Page Updated 10/19/10

THE Other PB-1Ws

CREDITS:
VPW-1, VP-51 & VX-4 data extracted from "B-17 in Blue" author Scott A. Thompson.
VC-11 Miramar Detachment data from George E Stewart VC-11 Miramar Detachment 1950-52.
VW-1 data from George E Stewart & Dan Ragan VW-1 1952-55 resp. 1954-56.
Special thanks to John Moehlenkamp VW-1 1966-68 for researching, updating, and editing.

COMPILED BY:
Ernest D. Ruff, USN Ret.:
    LTJG, VX-4 Miramar Detachment 1950 - LTJG,:
    VC-11 Miramar Detachment 1950-52:
    LTJG, LT, Plank Owner, VW-1 Barbers Point 1952-53:
    LT, LCDR, VW-1, Guam 1958-60

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Scott A. Thompson: "B-17 in Blue" Aero Vintage Books, 1993
Curtis K. Stringellow and Peter M. Bowers : Motorbooks Intnl, 1992
Scott A. Thompson: "Final Cut The Post War B-17 Flying Fortress: The Survivors:" Aero Vintage Books, 2010.

THE Other PB-1Ws1

Of the Navy's fleet of 22 PB-1Ws, 12 did not serve any of their military flight hours in VW-1. These aircraft were originally assigned to VX-4/VW-2 and some spent their entire military service with that squadron. Two spent their last months with NADC14 at Johnsville, PA, and one ultimately served with FAETUPAC at NAS North Island13, San Diego, CA.

This is the final disposition of those 12 PB-1Ws:

 

BuNo 77225                                     c/n 32496

Built by Douglas Aircraft2 in Long Beach, CA and delivered to the USAAF as B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83855 in July 1945.

  • July 1945 - transferred to the Navy at NAMU14 Johnsville, PA and placed in the storage pool until modified to PB-1W1 configuration.
  • August 1947 - assigned to VX-4 at NAS Quonset Point10, RI.
  • May 1948 - transferred to NAAS Mustin Field, Philadelphia, PA.
  • May 1951 - transferred to FAETUPAC at NAS North Island13, San Diego, CA
  • 11 December 1951 - crashed during an aborted take-off at NAS San Diego, CA and scrapped on site.
pb-1w_outline
 

BuNo 77227                                     c/n 32499

Built by Douglas Aircraft2 in Long Beach, CA and delivered to the USAAF as B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83858 in July 1945.

  • July 1945 - transferred to the Navy at NAMU14 Johnsville, PA and placed in the storage pool until modified to PB-1W1 configuration.
  • July 1946 - assigned to VX-4 at NAS Quonset Point10, RI.
  • Transferred to NAS Norfolk3, VA for overhaul.
  • May 1948 - assigned to NAAS Mustin Field, Philadelphia, PA for storage.
  • May 1950 - transferred to VX-4 at NAS Patuxent River8, MD.
  • 18 June 1952 - VX-4 redesignated VW-2.
  • December 1954 - transferred to NAF Litchfield Park4, AZ for storage.
  • 10 July 1956 - stricken from Navy inventory.
  • 2 December 1957 - sold to American Compressed Steel Corp., Dallas, TX, registration number N5226V, and placed in storage at Dallas Love Field.
  • Sold to a U.S. operator, and operated as an aerial sprayer.
  • Sold to Compania Boliviana de Ruts Aereas of LaPaz, Bolivia, registration number CP-742.
  • 21 February 1965 - crashed at Santa Ana, Beni, Bolivia.
pb-1w_outline
 

BuNo 77229                                     c/n 32502

Built by Douglas Aircraft2 in Long Beach, CA and delivered to the USAAF as B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83861 in July 1945.

  • July 1945 - transferred to the Navy at NAMU14 Johnsville, PA and placed in the storage pool until modified to PB-1W1 configuration.
  • Late 1945 - assigned to VPB-101 at NAS Floyd Bennett9 Field, NY.
  • 15 May 1946 - VPB-101 redesignated VX-4.
  • September 1946 - VX-4 transferred to NAS Quonset Point10, RI.
  • 20 February 1947 - transferred to NADC14 at Johnsville, PA.
  • 20 December 1954 - transferred to NAF Litchfield Park4, AZ for storage.
  • 10 July 1956 - stricken from Navy inventory.
  • 2 December 1957 - sold to American Compressed Steel Corp., Dallas, TX, registration number N5227V, and placed in storage at Dallas Love Field.
  • Sold to a U.S. operator, and operated as an aerial sprayer.
  • Sold to Compania Boliviana de Ruts Aereas of LaPaz, Bolivia, registration number CP-741.
  • 30 October 1964 - crashed at San Borja, Bolivia.
pb-1w_outline
 

BuNo 77230                                     c/n 32503

Built by Douglas Aircraft2 in Long Beach, CA and delivered to the USAAF as B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83862 on 5 July 1945.

