Found! YB-40 / B-17F Data Plate 42-5734

ColesAircraft · Mar 2, 2014

I can't believe I found it!

This is an original data plate from the incredibly rare Boeing Lockheed-Vega YB-40 / B-17F experimental bomber escort!

A/C Serial Number 6030 / Registration Number 42-5734

This YB-40 was a combat veteran that served with the 92nd BG / 327th BS as "Seymore Angel" with the fuselage code UX-D.

I thought I'd lost this, but I found it tonight in a box downstairs along with the original paperwork regarding its provenance c. 2001.

This aircraft had several incarnations. After returning stateside after its ETO tour, it was sent to California where it became "Red Balloon" with the code OR-R and then finally "Old Ironsides" (as shown in the top photo, inset).

I'd love to find better photos of this aircraft if anyone has any leads!

Vince P · Mar 4, 2016

Found this from the Roger Freeman Collection ( Roger Freeman Collection FRE 757 | American Air Museum in Britain )

Caption: Ground crew of the 92nd Bomb Group wait with an ambulance as a B-17 Flying Fortress (UX-D, serial number 42-5734) nicknamed "Seymour Angel" lands at Alconbury. Printed caption on reverse: 'BRITISH OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPH DISTRIBUTED BY THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION CROWN COPYRIGHT RESERVED. BRITISH EQUIPMENT AT AMERICAN AIR-FIELD. Members of the U.S. Army Air Force stationed in Great Britain are in a good position to appreciate the British end of Lend-Lease arrangements. A visit to an American bomber station "somewhere in England" shows some of the many varieties of equipment with which Britain supplies her American Ally. No.7. British made cash tenders and ambulances wait, ready for an emergency, at the strategic corners of the field, as the B-17 Fortresses land after a mission over the Rhur. The engines of the trucks are kept running, the men stand alert at their posts read to move into instant action should a plane, damaged by enermy action, foul its landing. On the back of the crash tender is an asbestos suit. Its wearer can work in fire for several minutes - vital ones, should a plane catch fire and its crew be trapped. In the background a B-17 has landed. Already the sergeant on the telephone is watching the next plane land. No.D.15116. For other prints in this series see miniature and feature set file. USA(BRI)CCC.FIR.' Handwritten caption on reverse: '1/ British Equipment at American Airfield. 2/ Reverse lease-lend 3/ Cash tenders.'

You probably have the information already but there is a little extra about the history of the plane at 42-5734 | American Air Museum in Britain

Capt. Vick · Mar 4, 2016

Damn son! Color me jealous!

Wurger · Mar 4, 2016

Justice1 · Feb 16, 2018

ColesAircraft said:
I can't believe I found it!

This is an original data plate from the incredibly rare Boeing Lockheed-Vega YB-40 / B-17F experimental bomber escort!

A/C Serial Number 6030 / Registration Number 42-5734

This YB-40 was a combat veteran that served with the 92nd BG / 327th BS as "Seymore Angel" with the fuselage code UX-D.

I thought I'd lost this, but I found it tonight in a box downstairs along with the original paperwork regarding its provenance c. 2001.

View attachment 255475

View attachment 255476

This aircraft had several incarnations. After returning stateside after its ETO tour, it was sent to California where it became "Red Balloon" with the code OR-R and then finally "Old Ironsides" (as shown in the top photo, inset).

I'd love to find better photos of this aircraft if anyone has any leads!

My uncle was a ball turret gunner in the 92ed BG 327th BS I think this was one of the bombers he was on Tail# 42-5734 Fuselage #UX-D
I got some picture from his collection that my aunt got for me. He was shot down twice I know one of the bombers he was on Tail# 42-30617
Fuselage#UX-?

fubar57 · Feb 16, 2018

Very nice

daveT · Feb 16, 2018

That data plate looks new
How did you acquire it in the beginning?

kalani · Nov 16, 2020

daveT said:
That data plate looks new
How did you acquire it in the beginning?

I agree, both experimental and pristine?

Milosh · Nov 18, 2020

Serials:
XB-40: Conversion of B-17F-1-BO 41-24341

YB-40: Conversions of B-17F-10-VE 42-5732/5744,
B-17F-30-VE 42-5871,
B-17F-35-VEs 42-5920, 5921, 5923, 5924, 5925, and 5927.

TB-40: Conversions of B-17F-25-VEs 42-5833 and 5834,
B-17F-30-VE 42-5872,
B-17F-35-VE 42-5926.

Don't see 6030 mentioned.

rochie · Nov 18, 2020

He's not been around for 5 years since the honesty of some of his work was questioned by a few members !

vikingBerserker · Nov 18, 2020

Doing a Google search several sites state that Serial Number was for this aircraft.

