| B-17 Flying Fortress | |
|---|---|
 A USAAF B-17G-30-DL levels off for a bomb run. |
|
| Type | Strategic bomber |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Boeing |
| Maiden flight | 28 July 1935[1] |
| Introduction | April 1938 |
| Retired | 1968 (Brazilian Air Force) |
| Primary users | United States Army Air Force Royal Air Force |
| Produced | 1936–1945 |
| Number built | 12,731[2] |
| Unit cost | US$238,329[3] |
| Variants | XB-38 Flying Fortress YB-40 Flying Fortress C-108 Flying Fortress |
The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engine heavy bomber aircraft developed for the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC). A strategic bomber is a heavy type Aircraft designed to drop large amounts of ordnance onto a distant target for the purposes of debilitating an enemy's The United States of America —commonly referred to as the An aerospace manufacturer is a company or individual involved in the various aspects of designing building testing selling and maintaining Aircraft, Aircraft parts The Boeing Company is a major Aerospace and defense corporation originally founded by William E The maiden flight of an Aircraft is the first occasion on which an aircraft leaves the ground of its own accord Events 1540 - Thomas Cromwell is executed at the order of Henry VIII of England on charges of Treason. Year 1935 ( MCMXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Brazilian Air Force ( Portuguese: Força Aérea Brasileira, FAB) is the air branch of the Brazilian armed forces and one of the three national The United States Army Air Forces ( USAAF) was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout "C-108" redirects here For the freshwater catfish see Corydoras xinguensis WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft The Boeing Company is a major Aerospace and defense corporation originally founded by William E A heavy bomber is a Bomber aircraft of the largest size and typically longest ranges The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC was the predecessor of the U Competing against Douglas and Martin for a contract to build 200 bombers, the Boeing entry outperformed both the other competitors and more than met the Air Corps' expectations. The Douglas Aircraft Company was an American Aerospace manufacturer, based in Long Beach California. The Glenn L Martin Company was an early US Aircraft company founded by aviation pioneer Glenn Luther Martin. Although Boeing lost the contract due to the prototype's crash, the Air Corps was so impressed with Boeing's design that they ordered 13 B-17s. The B-17 Flying Fortress went on to enter full-scale production and was considered the first truly mass-produced large aircraft, eventually evolving through numerous design advancements, from B-17A to G. The following is an extensive catalogue of the variants and specific unique elements of each variant and/or design stage of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber
The B-17 was primarily employed in the daylight precision strategic bombing campaign of World War II against German industrial, civilian and military targets. Strategic bombing is a Military strategy used in a Total war with the goal of defeating an enemy nation-state by destroying its economic ability to wage war rather World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The United States Eighth Air Force based in England and the Fifteenth Air Force based in Italy complemented the RAF Bomber Command's nighttime area bombing in Operation Pointblank, to help secure air superiority over the cities, factories and battlefields of Western Europe in preparation for Operation Overlord. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Eighth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force (NAF of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest RAF Bomber Command was the organisation that controlled the RAF 's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968 Operation Pointblank was the code name for the Combined Bomber Offensive of the USAAF and the RAF during World War II. [4] The B-17 also participated, to a lesser extent, in the War in the Pacific, where it conducted raids against Japanese shipping. The Pacific Ocean theater was one of four major naval theatres of war of the Second World War that pitted forces of the Japan against those of the United
From its pre-war inception, the USAAC touted the aircraft as a strategic weapon; it was a potent, high-flying, long-ranging bomber capable of unleashing great destruction yet able to defend itself. With the ability to return home despite extensive battle damage, its durability, especially in belly-landings and ditchings, quickly took on mythic proportions. [5][6][7] Stories and photos of B-17s surviving battle damage widely circulated, boosting its iconic status. [8] Despite an inferior range and bombload compared to the more numerous B-24 Liberator,[9] a survey of Eighth Air Force crews showed a much higher rate of satisfaction in the B-17. Eighth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force (NAF of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC [10] With a service ceiling greater than any of its Allied contemporaries, the B-17 established itself as a superb weapons system, dropping more bombs than any other U. S. aircraft in World War II. Of the 1. 5 million tonnes of bombs dropped on Germany by U. This article is about the tonne or metric ton For other tons see Ton. S. aircraft, 500,000 were dropped from B-17s.
Contents |
Design and development
On 8 August 1934, the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC) tendered a proposal for a multi-engined bomber to replace the Martin B-10. Events 1220 - Sweden is defeated by Estonian tribes in the Battle of Lihula. Year 1934 ( MCMXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC was the predecessor of the U WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Requirements were that it would carry a "useful bombload" at an altitude of 10,000 ft (3 km) for ten hours with a top speed of at least 200 mph (320 km/h). [12][13] They also desired, but did not require, a range of 2,000 miles (3200 km) and a speed of 250 mph (400 km/h). The Air Corps were looking for a bomber capable of reinforcing the air forces in Hawaii, Panama, and Alaska. [14] The competition would be decided by a "fly-off" at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Greene and Montgomery counties eight miles (13 km) northeast of Dayton is a city in southwestern Ohio, United States. It is the County seat and largest city of Montgomery County. Ohio ( is a Midwestern state of the United States. As part of the Great Lakes region, Ohio has long been a cultural and geographical crossroads Boeing competed with the Douglas DB-1 and Martin Model 146 for the Air Corps contract. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout
The prototype B-17, designated Model 299, was designed by a team of engineers led by E. Gifford Emery and Edward Curtis Wells and built at Boeing's own expense. Ed Wells redirects here For the baseball player see Ed Wells (baseball Edward Curtis Wells ( 26 August, 1910 &ndash July 1986 was senior The Boeing Company is a major Aerospace and defense corporation originally founded by William E [13] It combined features of the experimental Boeing XB-15 bomber with the Boeing 247 transport airplane. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout [12] The B-17 was armed with bombs (up to 4,800 pounds (2200 kg) on two racks in the bomb bay behind the cockpit) and five 0. 30 inch (7. 62 mm) caliber machine guns, and was powered by Pratt & Whitney R-1690 radial engines each producing 750 horsepower (600 kW) at 7,000 ft (2100 m). For other uses of the phrase see Machine Gun (disambiguation. [13]
The first flight of the Model 299 was on 28 July 1935, with Boeing chief test-pilot Les Tower at the controls. Events 1540 - Thomas Cromwell is executed at the order of Henry VIII of England on charges of Treason. Year 1935 ( MCMXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. [15][1] Richard Williams, a reporter for the Seattle Times coined the name "Flying Fortress" when the Model 299 was rolled out, bristling with multiple machine gun installations. The Seattle Times, one of two daily Newspapers serving Seattle Washington, United States, is the largest daily newspaper in the state of [16] Boeing was quick to see the value of the name and had it trademarked for use. On 20 August, the prototype flew from Seattle to Wright Field in nine hours and three minutes at an average speed of 235 mph (378 km/h), much faster than the competition. Events 636 - Battle of Yarmouk: Arab forces led by Khalid ibn al-Walid take control of Syria and Palestine [13]
At the fly-off, the four-engine Boeing design displayed superior performance over the twin-engine DB-1 and Model 146, and General Frank Maxwell Andrews of the GHQ Air Force believed that the long-range capabilities of four-engine large aircraft were more efficient than shorter-ranged twin-engined airplanes. Frank Maxwell Andrews ( February 3, 1884 &ndash May 3, 1943) was one of the founding fathers of military aviation in the United States The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC was the predecessor of the U His opinions were shared by the Air Corps procurement officers and, even before the competition was finished, they suggested buying 65 B-17s. [17]
Development continued on the Boeing Model 299, and on 30 October 1935, the Army Air Corps test-pilots Ployer, Hill, and Tower, took the Model 299 on a second evaluation flight. Events 637 - Antioch surrenders to the Muslim forces under Rashidun Caliphate after the Battle of Iron bridge. Year 1935 ( MCMXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The crew forgot to disengage the airplane's "gust lock," a device that held the bomber's movable control surfaces in place while the plane was parked on the ground, and having taken off, the aircraft entered a steep climb, stalled, nosed over and crashed, killing two. [18][19] The crashed Model 299 could not finish the evaluation, and while the Air Corps was still enthusiastic about the aircraft's potential, Army officials were daunted by the much greater expense per aircraft. [20][21] Army Chief of Staff Malin Craig cancelled the order for 67 B-17s, and ordered 133 of the twin-engine Douglas B-18 Bolo instead. Malin Craig ( August 5, 1875 &ndash July 25, 1945) was a United States Army general. [17][13]
Regardless, the USAAC had been impressed by the prototype's performance and, on 17 January 1936, the Air Corps ordered, through a legal loophole,[22] 13 YB-17s for service testing. Events 38 BC - Octavian marries Livia Drusilla. 1287 - King Alfonso III of Aragon invades Minorca Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The YB-17 incorporated a number of significant changes from the Model 299, including more powerful Wright R-1820-39 Cyclone engines replacing the original Pratt & Whitneys. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout
On 1 March 1937, 12 of the 13 YB-17s were delivered to the 2nd Bombardment Group at Langley Field in Virginia, and used to help develop heavy bomber techniques and work out other bugs. Events 86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army enters in Athens, removing the Tyrant Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Langley Air Force Base is located three Nautical miles (6 km) north of the Central business district of the city of Hampton, Virginia [12] One suggestion was the use of a checklist, to avoid accidents such as the Model 299's. A checklist is used as an aid to Memory. It helps to ensure consistency and completeness in carrying out a task [23][22] In one of their first missions, three B-17s, following lead navigator Lt. Curtis LeMay, were sent by General Andrews to "intercept" the Italian ocean liner Rex 800 statute miles (1300 km) off the Atlantic coast and take photographs. Curtis Emerson LeMay (15 November 1906–3 October 1990 was a General in the United States Air Force and the vice presidential running mate of American Independent History Following North German Lloyd 's successful capture of the Blue Riband with its and duo of ocean liners the Rex was intended to be Italy's effort to The successful mission was widely publicized. [11][24]. The 13th YB-17 was delivered to the Material Division at Wright Field, Ohio, to be used for flight testing. [25]
A 14th YB-17 (37-369), originally constructed for ground testing of the airframe's strength, was upgraded and fitted with exhaust-driven turbochargers. Scheduled to fly in 1937, it encountered problems with the turbochargers and its first flight was delayed until 29 April 1938. Events 1429 - Joan of Arc arrives to relieve the Siege of Orleans. Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. [26] Modifications cost Boeing US$100,000 and took until spring 1939 to complete, but resulted in an increased service ceiling and maximum speed. [27] The aircraft was delivered to the Army on 31 January 1939 and was redesignated B-17A to signify the first operational variant. Events 1504 - France cedes Naples to Aragon. 1606 - Gunpowder Plot: Guy Fawkes Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. [28]
In late 1937, the Air Corps ordered ten more aircraft, designated B-17B and, soon after, another 29. [27] Improved with larger flaps, rudder and Plexiglas nose, the B-17Bs were delivered between July 1939 and March 1940. Poly(methyl methacrylate ( PMMA) or poly(methyl 2-methylpropenoate is a Thermoplastic and transparent Plastic. They equipped two bombardment groups, one on each U. S. coast. [29][30]
Prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor, fewer than 200 B-17s were in service with the Army,[22] but production quickly accelerated, and the B-17 became the first truly mass-produced large aircraft. The attack on Pearl Harbor (or Hawaii Operation, as it was called by the Imperial General Headquarters) was a surprise Military strike conducted by [31][32] The aircraft went on to serve in every World War II combat zone, and by the time production ended in May 1945, 12,731 aircraft had been built by Boeing, Douglas and Vega (a subsidiary of Lockheed). World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Boeing Company is a major Aerospace and defense corporation originally founded by William E The Douglas Aircraft Company was an American Aerospace manufacturer, based in Long Beach California. The Vega Aircraft Corporation was a subsidiary of the Lockheed Aircraft Company responsible for much of its parent company's production in World War II. The Lockheed Corporation (originally Loughead Aircraft Manufacturing Company was an American aerospace company founded in 1912 which merged with Martin Marietta [33]
Operational history
The B-17 began operations in World War II with the RAF in 1941, USAAF Eighth Air Force and Fifteenth Air Force units in 1942, and was primarily involved in the daylight precision strategic bombing campaign against German industrial targets. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Eighth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force (NAF of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC Strategic bombing is a Military strategy used in a Total war with the goal of defeating an enemy nation-state by destroying its economic ability to wage war rather Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Operation Pointblank guided attacks in preparation for a ground assault. Operation Pointblank was the code name for the Combined Bomber Offensive of the USAAF and the RAF during World War II. [34]
During World War II, the B-17 equipped 32 overseas combat groups, inventory peaking in August 1944 at 4,574 USAAF aircraft worldwide,[35] and dropped 640,036 long tons (650,195 tonnes) of bombs on European targets (compared to 452,508 tons (451,691 tonnes) dropped by the Liberator and 463,544 tons (420,520 tonnes) dropped by all other U. Units of mass There are three similar units of Mass called the ton: Long ton (simply ton in countries such as the United This article is about the tonne or metric ton For other tons see Ton. S. aircraft). Approximately 4,750, or one third, of B-17s built were lost in combat. [9]
The RAF
The Royal Air Force (RAF) entered World War II with no heavy bomber of its own and while by 1941, the Short Stirling and Handley Page Halifax had become its primary bombers, in early 1940, the RAF entered into an agreement with the U. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout S. Army Air Corps to be provided with 20 B-17Cs, redesignated Fortress I. Their first operation was against Wilhelmshaven on 8 July 1941. Wilhelmshaven (vɪlhɛlmsˈhaːfən is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany. Events 939 - The Major Occultation or Ghaybat el-Kubra of Muhammad al-Mahdi 1099 - First Crusade: 15000 Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. [36][29][37] At the time, the Air Corps considered high-altitude flight to be 20,000 ft (6 km) but, to avoid being intercepted by fighter aircraft, the RAF bombed the naval barracks from 30,000 ft (9 km). [38] They were unable to hit their targets and temperatures were so low that the machine guns froze up. [39] On 24 July, they tried another target, Brest in France, but again missed completely. Events 1132 - Battle of Nocera between Ranulf II of Alife and Roger II of Sicily. Brest (bʁɛst in French, in Breton) is a city in the Finistère department in Bretagne in northwestern France. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics.
