This website was created as an 8th grade Social Studies project. Students created fictional personas based on research.
One of the most famous bomber plane of World War II was the B-17. In 1934 the Boeing Aircraft Company
in Seattle, Washington started building of a four engine heavy bomber known as the Model 299. The first successful take off was on July 28, 1935. After that the Government made a order for production for 13
of the aircraft. The B-17 is called the "Flying Fortress" because of the amount of defensive firepower. It
had the ability to take and withstand heavy combat damage and return home. Over the next ten years,
the B-17 went through lots of improvements, from YB-17 to the B-17G Model.
The B-17s entered and served in combat from June 1943 to April 1945.
These planes were used all over the war, the first being used for the Royal Air Force. On August 8th, 1934 the USAAC (United States Army Air Corps) proposed the Flying Fortress. After Pearl Harbor, the
USAAF (United States Army Air Force) deployed B-17s to England as part of the 8th Air Force. Boeing
Aircraft Company first started building B-17s for the war in January 1939. The original B-17 carried 9 guns,
and it stayed that way until the B-17D where there were 10 guns. Until there were more than 15 different kinds
of B-17 produced. In the entire WWII the B-17s completed 297 and dropped over 22,000 tons of bombs
in the enemy. The B-17s destroyed 223 enemy aircrafts and hundreds more damaged. B-17 downed 23 enemy
aircraft per 1,000 raids as compared with 11 by B-24. A typical B-17 mission lasted 8 hours. The B-17 took
part in Battles of Coral Sea in May and Midway in June 1942. They sank 3 Japanese ships in Battle of the Bismark
Sea and got success in March 1943.
Overall 12,731 B-17 were produced. The average Length was about 74 ft., Wingspan was 103 ft., Range was 2,000 miles, and Speed was around 290 mph. The B-17C possessed an altered gun and the B-17G had 13 guns, instead of having 10 or 11. Every B-17 model had a total crew of 10 people. B-17C were the fastest of all of the B-17 variants, which was 323 mph at 25,000 ft. Most B-17D were sent to Hawaii and the Philippines. Boeing
produced 512 B-17Es, 8680 B-17Gs (largest production), and 496 B-17Cs. In combat the Allies only
lost 4,735 in the entire WWII.
in Seattle, Washington started building of a four engine heavy bomber known as the Model 299. The first successful take off was on July 28, 1935. After that the Government made a order for production for 13
of the aircraft. The B-17 is called the "Flying Fortress" because of the amount of defensive firepower. It
had the ability to take and withstand heavy combat damage and return home. Over the next ten years,
the B-17 went through lots of improvements, from YB-17 to the B-17G Model.
The B-17s entered and served in combat from June 1943 to April 1945.
These planes were used all over the war, the first being used for the Royal Air Force. On August 8th, 1934 the USAAC (United States Army Air Corps) proposed the Flying Fortress. After Pearl Harbor, the
USAAF (United States Army Air Force) deployed B-17s to England as part of the 8th Air Force. Boeing
Aircraft Company first started building B-17s for the war in January 1939. The original B-17 carried 9 guns,
and it stayed that way until the B-17D where there were 10 guns. Until there were more than 15 different kinds
of B-17 produced. In the entire WWII the B-17s completed 297 and dropped over 22,000 tons of bombs
in the enemy. The B-17s destroyed 223 enemy aircrafts and hundreds more damaged. B-17 downed 23 enemy
aircraft per 1,000 raids as compared with 11 by B-24. A typical B-17 mission lasted 8 hours. The B-17 took
part in Battles of Coral Sea in May and Midway in June 1942. They sank 3 Japanese ships in Battle of the Bismark
Sea and got success in March 1943.
Overall 12,731 B-17 were produced. The average Length was about 74 ft., Wingspan was 103 ft., Range was 2,000 miles, and Speed was around 290 mph. The B-17C possessed an altered gun and the B-17G had 13 guns, instead of having 10 or 11. Every B-17 model had a total crew of 10 people. B-17C were the fastest of all of the B-17 variants, which was 323 mph at 25,000 ft. Most B-17D were sent to Hawaii and the Philippines. Boeing
produced 512 B-17Es, 8680 B-17Gs (largest production), and 496 B-17Cs. In combat the Allies only
lost 4,735 in the entire WWII.
The picture above is the Nose Turret of a B-17.
Showing that it pushes to release and is looking forward. Four Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) leaving their B-17 Flying Fortress at Lockbourne Army Air …
U.S. Air Force photo |
The picture about shows all the different positions in the B-17. There are the Pilot, Co-Pilot, Navigator, Bombardier, Radio Operator, Flight Engineer, and 4 Gunners.
Colored version of the positions in the B-17G
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