Boeing C-108 Flying Fortress

C-108 Flying Fortress
C-108 Flying Fortress
	The XC-108 running up
General information
Type	Military transport aircraft
Manufacturer	Boeing / Lockheed-Vega / Wright-Patterson AFB
Primary user	United States Army Air Forces
Number built	4 conversions from B-17
History
Introduction date	1943
First flight	1943
Retired	1945
Developed from	Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

The Boeing C-108 Flying Fortress was an American transport aircraft used during World War II. Four were converted from B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombers.

Design and development

The first C-108 built (designated XC-108) was a B-17E (41-2593) converted to a V.I.P. transport for General Douglas MacArthur in 1943. With the exception of the nose and tail turrets, all armament was removed, as was all armor. The interior of the plane was made into a flying office for MacArthur, with extra windows, cooking facilities, and living space. To facilitate entry and exit, a drop-down door with steps was installed in the rear fuselage. A similar conversion was later made on a B-17F-40-VE (42-6036), which was redesignated YC-108.

Between August 1943 and March 1944, another B-17E (41-2595) was converted to a cargo aircraft and designated XC-108A. Hoping to convert obsolete bombers into cargo aircraft, the United States Army Air Forces initiated a remanufacturing station at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The plane was stripped of armament, armor, and other military equipment. Crew locations were shifted, and the nose was modified to provide space for cargo and/or personnel. The cockpit was accessed via the crawlway under it or through the hinged solid nose cone that had replaced the original glazed bombardier station. To increase cargo space, several bulkheads were removed and the bomb bay doors were sealed closed. This allowed much of the fuselage volume to be used to carry cargo or personnel.

A B-17F 42-30190 was converted (and given designation XC-108B) to tanker service. As in the XC-108A, it was devoid of armor and weapons, and the fuselage was modified to make space for its cargo. The fuselage was filled with fuel tanks.

Operational history

The XC-108 was personal VIP transport aircraft of General Douglas MacArthur in 1943.

The XC-108A was used to fly material and personnel over the Himalayas to the B-29 base in Chengdu, China. Due to chronic engine difficulties, it proved an impractical cargo aircraft. In October 1944, it was returned to the United States. By the end of the war, it was disassembled and left in a junkyard in Maine, where it suffered from some parts being scrapped and others salvaged from the airframe. Since then it has been rescued and is under restoration back to B-17E configuration.^[1]

Variants

XC-108: B-17E converted to VIP transport standard for General Douglas MacArthur. Originally B-17E s/n 41-2593.^[2]

YC-108: B-17F converted to VIP transport standard for General Douglas MacArthur. Originally B-17F s/n 42-6036.^[2]

XC-108A: B-17E converted to cargo or troop transport standard. Originally B-17E s/n 41-2595, known as "Desert Rat".^[3]^[2]

XC-108B: B-17F converted for service as a tanker. Originally B-17F s/n 42-30190.^[2]

Two other cargo transports and VIP transports were made from the B-17.

CB-17G: Troop transport version capable of carrying up to 64 troops, 25 built.

VB-17G: VIP transport version for high level staff officers, 8 built.

Operators

United States

United States Army Air Forces

Specifications (XC-108)

Data from American Military Transport Aircraft Since 1925^[4]

General characteristics

Crew: 5
Capacity: 64 troops or 8,000 lb (3.63 t) cargo
Length: 74 ft 4 in (22.66 m)
Wingspan: 103 ft 10 in (31.65 m)
Height: 19 ft 1 in (5.82 m)
Wing area: 1,527 sq ft (141.9 m²)
Empty weight: 32,250 lb (14,628 kg)
Gross weight: 40,260 lb (18,262 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 53,000 lb (24,040 kg)
Powerplant: 4 × Wright R-1820-65 9-cyl. turbo-charged air-cooled radial piston engines, 1,200 hp (890 kW) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 274 kn (315 mph, 507 km/h)
Cruise speed: 169 kn (195 mph, 314 km/h)
Range: 2,900 nmi (3,300 mi, 5,300 km)
Service ceiling: 36,600 ft (11,200 m)

Armament

Guns: 4 × 0.5 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns in nose and tail turret

Survivors

XC-108A, 41-2595, "Desert Rat", survived in a New England junkyard and is undergoing restoration in McHenry County, Illinois, by a private individual to B-17E configuration.^[5]

References

Notes

^ "Aero Vintage Books: B-17E Desert Rat History". www.aerovintage.com. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "History of B-17E and XC-108A Desert Rat". aerovintage.com. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
^ "Warbird Registry - Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress - A Warbirds Resource Group Site".
^ Johnson 2013, p. 173.
^ "Aero Vintage Books: B-17 Locator". aerovintage.com. Archived from the original on 17 May 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2018.

Bibliography

Jablonski, Edward. Flying Fortress. Doubleday, 1965. (ISBN 0-385-03855-0)
Johnson, E. R. (2013). American Military Transport Aircraft Since 1925. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-6269-8.
Wagner, Ray. American Combat Planes. Doubleday, 1982. (ISBN 0-930083-17-2)
Encyclopedia of American Aircraft
USAF Museum
Andrade, John M. . U.S Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. Leicester : Midland Counties Publications, First edition 1979. ISBN 0 904597 22 9.

