Oliverlovesplanes
Airman 1st Class
- 130
- Mar 9, 2026
B-17 Air Tanker
- Thread starter Oliverlovesplanes
- Start date
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Warspite63
Staff Sergeant
- 1,116
- Dec 8, 2022
Very cool! I used to see a PB4Y2 tanker at YYC, along with a handful of yellow A26s, used as spotters. I loved the sound of their engines
fubar57
General
Super. Had the Mars bomb one of the forest fires I worked on
MIflyer
Captain
In 1982 I needed to do one more long cross country in order to complete the requirements for a Private Pilot License. I chose to fly from Torrence CA to Lompoc CA to Porterville CA. When I arrived at Porterville I noted a B-17 air tanker parked near the South end of the runway and felt sorry I would not be there long enough to look at it. But after I cranked up and taxied down to the runway I realized the B-17's engines were running. It pulled out onto the runway and took off, as I cheered. Being No.2 for takeoff behind a B-17 provided unexpected excitement.
In the 1980's the USAF began providing some surplus older model C-130's for forest fire bombing, trading the Hercs for B-17's and other vintage aircraft that could be donated to museums. I think that program took a big hit in credibility when one of the supposed forest fire C-130s showed up in Iraq shortly before Desert Storm.
In the 1980's the USAF began providing some surplus older model C-130's for forest fire bombing, trading the Hercs for B-17's and other vintage aircraft that could be donated to museums. I think that program took a big hit in credibility when one of the supposed forest fire C-130s showed up in Iraq shortly before Desert Storm.
One summer evening in central Alaska (1991-93 not sure of the year) I heard a sound and felt vibration unlike anything I'd ever experienced before. As the roar and vibration grew, I went outside in time to witness a PB4Y2 water bomber fly directly (<1000') over the housing area on Ft. Greely to drop on a fire about 20 miles away. I remember thinking to myself that I'd probably not see anything like that again. I believe the aircraft I saw may have been this one:
https://yanksair.org/exhibition/consolidated-pb4y-2-privateer/
https://yanksair.org/exhibition/consolidated-pb4y-2-privateer/
cammerjeff
Tech Sergeant
It could also be this one
Unfortunately no. The one I saw (and felt) was painted just like #124 above, with the same blunt nose configuration. Several months later, I saw this plane sitting on the flight line with several other U.S. National Forest Service fire bombers and command planes outside a hanger at the Ft. Wainwright (formerly Ladd Army Airfield) flightline (Fairbanks, AK).I heard a few years later that all of the PB4Y-2s had been grounded due to structural issues.It could also be this one
Warspite63
Staff Sergeant
- 1,116
- Dec 8, 2022
Awesome! I dunno if the operator had several of them, but the paint job matches the one I saw several times at YYC
MIflyer
Captain
Look at those engines. I understand that a frequent mod for PB4Y forest fire bombers was to replace the four R-1830 with four R-2600 engines and cowlings from B-25's. The USAF continued to use the B-25 as a trainer and hack transport until at least the late 1950's so there was some kinds of logistics support system available along with surplus material.