By September, after the RAF had lost eight B-17Cs in combat or to accidents, Bomber Command had abandoned daylight bombing raids due to the Fortress I's poor performance. RAF Bomber Command was the organisation that controlled the RAF 's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968 The remaining aircraft were transferred to different commands for deployment to various duties including coastal defence. [39] The experience had showed both the RAF and USAAF that the B-17C was not ready for combat, and that improved defenses, larger bomb loads and more accurate bombing methods were required, which would be incorporated in later versions. Moreover, even with these improvements, it was the USAAF and not the RAF that was willing to remain faithful to using the B-17 as a "day" bomber. [38]
Bomber Command transferred its remaining Fortress I aircraft to Coastal Command for use as very long range patrol aircraft. RAF Coastal Command was an organization within the Royal Air Force which defended the United Kingdom from naval threats and countered German U-boats These were later augmented in August 1942 by 19 Fortress Mk II and 45 Fortress Mk IIA (B-17F and B-17E, respectively — the USAAF offered the B-17F before offering the B-17E, thus the apparently reversed designations). [40] A Fortress from No. 206 Squadron RAF sank U-627 on 27 October 1942: the first of 11 U-boat kills credited to RAF Fortress bombers during the war. History 206 Squadron was founded on 1 November 1916 as No 6 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service, a fighter unit that was disbanded less than a year later Events 312 - Constantine the Great is said to have received his famous Vision of the Cross. Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. [41]
The USAAF
The Air Corps (renamed United States Army Air Forces or USAAF in 1941), utilizing the B-17 and other bombers, bombed from high altitudes using the then-secret Norden Bombsight, which was an optical electro-mechanical gyro-stabilized computer. The United States Army Air Forces ( USAAF) was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II. The Norden bombsight was a Bombsight used by the United States Army Air Forces during World War II, and the United States Air Force in the During daylight bombing missions and sorties, the device was able to determine, from variables input by the bombardier, the point in space at which the bomber's ordnance type should be released to hit the target. A bomb is any of a range of devices that typically rely on the Exothermic Chemical reaction of an Explosive material to produce an extremely The bombardier essentially took over flight control of the aircraft during the bomb run, maintaining a level attitude during the final moments. [42]
The USAAF began building up its air forces in Europe using B-17Es soon after entering the war. The first Eighth Air Force units arrived in High Wycombe, England on 12 May 1942, to form the 97th Bomb Group. Eighth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force (NAF of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC See also High Wycombe Western Australia High Wycombe (hai ˈwɪk Events 1191 - Richard I of England marries Berengaria of Navarre. Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. [12] On 17 August 1942, 18 B-17Es of the 97th, including Yankee Doodle, flown by Major Paul Tibbets and Brigadier General Ira Eaker, were escorted by RAF Spitfires on the first USAAF raid over Europe, against railroad marshalling yards at Rouen-Sotteville in France. Events 986 - A Byzantine army was destroyed in the pass of Trajan's Gate by the Bulgarians under the Comitopuli Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Paul Warfield Tibbets Jr ( February 23, 1915 &ndash November 1, 2007) was a Brigadier general in the United States Air Force General Ira Clarence Eaker KCB KBE ( April 13, 1896 – August 6, 1987) was a general of the United WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout A ( US and Canada) classification yard or ( UK and Canada) marshalling yard (including hump yards) is a Railroad Rouen (ʁwɑ̃ in French) is the historical capital city of Normandy, in northwestern France on the River Seine, and currently the capital [43][12] The operation was a success, with only minor damage to two aircraft.
Combined offensive
The two different strategies of the American and British Bomber commands were organized at the Casablanca Conference in January 1943. The Casablanca Conference (codenamed SYMBOL was held at the Anfa Hotel in Casablanca, Morocco, then a French Protectorate, from January 14 to The resulting Operation Pointblank described a "Combined Bomber Offensive" that would weaken the Wehrmacht and establish air superiority in preparation of a ground offensive. Operation Pointblank was the code name for the Combined Bomber Offensive of the USAAF and the RAF during World War II. Wehrmacht (literally "defense force" was the name of the unified Armed forces of Germany from 1935 to 1945 [4]
Operation Pointblank opened with attacks on targets in Western Europe. General Ira C. Eaker and the Eighth Air Force placed highest priority on attacks on the German aircraft industry, especially fighter assembly plants, engine factories and ball-bearing manufacturers. General Ira Clarence Eaker KCB KBE ( April 13, 1896 – August 6, 1987) was a general of the United [4]
On 17 April 1943, an attack on the Focke-Wulf plant at Bremen by 115 Fortresses met with little success. Events 69 - After the First Battle of Bedriacum, Vitellius becomes Roman Emperor. Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau AG was a German manufacturer of civil and military aircraft during World War II. Bremen (ˈbʁeːmən is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany (official name Stadtgemeinde Bremen / City Municipality of Bremen Sixteen aircraft were shot down, and 48 others were damaged. [44] The attacks did succeed, however, in diverting about half the Luftwaffe's fighter force to anti-bomber operations.
Since the airfield bombings were not appreciably reducing German fighter strength, additional B-17 groups were formed, Eaker ordered major missions deeper into Germany against important industrial targets. The 8th Air Force then targeted the ball-bearing factories in Schweinfurt, hoping to cripple the war effort there. Schweinfurt ( German for Swine ford) is a city in the Lower Franconia region of Bavaria in Germany on the right The first raid on 17 August 1943 did not result in critical damage to the factories, with the 230 attacking B-17s being intercepted by an estimated 300 Luftwaffe fighters. Events 986 - A Byzantine army was destroyed in the pass of Trajan's Gate by the Bulgarians under the Comitopuli Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Thirty-six aircraft were shot down with the loss of 200 men, and coupled with a raid earlier in the day against Regensburg, a total of 60 B-17s were lost that day. Regensburg ( also Ratisbon, Ratisbona Řezno originally Castra Regina) is a City (population 131000 in 2007 in Bavaria, Germany
A second attempt on 14 October 1943 would later come to be known as "Black Thursday". Events 1066 - Norman Conquest: Battle of Hastings - In England on Senlac Hill seven miles from Hastings, the forces Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Second raid on Schweinfurt (also called Mission 115 took place during World War II on October 14 1943, when 291 B-17 Flying Fortresses [45] Of the 291 attacking Fortresses, 59 were shot down over Germany, one ditched in the English Channel, five crashed in England, and 12 more were scrapped due to battle damage or crash-landings (more by AA guns than the Luftwaffe), a total loss of 77 B-17s. One hundred and twenty-two bombers were damaged to some degree and needed repairs before their next flight. Out of 2,900 men in the crews, about 650 men did not return, although some survived as POWs. Five were killed and 43 wounded in the damaged aircraft that made it home, and 594 were listed as Missing in Action. Only 33 bombers landed without damage. These losses of air crews could not be sustained, and the USAAF, recognizing the vulnerability of heavy bombers against interceptors, suspended daylight bomber raids deep into Germany until the development of an escort fighter that could protect the bombers all the way from the United Kingdom to Germany and back. The Eighth Air Force alone lost 176 bombers in October 1943. Eighth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force (NAF of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC [46] The Eighth Air Force was to suffer similar casualties on 11 January 1944 on missions to Oschersleben, Halberstadt and Brunswick. Events 1055 - Theodora is crowned Empress of the Byzantine Empire. Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Oschersleben is a town in the Börde district in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Halberstadt is a City in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt and the capital of the district of Harz. Braunschweig, known as Brunswiek in Low German, is a city of 245810 people (as of 31 December 2007 located in Lower Saxony, Germany. Doolittle had ordered the mission to be cancelled as the weather deteriorated, but the lead units had already entered hostile air space and continued with the mission. Most of the escorts turned back or missed the rendezvous, as a result 60 B-17s were destroyed[47][48] A third raid on Schweinfurt on 24 February 1944 highlighted what came to be known as "Big Week". Events 303 - Galerius, Roman Emperor, publishes his edict that begins the persecution of Christians in his portion of the Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Between February 20 and February 25 1944, as part of the European strategic bombing campaign, the United States Strategic Air Forces (USSTAF With P-51 Mustang and P-47 Thunderbolt fighters (equipped with improved drop tanks to extend their range) escorting the American heavies all the way to and from the targets, only 11 of 231 B-17s were lost. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The term drop tank (or belly tank) is used to describe auxiliary fuel tanks in both aeronautics and spaceflight [49] The escort fighters reduced the loss rate to below seven percent, with only 247 B-17s lost in 3500 sorties while taking part in the Big Week raids. Sortie is a term for deployment or dispatch of one military unit be it of Aircraft, Ship or in older times of columns of troops from a fort [50]
By September 1944, 27 of the 40 bomb groups of the Eighth Air Force and six of the 21 groups of the Fifteenth Air Force utilized B-17s. Losses to flak continued to take a high toll of heavy bombers through 1944, but by 27 April 1945, (two days after the last heavy bombing mission in Europe) the rate of aircraft loss was so low that replacement aircraft were no longer arriving and the number of bombers per bomb group was reduced. Anti-aircraft warfare, or air defense, is any method of engaging hostile military Aircraft in defence of ground objectives, ground or naval forces Events 1124 - David I becomes King of Scotland. 1296 - Battle of Dunbar: The Scots are defeated Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar The Combined Bomber Offensive was effectively complete. [51]
Pacific Theater
Only five B-17 groups operated in the Southwest Pacific theater, and all converted to other types in 1943. The South West Pacific was one of two theatres of World War II in the Pacific region between 1942 and 1945.
On 7 December 1941, a group of a dozen B-17s of the 38th and 88th Reconnaissance Squadrons were flown into Pearl Harbor from Hamilton Field, California, arriving during the Japanese attack. Events 43 BC - Marcus Tullius Cicero assassinated 1696 - Connecticut Route 108, one of the oldest highways Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. The attack on Pearl Harbor (or Hawaii Operation, as it was called by the Imperial General Headquarters) was a surprise Military strike conducted by Leonard "Smitty" Smith Humiston, co-pilot on 1st Lt. Robert H. Richards' B-17C, 40-2049, reported that he thought the U. S. Navy was giving the flight a 21 gun salute to celebrate the arrival of the bombers, after which he realized that Pearl Harbor was under attack. The Fortress came under fire from Japanese fighter aircraft, though the crew was unharmed with the exception of one who suffered an abrasion on his hand. Enemy activity forced an abort from Hickam to Bellows Field where the aircraft overran the runway, and into a ditch where it was then strafed. Although initially deemed repairable, 40-2049 suffered more than 200 bullet holes and never flew again. Ten of the twelve Fortresses survived the attack. [52]
By 1941, the Far East Air Force (FEAF) based at Clark Field in the Philippines had 35 B-17s, with the War Department eventually planning to raise that to 165. The Far East Air Force (FEAF was the military aviation arm of the United States Army in the Philippines just prior to and at the beginning of World War II Clark Air Base is a former United States Air Force base on Luzon Island in the Philippines, located 3 miles west of Angeles City, about 40 miles When the FEAF received word of the attack on Pearl Harbor, General Lewis H. Brereton sent his bombers and fighters on various patrol missions to prevent them from being caught on the ground. The attack on Pearl Harbor (or Hawaii Operation, as it was called by the Imperial General Headquarters) was a surprise Military strike conducted by Lewis Hyde Brereton ( June 21, 1890 - July 20, 1967) was a military aviation pioneer and United States Army Air Forces general in the Brereton planned B-17 raids on Japanese air fields in Formosa, in accordance with Rainbow 5 war plan directives, but this was overruled by General Douglas MacArthur. During the 1920s and 1930s the United States military developed a number of Color-coded War Plans to outline potential U General MacArthur redirects here for other meanings see General MacArthur (disambiguation. A series of disputed discussions and decisions, followed by several confusing and false reports of air attacks, delayed the authorization of the sortie. The Battle of the Philippines was the invasion of the Philippines by Japan in 1941–42 and the defense of the islands by Filipino and United By the time that the B-17s and escorting Curtiss P-40 fighters were about to get airborne, they were destroyed by Japanese bombers of the 11th Air Fleet. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The FEAF lost fully half its aircraft during the first strike, and was all but destroyed over the next few days.
Another early World War II Pacific engagement on 10 December 1941 involved Colin Kelly who reportedly crashed his B-17 into the Japanese battleship Haruna, which was later acknowledged as a near bomb miss on the light cruiser Ashigara; nonetheless that deed made him a celebrated war hero. Events 1041 - Empress Zoe of Byzantium elevates her adoptive son to the throne of the Eastern Roman Empire as Michael V Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Colin Purdie Kelly Jr ( July 11, 1915 – December 10, 1941) Born in Madison Florida, he was a World War II B-17 Commanding Officers Chief Equipping Officer - Capt Kajihiro Funakoshi - 15 December 1914 - 19 April 1915 Capt Service In World War II she took part in the Invasion of the Philippines in December 1941 A hero (from Greek grc ἥρως hērōs) in Greek mythology and Folklore, was originally a Demigod, the offspring of a mortal and Kelly's B-17C 40-2045 crashed about six miles (10 km) from Clark Field after he held the burning Fortress steady long enough for the surviving crew to bail out. Kelly was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, awarded for extreme [53] Noted Japanese ace Saburo Sakai is credited with this kill, and in the process, gained respect for the ability of the Fortress to absorb punishment. Lieutenant junior grade Saburo Sakai 坂井三郎 Sakai Saburō ( August 25, 1916 &ndash September 22, 2000) was a [54]
B-17s were used in early battles of the Pacific with little success, notably the Battle of Coral Sea and Battle of Midway. The Battle of the Coral Sea, fought from May 4 – May 8, 1942, with most of the action occurring on May 7 and May 8, was The Battle of Midway was a major Naval battle, widely regarded as the most important one of the Pacific Campaign of World War II. While there, the Fifth Air Force B-17s were tasked with disrupting the Japanese sea lanes. Fifth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force, part of Pacific Air Forces (PACAF Air Corps doctrine dictated bombing runs from high altitude, but it was soon discovered that only one percent of their bombs hit targets. However, B-17s were operating at heights too great for most A6M Zero fighters to reach, and the B-17's heavy gun armament was easily more than a match for lightly protected Japanese planes. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout
On March 2, 1943, six B-17s of the 64th Squadron attacked a major Japanese troop convoy from 10,000 ft (3 km) during the early stages of the Battle of the Bismarck Sea, off New Guinea, using skip bombing to sink three merchant ships including the Kyokusei Maru. Events 986 - Louis V becomes King of the Franks. 1127 - Assassination of Charles the Good Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Battle of the Bismarck Sea was a battle in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA during World War II, in which planes of the United States Fifth New Guinea, located just north of Australia, is the world's second largest island, having become separated from the Australian mainland when the area now known Skip bombing was a low-level Bombing technique refined for use against Imperial Japanese Navy Warships and transports by Major William Benn A B-17 was shot down by a New Britain-based A6M Zero, whose pilot then machine-gunned some of the B-17 crew members as they descended in parachutes and attacked others in the water after they landed. This article discusses the island of New Britain in Papua New Guinea WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout [55] Later, 13 B-17s bombed the convoy from medium altitude, causing the ships to disperse and prolonging the journey. The convoy was subsequently all but destroyed by a combination of low level strafing runs by Royal Australian Air Force Beaufighters, and skip bombing by USAAF B-25 Mitchells at 100 ft (30 m), while B-17s claimed five hits from higher altitudes. The Royal Australian Air Force ( RAAF) is the Air Force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The Bristol Beaufighter is also the name of a Car produced by Bristol Cars in the 1980s Skip bombing was a low-level Bombing technique refined for use against Imperial Japanese Navy Warships and transports by Major William Benn [56]
A peak of 168 B-17 bombers were in theater in September 1942, with all groups converting to other types by mid-1943.
