Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Competing against Douglas and Martin for a contract to build 200 bombers, the Boeing entry (prototype Model 299/XB-17) outperformed both competitors and exceeded the air corps' performance specifications. Although Boeing lost the contract (to the Douglas B-18 Bolo) because the prototype crashed, the air corps ordered 13 more B-17s for further evaluation. From its introduction in 1938, the B-17 Flying Fortress evolved through numerous design advances, becoming the third-most produced bomber of all time,
Bomber Aircrew in World War II Bomber Aircrew in World War II "Bomber Aircrew of World War II: True Stories of Frontline Air Combat" () is a book by military historian and author Bruce Barrymore Halpenny. It is about the aircrew of RAF Bomber Command in World War II. This group had over 300,000 operations flying over enemy territory during the war, losing 50,000 airmen and 8,000 British aircraft. The book has first hand accounts by veteran RAF aircrew and their support staff, giving an insight into life in RAF Bomber Command as well as the creation and development of the bomber airfield for a new