77230 was never actually in VW-1 but was a part of the initial cadre (VC-11 Miramar Detachment) that later became VW-1.

  • 14 July 1945 - transferred to the Navy at NAMU14 Johnsville, PA and placed in the storage pool until modified to PB-1W1 configuration.
  • February 1946 - assigned to VPB-101 at NAS Floyd Bennett9 Field, NY.
  • 15 May 1946 - VPB-101 redesignated VX-4, coded XD-3.
  • September 1946 - VX-4 transferred to NAS Quonset Point10, RI.
  • 1947 - transferred to NADC14 at Johnsville, PA.
  • Late 1949 - returned to VX-4 at NAS Patuxent River8, MD.
  • March 1950 - transferred to VC-11 Miramar Detachment at NAAS Miramar5, CA.
  • June 1952 - transferred to NAS San Diego13, CA for overhaul as the Miramar Detachment departed for Hawaii and the establishment of VW-1.
  • March 1953 - transferred to VW-2 (formerly VX-4) at NAS Patuxent River8, MD.
  • 21 December 1953 - damaged in a landing accident at NAS Patuxent River8, MD and stricken from Navy inventory (TT: 3,011 hrs).
  • Summer 1963 - stripped of usable parts. Remains of the fuselage were still at the salvage yard in the summer of 1963 when Ernest D. Ruff, USN Ret. was stationed at NAS Patuxent River8.
pb-1w_outline
 

BuNo 77233                                     c/n 32509

Built by Douglas Aircraft2 in Long Beach, CA and delivered to the USAAF as B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83868 on 6 July 1945.

  • 17 July 1945 - transferred to the Navy at NAMU14 Johnsville, PA and placed in the storage pool (August 1945 - March 1947) until modified to PB-1W configuration.
  • April 1947 - assigned to VX-4 at NAS Quonset Point10, RI.
  • April 1948 - transferred to VPW-1, NAAS Ream Field12, CA (actually operated from NAAS Miramar5, CA).
  • 1 September 1948 - VPW-1 redesignated VP-51 at NAAS Miramar5, CA.
  • 8 September 1949 - transferred to NAS Norfolk3, VA for overhaul.
  • 21 July 1950 - transferred to VX-4 at NAS Patuxent River8, MD as XD-5.
  • 18 June 1952 -VX-4 redesignated VW-2 recoded XD-2.
  • August-October 1952 - deployed to Gardamoen, Norway for special operations.
  • 14 October 1952 - transferred to NAS Norfolk3, VA for overhaul.
  • 3 June 1953 - returned to VW-2 at NAS Patuxent River8, MD as XD-2.
  • 8 December 1954 - transferred to NAS Norfolk3, VA for overhaul.
  • 26 May 1955 - transferred to NAF Litchfield Park4, AZ for storage.
  • 10 July 1956 - stricken from Navy inventory (TT: 3,484 hrs).
  • 2 December 1957 - sold to American Compressed Steel Corp., Dallas, TX, for $8,333.33 registration number N5237V, and stored at Love Field.
  • 29 February 1960 - sold to Ashland Corp. of Tucson, AZ.
  • 7 July 1960 - sold to Marson Equipment and Salvage Co. of Tucson, AZ.
  • 27 September 1961 - sold to Aero Union Corp.6 of Anderson, CA.
  • December 1961 - sold to Calvin J. Butler (later Butler Farm Air and Butler Aircraft Corp.) of Redmond, OR, who operated it as a fire bomber (E15, F15, and 65).
  • 1 February 1983 - sold to TBM Inc. of Sequoia, CA as part of a three way trade involving the U.S. Air Force Museum, the RAF Museum, and TBM Inc and restored to its original B-17G configuration.
  • Fall 1983 - donated to the RAF Bomber Command Museum11 in Hendon, Great Britain and ferried to the UK, arriving on 9 December 1983. Currently on static display as a B-17G (TT: 5,724 hrs).

A portion of the data on this aircraft is from: War Bird Registry

Model of TE-12 BuNo 77233 by http://www.ronsarchive.com/index.htm http://www.ronsarchive.com/index.htm http://www.ronsarchive.com/index.htm http://www.ronsarchive.com/index.htm

Above photos from Ron Olsen's website. [ http://www.ronsarchive.com/index.htm ]

 

BuNo 77236                                     c/n 32514

Built by Douglas Aircraft2 in Long Beach, CA and delivered to the USAAF as B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83873 on 10 July 1945.