Bomber defense
Before the advent of long-range fighter escorts, B-17s had only their .50 in (12.7 mm) caliber M2 Browning machine guns to rely on for defense during the bombing runs over Europe. Anti-aircraft warfare, or air defense, is any method of engaging hostile military Aircraft in defence of ground objectives, ground or naval forces Merseburg is a Town in the south of the German state of Saxony-Anhalt on the river Saale, approx A fighter aircraft is a Military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other Aircraft, as opposed to a Bomber, which is designed This article is about the.50 caliber M2 machine gun For the.30-06 M2 machine gun see M1919 Browning machine gun. As the war intensified, Boeing used feedback from aircrews to improve each new variant with increased armament and armor. [57] The number of defensive guns increased from four 0. 50 (12. 7 mm) inch machine guns and one 0. 30 inch (7. 62 mm) nose machine gun in the B-17C, to 13 0. 50 inch (12. 7 mm) machine guns in the B-17G. But because the bombers could not maneuver when attacked by fighters, and during their final bomb run they needed to be flown straight and level, individual aircraft struggled to fend off a direct attack. Maneuver, manoeuvre (or seldomly manoeuver) may be Military or naval movement Military maneuver aka Military exercise
A 1943 survey by the Air Corps found that over half the bombers shot down by the Germans had left the protection of the main formation. [58] To address this problem, the United States developed the bomb-group formation, which evolved into the staggered combat box formation where all the B-17s could safely cover any others in their formation with their machine guns, making a formation of the bombers a dangerous target to engage by enemy fighters. The Combat box was a tactical formation used by US Army Air Force heavy (strategic bombers during World War II. [59][44] Luftwaffe "Jagdflieger" (fighter pilots) likened attacking a B-17 combat box formation to encountering a fliegende stachelschwein, or "flying porcupine". However, the use of this rigid formation meant that individual aircraft could not engage in evasive manoeuvres: they had to always fly in a straight line, which made them vulnerable to the German 88 mm anti-aircraft gun. The 88 mm gun ( eighty-eight) is a German anti-aircraft and anti-tank Artillery gun from World War II. Anti-aircraft warfare, or air defense, is any method of engaging hostile military Aircraft in defence of ground objectives, ground or naval forces Additionally, German fighter aircraft later used the tactic of high-speed strafing passes rather than engaging with individual aircraft to inflict maximum damage with minimum risk.
As a result, the B-17s' loss rate was up to 25% on some early missions (60 of 291 B-17s were lost in combat on the second Raid on Schweinfurt[60]), and it was not until the advent of effective long-range fighter escorts (particularly the P-51 Mustang)— resulting in the degradation of the Luftwaffe as an effective interceptor force between February and June 1944 — that the B-17 became strategically potent. The Second raid on Schweinfurt (also called Mission 115 took place during World War II on October 14 1943, when 291 B-17 Flying Fortresses
The B-17 was noted for its ability to absorb battle damage, still reach its target and bring its crew home safely. Wally Hoffman, a B-17 pilot with the Eighth Air Force during World War II, said, "The plane can be cut and slashed almost to pieces by enemy fire and bring its crew home. "[61] Martin Caidin reported one instance in which a B-17 suffered a midair collision with a Focke-Wulf 190, losing an engine and suffering serious damage to both the starboard horizontal stabilizer and the vertical stabilizer, and being knocked out of formation by the impact. The airplane was reported as shot down by observers, but it survived and brought its crew home without injury. [62] Its toughness more than compensated for its shorter range and lighter bomb load when compared to the Consolidated B-24 Liberator or the British Avro Lancaster heavy bombers. "Lanc" redirects here Distinguish from Lank (adjective and from Amon Lanc (a place in Tolkien's fiction Stories abound of B-17s returning to base with tails having been destroyed, with only a single engine functioning or even with large portions of wings having been damaged by flak. Anti-aircraft warfare, or air defense, is any method of engaging hostile military Aircraft in defence of ground objectives, ground or naval forces [63] This durability, together with the large operational numbers in the Eighth Air Force and the fame achieved by the "Memphis Belle", made the B-17 a significant bomber aircraft of the war. Eighth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force (NAF of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC Memphis Belle was the nickname of a B-17F Flying Fortress during the Second World War that inspired the making of two motion pictures a 1944 Documentary
The B-17 design went through eight major changes over the course of its production, culminating in the B-17G, differing from its immediate predecessor by the addition of a chin turret with two .50 inch (12.7 mm) caliber M2 Browning machine guns under the nose. A gun turret is a device that protects the crew or mechanism of a projectile firing weapon and at the same time lets the weapon be aimed and fired in many directions This article is about the.50 caliber M2 machine gun For the.30-06 M2 machine gun see M1919 Browning machine gun. This eliminated the B-17's main defensive weakness in head-on attacks.
The Luftwaffe
After examining wrecked B-17s and B-24s, Luftwaffe officers discovered that at least 20 hits with 20 mm shells fired from the rear could bring them down. ( German 'luftvafe is a generic German term for an Air force. The MG 151 (MG 151/15 was a 15 mm Autocannon produced by Waffenfabrik Mauser starting in 1940 Pilots of average ability hit the bombers with only about two percent of the rounds they fired, so to obtain 20 hits, the average pilot had to aim one thousand 20 mm rounds at the bomber. Early versions of the Fw 190, one of the best German interceptor fighters, were equipped with two 20 mm MG FF cannons, which carried only 500 rounds, and later with the better Mauser MG 151/20 cannons, which had a longer effective range than the MG FF weapon. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The MG FF was a drum-fed 20 mm aircraft Autocannon, developed in 1936 by Ikaria Werke Berlin of Germany. The MG 151 (MG 151/15 was a 15 mm Autocannon produced by Waffenfabrik Mauser starting in 1940 The fighter's firing range, 400 meters, was also shorter than the B-17's 1,000 meters, and so was vulnerable while closing in through that distance. The German fighters found that when attacking from the front, where fewer defensive guns were pointed, it only took four or five hits to bring a bomber down. [64] To address the Fw 190's shortcomings, the number of cannons fitted was doubled to four with a corresponding increase in the amount of ammunition carried, and in 1944, a further upgrade to 30 mm MK 108 cannons was made, which could bring a bomber down in just a few hits. The MK 108 (German Maschinenkanone - Machine Cannon was an Autocannon ( 30 mm calibre) manufactured in Germany during World War II
The adoption by the Luftwaffe in mid-August of 1943, as a "stand-off" style of offense, of the Werfer-Granate 21 (Wfr. Gr. 21) Dodel rocket mortar, with one strut-mounted tubular launcher fixed under each wing panel on the Luftwaffe's single engined fighters, and two under each wing panel on a few Bf 110 daylight Zerstörer aircraft, had the promise of being a major weapon, but due to the ballistic drop of the fired rocket, even with the usual strut mounting of the launcher fixing it in about a 15º upward orientation, and the low numbers of fighters fitted with the Dodel weapons, the Wfr. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Gr. 21 never had a major effect on the combat box fomations of Fortresses. Also, the attempts of the Luftwaffe to fit heavy-calibre Bordkanone-series 37, 50 and even 75mm cannon on twin engined aircraft such as the special Ju 88P fighters, and even on one model of the Me 410 Hornisse, as anti-bomber weapons did not have much effect on the American strategic bomber offensive. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse ("Hornet" was a Luftwaffe Heavy fighter and Schnellbomber of The Me 262 had moderate success against the B-17 late in the war. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Equipped with the R4M rocket, it could fire from outside the range of the bombers' . The R4M rocket nicknamed the Hurricane (Orkan due to its distinctive smoke trail when fired was the first practical Anti-aircraft Rocket. 50 caliber defensive guns and bring an aircraft down with one hit. [65]
During World War II, after crash-landing or being forced down, approximately 40 B-17s were captured and refurbished by the Luftwaffe with about a dozen put back into the air. Given German markings and codenamed "Dornier Do 200",[66] the captured B-17s were used for clandestine spy and reconnaissance missions by the Luftwaffe — most often used by the Luftwaffe unit known as Kampfgeschwader 200. Kampfgeschwader 200 (KG 200 ( Battle Wing 200) was a secret Luftwaffe bomber unit during World War II. [66] One of the B-17s of KG200, bearing Luftwaffe markings A3+FB, was interned by Spain when it landed at Valencia airport, 27 June 1944, and remained there for the rest of the war. Valencia ( Valencian: València, Valencia Spanish phonology --> is the capital of the Spanish autonomous Events 1358 - Republic of Dubrovnik is founded 1709 - Peter the Great defeats Charles XII of Sweden Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Some B-17s kept their Allied markings and were used in attempts to infiltrate B-17 formations and report on their position and altitude. The practice was initially successful, but the Army Air Force combat aircrews quickly developed and established standard procedures to first warn off, and then fire upon any "stranger" trying to join a group's formation. [12] Still other B-17s were used to determine the airplane's vulnerabilities and to train German interceptor pilots in tactics. [67] Few surviving aircraft were found by the Allies following the war.
Postwar history
Following World War II, the B-17 was declared obsolete and the Army Air Force retired most of its fleet. Flight crews ferried the bombers back across the Atlantic to the United States, where the majority were sold for scrap and melted down. The USAF Strategic Air Command had B-17 Flying Fortresses (called F-9s: for Fotorecon, at first, later RB-17s) in service from 1946 through 1951. The Strategic Air Command (SAC was both a major command and a "specified command" in the U About a dozen B-17s are still operable of some 50 airframes known to survive. Many of these surviving examples are surplus or training aircraft, which stayed in the U. S. during World War II. However, there are a few exceptions.
