44-8889

media-418398.jpg FRE 8834 A modified B-17 Flying Fortress (FBGSO, serial number 44-8889) used by the Institut Géographique National, France, for aerial surveys. First handwritten caption on reverse: '44-8889, Le Bourget 1976.' Second handwritten caption on reverse: '8 Septembre 1976.' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 8834 - A modified B-17 Flying Fortress (FBGSO, serial number 44-8889) used by the Institut Géographique National, France, for aerial surveys. First...

Assigned 8AF but remained in Europe after war, then sold to French IGN 12/8/54 as F-BGSO; displayed Le Bourget Air Museum since 8/9/76; now at Musee de l’Air, Le Bourget, France. (condition unknown).

7499th Support Squadron B-17G-85-VE Fortress 44-8889. (c/n 8289) accepted by the USAAF on 31 January 1945 at Hunter Field in Georgia, assigned 8th AF (stored), assigned Apr 8, 1949 to 7499th BS at Wiesbaden, Germany. Converted to RB-17G Oct. 14, 1949. Stored Olmsted AFB Sep 17, 1953 . Converted to QB-17G Apr 1954 - SOC Jun 1954 at Olmsted AFB. To civil registry as N9642B, to D-EGBE, to OO-SPO.

On Aug 12, 1954 to Institut Geographique National of France as F-BGSO, it was heavily modified by the IGN for survey work. Donated Sep 8, 1976 to the Musee de l'Air in Le Bourget near Paris, France for display, last reported (Dec. 2000) in storage.