77236 was never actually in VW-1 but was a part of the initial cadre (VC-11 Detachment) that later  became VW-1.

  • 12 July 1945 - transferred to the Navy at NAMU14, Johnsville, PA and placed in the storage pool until modified to PB-1W1 configuration.
  • April 1946 - assigned to VPB-101 at NAS Floyd Bennett9, Field, NY.
  • 15 May 1946 - VPB-101 redesignated VX-4.
  • September 1946 - VX-4 transferred to NAS Quonset10, RI.
  • 1947 - transferred to NADS14, at Johnsville, PA.
  • 2 February 1950 - transferred to VP-51 at NAAS Miramar5, CA.
  • 2 February 1950 - VP-51 redesignated VX-4 Miramar Detachment.
  • 31 March 1950 - VX-4 Miramar Detachment redesignated VC-11 Miramar Detachment.
  • October 1950 - transferred to NAS Norfolk3, VA for overhaul, and placed in storage.
  • April 1954 - assigned to VW-2 at NAS Patuxent River8, MD.
  • February 1955 - transferred to NAF Litchfield Park4, AZ for storage.
  • 10 July 1956 - stricken from Navy inventory (TT: 1,993 hrs)
  • June 1957 - sold to Renting Aviation Ltd. of Toronto, Canada, registration number CF-JJH, where it was used as a parts source to support two B-17s in aerial surveying work.
  • January 1962 - broken up for parts and removed from aircraft registry.
pb-1w_outline
 

BuNo 77237                                     c/n 32515

Built by Douglas Aircraft2 in Long Beach, CA and delivered to the USAAF as B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83874 in July 1945.

  • July 1945 - transferred to the Navy at NAMU14, Johnsville, PA and placed in the storage pool until modified to PB-1W1 configuration.
  • April 1948 - transferred to VPW-1, NAAS Ream Field12, CA (actually operated from NAAS Miramar5, CA).
  • 1 September 1948 - VPW-1 redesignated VP-51 at NAAS Miramar5, CA.
  • Transferred to NAS Norfolk3, VA for overhaul.
  • Transferred to NAF Litchfield Park4, AZ for storage.
  • 10 July 1956 - stricken from Navy inventory.
  • 2 December 1957 - sold to American Compressed Steel Corp., Dallas, TX, registration number N5236V, and placed in storage at Dallas Love Field. It never flew again.
  • 1963 - scrapped at Love Field.
pb-1w_outline
 

BuNo 77238                                     c/n 32516

Built by Douglas Aircraft2 in Long Beach, CA and delivered to the USAAF as B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83875 in July 1945

  • July 1945 - transferred to the Navy at NAMU14, Johnsville, PA and placed in the storage pool until modified to PB-1W1 configuration.
  • February 1947 - assigned to VX-4 at NAS Quonset 10, RI.
  • July 1948 - VX-4 transferred to NAS Patuxent River8, MD.
  • September 1949 - transferred to NAS Norfolk3, VA for overhaul.
  • 10 January 1950 - assigned to NADC14, at Johnsville, PA.
  • 8 August 1955 - transferred to NAF Litchfield Park4, AZ for storage.
  • 10 July 1956 - stricken from Navy inventory.
  • 2 December 1957 - sold to American Compressed Steel Corp., Dallas, TX, registration number N5231V, and operated as a fire bomber.
  • Sold to Compania Boliviana de Aviacion, registration number CP-640.
  • 17 August 1967 - crashed at LaPaz, Bolivia.
pb-1w_outline
 

BuNo 77239                                     c/n 32517

Built by Douglas Aircraft2 in Long Beach, CA and delivered to the USAAF as B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83876 in July 1945.

  • July 1945 - transferred to the Navy at NAMU14, Johnsville, PA and placed in the storage pool until modified to PB-1W1 configuration.
  • February 1946 - assigned to VPB-101 as NAS Floyd Bennett Field9, NY.
  • 15 May 1946 - VPB-101 redesignated VX-4.
  • September 1946 - VX-4 transferred to NAS Quonset 10, RI.
  • July 1948 - VX-4 transferred to NAS Patuxent River8, MD.
  • December 1950 - crashed during landing at NAS Glenview7, IL and scrapped on site.
pb-1w_outline
 

BuNo 77242                                     c/n 32520

Built by Douglas Aircraft2 in Long Beach, CA and delivered to the USAAF as B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83879 in July 1945.

