I have been fortunate over the years to see a number of the surviving B-17 Flying Fortresses. Easily the most well known of American heavy bombers, the B-17 served in all theaters of WWII. There are many sites and books that show the battle-damage the Forts could sustain and still make it home. Here are pictures of some of the B-17s I have seen and been through. Someday I would love to get up and fly in one.
This is the B-17G "Sally B" (F-BGSR) that resides in England, as it looked in 1986. It has since been repainted. It is based at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, England but is part of a private foundation. This airplane was built at the Lockheed/Vega plant in Burbank, California late in the war and did not see service during WWII. This is one of the airplanes featured in the 1991 movie "Memphis Belle".
The following B-17G, "Fuddy Duddy" (N9563Z) was on loan to the EAA for their B-17 tour after "Aluminum Overcast" was damaged in a landing accident. This bears the markings of the 447th Bomb Group. This airplane was used after the war as a VIP transport. Douglas MacArthur and Dwight Eisenhower both flew in this airplane during it's time as a VIP transport. This airplane was flown in the movie "The War Lover".
This B-17G, "Nine-O-Nine" (NL93012), is owned and operated by the Collings Foundation. This airplane was used in atomic testing at Yucca Flats in 1952 and was left abandoned at the site until 1965. Originally bound for the scrap yard, it was recovered and used for spare parts before becoming an air tanker. It was purchased by the Collings foundation in 1985 and returned to a military configuration in about 1987. Today is bears the markings of the 91st Bomb Group, 323rd Bomb Squadron that was based in Kimbolton, then Bassingbourn England.