Several B-17s along with other World War II bombers were converted into airliners. An airliner is a large Fixed-wing aircraft with the primary function of transporting paying passengers Other B-17s saw extended and valiant service as converted aerial tankers used for fighting forest fires in the western United States. [68]
Variants/design stages
| Variant | Produced | First flight |
|---|---|---|
| Model 299 | 1 | 28 July 1935[1] |
| YB-17 | 13 | 2 December 1936[69] |
| YB-17A | 1 | 29 April 1938. The following is an extensive catalogue of the variants and specific unique elements of each variant and/or design stage of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber Events 1540 - Thomas Cromwell is executed at the order of Henry VIII of England on charges of Treason. Year 1935 ( MCMXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1409 - The University of Leipzig opens 1755 - The second Eddystone Lighthouse is destroyed by fire Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1429 - Joan of Arc arrives to relieve the Siege of Orleans. Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. [26] |
| B-17B | 39 | 27 June 1939[42] |
| B-17C | 38 | 21 July 1940[70] |
| B-17D | 42 | 3 February 1941[71] |
| B-17E | 512 | 5 September 1941[72] |
| B-17F | 3,405 | 30 May 1942[73] |
| B-17F-BO | 2,300 | |
| B-17F-DL | 605 | |
| B-17F-VE | 500 | |
| B-17G | 8,680 | |
| B-17G-BO | 4,035 | |
| B-17G-DL | 2,395 | |
| B-17G-VE | 2,250 | |
| Grand total | 12,731 |
The B-17 went through several alterations in each of its design stages and variants. Events 1358 - Republic of Dubrovnik is founded 1709 - Peter the Great defeats Charles XII of Sweden Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 356 BC - Herostratus sets fire to the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1112 - Ramon Berenguer III of Barcelona and Douce I of Provence marry uniting the fortunes of those two states Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1590 - Alexander Farnese 's army forces Henry IV of France to raise the siege of Paris. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1416 - The Council of Constance, called by the Emperor Sigismund a supporter of Antipope John XXIII burns Jerome of Prague following Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Of the 13 YB-17s ordered for service testing, 12 were used by the 2nd Bomb Group of Langley Field, Virginia to develop heavy bombing techniques, and the 13th was used for flight testing at the Material Division at Wright Field, Ohio. [25] Experiments on this aircraft led to the use of a turbo-supercharger, which would become standard on the B-17 line. A 14th plane, the Y1B-17A, originally destined for ground testing only, was upgraded with the turbocharger. When this aircraft had finished testing, it was re-designated the B-17A, and in April 1938 was the first aircraft to enter service under the B-17 designation. [25][27]
As the production line developed, Boeing engineers continued to improve upon the basic design. To enhance performance at slower speeds, the B-17B was altered to include larger rudder and flaps. A rudder is a device used to steer a Ship, Boat, Submarine, Hovercraft, or other conveyance that move through a fluid (generally air or Flaps are hinged surfaces on the trailing edge of the wings of a Fixed-wing aircraft. [42] The B-17C changed from gun blisters to flush, oval-shaped windows. [70] Most significantly, with the B-17E version, the fuselage was extended by 10 ft (3. 0 m), a much larger vertical fin and rudder were incorporated into the original design, a gunner's position in the tail and an improved nose were added. The engines were upgraded to more powerful versions several times, and similarly, the gun stations were altered on numerous occasions to enhance their effectiveness. [72]
By the time the definitive B-17G appeared, the number of guns had been increased from seven to 13, the designs of the gun stations were finalized, and other adjustments were complete. The B-17G was the final version of the B-17, incorporating all changes made to its predecessor, the B-17F, and in total 8,680 were built, the last one on 9 April 1945. Events 193 - Septimius Severus is proclaimed Roman Emperor by the army in Illyricum (in the Balkans) Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar [74] Many B-17Gs were converted for other missions such as cargo hauling, engine testing and reconnaissance. Surveillance aircraft are military Aircraft used for monitoring enemy activity usually carrying no armament [75] Initially designated SB-17G, a number of B-17Gs were also converted for search-and-rescue duties, later to be redesignated B-17H. [76]
Two versions of the B-17 were flown under different designations. These were the XB-38 and the YB-40. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The XB-38 was an engine test-bed for Allison V-1710 liquid-cooled engines, should the Wright engines normally used on the B-17 become unavailable. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The YB-40 was a heavily armed modification of the standard B-17 used before the P-51 Mustang, an effective long-range fighter, became available to act as escort. Additional armament included a power turret in the radio room, a chin turret (which went on to become standard with the B-17G) and twin . 50 caliber (12. 7 mm) guns in the waist positions. The ammunition load was over 11,000 rounds, making the YB-40 well over 10,000 lb (4,500 kg) heavier than a fully loaded B-17F. Unfortunately, the YB-40s with their numerous heavy modifications had trouble keeping up with empty bombers, and so, together with the advent of the P-51 Mustang, the project was abandoned and finally phased out in July 1943. [77][78]
Late in World War II, at least 25 B-17s were fitted with radio controls, loaded with 20,000 pounds (9,000 kg) of high-explosives, dubbed "BQ-7 Aphrodite missiles". Operation Aphrodite was the Code name of a secret program initiated by the United States Army Air Forces during the latter part of World War II. "Attacks on the V-site bunkers were also initiated by the Americans using radio controlled bombers packed with 25,000 lb (11,000 kg). of Torpex and TNT. Torpex is a Secondary explosive 50% more powerful than TNT by weight Trinitrotoluene ( TNT) is a Chemical compound with the formula C6H2(NO23CH3 Called Aphrodite drones, operation 'CASTOR' was begun on June 23, 1944, using the 388th Bombardment Group at Knettishall. CASTOR is the Acronym for Cask for storage and transport of radioactive material it is a type of cask used to store Spent nuclear fuel (a type of Nuclear waste Events 1180 - First Battle of Uji, starting the Genpei War in Japan 1305 - The Flemish Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. An airfield in a sparsely populated area of Norfolk was chosen at RAF Fersfield. Norfolk (ˈnɔrfək is a low-lying county in East Anglia, England, United Kingdom. RAF Fersfield (originally known as RAF Winfarthing is a former World War II airfield located southwest of Norwich Norfolk. [79] The drone was usually a B-17 Fortress with a B-34 Ventura being used to control the aircraft and crash it onto its target. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout "[80] "The first four drones were sent to Mimoyecques, Siracourt, Watten and Wizernes on August 4, causing little damage. See also Vergeltungswaffe The V-3 ( Vergeltungswaffe 3) also known as the Hochdruckpumpe ("High Pressure Pump" HDP for Siracourt is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais département in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France. Watten ( Waden in Dutch which means " ford " as in "river-crossing" is a commune of the Nord département Wizernes is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais département in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France. Events 70 - The Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans. On the 6th two more B-17s were crashed on the Watten site with little success. Watten ( Waden in Dutch which means " ford " as in "river-crossing" is a commune of the Nord département The project came to a sudden end with the unexplained mid-air explosion over the Blyth estuary of a Liberator, part of the US Navy's contribution as project Anvil, en route for Heligoland piloted by Lieutenant" Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., future U. Heligoland (Helgoland Heligolandic: deät Lun) is a small German Archipelago in the North Sea. Joseph Patrick Kennedy Jr (July 25 1915 &ndash August 12 1944 was the oldest of the nine children born to Joseph Patrick Kennedy Sr S. president John F. Kennedy's eldest brother. John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy (May 29 1917&ndashNovember 22 1963 often referred to by his initials JFK, was the thirty-fifth President of Blast damage was caused over a radius of five miles (8 km). British authorities were anxious that no similar accidents should again occur. [80] Because few (if any) BQ-7s hit their target, the Aphrodite project was scrapped in early 1945. [81][82] During and after World War II, a number of weapons were tested and used operationally on B-17s. Some of these weapons included "razons" (radio-guided) glide bombs, and Ford-Republic JB-2 Loons, also nicknamed Thunderbugs — American reverse-engineered models of the German V-1 Buzz Bomb. Ford Motor Company is an American Multinational corporation and the world's fourth largest automaker based on Worldwide vehicle sales, following A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its Reverse engineering (RE is the process of discovering the technological principles of a device object or system through analysis of its structure function and operation The Fieseler Fi 103, better known as V-1 (German Vergeltungswaffe 1 was an early Cruise missile used during World War Two A much-used travelling airborne shot of a V-1/JB-2 launch in World War II documentaries was filmed from a USAF A-26 of the Air Proving Grounds, Eglin Air Force Base, launched from Santa Rosa Island, Florida. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including See also Martin B-26 Marauder WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page Eglin Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located southwest of Valparaiso in Okaloosa County, Florida, United States In the late 1950s, the last B-17s in United States Air Force service were QB-17 drones and DB-17P drone controllers, plus a few polished VB-17 squadron "hacks" (a 1953 request by the Wright Air Development Center to redesignate the QB-17s to Q-7 was turned down by Air Research & Development Command). The last operational mission flown by a USAF Fortress was conducted on 6 August 1959, when DB-17P 44-83684 directed QB-17G 44-83717 out of Holloman Air Force Base as a target for a Falcon air-to-air missile fired from an F-101 Voodoo fighter. Events 1538 - Bogotá, Colombia, is founded by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located six miles (10 km) southwest of the Central business district of Alamogordo A falcon (fɔlkən or fælkən is any Species of raptor in the Genus Falco. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout A retirement ceremony was held several days later at Holloman, after which 44-83684 was retired to the Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center (MASDC) at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base adjacent to Tucson, Arizona.
Operators
The B-17 was a versatile aircraft, serving in dozens of USAAF units in theaters of combat throughout World War II, and in non-bomber roles for the RAF. Military operators Brazil acquired 13 B-17s in 1951 according to the Rio Pact of 1947 Its main use was in Europe, where its shorter range and smaller bombload relative to other aircraft available did not hamper it as much as in the Pacific Theater. The European Theatre of Operations ( ETO) was an area of heavy fighting across Europe during World War II, from Nazi Germany's Invasion of Poland The Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO was the World War II military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it a geographic scope Peak USAAF inventory (in August 1944) was 4,574 worldwide. [35]
Argentina
Bolivia
Brazil
Canada
Colombia
Denmark
Dominican Republic
France
Germany.svg/22px-State_Flag_of_Iran_(1925).svg.png)
Iran
Israel
Japan
Mexico
Nicaragua
Peru
Portugal
South Africa
Soviet Union
Sweden
United Kingdom
United States
Survivors
There are some 42 surviving intact Fortresses, with about twelve operational (depending on maintenance requirements). For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe The Dominican Republic ( Spanish: República Dominicana;) is a nation located in the Caribbean region and shares the island of Hispaniola with This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. Nicaragua (ˌnɪkəˈrɑgwə officially the Republic of Nicaragua () is a representative democratic republic and the largest nation in Central America Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The United States of America —commonly referred to as the
The Fortress as a symbol
The B-17 Flying Fortress has become, for many reasons, an icon of American power and a symbol of its Air Force. It achieved a lasting fame in the general public, which has eluded most other bomber aircraft. [8]
During the 1930s, the USAAC, under Gen. Frank Maxwell Andrews and the Air Corps Tactical School, touted the bomber as a strategic weapon. Frank Maxwell Andrews ( February 3, 1884 &ndash May 3, 1943) was one of the founding fathers of military aviation in the United States [83] Gen Henry H. Arnold, Chief of the Air Corps, recommended the development of bigger aircraft with better performance and the Tactical school agreed completely. Henry Harley "Hap" Arnold GCB ( June 25, 1886 – January 15, 1950) was a five-star General officer [84] The B-17 was exactly what the Air Corps was looking for; it was a high-flying, long-ranging potent bomber capable of defending itself.
When the Model 299 was rolled out on 28 July 1935, bristling with multiple machine gun installations, Richard Williams, a reporter for the Seattle Times coined the name "Flying Fortress" with his comment "Why, it's a flying fortress!". Events 1540 - Thomas Cromwell is executed at the order of Henry VIII of England on charges of Treason. Year 1935 ( MCMXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. For other uses of the phrase see Machine Gun (disambiguation. The Seattle Times, one of two daily Newspapers serving Seattle Washington, United States, is the largest daily newspaper in the state of [9] Boeing was quick to see the value of the name and had it trademarked for use.
After the initial B-17s were delivered to the Air Corps 2nd Bombardment Group, they began sending them on promotional flights emphasizing its great range and navigational precision. In early 1938, Group commander Colonel Robert C. Olds flew a Y1B-17 from the east to west coast, setting a transcontinental record of 12 hours 50 minutes. He also broke the west-to-east coast record on the return trip, averaging 245 mph (394 km/h) in ten hours 46 minutes. Six bombers of the 2nd Bombardment group took off from Langley AFB on 15 February 1938 as part of a good will flight to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Events 590 - Khosrau II is crowned as king of Persia 1637 - Ferdinand III becomes Holy Roman Emperor Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Buenos Aires is the Capital and largest city of Argentina. It is geographically located on the southern shore of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern Covering 12,000 miles (19,000 km) they returned on 27 February. Events 1560 - The Treaty of Berwick, which would expel the French from Scotland, is signed by England and the Congregation [69] In a well publicized mission, three B-17s, "intercepted" and took photographs of the Italian ocean liner Rex 800 miles (1,300 km) off the Atlantic coast. History Following North German Lloyd 's successful capture of the Blue Riband with its and duo of ocean liners the Rex was intended to be Italy's effort to [24]
The Flying Fortress found a place in the public psyche as well. In 1943, Consolidated Aircraft commissioned a poll to see “to what degree the public is familiar with the names of the Liberator and the Flying Fortress. The Consolidated Aircraft Corporation was founded in 1923 by Reuben H ” Of 2,500 men in cities where Consolidated ads had been run in newspapers, only 73 percent had heard of the Liberator, while 90 percent knew of the B-17. [8]
Hollywood featured the airplane in its movies, such as Twelve O'Clock High, with Gregory Peck. Classical Hollywood cinema or the classical Hollywood narrative, are terms used in film history which designates both a visual and sound style for making motion pictures Twelve O'Clock High is a War film about crews of the United States Army 's Eighth Air Force who flew daylight bombing missions against Nazi Gregory Peck (April 5 1916 &ndash June 12 2003 was an Academy Award -winning and four-time Golden Globe Award-winning American Film [85] This film was made with the full cooperation of the United States Air Force and made use of actual combat footage. In 1964 the movie was made into a television show of the same name, and ran for three years. Twelve O'Clock High or 12 O'Clock High was an ABC Television series that ran for three seasons from September 18, The B-17 also appeared in the 1938 movie Test Pilot with Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy. Test Pilot Is a 1938 film directed by Victor Fleming. Featuring Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, Spencer Tracy, and Lionel Barrymore Clark Gable (February 1 &ndashNovember 16) was an iconic American Actor nicknamed "The King of Hollywood" in his heyday Spencer Tracy ( April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was a two-time Academy Award -winning Actor of stage and
During the war, the largest offensive bombing force, the Eighth Air Force, was run by officers who openly preferred the B-17. Eighth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force (NAF of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC Lt. Gen. Jimmy Doolittle wrote about his preference for equipping the Eighth with B-17s. General James Harold "Jimmy" Doolittle USAF (14 December 1896 &ndash 27 September 1993 was an American Aviation pioneer Citing the logistical advantage in keeping fielded forces down to a minimum number of aircraft types with their unique servicing and spares, he wanted B-17 bombers and P-51 fighters for the Eighth. His views were supported by Eighth Air Force statisticians, whose studies purportedly showed that Fortresses had utility and survivability much greater than that of the B-24. [8]
Loved by its crews for bringing them home despite extensive battle damage, its durability, especially in belly-landings and ditchings, quickly took on mythical proportions. [86][87][7] Stories and photos of B-17s surviving battle damage widely circulated, boosting its iconic status. [8] Despite an inferior performance and bombload compared to the more numerous B-24 Liberator,[9] a survey of Eighth Air Force crews showed a much higher rate of satisfaction in the B-17. Eighth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force (NAF of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC [10]
The most famous B-17, the Memphis Belle, toured the U. Memphis Belle was the nickname of a B-17F Flying Fortress during the Second World War that inspired the making of two motion pictures a 1944 Documentary S. with its crew to reinforce national morale (and to sell War Bonds), and starred in a USAAF documentary, Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress. War bonds are a type of Savings bond used by combatant nations to help fund a war effort and as a Monetary policy for controlling Inflation from an The Memphis Belle A Story of a Flying Fortress is a 1944 documentary film which ostensibly provides an account of the final mission of the Memphis Belle [88]
After the war ended, most B-17s were scrapped, but the U.S. Air Force did keep some B-17s for VIP transports and drone directors. The U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard obtained thirty B-17s beginning in 1945 for over-water patrols as PB-1Gs, an air rescue aircraft similar to USAF B-17Hs, and PB-1Ws, a patrol aircraft with early warning radar installations aboard. The war ended before any PB-1Ws were operational and defensive armament was subsequently deleted. The Coast Guard retired the last PB-1G, BuNo 77254, in October 1959, making it the last U. S. military Flying Fortress in operation.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the surviving Fortresses had to earn their keep, as operation of a four-engine aircraft was costly, and the Warbirds preservation movement had not yet begun. The preservation of the remaining Fortresses gained steam when firebomber B-17s began to come on the market in the 1970s.
