B-17G-90-DL 44-83684
Possibly “last a/c assigned to grp” (Freeman) but perhaps not delivered; tran to drone director until 1960; Civil N3713G at Chino, CA 1984; used in 12 O’Clock High; PICADILLY LILLY (film name)
No missions flown with the 447th BG
Text near fuselage door reads: “Movie World / Planes of Fame”
Assigned 447BG Rattlesden 4/45 as PICCADILLY LILLY (last aircraft assigned to the Group), transferred to DB-17P Director for Drones at Air Defense Weapons Centre, 3205 Drone Group, Eglin till 1960, operating last B-17 mission for USAF, before retiring to Davis-Monthan, Az.
This plane was delivered to the USAAF at Long Beach on the final day of the European war and was not delivered to UK but went straight into storage.
[info from Individual Aircraft Record Card as provided by Stewart Lanham] Accepted by USAAF at Long Beach Municipal Airport, CA 7May45. 556th Base Unit (Air Transport Command), Long Beach Field, CA 7May45. Ferried Long Beach – Palm Springs, CA – Dallas, TX – Oklahoma City, OK – St. Louis, MO – Dayton, OH 7/11May45. 4100th Base Unit (Fairfield Air Technical Service Command), Patterson Field, Fairfield, OH 11May45. Declared excess 15Oct45. 4168th Base Unit (Oklahoma City Air Technical Service Command), South Plains Field, Lubbock, TX 3Nov45.
Some photos/information provided by:
- Stewart Lanham
Some information and/or images sourced from the American Air Museum database