F9pnthr ) wrote:
: I have a photo taken at Hamilton AFB in California in April, 1953. It's of a
: B-17, probably a "G" because there's a circular plate where the chin turret
: would have been. The upper surfaces are highly plished, the lower more dull and
: oxidized. Unfortunately the view is of the nose and wings at a nearly head-on
: angle, with the aircraft parked in a hangar, so there are no visible markings.
: I recall being told at the time (I was all of 11) that it was a commander's
: personal aircraft. General Alfred Kessler commanded the 4th Air Force there at
: the time; I seem to recall that he flew B-17s during WW 2. Anyone have any
: knowledge of this aircraft, or its fate?

I know that very few B-17s were in good enough shape to be used
for personal transportation. (Col. Robert McCormick of the Chicago
Tribune had one of the few.)
http://www.time.com/time/time100/builder/other/wacky.html
A few were used by the Coast Guard for dropping life rafts,
but after WW II there were very few B-17s in use.