Even though the B-17 was ineligible for a FAA license to carry revenue passengers, several were converted as business or executive executive transports and used by American corporations. These conversions were essentially similar to the wartime CB-17/XC-108 cargo transport conversions. A few surplus B-17s were converted into cargo transports with XC-108A-type cargo doors installed.

Several ex-military B-17s were fitted with extra tanks and were used for spraying operations.

In 1960, the first of 23 ex-military B-17Fs and Gs were converted into fire-fighting aircraft. The bomb bay was reconfigured to accept a 2000-gallon tank which carried a water-borate mixture to be dropped on forest fires. The tank was divided into four compartments, each with a quick-opening bottom which allowed the water to be dropped. These planes were operated under contract to the US Forest Service, and a few were still flying as late as 1984.

By the early 1980s, most B-17 water bombers had been grounded, mainly due to the lack of Wright R-1820 Cyclone engines. One water-bomber operator solved this problem by installing Rolls-Royce Dart turboprop engines in place of the Cyclones. This was done for B-17G Air Tanker N134ON. N1340N crashed in October of 1970, when fire smoke caused engine failure in the Dart turboprops.

The Institut Geographique National of France operated thirteen B-17s during the post-war years to perform worldwide survey and geophysical research missions.

USAAF Serial 	French civil	Disposition

42-30177	F-GBSG		used for spares, scrapped 1973
42-32076	F-BGSH		currently on display at WPAFB 
				Museum
43-39304	F-BDAT		Destroyed in 1950.
44-8846		F-BGSP		Still flying in France
44-8889		F-BGSO		on display at Musee de l'Air
44-83728	F-BGOE		scrapped in 1970.
44-83729	F-BEED		scrapped in 1962.
44-83735	F-BDRS		with Imperial War Museum.
44-83757	F-BDRR		scrapped
44-85594	F-BGSO		scrapped in 1972.
44-85643	F-BEEA		destroyed in 1989.
44-85718	F-BEEC		with Lone Star Flight Museum
44-85733	F-BEEB		destroyed 1949.
44-85784	F-BGSR		with B-17 Preservation Ltd. 

In 1988, there were 43 B-17s that still survive. Only about twenty of them were flyable or capable of being made so. Another twenty were on display in various museums. Three were abandoned hulks. Today, the only B-17s still flying are those that are used by such organizations as the Experimental Aircraft Association and the Confederate Air Force as "flying museums". Here is a list of surviving B-17s and their current disposition:

B-17D serial number 40-3097 "Swoose": In storage at Paul E. Garber Restoration Facility in Silver Hill, Maryland.

B-17E serial number 41-2446: Sitting out in the open abandoned in Papua New Guinea.

B-17E serial number 41-2595: Converted to XC-108A. In storage at Galt Airport in Illinois.

B-17E serial number 41-9101: Abandoned in Greeland. Now under 260 feet of ice.

B-17E serial number 41-9105: Abandoned in Greeland. Now under 260 feet of ice.

B-17E serial number 41-9210: Derelict at the La Paz airport in Bolivia.

B-17F-10-BO serial number 41-24485: "Memphis Belle". On display in Memphis, Tennessee.

B-17F-50-DL serial number 42-3374. In storage at Offutt AFB, Nebraska.

B-17F-70-BO serial number 42-29782. In flying condition with Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington under civilian registration of N17W.

B-17G-35-BO serial number 42-32076. "Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby". On display at Wright-Patterson AFB Museum, Ohio.

B-17G-90-BO serial number 43-38635. On display at Castle AFB, California.

B-17G-50-DL serial number 44-6393. On display at March AFB as B-17F-105-BO 42-30092.

B-17G-70-VE serial number 44-5843. Flying with B.C. Vintage Flying Machines of Fort Worth, Texas under civil registration of N3701G.

B-17G-85-VE serial number 44-8846. Flying in France under civil registration of F-AZDX.

B-17G-85-VE serial number 44-8889. On display at Musee de l'Air at Le Bourget near Paris.

B-17G-75-DL serial number 44-83316. Stored in pieces at Ocotillo Wells, California

B-17G-85-DL serial number 44-83512. On display at Lackland AFB, Texas.

B-17G-85-DL serial number 44-83514. Flying with Confederate Air Force as "Sentimental Journey" under civilian registration of N9323Z.

B-17G-85-DL serial number 44-83525. At Weeks Air Museum at Tamiani Airport, Miami, Florida and is maintained in flying condition.

B-17G-85-DL serial number 44-83542. Stored in pieces at Ocotillo Wells, California.

B-17G-85-DL serial number 44-83546. On display at March AFB in California marked as B-17F-110-BO 42-30604 and is maintained in flying condition under civil registration of N3703G.

B-17G-85-DL serial number 44-83559. On display at Strategic Air Command Museum, Offutt AFB, Nebraska marked as B-17F-65-DL 42-3474.

B-17G-85-DL serial number 44-83563. On display at National Warplane Museum at Geneseo, New York and is maintained in flying condition under civil registration of N9563Z..

B-17G-85-DL serial number 44-83575. Being restored at Beaver County Airport in Pennsylvania.

B-17G-90-DL serial number 44-83624. On display at Dover AFB, Delaware.

B-17G-90-DL serial number 44-83663. On display at Hill AFB, Utah.

B-17G-90-DL serial number 44-83684. On display at Planes of Fame museum at Chino Airport, California.

B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83690. On display at Grissom AFB, Indiana painted as B-17G-10-BO 42-31255 "Miss Liberty Belle".

B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83718. Owned by Brazilian Air Force Museum at Rio de Janeiro.

B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83722. Stored in pieces at Ocotillo

B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83735: On display at Imperial War Museum at Duxford, England marked as B-17G-35-BO 42-31983 "Mary Alice"

B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83785. On display at Pinal Airpark, Arizona.

B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83790. Abandoned in Newfoundland, Canada.

B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83814. In storage at Dulles Airport near Washington, D.C. awaiting display.

B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83863. On display at Elgin AFB in Florida.

B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83868. On display at RAF Bomber Command Museum at Hendon.

B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83872. Flying with Confederate Air Force as "Texas Raiders" under civilian regiatration of N7227C

B-17G-95-DL serial number 44-83884: On display at the Eighth Air Force Museum at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana.

B-17G-95-VE serial number 44-85583. On display at Base Area de Recife in Brazil.

B-17G-100-VE serial number 44-85599. On display at Dyess AFB, Texas.

B-17G-105-VE serial number 44-85718. On display at Lone Star Air Museum of Houston, Texas.

B-17G-105-VE serial number 44-85734. Stored in damaged condition at New England Air Museum at Bradley International Airport in Connecticut.

B-17G-105-VE serial number 44-85738. On public display with AMVETS in Tulare, California.

B-17G-105-VE serial number 44-85740. "Aluminum Overcast", owned by EAA Air Museum of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Flying under civil registration of N5017N.

B-17G-105-VE serial number 44-85778. In semi-storage at Stockton, California awaiting restoration.

B-17G-105-VE serial numer 44-85784. Flying with B-17 Preservation Ltd of Duxford, United Kingdom under civil registration of G-BEDF

B-17G-105-VE serial number 44-85790. On display above a gasoline station in Milwaukee, Oregon.

B-17G-110-VE serial number 44-85813. Stored in peices at Kissimmee, Florida.

B-17G-110-VE serial number 44-85828. On display with the 390th Memorial Museum located at Pima Air Museum, Arizona marked as B-17G-30-BO 42-31892.

B-17G-110-VE serial number 44-85829. Flying with Yankee Air Force of Ypsilanti, Michigan under civilian regiatration N3193G.