Noted B-17s
Memphis Belle
Popular Culture
The Memphis Belle is possibly the most culturally ubiquitous of the Flying Fortresses. Memphis Belle was the nickname of a B-17F Flying Fortress during the Second World War that inspired the making of two motion pictures a 1944 Documentary Best known for the movie produced in 1990, the crew of the famed Memphis Belle incorrectly entered the annals of American pop-culture as the first crew in the Eighth Air Force to complete all twenty-five combat missions in their tour of duty. Memphis Belle is a 1990 film directed by Michael Caton-Jones and written by Monte Merrick, starring Matthew Modine and Eric Eighth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force (NAF of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC [89]
Wartime service
The "Memphis Belle", a Boeing-built B-17F-10-BO, serial 41-24485, was added to the USAAF inventory on 15 July 1942, and delivered in September 1942 to the 91st Bomb Group at Dow Field, Bangor, Maine. The Boeing Company is a major Aerospace and defense corporation originally founded by William E Events 1099 - First Crusade: Christian soldiers take the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem after the final Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The 91st Bomb Group (Heavy was an air combat unit of the United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War. Bangor International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located 3 miles (5 km west in the city of Bangor, in Penobscot County, Maine Bangor is the County seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine The State of Maine ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean It deployed to Prestwick, Scotland, on 30 September 1942, and then to its permanent base at Bassingbourn, England, on 14 October. Prestwick is a town located in South Ayrshire on the south west coast of Scotland, approximately to the south-west of Glasgow. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Events 1399 - Henry IV is proclaimed King of England. 1744 - France and Spain defeat the RAF Bassingbourn is a former military Airbase located in Cambridgeshire approximately north of Royston Hertfordshire and south west of Cambridge England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Events 1066 - Norman Conquest: Battle of Hastings - In England on Senlac Hill seven miles from Hastings, the forces Captain Robert Morgan's crew flew 25 combat missions with the 324th Bomb Squadron, all but four in the Memphis Belle. Robert Morgan is the name of Robert K Morgan (1918&ndash2004 decorated U "Memphis Belle" tailgunner John P. Quinlan claimed two German fighters shot down. The Memphis Belle flew its 25th and last mission with a different crew on 19 May 1943, to Kiel, Germany. Events 1535 - French explorer Jacques Cartier sets sail on his second voyage to North America with three ships 110 men and Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. For the city in the United States, see Kiel Wisconsin. For the name see Kiel (name. It was then flown back to the United States on 8 June 1943 by Morgan's crew for war bond tours. Events 68 - The Roman Senate accepts emperor Galba. 536 - St Silverius becomes Pope (probable Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. War bonds are a type of Savings bond used by combatant nations to help fund a war effort and as a Monetary policy for controlling Inflation from an The aircraft was named for pilot Robert K. Morgan's sweetheart, Margaret Polk. The famous Petty girl nose art was painted by the 91st's group artist Tony Starcer. George Brown Petty IV ( 27 April 1894 &ndash 21 July 1975) was an American Pin-up artist Sergeant Tony Starcer was line mechanic for the 91st Bomb Group of the VIII Bomber Command Eighth Army Air Force based at Bassingbourn, UK in 1942-43 A representative crew was selected, not all of which flew 25 missions with the Belle or with each other. [90]
Postwar
After the war the Flying Fortress was saved from reclamation at Altus, Oklahoma, where it had been consigned since 1 August 1945, by the efforts of the mayor of Memphis, Walter Chandler, and the city bought the aircraft for $350. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Altus is a city in Jackson County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 21447 at the 2000 census. Oklahoma ( is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. Events 30 BC - Octavian (later known as Augustus enters Alexandria, Egypt, bringing it under the control of the Roman Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar Memphis is a City in the southwest corner of Tennessee, and the County seat of Shelby County. Walter "Clift" Chandler ( October 5, 1887 — October 1, 1967) was an American politician from Tennessee. It was flown to Memphis in July 1946 and stored until the summer of 1949 when it was placed on display at the National Guard armory. For the National Guard of a State and other countries' National Guard see National Guard. It was later relocated near the Memphis Air National Guard Base at Memphis International Airport, sat out-of-doors into the 1980s, slowly deteriorating due to weather and occasional vandalism. Memphis International Airport is a public Airport located three miles (5 km) south of the Central business district of Memphis, a city
In the early 1970s, another mayor had donated the historic aircraft back to the U. S. Air Force, but they allowed it to remain in Memphis contingent on it being maintained. Memphis is a City in the southwest corner of Tennessee, and the County seat of Shelby County. Efforts by the locally-organized Memphis Belle Memorial Association, Inc. (MBMA) saw the aircraft moved to Mud Island in the Mississippi River in 1987 for display in a new pavilion with roof cover. The Mississippi River is the second longest River in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to It was still open to the elements, however, and prone to weathering. Dissatisfaction with the site led to efforts to create a new museum facility in nearby Shelby County. Shelby County is a County located in the US state of Tennessee. In the summer of 2003 the Belle was disassembled and moved to a restoration facility in Millington, Tennessee for work. Millington is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States. Tennessee ( is a state located in the Southern United States. In September 2004, however, the National Museum of the United States Air Force, apparently tiring of the ups and downs of the city's attempts to preserve the aircraft, indicated that they wanted it back for restoration and eventual display at the USAF museum at Wright-Patterson AFB near Dayton, Ohio. The National Museum of the United States Air Force (formerly the United States Air Force Museum) is the official National Museum of the United States Air Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Greene and Montgomery counties eight miles (13 km) northeast of Dayton is a city in southwestern Ohio, United States. It is the County seat and largest city of Montgomery County. Ohio ( is a Midwestern state of the United States. As part of the Great Lakes region, Ohio has long been a cultural and geographical crossroads The aircraft is currently undergoing thorough restoration efforts by NMUSAF Staff at Wright-Patterson AFB.
The Swoose
The Swoose, B-17D-BO, 40-3097, the only surviving intact example of the shark fin B-17s of the A, B, C and D series, flew combat missions in the Pacific Theater before being converted to an unarmed transport/flying command-post used in Australia by Lt. The Swoose is a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress D-BO USAAF 40-3097 that saw extensive use in the Southwest Pacific theatre of World War II, and survived The Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO was the World War II military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it a geographic scope Gen. George Brett, commander of Allied air forces in the South West Pacific Area. George Howard Brett, ( February 7, 1886 &ndash 1963 was a United States Army Air Forces general during World War II and was for a short period The South West Pacific was one of two theatres of World War II in the Pacific region between 1942 and 1945. It returned to the United States with Brett in 1943, and is the oldest surviving B-17 in the world. The Swoose is presently in storage at the Smithsonian Institution's Silver Hill location, ("Paul E. Garber" Preservation, Restoration and Storage Facility) in Suitland, Maryland, south of Andrews Air Force Base, where, as of 2000, no plans had yet been made to restore her. Andrews Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. [91] Col. Frank Kurtz, commanding officer of the 463rd Bombardment Group at the Celone Airbase near Foggia, Italy, and the father of actress Swoosie Kurtz (b. Col Frank Allen Kurtz ( September 9, 1911 &ndash October 31, 1996) is known as an Olympic diver, as an aviator the United Swoosie Kurtz (born September 6 1944 is an American Actress. As of 2008, she stars as Lily Charles in the ABC series Pushing 1944), carried the Swoose name forward from the original Swoose (which he flew in the Pacific prior to being named CO of the 463rd), naming the B-17G he flew with the 463rd "Swoose II". An officer is a member of an armed force who holds a position of authority [92] The 463rd BG was thereafter known as the "The Swoose Group". The name "Swoosie" was a derivative of Kurtz's Pacific aircraft, so-named by 19th Bomb Group pilot Captain Weldon Smith, after the tail of 40-3091 was grafted onto 40-3097, resulting in an aircraft that was "half-swan, half-goose", from bandleader Kay Kyser's song, Alexander the Swoose. James Kern (“Kay” Kyser ( June 18, 1905, Rocky Mount North Carolina – July 23, 1985, Chapel Hill North Carolina [93] The aircraft had originally been named "Ole Betsy". The Washington Post reported on Saturday, 3 November 2007, that the Air and Space Museum's collections committee, an advisory group on the acquisition and transfer of aircraft, vote 5-4 on 28 September 2007 for deaccessioning The Swoose, and transfer the aircraft to the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. The Washington Post is the largest and most circulated Newspaper in Washington D Events 644 - Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second Muslim Caliph, is killed by a Persian slave in Medina. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 48 BC - Pompey the Great is assassinated on orders of King Ptolemy of Egypt after landing in Egypt. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The National Museum of the United States Air Force (formerly the United States Air Force Museum) is the official National Museum of the United States Air Dayton is a city in southwestern Ohio, United States. It is the County seat and largest city of Montgomery County.
The panel forwarded its decision to Gen. John R. "Jack" Dailey, the museum director, and Donald S. Lopez Sr. , the deputy director, who subsequently decided to stand by the committee's recommendation. "There were good arguments on both sides," said Dailey, who had requested a collections review to alleviate a storage crunch at the Silver Hill, Maryland facility where The Swoose has been stored since 1961. The Swoose has never been in a plan to be displayed, Dailey said. The decision now must be approved by the Smithsonian's National Collections Program office. The Air Force Museum is not commenting on the exchange until the internal process at the Smithsonian has been completed. [94]
Shoo Shoo Baby
Shoo Shoo Baby (a third Shoo was added to the name just before its loss), B-17G-35-BO, 42-32076, 401st BS, 91st Bomb Group, marked LL-E, flew 24 combat missions from England with the 91st Bomb Group from March 1944 until being forced to crash land at Malmö Airport, Sweden. Shoo Shoo Baby is the name of a B-17 Flying Fortress in World War II, preserved and on public display The 91st Bomb Group (Heavy was an air combat unit of the United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War. The 91st Bomb Group (Heavy was an air combat unit of the United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War. "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. Being neutral, Sweden interned the crew, and about the same time a deal was made between the Swedish and U. S. governments to allow around 300 American crewmen to return in exchange for nine B-17Fs and B-17Gs that had landed intact in Sweden. Seven of these were converted by Saab Aircraft into airliners that could carry 14 passengers. Saab AB is an Aerospace and defense company based in Sweden. History "Svenska Aeroplan AB (aktiebolaget" ( Swedish for [95] Eventually sold first to Denmark and then to France, it was recovered in 1972, dismantled, and flown in a C-5 Galaxy to Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, for restoration. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Dover Air Force Base or Dover AFB is a base of the United States Air Force in the state of Delaware. Delaware ( is a state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It flew to the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio and was turned over on 13 October 1988, where it is now on display. The National Museum of the United States Air Force (formerly the United States Air Force Museum) is the official National Museum of the United States Air Dayton is a city in southwestern Ohio, United States. It is the County seat and largest city of Montgomery County. Events 54 - Nero ascends to the Roman throne 409 - Vandals and Alans crossed the Pyrenees Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) Due to the amount of sheet metal work required to restore its wartime configuration, it is finished in olive drab and grey, instead of bare metal as it was during its USAAF service.
Nine-O-Nine
The Nine-O-Nine, a B-17G-30-BO, 42-31909, of the 91st Bomb Group, 323rd Bomb Squadron, completed 140 missions without an abort or loss of a crewman, an 8th Air Force record. The Nine-O-Nine, a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber of the 323rd Bomb Squadron 91st Bomb Group, completed 140 combat missions during World War II The 91st Bomb Group (Heavy was an air combat unit of the United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War. Assigned to combat on 25 February 1944 she made 18 trips to Berlin, dropped 562,000 pounds of bombs, and flew 1,129 hours. Events 138 - The Emperor Hadrian adopts Antoninus Pius, effectively making him his successor Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. She had 21 engine changes, four wing panel changes, 15 main fuel tank changes, and 18 "Tokyo" tank changes (long-range fuel tanks). M/Sgt. Rollin L. Davis, a maintenance line chief in charge of this plane, received the Bronze Star for his part in this. The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration which may be awarded for bravery acts of merit or meritorious service [96] She wound up at the RFC facility at Kingman, Arizona on 7 December 1945, and was scrapped. The State of Arizona ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. Events 43 BC - Marcus Tullius Cicero assassinated 1696 - Connecticut Route 108, one of the oldest highways Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar The Collings Foundation,[97] Stow, Massachusetts, have B-17G-85-DL, 44-83575, civil register N93012, which currently appears at airshows marked as the historic Nine-O-Nine. Stow is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States.
My Gal Sal
On 27 June 1942 B-17E 41-9032, My Gal Sal, of the 342nd Bomb Squadron of the 97th Bomb Group was one of 13 B-17s flying the Labrador-to-Greenland leg of a ferry flight to the United Kingdom as part of Operation Bolero, the military build-up in Europe. Events 1358 - Republic of Dubrovnik is founded 1709 - Peter the Great defeats Charles XII of Sweden Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. My Gal Sal was the nickname of a World War II B-17E-BO Flying Fortress that crashlanded on the Greenland icecap and was later recovered for restoration The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Operation Bolero was the commonly used reference for the code name of the United States military troop buildup in Great Britain during World War II in preparation Bad weather broke up the flight, with five B-17s returning to Labrador and another five continuing on to Greenland, but three were forced down, including My Gal Sal. [98] All of the crew were soon rescued, but the aircraft was abandoned. My Gal Sal was eventually recovered from the glacier in 1995, by which time she had been flipped upside down and damaged by high winds. She is being restored to a static configuration in Cincinnati. [99]
Old 666
Old 666, B-17E 41-2666, gained a reputation as "cursed" by the airmen who flew it, because it often came back from missions heavily damaged. Old 666, B-17E 41-2666 was a World War II B-17 Flying Fortress Bomber which was assigned to the 43rd Bomb Group in 1943 and was the aircraft It was stripped for parts until Captain Jay Zeamer, unable to find a mount for his flight crew, repaired it and upgraded it. Jay Zeamer Jr (25 July 1918&ndash22 March 2007 was a pilot of the United States Army Air Forces in the South Pacific during World War II, and was awarded On 16 June 1943, Old 666 was sent on a mapping mission to a Japanese airfield. Events 1487 - Battle of Stoke Field, the last dying breath of the Wars of the Roses. Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Old 666 was intercepted by at least 17 Japanese fighters during the mission. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Several members of the crew were wounded, including Jay Zeamer and Joseph Sarnoski, who was mortally wounded. Joseph Raymond Sarnoski (January 31 1915&ndashJune 16 1943 was an officer of the United States Army Air Forces during a World War II, and awarded the Medal Old 666's upgraded guns surprised the Japanese fighters, and four were shot down by Zeamer and his crew. Old 666 managed to survive, and only Joe Sarnoski was lost in the mission. Zeamer and Sarnoski received the Medal of Honor, and the rest of the crew received the Distinguished Service Cross. The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, awarded for extreme [100][101]
Sally B
Sally B is the only B-17 flying in the United Kingdom and thus serves as a memorial of the U.S. 8th Air Force which fought from England in WWII and the American airmen who fought and died during that conflict. Sally B is the nickname of a B-17G-105-VE Flying Fortress, serial 44-85784 which served with the post-war United States Air Force and the Institute Geographique The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Eighth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force (NAF of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including
Built as a Boeing B-17G-105-VE c/n 8693, the future Sally B was one of the last to be constructed by the Lockheed-Vega plant at Burbank, California. Accepted by the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) as 44-85784 on 19 June 1945 it was too late to see war service, and was flown to Nashville for modifications. Events 1179 - The Norwegian Battle of Kalvskinnet outside Nidaros. Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar Converted for training purposes and re-designated TB-17G it was based at Wright Field (now Wright-Patterson AFB), Ohio from November that year. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Greene and Montgomery counties eight miles (13 km) northeast of
Continuing in the care of 2750th Air Base Group (ABG), 44-85784 was selected for use as a research vehicle and in 1949 allocated EB-17G status. As such the B-17 was used in a variety of research roles, one of the most bizarre being the addition of a man-carrying pod on the starboard wingtip. Also fitted at the time was an infra-red tracking device in place of the Perspex nose. These trials continued for some years in a variety of guises and it was not until 1954 that ‘784 was returned to standard configuration, less armaments, at Hill AFB in Utah. Hill Air Force Base is a major United States Air Force base located in northern Utah, south of the city of Ogden, adjacent to the cities of Clearfield No details have emerged of the trials which this aircraft was involved in.
