B-17G Sentimental Journey approching the Superstition Mountains

[Penzoil3]

CAF Arizona Wing's B-17G "Sentimental Journey," N9323Z. "Sentimental Journey" rolled off the Douglas assembly line in late 1944, and was accepted by the Army Air Corp on March 13, 1945. Being delivered too late to serve in the European theater, the aircraft was assigned to the Pacific theater for the duration of the war. The aircraft served in the USAF until 1959 when it was put into storage. Within a few months the aircraft was acquired by the Aero Union Corporation of Chico, California and flew thousands of sorties against forest fires as a converted tanker. In 1978 the aircraft was donated to the newly founded Arizona Wing of the Commemorative Air Force, and after a local contest the aircraft was named "Sentimental Journey." The decision was made to use the most famous pinup picture of WWII for the nose art, which of course was that of Betty Grable's most tantalizing. Over the years the aircraft has been brought back to its WWII configuration, complete with all turrets, crew positions, bombay, and markings of the 457th Bomb Group. The aircraft makes on average each year an amazing 60 airshow stops nation wide.