42-5734 | American Air Museum in Britain

And from the 384th Bomber Group site:

42-5734 (YB-40) Del Tulsa 29/10/42; Biggs 15/3/43; Presque Is 6/5/43; Ass 327BS/92BG [UX-D]
Alconbury SEYMOUR ANGEL 14/5/43; tran 323BS/91BG [OR-R] Bassingbourn RED BALLOON 16/7/43;
RetUS Eglin 4/9/44; Yuma 4/5/45; RFC Ontario 18/5/45. OLD IRONSIDES.

I think the question is if that plate is authentic. It looks fairly new and its not fully filled out which I assume would be the norm. I wonder if they screwed up while making the plate and tossed it to the side.

rochie · Nov 18, 2020

Would Lockheed have put in a new data plate after converting to a YB-40 and given a new serial number ?

Also interesting that Lockheed not Boeing did the conversion !

kalani · Nov 18, 2020

rochie said:
Would Lockheed have put in a new data plate after converting to a YB-40 and given a new serial number ?

Also interesting that Lockheed not Boeing did the conversion !

From my time in and around aircraft, the original military data plate will not be changed and would remain with the aircraft, if a major change is made an additional data plate would normally be placed adjacent to the original. I've pictures of the original and the modified airframe data plates for a C-54E, converted to a ATL-98 Carvair, 59X.

rochie · Nov 18, 2020

kalani said:
From my time in and around aircraft, the original military data plate will not be changed and would remain with the aircraft, if a major change is made an additional data plate would normally be placed adjacent to the original. I've pictures of the original and the modified airframe data plates for a C-54E, converted to a ATL-98 Carvair, 59X.

Thanks, i would've guessed the data plate wouldn't change but didnt know for certain.

kalani · Nov 18, 2020

Research gives me the following: Lockheed-Vega, B-17F-10-VE, AAC s/n 42-5733, Manufac # 6030. In ETO, 1943, as "Peoria Prowler" with 91st BG
Returned to US and transferred to RFC for surplus sales in Ontario, California on May 18 1945

kalani · Nov 18, 2020

ColesAircraft said:
I can't believe I found it!

This is an original data plate from the incredibly rare Boeing Lockheed-Vega YB-40 / B-17F experimental bomber escort!

A/C Serial Number 6030 / Registration Number 42-5734

This YB-40 was a combat veteran that served with the 92nd BG / 327th BS as "Seymore Angel" with the fuselage code UX-D.

I thought I'd lost this, but I found it tonight in a box downstairs along with the original paperwork regarding its provenance c. 2001.

View attachment 255475

View attachment 255476

This aircraft had several incarnations. After returning stateside after its ETO tour, it was sent to California where it became "Red Balloon" with the code OR-R and then finally "Old Ironsides" (as shown in the top photo, inset).

I'd love to find better photos of this aircraft if anyone has any leads!

Serial Number as given on plate is not an Air Corps number, it's the manuf #.

kalani · Nov 18, 2020

My mistake, info withdrawn

FLYBOYJ · Nov 18, 2020

Something's fishy!

"Lockheed" didn't build B-17s or the YB-40, it's subsidiary "Vega Aircraft" did, although you can see this data plate was drilled out from it's structure (look at the elongated holes).

FLYBOYJ · Nov 18, 2020

rochie said:
Would Lockheed have put in a new data plate after converting to a YB-40 and given a new serial number ?

Also interesting that Lockheed not Boeing did the conversion !

Vega aircraft built B-17s, they were a subsidiary of Lockheed, basically located at the same facility. The YB-40 mod was done at the Lockheed-Vega facility in Burbank CA

FLYBOYJ · Nov 18, 2020

kalani said:
Research gives me the following: Lockheed-Vega, B-17F-10-VE, AAC s/n 42-5733, Manufac # 6030. In ETO, 1943, as "Peoria Prowler" with 91st BG
Returned to US and transferred to RFC for surplus sales in Ontario, California on May 18 1945

"(YB-40) Delivered Tulsa 29/10/42; Biggs 18/3/43; Montbrook 31/3/43; Presque Is 30/4/43; Assigned 327BS/92BG [UX-F] Alconbury 3/5/43 PEORIA PROWLER; transferred 322BS/91BG [LG-T] Bassingbourn 16/7/43; Salvaged 20/3/44; Returned to the USA 2/11/43; Yuma 5/9/44; Williams 26/9/44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Ontario 18/5/45."

42-5733 / Peoria Prowler | B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies

Maybe it is the real deal?

Found! YB-40 / B-17F Data Plate 42-5734

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