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,
The Pink Lady (aircraft) Flying Legends" (Duxford, UK) air display on 12 & 13 July 2008. The "Mother and Country", and "The Pink Lady" artwork was present on the right side nose area. The Pink Lady (aircraft) The Pink Lady is the nickname of a B-17G Flying Fortress bomber. Until retirement early in 2010, it was the only flying survivor to have seen action in Europe during World War II. Rolled out of the Lockheed-Vega production facility in Burbank, California in December, 1944, "The Pink Lady" was then only known as a B-17G-85-VE Fortress, serial number 44-8846. On March 1, 1945, 44-8846 was flown