There is a B-17 getting restored, that was found in a junkyard. The warbird was named the Desert Rat, and Mike Kellner bought it in 1985 for 7250 dollars, and he's been restoring it ever since

Today there are approximately 43 B-17s left in the world. Of these, there exists numerous F and G models, some of them still flying. There is only one B-17D model, that located at the Smithsonian’s Paul Graber Restoration Facility. Two E models exist along with 5 P-38s under 260 feet of ice in Greenland. There is also a derelict E in Bolivia, as well as one in New Guinea. There is one more E model, serial number 41-2595, and it is currently undergoing restoration near Chicago, Illinois.

This story is of the rare B-17E located in Illinois. Its rarity may have been its salvation. As the F and G models were being phased into use during the war the older E models were pressed into other services. On August 17, 1943 serial number 41-2595 was taken to Patterson Field in Ohio to be converted from the standard E model to a cargo carrier as part of the C-108 program. 41-2595 was the second B-17 selected for the program to becoming a XC-108A. Modifications included stripping armor and armament, taking out the bomb racks, sealing the bomb bay doors and putting a floor over them. Other changes included moving the radioman and navigator behind the pilot and copilot in the area where the top turret was previously located, opening up the bulkhead door in the rear of the bomb-bay leading to the former radio room. Hardware was added for litters, cargo or troops.

The most obvious extermal change was in the addition of a large hinged door that lifted upwards where the left waist gunner previously fought. The conversion was finished and was ready to enter back into service March 2, 1944. In late March 41-2595 was sent to India. It returned to the U.S. via the North Atlantic ferry route in October 1944 to Dow field at Bangor Maine. After service at Dow field it was authorized for salvage. For most of the WWII aircraft this would have been the end of the story. For 41-2595, however, it was just the start of a long dormat stage.

The owner of an auto junk yard nearby Dow Field was the successful bidder for salvaging the B-17, as well as a B-25, a C-47, and an O-47. His kids went at the B-25 and cut it up into small pieces. Presumably the C-47 and the O-47 met the same fate, as there was no evidence of their prior existence. The B-17 started down the same path, but for some inexplicable reason the effort was abandoned. It is not known whether this was due to the to the heavy construction of the B-17, or the XC-108A modifications. It sat in this state, forgotten for over 35 years.

The B-17 survived reasonably well in several large pieces, due in part to the fact that the forest had obscured the plane from view. Most of the airplane was comprised of seven large pieces, the forward and rear fuselage, a nose section that made up the bombardier and navigator compartment, and outboard and inboard wing sections (2 each). The plane and all of its parts eventually made their way to Gault airport in Illinois. It sat again for several years while extra parts and equipment could be rounded up.

info from http://usaaf.com/b17/index.htm
http://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-articles/b-17e-desert-rat-restoration-project.html
found on http://outsidethecubicle.tumblr.com/post/62325171857/warhistoryonline-b-17e-desert-rat-restoration#notes

And more info at http://www.aerovintage.com/rat-4.htm and http://www.warbirdsnews.com/warbird-restorations/b-17e-desert-rat-restoration-project-update.html



http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1997-06-22/features/9706220023_1_b-17-plane-flying-fortress

and it has a facebook page for updates https://www.facebook.com/12595DesertRat/

Another person who contributed was the late Don Pegler, an artist and cartoonist best known for creating the Raid insecticide commercials for S.C. Johnson.

He drew a “Desert Rat” character in various scenes. The one they chose features the rat riding a bomb through the air, carrying an American flag.

When the plane is complete, the name panel, which originally just had the words, “The Desert Rat,” will have the Pegler art added. “Don said he was honored to do it,” Johnson says.

Progress is continuing. The plane body is close to being done, except for the left wing and the engines. A couple has volunteers to sew the fabric coating for the plane.

Getting the parts and the time and the funds to get the engines working may take a few more years, but the goal is in sight, they believe. The project has attracted some attention from authors like Nicholas A. Veroneo, who included it in his “Hidden Warlords,” a book about challenging projects that found, recovered and rebuilt World War II aircraft.

Even more to the point, Kellner has two pilots who are actually certified to fly a B-17E.

http://www.journal-topics.com/news/article_4eee9ba6-eb94-11e5-838f-a36e41a3bedb.html