The aircraft was destroyed on November 12, 2022, by a mid-air collision with a P-63 Kingcobra at an air show at Dallas Executive Airport, Texas, that killed all five occupants and the P-63 pilot.
[2] The plane was built in 1945 under license from Boeing by Douglas Aircraft Corporation at its plant in Long Beach, California.
[3] The Navy used PB-1Ws as the original Airborne Warning and Command System or AWACS aircraft, as well as for electronic countermeasures, anti-submarine warfare and hurricane hunters.
Radio direction finder (RDF), instrument landing system (ILS), and long-range navigation (LORAN) were also installed at this time.
BuNo 77235 was flown to Litchfield Park, Arizona, and placed in flyable storage status until officially retired from naval service on August 25, 1955, with 3,257 hours flying time.
[3] The livery was inspired by a real B-17G plane, Princess Pat (42-97503), including squadron code VP with call letter X, but using the actual tail number of Texas Raiders.
[3] Texas Raiders returned to flight on October 14, 2009, and was featured at Wings Over Houston that month as a static display.
[3] The Gulf Coast Wing commissioned a complete new paint job and brand new nose art for Texas Raiders in late 2016, costing $190,000.
[3] The aircraft crashed on November 12, 2022, after a mid-air collision with a Bell P-63 Kingcobra at Dallas Executive Airport while performing during an air show.