| Of all the heavy bombers that flew in
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| | an attack on a formation of B-17s without
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| WWII, the B-17 Flying Fortress was
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| | numerous holes in the fuselage of his
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| without a doubt one of the two most
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| | aircraft. Most of the bombers of any
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| famous, the other being the Lancaster.
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| | type downed by fighters were stragglers;
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| The prototype first flew in 1935 but it
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| | those that could not maintain or regain
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| would be another five years before the
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| | their position in formation as a result
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| B-17 was delivered in any quantity. They
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| | of damage from flak encountered during
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| first saw action with the RAF in 1941.
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| | their bombing runs.Built mostly over 3
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| The first order filled by Boeing was for
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| | years from mid-1942 to mid-1945, these
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| 39 B-17Bs with turbo-charged Wright
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| | four engine heavy bombers once filled the
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| Cyclone radial engines. The 17C followed
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| | skys. Workers across the US built a
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| with seven machine guns instead of the
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| | total of 12,731 B-17s. After the war,
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| original five; this modification together
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| | several dozen B-17s lived on as
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| with better armor and self-sealing tanks
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| | fire-bombers and aerial surveyors until
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| in the 17d resulted from lessons learned
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| | the last one was retired in the 1970s.
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| in the early bombing raids over Europe.
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| | Today, a few B-17s have been restored to
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| The B-17E and 17F soon followed with a
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| | their wartime splendor. Eleven are
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| larger tail. The final version came out
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| | currently flying in the United States,
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| when head-on attacks by enemy fighters
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| | one in the UK and another one in
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| proved to be a definite problem, which
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| | France.Keeping a B-17 flying these days
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| the B-17G countered with a chin turret
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| | is an expensive proposition. Someone
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| with dual machine guns. This gave the
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| | once said that a B-17 operates on gas,
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| B-17 a defensive armament of 13 machine
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| | oil and money. Especially money. A B-17
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| guns in all.The Flying Fortress flew with
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| | will easily burn 200 gallons of fuel per
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| a crew of ten in the 17G model. These
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| | hour, plus about 10 gallons of oil per
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| were: Pilot, Co-pilot, Bombardier, Nose
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| | hour. Consumables and wear items cost an
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| Gunner, Flight Engineer/Top Turret
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| | estimated $3,000 per flight hour. For
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| Gunner, Radio Operator/Gunner, Ball
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| | each hour a Flying Fortress spends in the
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| Turret Gunner, Right Waist Gunner, Left
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| | air, ten are spent on the ground in
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| Waist Gunner and Tail Gunner.The B-17 was
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| | maintenance. An engine overhaul can cost
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| a heavy aircraft weighing in at 36,000
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| | $40,000 and FAA required wing-spar
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| lbs, with a maximum takeoff weight of
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| | inspections and repairs will cost each
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| 65,500 lbs. With a wing span of 103ft
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| | Flying Fortress in excess of
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| 9in, the length was 74ft 4in while the
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| | $100,000.Consequently operating a B-17 is
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| roof of the cockpit sat 19 feet above
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| | more than any one person can do. As a
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| ground. The Fortress could operate at
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| | result, foundations own most of them, or
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| 35,800 feet although best operating
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| | museums set up specifically to keep the
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| altitude was in the 25,000 foot range
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| | Flying Fortress in the air. These
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| where it could achieve its maximum speed
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| | organizations are partly funded by
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| of 287 mph. With a cruising speed of 182
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| | corporate donations and air show fees,
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| mph, it could carry a 6000 lb bomb load
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| | but most depend on touring. A B-17 tour
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| with a range of 2,000 miles. Its maximum
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| | will take the Flying Fortress from city
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| bomb load was actually about 17,000 lbs
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| | to city across the USA and Canada, where
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| but this was with a minimum fuel load on
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| | she will be on display for tours and a
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| a short-range raid.The Flying Fortresses
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| | lucky few have a chance to take a flight
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| flew in defensive formations that
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| | on the B-17. If you hear that a B-17
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| presented an overall curtain of withering
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| | tour is stopping in your city, please do
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| machine gun fire to enemy fighters. One
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| | go check it out, contribute a few dollars
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| German F-109 pilot who shot down 28
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| | and consider taking a B-17 flight.
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| fighters but only four light bombers (not
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| | You'll find it will be the thrill of a
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| B-17s), said that he never returned from
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| | lifetime. Keep 'em flying.
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