External links

[1] "Aero Vintage Books: B-17E Desert Rat History". www.aerovintage.com. Retrieved 27 April 2018.

[AVB-2] "History of B-17E and XC-108A Desert Rat". aerovintage.com. Retrieved 20 November 2022.

[3] "Warbird Registry - Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress - A Warbirds Resource Group Site".

[FOOTNOTEJohnson2013173-4] Johnson 2013, p. 173.

[5] "Aero Vintage Books: B-17 Locator". aerovintage.com. Archived from the original on 17 May 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2018.

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[5]

v t e Boeing military aircraft
Fighters/attack aircraft	PW-9/FB F2B F3B F4B XF5B XF6B XF7B XF8B XP-4 XP-7 XP-8 XP-9 P-12 XP-15 P-26 P-29 XP-32 818 F-15E F-15EX YF-22 F-22 AV-8B F/A-18E/F EA-18G
Bombers	YB-9 XB-15 B-17 Y1B-20 B-29 XB-38 XB-39 YB-40 XB-44 B-47 B-50 B-52 B-54 XB-55 XB-56 XB-59 B-1
Piston-engined transports	C-73 C-75 C-97 C-98 C-108
Jet transports	C-135 C-137 CC-137 YC-14 C-17 C-22 VC-25 C-32 C-40 CT-43
Tanker-transports	KB-29 KB-50 KC-97 KC-135 KC-137 KC-10 KC-46 KC-767
Trainers	PT-13 PT-17 PT-18 PT-27 XAT-15 T-43 T-45 T-7
Patrol and surveillance	XPB XPBB XP3B P-8 EC-135 EC-18 E-3 E-4 E-6 E-7 E-8 E-10 E-767
Reconnaissance	NC-135 OC-135B RC-135 WC-135
Drones/UAVs	YQM-94 CQM-121 MQ-18 RQ-21 MQ-25 MQ-27 MQ-28 X-50
Experimental/prototypes	AFTI/F-111A Bird of Prey Phantom Eye Phantom Ray Skyfox X-20 X-32 X-36 X-37 X-40 X-45 X-48 X-50 X-51 X-53 YAL-1

v t e United States military transport aircraft designations, Army/Air Force and Tri-Service systems
Army/Air Force sequence (1925–1962)	C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-7 C-8 C-9 C-10 C-11 C-12 C-13¹ C-14 C-15 C-16 C-17 C-18 C-19 C-20 C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 C-26 C-27 C-28 C-29 C-30 C-31 C-32 C-33 C-34 C-35 C-36 C-37 C-38 C-39 C-40 C-41 C-41A C-42 C-43 C-44 C-45 C-46 C-47 C-47F C-47T AC-47 C-48 C-49 C-50 C-51 C-52 C-53 C-54 C-55 C-56 C-57 C-58 C-59 C-60 C-61 C-62 C-63 C-64 C-65 C-66 C-67 C-68 C-69 C-70 C-70B C-71 C-72 C-73 C-74 C-75 C-76 C-77 C-77B–D C-78 C-79 C-80 C-81 C-82 C-83 C-83A C-83B C-84 C-85 C-86 C-87 C-88 C-89 C-90 C-91 C-92 C-93 C-94 C-95 C-96 C-97 KC-97 C-98 C-99 C-100 C-101 C-102 C-103 C-104 C-105 C-106 C-107 C-108 C-109 C-110 C-111 C-112 C-113 C-114 C-115 C-116 C-117 C-117D C-118 C-119 AC-119 C-120 C-121 C-121F EC-121 C-122 C-123 C-123A C-124 C-125 C-126 C-127² C-127 (I) C-127 (II) C-128 C-129 C-130 C-130J AC-130 DC-130 EC-130/H HC-130 KC-130 LC-130 MC-130 WC-130 C-131 NC-131H C-132 C-133 C-134 C-135 KC-135 C-136 C-137² YC-137 (I) YC-137 (II) C-137 C-138¹ C-139¹ C-140 C-141 C-142
Tri-service sequence (1962–present)	C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-7² C-7 RC-7 C-8 C-9 C-10² C-10 KC-10 C-11 C-12 RC-12 C-13¹ C-14 C-15 C-16¹ C-17 C-18 C-19 C-20² C-20A–D C-20F–J C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 C-26 C-27 C-27J C-28 C-29 C-30¹ C-31 C-32 C-33 C-34¹ C-35 C-36³ C-37 C-37B C-38 C-39¹ C-40 C-41 C-42¹ C-43¹ C-44¹ C-45 C-46
Revived original sequence (2005–present)	C-143 C-144 C-145 C-146 C-147
Non-sequential designations	C-767 C-767B C-880
Related designations	CT-39 CT-43 CV-2 CV-7
¹ Not assigned • ² Assigned to multiple types • ³ Unconfirmed