Retirement Party for Old Thunderbird

“Retirement Party for Old Thunderbird” by Keith Ferris
30″ X 10″ Printed on Canvas, signed by the artist

Here an old B-17, fondly called Old Thunderbird by its crew, heads for retirement. It took a rich history with it. First designated the XB-17 by the Air Corps, the plane began its test flights in July 1935.
I was privileged to meet Lt. Gen. Ira Eaker for the first time during an Air Force Art Presentation dinner at Bolling AFB in the Fall of 1965. I asked the General to consider all of the aircraft with which he had been associated with during his long career, which was his favorite.

His choice came instantly, emphatically-the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress…

“It was the best airplane for the job at the time and it was there in quantity when we needed it!” I vowed then to do a B-17 painting for the 1966 Presentation.

My next-door neighbor’s brother, Fred Stewart, was as proud to have flown the B-17 in combat as any pilot I can recall. At our first meeting, Fred pulled a miniature B-17 checklist out of his wallet-he had carried it for 15 years. He produced photos of the B-17 in which he had flown his first combat mission with the 303rd Bomb Group from England on 22 March 1945.

That mission, depicted here, was this worn-out Fort’s 113th and last. They grounded
“Thunder Bird” the same day.

During the early years of the war, the B-17 became the world’s most outstanding bombardment plane. Remarks – From left to right: Might in Flight/Hells Angels, 359th Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group (Molesworth) Boeing B-17G, 42 – 38050 “Thunderbird” 22 March 1945, 1st Lt. Fredrick A. Stewart, Airplane Commander; 2nd Lt.. Charles T. Backer Co-Pilot; 1st Lt. George E. Knox, Navigator; SSgt. Lloyd R. Bodin, Engineer, Cpl. Peter F. Bilski, Radio Operator; Cpl. Frank Chornyri, Gunner, Sgt. William M. Callicott, Gunner; Cpl. John R. Beam, Gunner; Cpl. Earnest L. Cofrances, Jr., Gunner.