Texas Raiders - The PB-1W Is Born

The PB-1W Is Born

The Navy decided to use the B-17 to modify into the PB-1W for use as the original Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft. First delivered to Patrol Bomber Squadron 101 (VPB-101) in the spring of 1946, the Navy was to eventually have a total of twenty two out of thirty one Navy owned B-17s in their inventory fully upgraded to PB-1Ws. Late in 1946, VPB-101 would move to NAS Quonset Point, Rhode Island, and be redesignated Airborne Early Warning Development Squadron Four (VX-4).

The Naval Air Material Center’s Naval Aircraft Modification Unit (NAMU) at Johnsville, Pennsylvania modified the B-17s to PB-1W specification by sealing up the bomb bay doors and installing 300 gallon drop tanks on each wing, in addition to the “Tokyo Tanks” mounted in the outer wings to give her longer range and loiter times on station. The 3,400 gallons of fuel gave the PB-1W the endurance of 22+ hours of flight time. She was not immediately painted, but was waxed to prevent corrosion. Later in her career, she would have her armor and guns removed, and also be painted gloss Navy blue.

The one-megawatt AN/APS-20 Seasearch S-band Radio Detection and Ranging (RADAR) manufactured by Hazeltine/General Electric, was then ventral-mounted in a bulbous housing below what used to be the bomb bay. The RADAR relay transmitter, an advanced version of Identification, Friend or Foe (IFF), Radio direction finder (RDF), instrument landing system (ILS), and long range navigation (LORAN) was also installed at that time.

In the nose of the PB-1W, the chin turret and Carl L. Norden Company bomb sight were removed, while the auto pilot remained. The Bombardier’s station itself remained for a look out post while on anti-submarine warfare (ASW) or airborne search and rescue (SAR) missions, and the navigator’s position was left unchanged. In the Cockpit, the top gun turret and armor were removed. The bomb bay had 2 RADAR Consoles on either side of the walkway with the operators facing aft, and their backs against the cockpit bulkhead. The CIC Officer's position was at the right rear of the bomb bay and the left contained electronic and radio equipment. In the Radio Room, the radio operator's table was turned so that the operator faced outboard. The waist guns and ball turret were removed, and bench seats were installed at the waist windows for observers. Floating smoke markers were carried to be dropped during ASW or SAR missions. A latrine and kitchen area was included in the waist section. The tail guns and armor were removed, leaving room for extra parts, or cargo to be carried.

The U.S.A.A.F. B-17 bomber crew was usually 10. After the PB-1W conversion, the navy flight crew consisted of 6 officers, (Pilot in Command, Second in Command, Navigator, CIC Officer, and 2 RADAR Operators/Controllers) and 5 enlisted men (Plane Captain, 2nd Mechanic, Electronics Technician, and 2 Radio Operators).