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Flying Fortress/44-85599



Serial #: 44-85599
Construction #:
  8508 (-VE)
Civil Registration:
  None
Model(s):
  B-17G
  EDB-17G
  DB-17G
  DB-17P
Name: Reluctant Dragon
Status: Static Display
Last info: 2002

Click to enlarge
Circa 1974.

Current Nose Art,
"Reluctant Dragon"

  History:
Delivered to USAAF as 44-85599, 19??.
- Retired to Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, Aug. 1959.
96th BG Memorial Association, Abilene Municipal Airport, Abilene, TX, Oct. 1960-1974
- Displayed as 0-5599/Black Hawk
USAF Museum, Dyes AFB, Abiliene, TX, 1974-1996
- Restored for static display.
- Initially displayed as 485599/A.
- Currently displayed as 238133/Reluctant Dragon/OA-W.



The "Black Hawk" at Abilene Municipal Airport, TX, Circa 1974.

Source(s):
Chapman, John & Goodall, Geoff, Edited by Paul Coggan - Warbirds Directory,Warbirds Worldwide Ltd., Mansfield, England, 1989.
Goodall, Geoff - Warbirds Directory-4th Edition, 2003.
Photo Source(s):
Chuck Gardner - Warbirds Resource Group, www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org, 2002
R. Hawkins.