While fighter planes usually receive the most praise and accolades for their part in World War II victories, bombers played an equally crucial role. The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber started production well before the United States entered World War II, and by the war’s end, 12,731 had been built. They were used in every area of operation by the Allies, often flying without any escort and relying on their own robust defensive capabilities. It was in Europe where they were utilized to the greatest degree and the greatest effect.
The majority of B-17 bombers were flown back to the U.S. when the war was over and were sold for scrap and recycled. Some planes continued military service but were repurposed for non-combat roles as more advanced bombers were already deployed. Of those built between 1936 and 1945, only 39 survive. Of those survivors, only eight remain airworthy today, while 18 are on display and another 13 are under restoration.
One B-17 was put up for sale in 2021 from the collection of the late Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft. It had been flown to Seattle when he purchased it in 1998 and that is where it remained. At the time of sale, that airframe was disassembled but is said to be in prime condition to be completed and in airworthy condition. The asking price on that was $9 million.
Another B-17 in flying condition was sold by the Lone Star Flight Museum to the Mid-America Flight Museum in 2020, and although the price was not public, it was rumored to be around $10.5 million.
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