Sebring, FL

Hendricks Field

Army Air Force Basic Training School, Sebring, FL(1941-1946)

WWII Kilroy Was Here Hendricks Field Army Air Force Traing Sebring Sports Car Race B-17 Flying Fortress

In an area chosen for it's great flying weather, Hendricks Field trained hundreds of flight crews for the B-17. The Tower, Hangar and operations Building as they appeared in 1996 are also shown below.

Photos

B-17g 1996

Hangar 1996

Operations Bldg (now a cafe) 1996

Control Tower Still in use (1996)

History

B-17

NUMBER BUILT: A total of 12,731 Flying Fortresses were produced in the period 1935-1945. Of this total, Boeing built 6981, Douglas Aircraft built 3000 and Vega (Lockheed) built 2,750. The break down of models is as follows. 1 Boeing model 299, 13 Y1B-17s, 1 Y1B-17A, 3 9 B-17Bs, 38 B-17Cs, 42 B-17Ds, 512 B-17Es, 3,405 B-17Fs (2,300 Boeing, 605 Douglas and 500 Vega), 6,430 B-17Gs (4,035 Boeing, 2395 Douglas and 2250 Vega). 730 B-17Gs were canceled at the end of the war (600 Douglas and 130 Vega). Approximately 4,750 B-17s were lost on combat missions.

NUMBER ASSIGNED TO SAC: At least 20 RB-17Gs were assigned to SAC. These aircraft were assigned to Offutt AFB, NE; Barksdale AFB, LA; March AFB, CA; and Fairfield-Susuin AFB, CA. They were transferred to the U.S. Navy starting in Dec 1949 -Jul 1950. SAC also flew F-9s and FB-17s . To serve as long-range photographic reconnaissance aircraft, a number of B-17s were converted to F-9s between 1942 and 1944. The first F-9s were B-17Fs with tri-metragon cameras in the nose, and other cameras in the bomb-bay and rear fuselage. Different camera arrangements distinguished the 25 F-9As and F-9B, while the 10 F-9C were conversion of the B-17G. Those that remained post-war were eventually re-designated RB-17G. Some other camera-equipped Fortresses also operated as FB-17s.

For more on the history of Sebring, see: