B-17 Identification

[Blue Yonder]

Hi everyone,
I have a collection of old photographs from some time early in the Second World War of B-17, of either the "E" or "F" variants. The images show what appears to be training flights and through some digging, the location has been guessed as an Army Air Corps field in Idaho. What I am looking for is a way to identify the squadron that the images belong to. They are the original photo's and cannot be found anywhere else in the world, taken by a "brownie" camera. There are several formation images, plus several nice in-flight shots. I have examined them very closely and retrieved a serial number from the tail of one of the planes, "236334" or "238334," and was hoping that a member could inform me how to look up these serials and determine what happened to the aircraft and squadron.
I appreciate any help, and will try to post the images soon- impossible at the moment due to scanning malfunctions.
-Pete

 

[beaupower32]

Yeah, as soon as we can see the pictures, it will help out alot in identifying the aircraft.

 

[evangilder]

Neither of those numbers come up as B-17s in the searches I have done.

 

[fly boy]

if you could pm me the numbers one more time so i don't have to keep going back to this it will help

 

[Airframes]

Yes Eric, I found the same. The sequence is nearer to the B17G production blocks, but still not correct for listed production block numbers for all models.

 

[seesul]

Think those 2 numbers were never built. I checked it out in the Roger A. Freeman´s book THE B-17 Flying Fortress Story that includes operational history of each of the B-17s that flew in the war and no positive result.
As for 236334 - the closest product range ends with 42-32116 (B-17G, BO) and then beginns with 42-37714 (B-17G, DL).
As for 238334- the closest product range ends with 42-38213 (B-17G, DL) and then beginns with 42-39758 (B-17G, VE).

 

[seesul]

...and ser. No´s of the
B-17E were in range 41-2393 to 41-2669 and 41-9011 to 41-9245
B-17F were in range 41-24340 to 4124639, 42-29467 to 42-31031, 42-2964 to 42-3563, 42-5705 to 42-6204

source: mentioned Roger Freeman´s book

 

[Airframes]

Yep, same source Roman, plus B17 Detail and Scale, part 1 Production versions, and Fortresses of the Big Triangle First.

 

[seesul]

Terry, I bought this book in Duxford during FL last year. That´s the reason why I was there
Its original price was 19.99 british pounds and I bought it for 7.99 8)
from Book Law Publications, Nottingham...

 

[Airframes]

Good buy at that price Roman!

 

[Blue Yonder]

My mistake, the numbers I identified were tail numbers, not serial numbers. As I said before, I will put them up as soon as I can get a working scanner. I believe that the planes belong to a group in Idaho that were training early in the war.

 

[Airframes]

OK mate, that will be an enormous help. But, 'tail numbers' are normally at least part of the actual serial number. Could it be possible that these shots were part of a propaganda exercise, or training or even feature movie? That could be one explanation why the numbers don't appear to correspond - they may have been altered for 'security' reasons. Just a thought - look forward to the pics when you can.