B-17 Flying Fortress

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

Dedicating this thread to the B-17 FLYING FORTRESS.

Share stories and experiences related to these warbirds here.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_B-17_Flying_Fortress

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I'll start with the story of B-17 "666" that no one wanted to fly featured in this article...

https://www.warhistoryonline.com/fe...k-17-japanese-fighters-alone-livedtell.html/2

 

[tobyS]

Dedicating this thread to the B-17 FLYING FORTRESS.

Share stories and experiences related to these warbirds here.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_B-17_Flying_Fortress

View attachment 686187 . View attachment 686188







I'll start with the story of B-17 "666" that no one wanted to fly featured in this article...

https://www.warhistoryonline.com/fe...k-17-japanese-fighters-alone-livedtell.html/2

My 92 year old dad was a crew chief (top gunner). On the first mission they got shot down and ditched in the English Channel. He flew 37 missions after that.

 

[Tracer]

The 1000th B-17G built by Douglas Aircraft Co. in Long Beach California.

 

[gringeltaube]

Here is an old post of mine...
I had the pleasure of meeting "Sally B", back in 2012. I can still hear it... when all those cylinders finally came to life - a beautiful concert of roaring radial engines!

And here is a bit about her story...


G.

 

[Tracer]

Here is an old post of mine...
I had the pleasure of meeting "Sally B", back in 2012. I can still hear it... when all those cylinders finally came to life - a beautiful concert of roaring radial engines!

And here is a bit about her story...


G.

gringeltaube, great story, thanks!!!

 

[Tracer]

The 5000th B-17G. Some of these folks from WW2 were still on the job when I started working for Douglas in 1979.

 

[gringeltaube]

WOW, that picture - impressive! 1942?

 

[Tracer]

It's a B17G model and 5000th aircraft, so I'll guess 1943/1944.

 

[PJL]

Yesterday my wife and I were southbound I-5 near Boeing Field when a B-24 comes in from the south and lands. A few minutes later the B-17 called 909 lands. Pretty cool.

 

[Another Ahab]

This will be good.

Subscribed for sure.

Thanks, ColdWarrior!

 

[fsearls92]

I have had the opportunity to go in both "909" the B-17 and "witchcraft" the B-24, they are owned by the Collins foundation. If you have the cash they will take you up for a flight. The B-17 flew over the hotel roof tops as I was walking down the beach in Daytona.

 

[Another Ahab]

We had (2) B-17's fly low over the D.C. area a couple years back.

I was on Memorial Bridge at the time (behind the Lincoln Memorial in the vid background).

The vid doesn't capture at all the thrill of hearing those (4) 1,200 HP engines overhead. It was killer!



https://youtu.be/38s8IZVJRpQ

 

[Another Ahab]

And a brief summary (under 3 minutes), of the bomber and crew:


https://youtu.be/sxbyfliO7Cc

 

[M813rc]

One of the great things about coming to America in the mid-70s was getting to go to Harlingen and seeing the Confederate Air Force (insert politically correct modern name if you want) do their air show at home. For an aeroplane-mad teenager, that was heaven!

One part of the show was the Pearl Harbor reenactment, when the B-17 would come in smoking and with only one main gear down, and do a touch and go.
They no longer do that, it put too much uneven stress on the wing spar, and they fly the planes in a much more delicate way these days. Sure was a cool show back then.

I understand flying like Mr Milktoast though, these planes are so rare these days, and a lot of them have been destroyed at airshows.

Cheers

 

[Another Ahab]

YouTube pitched me this vid today.

It's not too long.

I forget how big the wing surface was on the B-17's (check out about 2:00 - 2:30). That's a lot of surface area (and the tail wings, too).

I'm noticing also how some in this squadron are painted OD overall, and some are unfinished aluminum.

Does anybody know the story behind that, like earlier aircraft were unpainted, and later ones painted or something?



https://youtu.be/BnkVPtyGaVA

 

[waayfast]

Seems like I recall reading that they were painted OD green to help them to be harder for the enemy to see in the early years of the war but as the situation began to tip in our favor, it was deemed that the need to be "unseen" was not as important any longer.

So they began to just leave them bare aluminum --faster to build the plane, slightly less weight, less cost etc.

Jim

 

[Intotec]

I also got a chance to ride in 909 it was worth the $$$.

 

[Another Ahab]

I also got a chance to ride in 909 it was worth the $$$.

Thanks for your great pics.

That shot of the Norden Bombsight is a special treat.

 

[Another Ahab]

About that nose gun:

- Did the bombardier fire that weapon remotely?

- Or was there a gunner behind it firing prone or something? Any idea?

 

[Tracer]

About that nose gun:

- Did the bombardier fire that weapon remotely?

- Or was there a gunner behind it firing prone or something? Any idea?



View attachment 688795

Bombardier was responsible for manning the chin turret.