B-17G Flying Fortress - "Sentimental Journey", Arizona Wing of the Commemorative Air Force Bureau # 44-83514 (note 1)

The "Sentimental Journey", owned by the Arizona Wing of the Commemorative Air Force (AWCAF) is on my list of three because Aero Union (who currently flies the P-3 Orion tanker on national contract) operated her as an air tanker. That is, I wanted to included a B-17 who saw service as an air tanker under a name you might recognize. So, I contacted my aviation historian friend, Tom Janney, who told me about the B-17 air tanker, "T-17'". Thanks Tom!

Her military service including photo mapping, rescue operations and nuclear testing. After completing her military service she was put in storage before being purchased by Aero Union (or a predecessor?) and converted to service as an airtanker some time around 1960. She flew as an air tanker through the 1977 fire season (or there about) before being donated to the Arizona Wing of the Commemorative Air Force. For a more complete history of this aircraft please see the the AWCAF page on Sentimental Journey. (link no longer available as of September 4, 2017). I did find a nice wikipedia page on the Sentimental Journey that you might be interested in.

Note 1: The Arizona Wing of the Commemorative Air Force lists the Bureau (serial) number of "Sentimental Journey" as 44-85314 on their information page for Sentimental Journey (this is a dead link when I checked on September 4, 2017). However, checking a couple of other sources of warbirds information including Joe Baugher's page on US Army-Airforce Aircraft Serial Numbers listed the Bureau (serial) number as 44-83514. On December 29, 2021 I went to the FAA Aircraft Inquiry main search page and after entering the serial number (Bureau (serial) number of 44-83514) I was able to see her registration. Unfortunately I can not provide a direct link to my results, so you will have to trust me.