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,
80th Flying Training Wing (World War II) commissioned as Second Lieutenants, received their "wings" and were reassigned to Operational or Replacement Training Units operated by one of the four Numbered Air Forces in the Zone of Interior (ZI). The schools of the wing used Beechcraft AT-7s for navigation training. Glider training focused on the Waco CG-4A, along with various tow planes to get the gliders airborne. 80th Flying Training Wing (World War II) The 80th Flying Training Wing was a training wing of the United States Army Air Forces. It was last assigned to the Central Flying Training Command, and was disbanded on 16 June 1946 at