Surplus Vehicle Uses

Sometimes when purchasing large numbers of models I mis-count or I buy a collection and end up with a couple surplus items. I like to have unusual items in my collection so when I find myself with an odd item, I like to find a use for it rather than trade it off or sell it. The US Army Air Forces used the B-17 bomber all during World War Two. They were an old design even at the beginning of the war and by then end they were declared obsolete, and most were sold and scrapped.

Some of the B-17 were converted into executive transports and used for years afterwards. That would be an easy conversion, remove all the guns, plate over the holes and paint it in fancy gloss colors. The Korean War and Cold War meant that Generals and other high priority passengers needed to travel around the world quickly. Some were used as air / sea rescue planes and a few even carried a whaleboat that they could drop into the water. Air operations remained at a high tempo even after the war due to transition to jet aircraft there were many crashes.

Other B-17s were used as target drones. The development of air to air missiles led to the need to fly large targets to simulate Soviet bombers. While some B-17s were expended as targets, others were used as target and drone controllers.

Military equipment often has multiple lives, as first line weapons systems and then often later as test vehicles or even in civilian life. The B-17 is just one example I can name. Sherman tanks were used post war, even now, for lumber crews and other civil users. Before you dispose of that surplus vehicle, do some research and find out if there are other uses for that seemingly surplus vehicle.