Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress (N5017N)

Why those inboards throwing so much more oil than the outboards??
Overhaul time???

Alan, I believe it's rubber/asphalt stains from the landing gear. Maybe not.

Actually it is because the air exiting the landing gear doors cause the venting of oil. Engines #1 and #4 vent into a cleaner airstream that takes most of it away from the wing.

Can you imagine a thousand of these big brutes in the air at one time? Biggest formation I ever flew I was only 16 aircraft.

@Paul Parish. I'd hate to be a German Soldier.

My favorite WW2 bomber! My father-in-law was a co-pilot on one of these on his first mission when he was shot down over Italy. Flak knocked out two engines, all the crew bailed out and survived. Three were taken prisoner. My father-in-law was hidden by several farmers as he tried to make his way back south. Stayed with one farm family, in Nazi occupied territory, for about 4 months before the Allies liberated the area. After the crew bailed out, the B-17 flew on unmanned and eventually crashed in a large volcanic lake (Lake Bolsena). About 3 years ago, the belly gun ball turret was discovered about 300' down. The man who recovered it and several other researchers spent about a year trying to identify the plane and crew. Too long a story to relate here but it's fascinating what they did to identify the plane and my father-in-law and his crew.

Neil Klapthor, this is fascinating. I lived near the lake in my youth and did not know the story, but if you google " b17 lago bolsena " and look at the images, you will find a lot of the belly gun ball turret. Glad about the outcome for your dad!

@Neil Klapthor. WOW! Awesome story.