In 1990, Sally B was redressed to depict Memphis Belle in the feature film of the same name, directed by Michael Caton-Jones. After the film shooting was over, she reverted back to show her "Sally B" titles on the starboard side, but has since retained the "Memphis Belle" logo on the port side.
Sally B continues to be flown at displays as a memorial to the 79,000 U. S. airmen who died fighting in the skies over Europe between 1942 and 1945.
Texas Raiders
The Commemorative Air Force Gulf Coast Wing maintains and flies the B-17G Flying Fortress named "Texas Raiders", based at William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) Houston, Texas. The Commemorative Air Force (CAF, formerly known as the Confederate Air Force, is a Texas -based Non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and The Gulf Coast Wing of the Commemorative Air Force is a United States historical air display organisation which includes two groups that participate in display of Vintage The Commemorative Air Force ’s Gulf Coast Wing "Texas Raiders" group maintains and flies the former PB-1W / B-17G William P Hobby Airport is a public Airport located 8 miles (13 km) southeast of the Central business district of Houston, Texas Built in 1944, it was one of the last 20 B-17s built by Douglas Aircraft Corporation at the Long Beach, California plant. The Douglas Aircraft Company was an American Aerospace manufacturer, based in Long Beach California. Long Beach is a city located in southern California, USA, on the Pacific coast she was delivered to the U.S. Army Air Corps as B-17G-95-DL 44-83872, and transferred to the U.S. Navy to serve as PB-1W Patrol Bomber. The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC was the predecessor of the U 44-83872 was assigned the U. S. Navy Bureau of Aeronautics Number 77235. The Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAer was the US Navy 's material-support organization for Naval Aviation from 1921 to 1959
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. Electronic Countermeasures ( ECM') are a subsection of Electronic warfare which includes any sort of electrical or electronic device designed to trick Anti-submarine warfare (ASW or in older form A/S is a branch of Naval warfare that uses surface Warships Aircraft, space craft or other Submarines Hurricane Hunters are aircraft that fly into Tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic Ocean and Northeastern Pacific Ocean for the specific purpose of The Navy sealed up the bomb bay doors, installed 300 gallon wing-mounted drop tanks and the AN/APS-20 Seasearch Radio Detection and Ranging (RADAR) equipment in a bulbous housing below the former bomb bay. Radar is a system that uses electromagnetic waves to identify the range altitude direction or speed of both moving and fixed objects such as Aircraft, ships Radio direction finder (RDF), instrument landing system (ILS), and long range navigation (LORAN) were also installed. A radio direction finder ( RDF) is a device for finding the direction to a Radio source The Instrument Landing System (ILS is a ground-based Instrument approach system that provides precision guidance to an Aircraft approaching a Runway LORAN ( LO ng R ange A id to N avigation is a terrestrial Radio navigation system using Low frequency Radio transmitters She was not painted, but waxed to prevent corrosion, and kept her original Browning M2 machine guns. This article is about the.50 caliber M2 machine gun For the.30-06 M2 machine gun see M1919 Browning machine gun.
Texas Raiders tours the North American air show circuit and both commemorates and wears the markings of the U.S. Army Air Corps 8th Air Force, 1st Air Division, 381st Bombardment Group (Heavy), 533rd Bombardment Squadron's aircraft "hull number" X. The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC was the predecessor of the U Eighth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force (NAF of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC The aircraft is currently on its third and most thorough restoration at the Commemorative Air Force's Gulf Coast Wing, at the William P. Hobby airport, in Houston, Texas, with the intention of returning it to airworthy status.
Noted B-17 pilots and crew members
Medal of Honor awards
Many B-17 crew members received military honors and 17 received the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration awarded by the United States:[31]
- Brig. The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. Gen. Frederick Castle[102]
- 2d Lt. Frederick Walker Castle (October 14 1908&ndashDecember 24 1944 was a general officer in the U Robert Femoyer[103]
- 1st Lt. Robert Edward Femoyer ( October 31, 1921 &ndash November 2, 1944) is one of only seven known Eagle Scouts who also received the Donald Gott[104]
- 2d Lt. Donald J Gott (June 3 1923 &ndash November 9 1944 was a United States Army Air Forces officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the David Kingsley[105]
- 1st Lt. David R Kingsley (June 27 1918 &ndash June 23 1944 was a United States Army Air Forces officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the William R. Lawley, Jr.[106]
- Sgt. William R Lawley Jr ( August 23 1920 &ndash May 29 1999) was a United States Army Air Forces officer and a recipient of the United Archibald Mathies (awarded posthumously)[107]
- Lt. Archibald Mathies (1918-1944 was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor as an enlisted member of the U Jack Mathis (the first airman in the European theater to be awarded the Medal of Honor)[108]
- 2d Lt. Jack W Mathis was a United States Army Air Corps officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration - the Medal of Honor - for his actions William E. Metzger, Jr.[104]
- Lt. William E Metzger Jr ( February 9 1922 &ndash November 9 1944) was a United States Army Air Forces officer and a recipient of the Edward Michael[109]
- 1st Lt. Edward Stanley Michael (May 2 1918 &ndash May 10 1994 was a United States Army Air Forces officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the John C. Morgan[110]
- Capt. John Cary "Red" Morgan (1914-1991 was a United States Army Air Forces pilot in World War II who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions Harl Pease[111]
- 2nd Lt. Harl Pease Jr, was a United States Army Air Forces officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest award the Medal of Honor, for his actions Joseph Sarnoski (awarded posthumously)[112]
- S/Sgt. Joseph Raymond Sarnoski (January 31 1915&ndashJune 16 1943 was an officer of the United States Army Air Forces during a World War II, and awarded the Medal Maynard H. Smith (the first enlisted airman ever to be awarded the Medal of Honor)[113]
- Lt. Maynard Harrison Smith aka " Snuffy Smith " ( May 19, 1911 - May 11, 1984) US Army Air Forces Staff Sergeant Walter E. Truemper (awarded posthumously)[107]
- S/Sgt. Walter E Truemper (1918-1944 was awarded the Medal of Honor as a member of the U Forrest L. Vosler[114]
- Brig. Forrest L Vosler, a B-17 Flying Fortress radio operator was the second enlisted airman to ever receive a Medal of Honor. Gen. Kenneth Walker[115]
- Maj. Kenneth Newton Walker was one of the earliest avatiors in the United States Military and went on to win the nations highest award the Medal of Honor during World War II Jay Zeamer, Jr.[116]
Other military achievements or events
- Lt. Jay Zeamer Jr (25 July 1918&ndash22 March 2007 was a pilot of the United States Army Air Forces in the South Pacific during World War II, and was awarded Richard Bailey- Piloted "Big Red". Shot up and recovered. Awarded Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart, Presidential Unit Citation, Air Medal. Ret. as Major.
- Allison C. Brooks (1917–2006) — Was awarded numerous military decorations, and was ultimately promoted to the rank of major general (two stars) and served in active duty until 1971. Allison C Brooks (1917- 9 December 2006) piloted B-17 Flying Fortress and P-51 Mustang aircraft in combat missions over Nazi Germany
- Capt. Werner G. Goering — American-born nephew of the Nazi Commander of the Luftwaffe in World War II, Hermann Goering. Capt Werner G Göring (also Goering in English to substitute the ö - umlaut) was the nephew of Nazi Reichsmarschall Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German Hermann Wilhelm Göring (also spelled Goering) (12 January 1893 15 October 1946 was a German Politician, Military leader and a leading member [117]
- Immanuel J. Klette (1918–1988) — Second-generation German-American whose 91 combat missions were the most flown by any Eighth Air Force pilot in World War II. LtCol Immanuel J Klette (1918-1988 aka Manny Klette, was a bomber pilot and squadron commander in the U [118]
- Colin Kelly (1915–1941) — Pilot of the first U. Colin Purdie Kelly Jr ( July 11, 1915 – December 10, 1941) Born in Madison Florida, he was a World War II B-17 S. B-17 lost in action. [119]
- Col. Frank Kurtz (1911–1996) — The USAAF's most decorated pilot of World War II; Commander of the 463rd Bombardment Group (Heavy), 15th Air Force, Celone Field, Foggia, Italy; Clark Field Philippines attack survivor; Olympic bronze medalist in diving (1932), 1944–1945; father of actress Swoosie Kurtz. Col Frank Allen Kurtz ( September 9, 1911 &ndash October 31, 1996) is known as an Olympic diver, as an aviator the United The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games Swoosie Kurtz (born September 6 1944 is an American Actress. As of 2008, she stars as Lily Charles in the ABC series Pushing
- Gen. Curtis LeMay (1906–1990) — Became head of the Strategic Air Command and head of the USAF. Curtis Emerson LeMay (15 November 1906–3 October 1990 was a General in the United States Air Force and the vice presidential running mate of American Independent The Strategic Air Command (SAC was both a major command and a "specified command" in the U
- Lt. Col. Nancy Love (1914–1976) and Betty (Huyler) Gillies (1908–1998) — The first women to be certified to fly the B-17, in 1943. Nancy Harkness Love (1914 - 1976 was an American pilot and commander during World War II. Betty Gillies (1909 - 1998 was a pioneer American Aviatrix. World War II The first pilot to qualify for the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron [120]
- Col. Robert K. Morgan (1918–2004) — Pilot of Memphis Belle. Robert Morgan is the name of Robert K Morgan (1918&ndash2004 decorated U
- Lt. Col. Robert Rosenthal (1917-2007) - Commanded the only surviving B-17, "Rosie's Riveters", of a US 8th Air Force raid by the 100th Bomb Group on Münster in 1943, earned sixteen medals for gallantry (including one each from Britain and France), and led the raid on Berlin on February 3, 1945 that is likely to have ended the life of Roland Freisler, the Third Reich's infamous "hanging judge". Lieutenant Colonel Robert "Rosie" Rosenthal ( June 11[[ 917]] - April 20 2007) was a highly-decorated pilot in the Eighth Air Force Münster ( is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Events 1112 - Ramon Berenguer III of Barcelona and Douce I of Provence marry uniting the fortunes of those two states Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar Early life In contrast to most of the Nazi leadership not much beyond basic details is known about Freisler Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers
- Paul Tibbets (1915–2007) — Flew with the 97th Bombardment Group (Heavy) with both the 8th Air Force in England and the 12th Air Force in North Africa; later pilot of the B-29 Enola Gay dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. Paul Warfield Tibbets Jr ( February 23, 1915 &ndash November 1, 2007) was a Brigadier general in the United States Air Force WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Japanese city of ( is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshū, the largest of Japan 's
- Robert Webb (1922–2002) — One of the youngest bomber pilots in the U. Robert S Webb (1922 - 2002 was a lieutenant colonel in the US S. Army Air Forces.
Civilian achievements or events
- Martin Caidin (1927–1997) — Author of Cyborg, the story that formed the basis of The Six Million Dollar Man and the saga of the last transatlantic formation flight of B-17s ever made, Everything But the Flak. Martin Caidin ( September 14, 1927 &ndash March 24, 1997) was an American author and an authority on Aeronautics and Cyborg is the title of a Science fiction / Secret agent novel by Martin Caidin which was first published in 1972 The Six Million Dollar Man is an American Television series about a fictional Cyborg working for the OSI (which was usually said to refer
- Clark Gable (1901–1960) — Academy Award-winning film actor, five missions as waist gunner with several groups from May to September 1943, including the B-17 Eight Ball of the 359th Bomb Squadron (351st Bomb Group). Clark Gable (February 1 &ndashNovember 16) was an iconic American Actor nicknamed "The King of Hollywood" in his heyday "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film.
- Tom Landry (1924–2000) — American football player and coach, flew 30 missions over Europe in 1944–45 as a B-17 pilot with the 493rd Bomb Group, surviving a crash landing in Czechoslovakia. Thomas Wade Landry ( September 11, 1924 – February 12, 2000) was an American football player and coach (His older brother Robert died in a B-17 crash)[121]
- Norman Lear — Radio operator, with the 463rd Bombardment Group (Heavy), 15th Air Force, Celone Field, Foggia, Italy; television producer of American sitcoms Sanford and Son, Maude and All in the Family, among others. Norman Milton Lear (born July 27 1922 in New Haven Connecticut) is an American Television writer and producer who produced such popular Sanford and Son is an American Sitcom that premiered on the NBC Television network on January 14 1972, and was broadcast for Maude is an Emmy and Golden Globe -winning half-hour American Television Sitcom that was originally broadcast on the All in the Family is an American Situation comedy that was originally broadcast on the CBS television network from January 12 1971 to April
- Gene Roddenberry (1921–1991) — Creator of Star Trek; flew B-17s for the 394th Bomb Squadron, 5th Bomb Group (H), in the Pacific theater. Eugene Wesley "Gene" Roddenberry (August 19 1921 &ndash October 24 1991 was an American Screenwriter and producer. [122]
- Robert Rosenthal (1917–2007) — Assistant to the U. Lieutenant Colonel Robert "Rosie" Rosenthal ( June 11[[ 917]] - April 20 2007) was a highly-decorated pilot in the Eighth Air Force S. prosecutor at the Nuremberg Trials, where he interrogated Hermann Goering, pilot with the 100th Bomb Group. The Nuremberg Trials were a series of trials most notable for the prosecution of prominent members of the political military and economic leadership of Nazi Germany after Hermann Wilhelm Göring (also spelled Goering) (12 January 1893 15 October 1946 was a German Politician, Military leader and a leading member
- Brigadier General Robert Lee Scott, Jr. (1908–2006) — Best known for his autobiography God is My Co-Pilot, about his exploits in World War II with the Flying Tigers and the United States Army Air Forces in China and Burma. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout
- James Stewart (1908–1997) — Academy Award-winning film actor, instructed in B-17s before flying 20 combat missions in B-24s with the 8th Air Force, England; retired from Air Force Reserve a Brigadier General. James Maitland Stewart (20 May 1908 – 2 July 1997 popularly known as Jimmy Stewart, was an American Film and stage Actor [123]
- Bert Stiles (1920–1944) — 91st Bomb Group co-pilot from March to October 1944, short-story author, killed in action flying a P-51 on a second tour. Bert Stiles ( August 30, 1920 - November 26, 1944) was an American Author of short stories who was Killed in action The 91st Bomb Group (Heavy was an air combat unit of the United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War.
