1944 Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress "Sentimental Journey"
This B17G (along with a North American B-25J Mitchel, Beechcraft D18S [Navy C-45], Boeing Stearman PT17 [N2S-3 Stearman]) was part of the Victory Tour put on by the Commemorative Air Force at the New Orleans, LA Lakefront Terminal.
This B17G is owned and run by the Commemorative Air Force Airbase Arizona Museum (AZCAF) AKA Airbase Arizona Aircraft Museum. It is named Sentimental Journey because it was their first aircraft (the AZCAF's) to be in their collection which was donated in 1978 (weeks after becoming a museum) by a Phoenix, AZ resident Colonel Mike Clarke.
The history of the Bomber itself was it was made in 1944 with tail number 44-83514 and went to the Pacific theater until the duration of WW2 and placed in storage in Japan. It was then reconfigured as a RB-17G in 1947 and photo-mapped. It was assigned to Clarke Field in Manila, Philippines.
The year is 1950 and it is now at Eglin Field (before AFB), Florida and reconfigured yet again to DB-17G for an air-sea rescue craft role. It was reconfigured yet again in DB-17P standard and served with the 3215th Drone Squadron at Patrick Air Force Base in Florida. It did an important post war (WW2) mission known as "Operation Greenhouse", which was a series of atmospheric nuclear weapons tests. It was reconfigured yet again but probably not much to this conversion as a RB-17P. Now its 's job, as a mother ship, was to direct unmanned, radio controlled B17 drone aircraft which measured blast and thermal effects as well as collect radioactive cloud samples.
The year now is 1959 and it has been transferred to storage at the Davis Monthan Air Force Base (huge military boneyard and leader in providing training to A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots) in Tucson, AZ. After a few months it was bought by Aero Union Corporation which operated out of Chico, California. It got a civilian registration N9323Z (which it still wears) and the converted bomber became forest fire fighter throughout the United States for 18 years. This was it's last "official" role.
It had to be reconfigured again for the last time from its Fire Fighting Role to a more representative WW2 Bomber (which was it's original purpose), the restoration took place from 1981 to 1985. its interesting to note that the name of the bomber, Sentimental Journey was chosen from over 800 entries and the nose art is of Betty Grable, which was secured with permission from the widower, Harry James.