U.S. Army Air Forces B-17 Flying Fortress
Palm Springs Air Museum visit November, 2008

B17 Flying Fortress "Miss Angela"

This B-17 is maintained in flying condition by the museum. According to the display sign, Miss Angela is a B-17G-195VE. "B" is for Bomber, "17" for 17th bomber design approved by the U.S. Army Air Corps, and "G" means the 7th version of the aircraft. Photo to the left is courtesy of the Palm Springs Air Museum.

The primary manufacturer was Boeing Airplane Company in Seattle, Washington. The "VE" signifies that it was built by Lockheed Vega at its Burbank California plant. This B-17 was used by the Caribbean Air Command, Sixth Air Force. It was also flown by the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Air Force in Brazil. It served for more that twenty years as a civilian Forestry service fire bomber. The aircraft's markings are of the 34th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, 1945.

Miss Angela was part of the original Robert J. Pond Collection of fourteen aircraft, which are being purchased from the Pond Family by the Palm Springs Air Museum and will assure that these aircraft remain in the Palm Springs Air Museum collection.

B-17s operated in all theaters of World War II. They were used by the US. Army Air Corps, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy and the British R.A.F.

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