B-17 - post WW II uses

Some USAAF B-17's were not used as bombers, rather the B-17H, later known as the SB-17G, were modified for use in search and rescue operations. A lifeboat was carried on the belly of the plane that was dropped by a parachute to downed airmen. Armament was deleted after the end of WW II only to be added back during the Korean War. For more information, see this fact sheet from the National Museum of US Air Force on the Boeing B-17H. On December 29, 2021 I noted that the link about the Boeing B-17 H that I referenced here is no longer working and I am so far not able to find another link for you. I live this dead link here as a reference for where I found this information in 2011.

After WW II ended, most surviving USAAF B-17s were flown back to the U.S., stored in aviation boneyards and were eventually scrapped. But some were not. For example, the US Air Force used some B-17s as drones and control drones in nuclear testing and other forms of weapons testing, reconnaissance, transport, engine test beds, and trainers. For more information see this page from the National Museum of US Air Force on Boeing B-17G Variants.

Added on September 4, 2017, the link that I accessed in April 2011 for Boeing B-17-G variants on the National Museum of US Air Force website is no longer available. Some post-war history of the B-17 is available on Wikipedia' article on the B-17.

The last B-17 to retire from service in the US Airforce was Piccadilly Lilly II, she retired in 1959 and is reported to be in the process of being restored to flying condition.

A few B-17s (known as PB-1W) saw service in the U.S. Navy, mostly for anti-submarine surveillance. Modifications included the addition of a radar and extra fuel tanks (Jablonski 1965 38-9). Go here for more information. As I understand it, these Naval PB-1W's saw service through the middle of the 1950s.

The U.S. sold some B-17s to other countries after the end of WW II.

Some B-17s that saw post WW II military service were later used as firebombers, I'll get to firebombers in a later series of articles. A couple of B-17s including one or two that were used as firebombers were used in movies or television. Wikipedia has a list of surviving B-17s, both those currently in the U.S. as well as those that are in other countries, this list may be found here. In addition, the main Wikipedia article on the B-17 includes sections on post WW II uses as well as foreign operators of the B-17.

I will be writing a shorter series of articles on the B-17s service as a firebomber. I need a little more time (perhaps a week o two) as I am still gathering some information.