One of the main and most important Allied bombers, the B-17 was sparked interest and greed target of Germans and Japanese during WW2. Inevitably some planes were captured and tested by the enemy. I share with you the link below that has some photos of these planes, some rare, with German and Japanese markings. To see the photos, visit the link below:
http://aviacaoemfloripa.blogspot.com.br/2011/02/fortalezas-voadoras-capturadas.html
Best Regards.
I’m interested in the air campaign in Papua New Guinea in 1942 - early 1943.
As far as I’m aware all B17s downed by the Japanese and others downed by pilot error and mechanical failures were destroyed, at least to the point that the Japanese wouldn’t have been able to get one to fly again even if they cannibalised parts from various planes. Plus the Japanese were struggling to maintain and repair their own planes at the time, and outside Rabaul, other aerodromes in New Britain, and maybe Lae they probably wouldn’t have had an airstrip capable of flying a B17 off.
Do you know if any of the B17s in your pictures come from that campaign?