  • July 1945 - transferred to the Navy at NAMU14, Johnsville, PA and placed in the storage pool until modified to PB-1W1 configuration.
  • October 1945 - assigned to VPB-101 at NAS Floyd Bennett9, Field, NY.
  • January 1950 - transferred to VX-4 at NAS Patuxent River8, MD.
  • April 1951 - transferred to NAS Norfolk3, for overhaul and storage.
  • March 1954 - transferred to VW-2 at NAS Patuxent River8, MD.
  • 20 December 1954 - transferred to NAF Litchfield Park4, AZ for storage.
  • 30 July 1956 - stricken from Navy inventory and scrapped on site.
pb-1w_outline
 

BuNo 77243                                     c/n 32524

Built by Douglas Aircraft2 in Long Beach, CA and delivered to the USAAF as B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83883 on 13 July 1945.

77243 was never actually in VW-1 but was a part of the initial cadre (VC-11 Miramar Detachment) that later became VW-1.

  • 19 July 1945 - transferred to the Navy at NAMU14, Johnsville, PA and placed in the storage pool until modified to PB-1W1 configuration.
  • June 1946 - assigned to VX-4 at NAS Quonset 10, RI.
  • September 1947 - transferred to NAS Mustin Field, Philadelphia, PA and placed into storage.
  • 2 February 1950 - transferred to VP-51 at NAAS Miramar5, CA.
  • 2 February 1950 - VP-51 redesignated VX-4 Miramar Detachment.
  • 31 March 1950 - VX-4 Miramar Detachment redesignated VC-11 Miramar Detachment.
  • June 1951 - transferred to NAS North Island13, CA for overhaul.
  • After overhaul - reassigned to VX-4 at NAS Patuxent River8, MD.
  • 18 June 1952 - VX-4 redesignated VW-2.
  • November 1954 - transferred NAS Norfolk3, VA and placed in temporary storage.
  • 27 July 1955 - transferred to NAF Litchfield Park4, AZ for storage.
  • 10 July 1956 - stricken from Navy inventory.
  • 2 December 1957 - sold to American Compressed Steel Corp., Dallas, TX, for $8,333.33, registration number N5229V, and stored at Dallas Love Field.
  • October 1961 - sold, along with BuNo 77240, to Columbia Pictures of New York. Both 77240 and 77243 were ferried to Great Britain on 8 October 1961 and used by Columbia Pictures in the production of the movie "The War Lover" (Steve McQueen).
  • Spring 1962 - when filming was concluded both aircraft were broken up for scrap at Bovingdon Airfield near Mansion, England.
Pictures of this aircraft and 44-83877 can be seen at this page of Aero Vintage Books
pb-1w_outline
 

BuNo 77244                                     c/n 32525

Built by Douglas Aircraft2 in Long Beach, CA and delivered to the USAAF as B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83884 on 12 July 1945.

  • 25 July 1945 - transferred to the Navy at NAMU14, Johnsville, PA and placed in the storage pool until modified to PB-1W1 configuration.
  • May 1947 - assigned to VX-4 at NAS Quonset 10, RI.
  • January 1950 - transferred to NAS Norfolk3, VA for overhaul.
  • November 1952 - assigned to VW-2 at NAS Patuxent River8, MD as XD-10.
  • 24 February 1955 - transferred to NAS Norfolk3, VA.
  • 12 March 1955 - transferred to NAF Litchfield Park4, AZ for storage.
  • 10 July 1956 - stricken from Navy inventory.
  • 2 December 1957 - sold to American Compressed Steel Corp., Dallas, TX, registration number N5230V, and placed in storage at Dallas Love Field.
  • 18 October 1960 - sold to Marson Equipment and Salvage Co. of Tucson, AZ.
  • 27 September 1961 - sold to Aero Union Corp.8 of Chico, CA, who operated it as a fire bomber (C19, E19, and 19).
  • 1980 - traded to the 8th Air Force museum. Currently on static display as a B-17G at Barksdale AFB, LA.

A portion of the data on this aircraft is from: War Bird Registry.

pb-1w_outline
 

 

External Links:

1 [PB-1W information from Wikipedia]
2 [Douglas Aircraft Company, from Wikipedia]
3 [NAS Norfolk, from Wikipedia]
4 [NAF Litchfield, from Wikipedia]
5 [NAAS Miramar, from Wikipedia]
6 [Aero Union of Chico, CA, from Wikipedia]
7 [NAS Glenview, from Wikipedia]
8 [NAS Patuxent River, from Wikipedia]
9 [NAS Floyd Bennett Field, from Wikipedia]
10 [NAS Quonset Point, from Wikipedia]
11 [BuNos 77225 & 77233 (c/n) 32509, from RAF Museum]
12 [NAAS Ream Field, from Wikipedia]
13 [NAS North Island, 1917-55, from Wikipedia]                   [NAS North Island, 1955-present, from Wikipedia]
14 [NAMU 1944-47, NADS 1947-49, NADC 1949-96, Johnsville, PA, from Wikipedia]
 
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