Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Variants - B-17G

B-17G

Generally considered the definitive B-17 design, all changes made in the B-17F production run were incorporated into the final version. These included a Bendix remotely operated chin turret, an innovation derived from the unsuccessful YB-40 escort version, bringing defensive armament to 13 .50 caliber (half-inch or 12.7 mm) machine guns, and a revised tail gun position (referred to as the "Cheyenne" configuration after the modification center where it was introduced) in which the guns were mounted in a remotely operated turret. Some 8,680 were built, and dozens were converted for several different uses:

• CB-17G. Troop transport version, capable of carrying 64 troops.
• DB-17G. Drone variant.
• JB-17G. Engine test-bed.
• QB-17L. Target drone.
• QB-17N. Target drone.
• RB-17G. Reconnaissance variant.
• SB-17G. Rescue version, originally designated B-17H. Featured A-1 lifeboat under fuselage. After World War II, armament on the SB-17Gs was removed; it was reinstated when the Korean War began.
• TB-17G. Special duty training version.
• VB-17G. VIP transport.
• PB-1. This designation was given to one B-17F and one B-17G. They were used by the U.S. Navy for various test projects.
• PB-1G. This designation was given to 17 B-17Gs used by U.S. Coast Guard as air-sea rescue aircraft.
• PB-1W. This designation was given to 31 B-17Gs used by the U.S. Navy as the first airborne early warning aircraft/ AWACS.