Dates

Event

Constructed as a B-17E-BO by Boeing at Seattle, Washington, USA.

14 April 1942

Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Army Air Force with s/n 41-2595.
The delivery date is provided.

Aircraft salvaged from a junk yard in Maine in 1985. Currently being restored in Marengo, Illinois with assistance from the Vintage Aviation Museum.

Markings Applied: Desert Rat
Markings found applied to fuselage that was stored in a junk yard. Not sure if these markings were applied while in service.

April 1942

Transferred to 97th Bomb Group, MacDill Field, Tampa, FL.
Used in the training role.

May 1942

Transferred to 97th Bomb Group, Sarasota AAF, FL.

Transferred to MacDill Field, Tampa, FL.
Transferred back to MacDill when the 97th moved to England.

September 1942

To Walla Walla, WA.
Markings added: Desert Rat
Assigned to a B-17 training base here.

Assigned to a number of training bases.

February 1943

Transferred to Ainsworth AAF, NE.

March 1943

Transferred to Wright Field, Dayton, OH.

17 August 1943

Transferred to XC-108 Program, Wright Field, Dayton, OH.

From Circa August 1943 to March 1944

Converted to a XC-108A.
This conversion was an investigation to determine how well the overall B-17 design could be adapted for the transport role.

Following initial testing was deployed to India for operational testing with the movement of troops and supplies over the Burma Hump into China.

From March 1944 to Circa June 1944

Ferry flight.
Flown from Wright Field to India via; Miami, Puerto Rico, Belem Brazil, Ascension Islands, Accra, and XXX. During preparations and the various legs of the ferry flight numerous engine problems were encountered resulting in multiple delays.

Based at Chabua, India.

From October 1944 to 18 October 1944

Ferry flight.
Flown from India via the North Atlantic ferry route arriving at Dow Field, Bango, Maine.

18 October 1944

Transferred to 1379th Base Unit, Dow Field, Bango, ME.
Served as a transport with the 1379th.

Transferred to 147th Base Unit, Continental Air Force.
Served as a transport.

December 1945

Last flight.
This was the last operational flight.

Put up for disposal/salvage at Dow Field.

26 December 1945

To Dow Field, Bangor, ME.
Sold, along with a number of other airframes, as scrap to Mr. Field, the owner of an auto junk yard. The Airframe remained mostly intact.

The other airframes were scrapped but due to either the large size or strength of the Fortress the airframe was only significantly damaged.

From By 1946 to By 1985

Placed in storage dissassembled (cut-up), on a farm near La Grange, ME. The remains were abandoned with a forest growing up around them.

A group looking to retrieve a rumoured B-25 instead found the C-108 and attempted to recover this airframe anyway. However the airframe was too large for their transport and only the engines, cowls and propellers were removed from the site. The remaining airframe was again abandoned.

1985

To Steve Alex, Bangor, ME.
Mr. Alex purchased the remains from the sons of the original owner who had since passed away.

From 1985 to By 2007

To Michael W. Kellner, Crystal Lake, IL.
Mr. Alex immediately sld the airframe to Mr. Kellner. Recovered by Mr. Kellner.

Transported by ground.
Moved from Bango, ME, to Galt, Illinois.

1985

Restoration started.
The long-term restoration project was started at the Galt Airport, IL. The intent is to restore the airframe to the original B-17E standard as the complete set of design drawings for the E model are available for the extensive structural rebuild.

Circa October 1988

Photographer: Paul Cicci
Notes: Nose section of the B-17E Desert Rat after it was trucked to Galt Aitport (10C), Greenwood, Illinois. Aircraft was rescued from a Maine junk yard. This aircraft is currently being restored by the Desert Rat B-17E Restoration Team with assistance from the Vintage Aviation Museum in Utah.

Circa October 1988

Photographer: Paul Cicci
Notes: View of the fuselage of the B-17E Desert Rat. Photo taken at Galt Airport (10C), Greenwood, Illinois. Aircraft is currently being restored in Marengo, Illinois, by the Desert Rat B-17E Restoration Team with assistance from the Vintage Aviation Museum of Utah. This rare B-17E was rescued from a junk yard in Maine in 1985.

1994

To Desert Rat/Marengo Metal Works, Ferris Field (62IL), Marengo, IL.
The restoration project was moved to Marengo, IL.
View the Location Dossier

Restoration continued.
The project continued now in a large building allowing most of the airframe to be kept indoors. The worked focused mainly on the structure. During the work the name Desert Rat was found beneath a few layers of paint.

The restoration group plans to fly the airframe as Desert Rat.

2008

Photographer: Andy West
Notes: With thanks to Mike Kellner for welcoming me in to see the aircraft - this restoration is the embodiment of type of determination that can still be found at the grassroots of historic aviation. Andy West

28 July 2011

Photographer: Mike Hughes
Notes: We paid a visit to Mike Kellner and the Desert Rat to see his project and how much progress he has made with it. Eventhough this project is not moving as fast as others, you can be assured that the utmost quality is being applied to this restoration. I recommend that if you have a chance to visit please do so and if you can make a donation, every little bit helps.