Flying Fortress (film) one of the few British studios to operate during the Second World War, produced "Flying Fortress" as part of a series of patriotic films aiding the war effort. Warner received co-operation from the Air Ministry, with facilities at RAF Polebrook being provided, along with a Supermarine Spitfire, Bristol Blenheim, and three early Boeing B-17Cs (Fortess Is in RAF service) from No. 90 Squadron RAF, released for use in the production. A number of shooting miniatures were also created, including scale Fortress Is. The burning engine fire depicted at the conclusion of the film is based on an actual World War
RAF Bomber Command aircrew of World War II aircrew were given the task of flying a required number of operations, an "operational tour", usually of about 30 operations (missions in USAAF terminology). On completion of an operational tour the airman (and often his complete crew as they tended to remain very tight-knit, always flying together) would be "screened" (taken off operational flying) and split up as they received their future postings which would frequently be serving at Operational Training Units or Heavy Conversion Units preparing the next groups of young bomber crews for their postings to operational squadrons. Between March 1943 and the early summer of 1944 the