B-17s were phased out of the bombing business immediately after the victory in 1945. They did some Air Sea rescue and Transport. The war used ones all came home and were mostly scrapped or sold. The ones used postwar for a few more years that were sitting on the ramp new at the end of the war.
They only stopped building them after the Trinity test.. just a couple of weeks before Japan surrendered.
They were only used as a bomber until 1946 except a few oddballs here and there like in Israel etc.
“B-17s were phased out of the bombing business immediately after the victory in 1945. They did some Air Sea rescue and Transport...They were only used as a bomber until 1946 except a few oddballs here and there like in Israel etc.” [DesertRhino, post 40]
While it’s true that B-17s were removed from the primary mission at the end of the war, they remained in active inventory for many years. As you noted.
Same difference to the maintainers, supply folks and administrative functionaries. Except for weapons and munitions.
Some did duty into the late 1960s as “water bombers” for wildland firefighting. As USFS assets, or provided by private contractors? Couldn’t say.