- Smokey Yunick (1923–2001) — Award-winning motorsports car designer and premier NASCAR crew chief flew 50 missions as a B-17 pilot with the 97th Bombardment Group (Heavy) of the 15th Air Force, out of Amendola Airfield, Foggia, Italy. Henry "Smokey" Yunick (born May 25, 1923, Neshaminy, Pennsylvania, died May 9, 2001 of Leukemia The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing ( NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of Stock cars in the United States. [124]
Specifications (B-17G)
Data from The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft[26]
General characteristics
- Crew: 10: Pilot, co-pilot, navigator, bombardier/nose gunner, flight engineer-top turret gunner, radio operator, waist gunners (2), ball turret gunner, tail gunner[125]
- Length: 74 ft 4 in (22. A ball turret was a particular form of aircraft Gun turret mounted on aircraft during World War II A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. 66 m)
- Wingspan: 103 ft 9 in (31. The wingspan (or just span) of an airplane or a Bird, is the distance from the left wingtip to the right wingtip 62 m)
- Height: 19 ft 1 in (5. 82 m)
- Wing area: 1,420 ft² (131. 92 m²)
- Airfoil: NACA 0018 / NACA 0010
- Empty weight: 36,135 lb (16,391 kg)
- Loaded weight: 54,000 lb (24,495 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 65,500 lb (29710 kg)
- Powerplant: 4× Wright R-1820-97 "Cyclone" turbosupercharged radial engines, 1,200 hp (895 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 287 mph (249 knots, 462 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 182 mph (158 knots, 293 km/h)
- Range: 1,738 nmi (2,000 mi, 3,219 km) with 2,722 kg (6,000 lb) bombload
- Service ceiling 35,600 ft (10,850 m)
- Rate of climb: 900 ft/min (4. An airfoil (in American English) or aerofoil (in British English) is the shape of a Wing or blade (of a Propeller, rotor The NACA airfoils are Airfoil shapes for aircraft wings developed by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA The pound or pound-mass (abbreviation lb, lbm, or sometimes in the United States #) is a unit of Mass The Maximum Takeoff Weight or Maximum Takeoff Mass of an Aircraft is the maximum weight at which the pilot of the aircraft is allowed to attempt to take off WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The radial engine is a reciprocating type internal combustion Engine configuration in which the cylinders point outward from a central In Aviation, V-speeds or Velocity-speeds are standard terms used to define Airspeeds important or useful to the operation of Aircraft, such In Aviation, V-speeds or Velocity-speeds are standard terms used to define Airspeeds important or useful to the operation of Aircraft, such The maximal total range is the distance an Aircraft can fly between Takeoff and Landing, as limited by fuel capacity in powered aircraft or cross-country A nautical mile or sea mile is a unit of Length. It corresponds approximately to one minute of Latitude along any meridian. A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States In Aeronautics, a ceiling is the maximum Density altitude an aircraft can reach under a set of conditions In Aerodynamics, the rate of climb RoC is the speed at which an Aircraft increases its Altitude. 6 m/s)
- Wing loading: 38. In Aerodynamics, wing loading is the loaded weight of the aircraft divided by the area of the wing 0 lb/ft² (185. 7 kg/m²)
- Power/mass: 0. Power-to-weight ratio (specific power is a calculation commonly applied to Engines and other mobile power sources to enable the comparison of one unit or design to another 089 hp/lb (150 W/kg)
Armament
- Guns: 13× M2 Browning . This article is about the.50 caliber M2 machine gun For the.30-06 M2 machine gun see M1919 Browning machine gun. 50 caliber (12. The term caliber or calibre designates the interior Diameter of a tube or the exterior diameter of a wire or rod 7 mm) machine guns in twin turrets, plus single dorsal, fore and aft beam positions (with optional extra nose armament fitted in glazed nose).
- Bombs: Although it theoretically could carry 17,417 lb (7900 kg) of bombs, the B-17 rarely flew combat missions with more than 5,071 lb (2300 kg).
- Short range missions (<400 mi): 8,000 lb (3,600 kg)
- Long range missions (≈800 mi): 4,500 lb (2,000 kg)
See also
Related development
Comparable aircraft
- Avro Lancaster
- B-24 Liberator
- Focke-Wulf Fw 200
- Handley-Page Halifax
- Heinkel He 177
- Junkers Ju 290
- Petlyakov Pe-8
- Piaggio P.108B
- Short Stirling
Related lists
- List of B-17 Flying Fortress serial numbers
- List of bomber aircraft
- List of military aircraft of the United States
References
Notes
- ^ a b c The Boeing Logbook: 1933 – 1938. Boeing. com. Retrieved on 18 December 2006.
- ^ Yenne 2006, p. 8.
- ^ Bowers, Peter M. Fortress in the Sky. Granada Hills, California: Sentry Books Inc. , 1976 ISBN 0-913194-04-2.
- ^ a b c Carey 1998, p. 4.
- ^ "The Story of the B-17", B-17 Pilot Training Manual. Headquarters, AAF, Office of Flying Safety. Retrieved on 16 January. Events 27 BC - The title Augustus is bestowed upon Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian by the Roman Senate. “The B-17's incredible capacity to take it — to come flying home on three, two, even one engine, sieve-like with flak and bullet holes, with large sections of wing or tail surfaces shot away — has been so widely publicized that U. S. fighting men could afford to joke about it" and "one important fact stands clear-cut now. The Flying Fortress is a rugged airplane”
- ^ Browne, Robert W. (Winter 2001). "The Rugged Fortress: Life-Saving B-17 Remembered" ( – Scholar search). Flight Journal: WW II Bombers (Winter 2001).
- ^ a b B-17 Flying Fortress. www. b17fortress. de (2006). Retrieved on 17 January 2007. “General Ira C. Eaker, commander of the Eighth Air Force during World War II described the aircraft as "the best bomber which was ever built. She could handle extensive damage and still stay in the air. "”
- ^ a b c d e Johnson, Frederick A. (2006). "The Making of an Iconic Bomber". Air Force Magazine 89 (10).
- ^ a b c d Baugher, Joe. Boeing Model 299. Encyclopedia of American Aircraft. Retrieved on 12 January, 2007.
- ^ a b B-17:Best Airplane. B-17 Flying Fortress:Queen of the Skies. Retrieved on 9 January, 2007.
- ^ a b Maurer Maurer, "Aviation in the U. S. Army, 1919-1939", United States Air Force Historical Research Center, Office of Air Force History, Washington, D. C. , 1987, ISBN 0-912799-38-2, pages 406-408.
- ^ a b c d e f Aviation Photography:B-17 Flying Fortress. Northstar Gallery. Retrieved on 16 January, 2007.
- ^ a b c d e Goebel, Greg (2005). Fortress In Development: Model 299. The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. Retrieved on 9 January, 2007.
- ^ Tate, Dr. James P. (June 1998). 1-42891-257-6&id=pZyLTfJFaEgC&dq=The+Army+and+Its+Air+Corps+Army+Policy+toward+Aviation The Army and Its Air Corps: Army Policy toward Aviation 1919–1941. Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Air University Press, p. 164. ISBN 1428912576. Retrieved on 16 January. Events 27 BC - The title Augustus is bestowed upon Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian by the Roman Senate.
- ^ Salecker, Gene, Eric (2001). Fortress Against the Sun: The B-17 Flying Fortress in the Pacific. Conshohocken, Pennsylvania: Combined Publishing, p. 46. ISBN 1-58097-049-4.
- ^ Yenne, Bill (2006). B-17 at War. St Paul, Minnesota: Zenith Imprint, p. 12. ISBN 0-7603-2522-7.
- ^ a b Tate, Dr. James P. (June 1998). The Army and Its Air Corps: Army Policy toward Aviation 1919–1941. Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Air University Press, p. 165. ISBN 1428912576. Retrieved on 16 January. Events 27 BC - The title Augustus is bestowed upon Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian by the Roman Senate.
- ^ Model 299 Crash, 15 November 1935. Events 655 - Battle of Winwaed: Penda of Mercia is defeated by Oswiu of Northumbria. Year 1935 ( MCMXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. National Museum of the USAF. Retrieved on 16 January, 2007.
- ^ Schamel, John. How the Pilot's Checklist Came About. FAA Flight Service Training. Retrieved on 12 January 2007. “On board the plane were pilots Major Ployer P. Hill (his first time flying the 299) and Lieutenant Donald Putt (the primary Army pilot for the previous evaluation flights), Leslie Tower, Boeing mechanic C. W. Benton, and Pratt and Whitney representative Henry Igo. Putt, Benton and Igo escaped with burns, and Hill and Tower were pulled from the wreckage alive, but later died from their wounds. ”
- ^ Salecker 2001, p. 48.
- ^ Goebel, Greg (2005). Model 299 Flying Fortress. The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. Retrieved on 9 January, 2007. “The Model 299 cost almost $200,000, more than twice as much as either of its two competitors. ”
- ^ a b c Meilinger, Phillip S. (October 2004). "When the Fortress Went Down". Air Force Magazine 87 (9). Air Force Association.
- ^ Schamel, John. How the Pilot's Checklist Came About. FAA Flight Service Training. Retrieved on 12 January, 2007. “The idea of a pilot's checklist spread to other crew members, other Air Corps aircraft types, and eventually throughout the aviation world. ”
- ^ a b Intercepting The “Rex”. National Museum of the USAF. Retrieved on 9 January, 2007.
- ^ a b c BOEING Y1B-17. National Museum of the USAF. Retrieved on 9 January, 2007.
- ^ a b c "Boeing Model 299 (B-17 Flying Fortress)". The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft (1). (1997). Ed. David Donald. Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada: Prospero Books. p. 155. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.
- ^ a b c Goebel, Greg (2005). Y1B-17/Y1B-17A. The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. Retrieved on 9 January, 2007.
- ^ Baugher, Joe. Boeing Y1B-17A/B-17A. Encyclopedia of American Aircraft. Retrieved on 15 January, 2007.
- ^ a b Goebel, Greg (2005). B-17B/B-17C/B-17D. The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. Retrieved on 9 January, 2007.
- ^ Boeing B-17B. National Museum of the USAF. Retrieved on 9 January, 2007.
- ^ a b Eylanbekov, Zaur (2006). Airpower Classics:B-17 Flying Fortress. Air Force Magazine. Retrieved on 8 January, 2007.
- ^ Serling, Robert J. (1992). Legend & Legacy: The Story of Boeing and its People. New York: St. Martin's Press, p. 55. ISBN 0-312-05890-X. “At the peak of production, Boeing was rolling out as many as 363 B-17s a month—averaging between 14 and 16 Forts a day, the most incredible production rate for large aircraft in aviation history…Prior to the B-17, the Boeing Y1B-9 (first flight: 1931) had only seven production aircraft, the Martin B-10 (first flight: 1932) had total production of 213, the Farman F. 222 (first flight: 1932) had only 24 constructed and the Handley Page Heyford (first flight: 1933) had a total of 125 built. The B-17 easily eclipsed these numbers. ”
- ^ Yenne, Bill (2006). B-17 at War. St Paul, Minnesota: Zenith Imprint, p. 6. ISBN 0-7603-2522-7.
- ^ Carey, Brian Todd (1998). "Operation Pointblank: Evolution of Allied Air Doctrine During World War II". World War II (November): p. 4.
- ^ a b Baugher, Joe. B-17 Squadron Assignments. Encyclopedia of American Aircraft. Retrieved on 15 January, 2007.
- ^ Yenne 2006, p. 23.
- ^ Chant, Christopher (1996). Warplanes of the 20th Century. London: Tiger Books International, p. 61–62. ISBN 1-85501-807-1.
- ^ a b Goebel, Greg (2005). RAF Fortress I In Combat. The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. Retrieved on 9 January, 2007.
- ^ a b Baugher, Joe. Fortress I for RAF. Encyclopedia of American Aircraft. Retrieved on 15 January, 2007.
- ^ Gustin, Emmanuel. Boeing B-17. uboat. net. Retrieved on 2 April, 2007.
- ^ U-627. Uboat. net. Retrieved on 2 April, 2007.
- ^ a b c Baugher, Joe. Boeing B-17B Fortress. Encyclopedia of American Aircraft. Retrieved on 15 January, 2007.
- ^ Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress – USA. The Aviation History Online Museum. Retrieved on 16 January, 2007.
- ^ a b Goebel, Greg (2005). Fortress Over Europe. The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. Retrieved on 9 January, 2007.
- ^ Walden, Geoff (January 2007). Third Reich in Ruins:Schweinfurt. www. thirdreichruins. com. Retrieved on 16 January, 2007.
- ^ Hess, 1994 p. 67.
- ^ Hess, 1994 p. 69-71
- ^ Caldwell and Muller 2007, p. 151-152.
- ^ McKillop, Jack. Combat Chronology of the U.S. Army Air Forces: February 1944. www. usaaf. net. Retrieved on 17 January, 2007.
- ^ Caldwell and Muller 2007, p. 162
- ^ McKillop, Jack. Combat Chronology of the U.S. Army Air Forces: April 1945. www. usaaf. net. Retrieved on 17 January, 2007. Events 38 BC - Octavian marries Livia Drusilla. 1287 - King Alfonso III of Aragon invades Minorca
- ^ a b Arakaki, Leatrice R. , and Kuborn, John R. , "7 December 1941: The Air Force Story", Pacific Air Forces, Office of History, Hickam Air Force Base, 1991, ISBN 0-912799-73-0, pages 73-75, 158-159.
- ^ Salecker 2001, pp. 64–71.
- ^ Sakai, Saburo, with Martin Caiden and Fred Saito. Samurai!. Naval Institute Press, 68–72.
- ^ Anniversary talks — Battle of the Bismarck Sea, 2–4 March 1943 [Australian War Memorial]
- ^ Frisbee, John L. (December 1990). "Valor:Skip-Bombing Pioneer" ( – Scholar search). Air Force Magazine 73 (12).
- ^ History:B-17 Flying Fortress. Boeing. com. Retrieved on 16 January, 2007.
- ^ Formation. www. b17flyingfortress. de. Retrieved on 9 January, 2007.
- ^ "Formation", B-17 Pilot Training Manual. Headquarters, AAF, Office of Flying Safety. Retrieved on 16 January. Events 27 BC - The title Augustus is bestowed upon Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian by the Roman Senate.
