2017 Warbirds in Review - B-17 "Madras Maiden

Warbirds in Review - B-17 "Madras Maiden" - 27 July 2017 at 10am CST, Warbird Alley, AirVenture Oshkosh. LiveStream http://www.warbirdsnews.com/live Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress “Madras Maiden" - Erickson Aircraft Collection​ The Erickson Aircraft Collection’s B-17G Bomber was manufactured by Lockheed-Vega and delivered to the U.S.A.A.F. on October 16, 1944. It was modified to be a “Pathfinder” B-17, equipped with the latest ground scanning H2X radar for nighttime bombing. From 1944-1959 he aircraft spent its entire military career as a research and development aircraft before being dropped from the U.S.A.F. inventory in May 1959. In 1961, Albany Building Corporation purchased the B-17 and used it for hauling freight, before selling it in 1963 to Dothan Aviation Corp. where it was used as an agriculture sprayer. In 1979, Doc Hospers of Fort Worth, Texas purchased the airplane and restored it to flying condition. The airplane was then sold to Jerry Yagen at the Military Aviation Museum in 2009. In 2013, N3701G was sold to the Erickson Collection, an aviation museum in Madras Oregon. Restored to her combat configuration and painted in the colors of the 381st Bomb Group, and sporting the Madras Maiden nose-art. Of the B-17 “Pathfinders” that were built, it is the only one left in existence.