The prototype of the famous B-17 Flying Fortress first took flight on July 28, 1935. In June of 1939, the model entered regular service as the B-17B. The B-17 saw use in both the Pacific and European theaters of World War II, but it proved to be best suited for the ETO.
Its greatest claim to fame came from operating with the 8th Air Force stationed in the UK. From here, it undertook long-range daylight bombing missions against German military and industrial targets. The B-17 lacked the range and load of the B-24 Liberator, but was somewhat better armed and appeared to be more resistant to damage. This plan was a key element to gaining air superiority in Europe and paved the way for the destruction of Hitler’s Luftwaffe.
How did the B-17 get the name “Flying Fortress”?
The aircraft gained its famous nickname thanks to its heavy firepower and multiple machine gun emplacements. This was after it made its public debut in July 1935.
Richard Williams, a reporter for The Seattle Times, exclaimed, “Why, it’s a flying fortress!” The Boeing Company immediately decided to capitalize on the name and had it trademarked.
The archetypal B-17G was a low-wing, all-metal monoplane powered by four 1,200 h.p. Wright R-1820-97 air-cooled, turbocharged, 9-cylinder radial engines. It had a wingspan of 103' 9" and a length of 74' 9". The typical crew was ten men. Empty weight was 32,720 pounds, normal loaded weight was 49,500 pounds and maximum weight was 60,000 pounds. Normal range with maximum bomb load and normal fuel was 1,100 miles. The maximum speed was 295 M.P.H. and the service ceiling was 35,000'.
Was the B-17 Flying Fortress a symbol of the power for the United States air force?
The B-17's ability to operate at extremely high altitudes was significantly problematic for Axis interceptors and tacticians.
The B-17G's defensive armament consisted of thirteen heavy .50 caliber machine guns. Eight of these were distributed in pairs in power operated chin, dorsal, ventral and tail positions, plus single manually trained guns on each side of the fuselage in cheek and waist positions and a single manually trained gun fired upward from the top of the fuselage by the radio operator. The internal bomb load was 6,000 pounds.
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