Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Jul 30, 2012 09:28:13 #
"The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engine heavy bomber aircraft developed in the 1930s for the then United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Competing against Douglas and Martin for a contract to build 200 bombers, the Boeing entry outperformed both competitors and more than met the Air Corps' expectations. Although Boeing lost the contract because the prototype crashed, the Air Corps was so impressed with Boeing's design that they ordered 13 more B-17s for further evaluation. From its introduction in 1938, the B-17 Flying Fortress evolved through numerous design advances.
The B-17 was primarily employed by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) in the daylight precision strategic bombing campaign of World War II against German industrial and military targets. The United States Eighth Air Force based at many airfields in southern England, such as Thorpe Abbotts airfield and the Fifteenth Air Force based in Italy - with many units stationed at the existing bases surrounding Foggia - 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.[4] The B-17 also participated to a lesser extent in the War in the Pacific where it conducted raids against Japanese shipping and airfields.
From its pre-war inception, the USAAC (later USAAF) touted the aircraft as a strategic weapon; it was a potent, high-flying, long-range bomber that was able to defend itself, and to return home despite extensive battle damage. It quickly took on mythic proportions,[5][N 1][6] and widely circulated stories and photos of B-17s surviving battle damage increased its iconic status.[7] With a service ceiling greater than any of its Allied contemporaries, the B-17 established itself as an effective weapons system, dropping more bombs than any other U.S. aircraft in World War II. Of the 1.5 million metric tons of bombs dropped on Germany and its occupied territories by U.S. aircraft, 640,000 tons were dropped from B-17s.[8]
As of September 2011, 13 airframes remain airworthy, with dozens more in storage or on static display." Courtesy of Wikipedia.
These shots were taken 29 July at Chicago Executive, formerly Pal-Waukee, airport in Wheeling, IL.
No PP was done other adding the watermark. We hope you enjoy these as much as we did taking them.
BTW if you have seen or heard a B-17 taxi,land or takeoff it will blow you away, it is such a beautiful killing machine!!
The B-17 was primarily employed by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) in the daylight precision strategic bombing campaign of World War II against German industrial and military targets. The United States Eighth Air Force based at many airfields in southern England, such as Thorpe Abbotts airfield and the Fifteenth Air Force based in Italy - with many units stationed at the existing bases surrounding Foggia - 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.[4] The B-17 also participated to a lesser extent in the War in the Pacific where it conducted raids against Japanese shipping and airfields.
From its pre-war inception, the USAAC (later USAAF) touted the aircraft as a strategic weapon; it was a potent, high-flying, long-range bomber that was able to defend itself, and to return home despite extensive battle damage. It quickly took on mythic proportions,[5][N 1][6] and widely circulated stories and photos of B-17s surviving battle damage increased its iconic status.[7] With a service ceiling greater than any of its Allied contemporaries, the B-17 established itself as an effective weapons system, dropping more bombs than any other U.S. aircraft in World War II. Of the 1.5 million metric tons of bombs dropped on Germany and its occupied territories by U.S. aircraft, 640,000 tons were dropped from B-17s.[8]
As of September 2011, 13 airframes remain airworthy, with dozens more in storage or on static display." Courtesy of Wikipedia.
These shots were taken 29 July at Chicago Executive, formerly Pal-Waukee, airport in Wheeling, IL.
No PP was done other adding the watermark. We hope you enjoy these as much as we did taking them.
BTW if you have seen or heard a B-17 taxi,land or takeoff it will blow you away, it is such a beautiful killing machine!!
Jul 30, 2012 12:21:56 #
Another great set. :thumbup:
Raider Fan. Did you get any of the P51 Mustangs? Which I believe were used as bomber escorts over Europe, as they had detachable fuel tanks that allowed them to fly further into mainland Europe than the RAF fighters.
Raider Fan. Did you get any of the P51 Mustangs? Which I believe were used as bomber escorts over Europe, as they had detachable fuel tanks that allowed them to fly further into mainland Europe than the RAF fighters.
Jul 30, 2012 12:30:22 #
The P-51 was in the hangar for maintenance and was unavailable at the time. They said it would come out later in the day but several folks I talked to said it never came out. I was unhappy about not seeing it but getting to see this much history in these two great planes made it all worth it to me.!! No complaints!!
Jul 30, 2012 12:33:48 #
Raider Fan wrote:
The P-51 was in the hangar for maintenance and was unavailable at the time. They said it would come out later in the day but several folks I talked to said it never came out. I was unhappy about not seeing it but getting to see this much history in these two great planes made it all worth it to me.!! No complaints!!
I agree, you did very well for sure. I guess I am being greedy. Hopefully next year?
Jul 31, 2012 06:57:51 #
Thanks Raider for the memories.
JayJay-----Bombadier B-17 '43-'44
JayJay-----Bombadier B-17 '43-'44
Jul 31, 2012 07:13:35 #
Raider, ya done good son. Excellent shots,great history lesson. Love the bomb bay shot.
Jul 31, 2012 07:14:49 #
JayJay wrote:
Thanks Raider for the memories.
JayJay-----Bombadier B-17 '43-'44
JayJay-----Bombadier B-17 '43-'44
JayJay, Thank you sir for your service.
Jul 31, 2012 07:31:19 #
Excellent series of the B-17 Flying Fortress! My dad was a bombadier, flying in the B-24 Liberator,so I really like #6.Great job,Raider Fan!
Jul 31, 2012 09:42:25 #
Jul 31, 2012 09:51:52 #
Jkcolumbia1933
Loc: Columbia, SC
As kids during WWll we could identify nearly all of the planes by the sound of the engines. It was fun to be in the house when a plane flew over, ID ing it then going outside for confirmation. I personally could ID all of the bombers from the b-25 though the B-29 and most of the Army Air Corp fighters. We didn't see much of the Navy planes. The sound of those old engines still stirs my blood.
Jul 31, 2012 10:33:56 #
As a person who admires all Veterans, the one pic that makes me shudder is the ball turret on the belly of the plane, you must have been very brave or very crazy or both to be that little turret! I look at that and the admiration for the great generation rises!
Jul 31, 2012 12:19:43 #
Jul 31, 2012 13:28:25 #
These are very nice photos. I have a special affection toward the B 17. My dad's brother was a navigator on one. He was in the 8th air force. His plane was shot down on 8 January, 1945. He was killed. How sad.
I used to work at Pal-Waukee when I was a kid. Boy, do I have some incredible stories from there. Looking back, this was one of my favorite jobs. I still own a garage in Prospect Heights on 83 just across from the Forums apartments just north of Palatine rd.
I used to work at Pal-Waukee when I was a kid. Boy, do I have some incredible stories from there. Looking back, this was one of my favorite jobs. I still own a garage in Prospect Heights on 83 just across from the Forums apartments just north of Palatine rd.
Jul 31, 2012 14:27:39 #
My elder cousin used to fly these, and the B22's and my Brother was a navigator as well.
Jul 31, 2012 14:35:27 #
Wonderful set and lots of history. Thank You for sharing this information with such nice photos.
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