During WW2, several B-17 Flying Fortress were captured by German and Japanese forces. The first B-17 to come under Japanese control was an B-17D which was pieced together from the remnants of other destroyed B-17Ds on Clark Field in the Philippines. The same thing was done to two B-17Es on Bandung Field on Java.
The Luftwaffe captured several dozen of Fortress and they could use as many as seven Fortress. Five of them were B-17F version and two others were B-17G planes. The following link presents a small compilation of photos of the some these planes captured in Japanese and German markings:
Has anyone ever seen/read/heard what the Axis powers thought of the American or Allied planes in general? I’d be curious to see what the Japanese thought of the Thunderbolt or the B-17 or quite frankly any other plane they captured. Their planes were so light! And then to strap themselves into a P-47, that must have been other-worldly.
Last year Aviation History magazine had an article on the 3 Japanese Forts, and what might have became of them. It even mentions where US intelligence officers were surprised in 1945 to see recon photos of a new Japanese 4-engine bomber with a wing span that scaled out to 104 feet. That was a big Duh! And with Wulfhound,(41-24585 of the 303rd BG), the first intact B-17 captured by the Germans, I believe that people have dug up pieces of it recently at an old Luftwaffe airfield.
How easy was it for pilots to jump in captured planes from their enemy and fly them? I’m sure it was done to understand the capabilities of the opposition’s planes. Was it similar enough?