- ^ Caidin, Martin (1960). Black Thursday. New York: E. P. Dutton & Co. Inc. . ISBN 0-553-26729-9.
- ^ Hoffman, Wally (2006). We Get Our Feet Wet. Magweb. com. Retrieved on 18 July, 2006.
- ^ Caidin, Martin. Black Thursday. New York: E. P. Dutton & Co. Inc. , 1960, p. 86. ISBN 0-553-26729-9.
- ^ Battle-damaged B-17s. www. daveswarbirds. com. Retrieved on 16 January, 2007.
- ^ Price, Alfred (September 1993). "Against Regensburg and Schweinfurt". Air Force Magazine 76 (9).
- ^ Schollars, Todd J. (Fall 2003). German wonder weapons: degraded production and effectiveness. Air Force Journal of Logistics. Retrieved on 16 January, 2007.
- ^ a b Law, Ricky (1997). Dornier Do 200. Arsenal of Dictatorship. Retrieved on 16 January, 2007.
- ^ Goebel, Greg (2005). Fortress Oddballs. The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. Retrieved on 9 January, 2007.
- ^ Baugher, Joe. B-17 Commercial Transports. Encyclopedia of American Aircraft. Retrieved on 15 January, 2007.
- ^ a b Baugher, Joe. Boeing Y1B-17. Encyclopedia of American Aircraft. Retrieved on 15 January, 2007.
- ^ a b Baugher, Joe. Boeing B-17C Fortress. Encyclopedia of American Aircraft. Retrieved on 15 January, 2007.
- ^ Baugher, Joe. Boeing B-17D Fortress. Encyclopedia of American Aircraft. Retrieved on 15 January, 2007.
- ^ a b Baugher, Joe. Boeing B-17E Fortress. Encyclopedia of American Aircraft. Retrieved on 15 January, 2007.
- ^ Baugher, Joe. Boeing B-17F Fortress. Encyclopedia of American Aircraft. Retrieved on 15 January, 2007.
- ^ Chronicle. www. b17flyingfortress. de. Retrieved on 16 January, 2007.
- ^ Goebel, Greg (2005). B-17G/Fortress Triumphant. The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. Retrieved on 9 January, 2007.
- ^ Baugher, Joe. Boeing B-17H. Encyclopedia of American Aircraft. Retrieved on 15 January, 2007.
- ^ Baugher, Joe. Vega XB-38. Encyclopedia of American Aircraft. Retrieved on 15 January, 2007.
- ^ Baugher, Joe. Boeing YB-40. Encyclopedia of American Aircraft. Retrieved on 15 January, 2007.
- ^ near Winfarthing
- ^ a b Ramsey, Winston G. Winfarthing is a Village and Civil parish in the English County of Norfolk. The V-Weapons. London, United Kingdom: After The Battle, Number 6, 1974, page 20.
- ^ Baugher, Joe. History of the BQ-7. Encyclopedia of American Aircraft. Retrieved on 15 January, 2007.
- ^ Parsch, Andreas (March 2003). Boeing BQ-7 Aphrodite. Directory of U. S. Military Rockets and Missiles. Retrieved on 16 January, 2007.
- ^ Tate, Dr. James P. (June 1998). 1-42891-257-6&id=pZyLTfJFaEgC&dq=The+Army+and+Its+Air+Corps+Army+Policy+toward+Aviation The Army and Its Air Corps: Army Policy toward Aviation 1919–1941. Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Air University Press, p. 149–150. ISBN 1-42891-257-6. Retrieved on 16 January. Events 27 BC - The title Augustus is bestowed upon Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian by the Roman Senate. “The Howell Commission's report…stated "…an adequate striking force for use against objectives both near and remote is a necessity for a modern army…”
- ^ Tate, Dr. James P. (June 1998). 1-42891-257-6&id=pZyLTfJFaEgC&dq=The+Army+and+Its+Air+Corps+Army+Policy+toward+Aviation The Army and Its Air Corps: Army Policy toward Aviation 1919–1941. Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Air University Press, p. 161. ISBN 1-42891-257-6. Retrieved on 16 January. Events 27 BC - The title Augustus is bestowed upon Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian by the Roman Senate. “To them it seemed that the bomber was well-nigh invincible. They argued that pursuit was obsolete and attack an expensive luxury, since aviation was more effective when used for interdiction behind enemy lines and strategic bombardment to destroy the enemy's means and will to fight. ”
- ^ Twelve O'Clock High (1949). Internet Movie Database. Retrieved on 16 January, 2007.
- ^ "The Story of the B-17", B-17 Pilot Training Manual. Headquarters, AAF, Office of Flying Safety. Retrieved during 2007. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. “The B-17's incredible capacity to take it — to come flying home on three, two, even one engine, sieve-like with flak and bullet holes, with large sections of wing or tail surfaces shot away — has been so widely publicized that U. S. fighting men could afford to joke about it" and "one important fact stands clear-cut now. The Flying Fortress is a rugged airplane”
- ^ Browne, Robert W. (Winter 2001). "The Rugged Fortress: Life-Saving B-17 Remembered" ( – Scholar search). Flight Journal: WW II Bombers (Winter 2001).
- ^ The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress (1944). Internet Movie Database. Retrieved on 16 January, 2007.
- ^ Freeman, Morgan Mighty Eighth War Diary - the first B-17 to finish 25 operational missions was Hell's Angels of the 303rd Bomb Group.
- ^ For example, Verinis had been given his own aircraft to command before his tour of duty was complete. See Morgan's autobiography.
- ^ B-17s: Where to Find Them. Aero Vintage Books. Retrieved during 2007. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
- ^ The Swoose. 463rd Bombardment Group Historical Society. Retrieved on 18 December, 2006.
- ^ Brennan, Sandra. Biography. All Movie Guide. Retrieved on 25 December, 2006.
- ^ Trescott, Jacqueline (Saturday 3 November 2007). "Smithsonian Panel Backs Transfer of Famed B-17 Bomber". Washington Post 130 (333): C–8.
- ^ Boeing B-17G “Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby”. National Museum of the USAF. Retrieved on 9 January, 2007.
- ^ History of the B-17 Nine O Nine. www. collingsfoundation. org (2001). Retrieved on 16 January, 2007.
- ^ The Collings foundation
- ^ B-17E “MY GAL SAL”. National Museum of the USAF. Retrieved on 7 February, 2007.
- ^ History Of The B-17E "My Gal Sal". www. ultimatesacrifice. com. Retrieved on 16 January, 2007.
- ^ Jay Zeamer Jr. Obituary
- ^ Wings of Valor II- Jay Zeamer and Joseph Sarnoski
- ^ Frisbee, John L. (March 1998). "Valor:The Quiet Hero" ( – Scholar search). Air Force Magazine 71 (3).
- ^ Frisbee, John L. (May 1985). "Valor:'I Am the Captain of My Soul'" ( – Scholar search). Air Force Magazine 68 (5).
- ^ a b Frisbee, John L. (June 1989). "Valor:"Valor at its Highest"" ( – Scholar search). Air Force Magazine 72 (6).
- ^ Frisbee, John L. (August 1990). "Valor:A Rather Special Award" ( – Scholar search). Air Force Magazine 73 (8).
- ^ Frisbee, John L. (June 1999). "Valor:One Turning and One Burning" ( – Scholar search). Air Force Magazine 82 (6).
- ^ a b Frisbee, John L. (August 1985). "Valor:A Point of Honor" ( – Scholar search). Air Force Magazine 68 (8).
- ^ Frisbee, John L. (March 1986). "Valor:A Tale of Two Texans" ( – Scholar search). Air Force Magazine 69 (3).
- ^ Frisbee, John L. (August 1985). "Valor:Gauntlet of Fire" ( – Scholar search). Air Force Magazine 68 (8).
- ^ Frisbee, John L. (January 1984). "Valor:Crisis in the Cockpit" ( – Scholar search). Air Force Magazine 67 (1).
- ^ Frisbee, John L. (July 1990). "Valor:Rabaul on a Wing and a Prayer" ( – Scholar search). Air Force Magazine 73 (7).
- ^ MOH citation of SARNOSKI, JOSEPH R.. Retrieved on 12 January 2007.
- ^ Frisbee, John L. (April 1984). "Valor:First of the Few" ( – Scholar search). Air Force Magazine 67 (4).
- ^ Frisbee, John L. (September 1998). "Valor:The Right Touch" ( – Scholar search). Air Force Magazine 81 (9).
- ^ Frisbee, John L. (October 1990). "Valor:Courage and Conviction" ( – Scholar search). Air Force Magazine 73 (10).
- ^ Frisbee, John L. (December 1985). "Valor:Battle Over Bougainville" ( – Scholar search). Air Force Magazine 68 (12).
- ^ Gobrecht, Harry D. (2006). Werner G. Goering Crew – 358th BS. Hell's Angels: Home of the 303rd Bomb Group (H) Association. Retrieved on 20 December, 2006.
- ^ Freeman, Roger A. (1993). Mighty Eighth War Diary. St. Paul, Minnesota: Motorbook International, p. 497–500. ISBN 0-87938-405-6. Retrieved on 2006-12-20. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 69 - Vespasian, formerly a general under Nero, enters Rome to claim the title of Emperor.
- ^ Frisbee, John L. (June 1994). "Valor: Colin Kelly (He was a Hero in Legend and in Fact)" ( – Scholar search). Air Force Magazine 77 (6).
- ^ National Museum of the USAF, Biography of Nancy Harkness Love.
- ^ [1]
- ^ Alexander, David (1994). "Star Trek Creator": 57–78. New York, New York: ROC. New American Library (aka NAL began publishing Paperbacks in the 1940s
- ^ Smith, Starr (2005). Jimmy Stewart: Bomber Pilot. St. Paul, Minnesota: Zenith Press. ISBN 0-76032-199-X.
- ^ Yunick, Henry (2003). Best Damn Garage in Town: My Life & Adventures. Carbon Press, 650.
- ^ B-17 Flying Fortress Crew Positions. Arizona Wing CAF Museum. Retrieved on 16 January, 2007. “describes in detail the various positions and their related duties. The Boeing Pilot Manual also describes duties. ”
Bibliography
- Birdsall, Steve. The B-17 Flying Fortress Dallas, Texas: Morgan Aviation Books, 1965.
- Bowers, Peter M. (1989). Boeing Aircraft Since 1916. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-37000-016-1.
- Bowman, Martin W. (2000). Castles in the Air: The Story of the B-17 Flying Fortress Crews of the U. S. 8th Air Force. Potomac Books, 216. ISBN 1-57488-320-8.
- Caidin, Martin (1960). Black Thursday. New York, New York: E. P. Dutton & Company. ISBN 0-553-26729-9.
- Caldwell, Donald and Muller, Richard. The Luftwaffe over Germany: Defense of the Reich. London: Greenhill Books Publications, 2007. ISBN 978-1-85367-712-0.
- Carey, Brian Todd. "Operation Pointblank: Evolution of Allied Air Doctrine During World War II." World War II, November 1998. Retrieved: 15 January 2007. Events 588 BC - Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah 's reign Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
- Davis, Larry (1984). B-17 in Action. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications. ISBN 0-89747-152-0.
- Freeman, Roger A. (1977). B-17 Fortress at War. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. ISBN 0-684-14872-2.
- Hess, William N (1994). B-17 Flying Fortress: Combat and Development History of the Flying Fortress. St. Paul, Minnesota: Motorbook International. ISBN 0-87938-881-1.
- Hess, William N (2003). B-17 Flying Fortress Units of the MTO. Botley, Oxford: Osprey Publishing Limited. ISBN 1-84176-580-5.
- Hess, William N (1998). Big Bombers of WWII. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Lowe & B. Hould. ISBN 0-681-07570-8.
- Jablonski, Edward (1965). Flying Fortress. New York: Doubleday. ISBN 0-385-03855-0.
- Johnson, Frederick A (2001). Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. Stillwater, Minnesota: Voyageur Press. ISBN 1-58007-052-3.
- Lloyd, Alwyn T (1986). B-17 Flying Fortress in Detail and Scale. Fallbrook, California: Aero Publishers. ISBN 0-8168-5029-1.
- O'Leary, Michael (1999). Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress (Osprey Production Line to Frontline 2). Botley, Oxford, United Kingdom: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-85532-814-3.
- Salecker, Gene Eric (2001). Fortress Against The Sun – The B-17 Flying Fortress in the Pacific (Combined Publishing). Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, USA: Combined Publishing. ISBN 1-58097-049-4.
- Thompson, Scott A (2000). Final Cut: The Post War B-17 Flying Fortress, The Survivors: Revised and Updated Edition. Highland County, Ohio: Pictorial Histories Publishing Company. ISBN 1-57510-077-0.
- Willmott, H. P. (1980). B-17 Flying Fortress. London: Bison Books. ISBN 0-85368-444-8.
- Yenne, Bill. B-17 at War. St Paul, Minnesota: Zenith Imprint, 2006. ISBN 0-7603-2522-7.
External links
- ~ NEW ~ American Combat Planes of the 20th Century by Ray Wagner
- Bail Out Over the Balkans - True Story by B17 Pilot Richard Munsen after being shot down over Yugoslavia
- Commemorative Air Force Gulf Coast Wing - Home of B-17G "Texas Raiders"
- Official site of the 303rd "Hell's Angels" Bomb Group
- Official site of the 463rd "The Swoose" Bomb Group
- Information on Sally B
- World War II 8th Air Force website
- Warbird Alley: B-17 page — Information about B-17s still flying today.
- Sam Hewitt: 15th Air Force WWII POW
- Lacey Lady — TheBomber.com
- The Most Unbelieveable Landing of a B-17
- The Air War in Retrospect — First-hand accounts of WWII Veterans.
- Lt. Bob Swan's Photos of Life as a B-17 Flying Fortress Navigator in England during WWII
- Second-Lieutenant David Kingsley, the Ultimate Sacrifice
- Arizona Wing of the Commemorative Air Force & Their Touring B-17 — Sentimental Journey
- The EAA's Touring B-17 — Aluminum Overcast
- Fantasy of Flight's B17 — B-17 Flying Fortress on display at Fantasy of Flight. Fantasy of Flight is an Aviation -related attraction in Polk City, Florida, USA that takes visitors back to the pioneering days of early flight
- Battle-Damaged B-17s — Photographic chronicle of the damage that the "Queen of the Skies" could sustain and still bring her crews home.
- Warbirdregistry.org
- Photograph of USAF B-17 and crew that crash landed in neutral Ireland in WWII
- List Of Surviving B-17s
- List Of B-17s and B-24s downed in France between 1942 and 1945 - 778 aircraft and more than 6500 crew members
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