 1956 Suez Crisis. The B-17s were generally unsuitable for the needs of the Israeli Air Force, and the nature of the conflict in which long-range bombing raids on large area targets were relatively unimportant-although the psychological impact of the raids was not lost on the enemy. They performed the mission (despite some of the crew fainting due to defective oxygen equipment), but caused little damage. On their delivery flight from Europe, in retaliation for Egyptian bombing raids on Tel Aviv, the aircraft were ordered to bomb King Farouk's Royal Palace in Cairo before continuing to Israel. A fourth plane was abandoned due to malfunctions and confiscated by American officials. Among the first aircraft acquired by the Israeli Air Force were three surplus American B-17s, smuggled via South America and Czechoslovakia to avoid an arms trading ban imposed by the United States. When Israel achieved statehood in 1948, the Israeli Air Force had to be assembled quickly to defend the new nation from the war it found itself almost immediately embroiled in. These captured aircraft were codenamed "Dornier Do 200", given German markings and used for clandestine spy and reconnaissance missions by the Luftwaffe - most often used by the Luftwaffe unit Kampfgeschwader 200, hence a likely possibility as a source for the "Do 200" codename.
Nazi Germany ĭuring World War II, after crash-landing or being forced down, approximately 40 B-17s were repaired and put back into the air by the Luftwaffe.
France įrench Air Force used one B-17F as an executive transport for Free-French General Marie Pierre Kœnig. Dominican Republic ĭominican Republic Air Force acquired two B-17Gs in 1947, remaining in use until 1954. In 1949, it was transferred to the Royal Danish Navy and in 1952 to the Royal Danish Air Force. One of these planes was transferred to the Danish Army Air Corps in 1948. Three B-17F and one B-17E were lost in crash with remaining two B-17E sold to Agentina in 1948 These civilian registered aircraft became transport/VIP in 1948, but parked after 1949 until being scrapped in 1964.ĭanish airline DDL bought two B-17s from Sweden in 1945. 168 Heavy Transport Squadron RCAF which operated out of RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario. Brazilian Air ForceĬanada received six Flying Fortresses (three B-17Es and three B-17Fs) which flew 240 trans-Atlantic mail flights from Canada to Canadian troops serving in Europe from 6 December 1943 to 27 December 1946. They were used by the 1º and 2º Esquadrões (1st and 2nd Squadrons) of 6º Grupo de Aviação (6th Aviation Group), based at Recife, for search and rescue and photo-reconnaissance until 1968.
Brazil īrazil acquired 13 B-17s in 1951, according to the Rio Pact of 1947. This machine was originally 42-32076 "Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby" and is now in the USAF Museum. The Austrian Air Force ( Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte) operated Boeing B-17G-35-BO Fortress as 67-672 as a transport post-war. Military operators Australia Royal Australian Air Force Austria