The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Fast and high-flying for a bomber of its era, the B-17 was used primarily in the European Theater of Operations and dropped more bombs than any other aircraft during World War II.

Photographed at the 2005 Chino Air Show, Chino California, May 2005

  • FReddit@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    2
    ·
    11 months ago

    My mother’s 2nd husband was a B-17 pilot, and they did do a lot of runs until shot down in March 1943.

    Entire crew KIA.

    • OldFartPhil@lemm.eeOP
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      11 months ago

      Thank you for the comment. I’ve read that the attrition rate for World War II bomber crews was staggering. You had to be very fortunate to survive your tour of duty.

      • FReddit@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        11 months ago

        Thanks for posting.

        The pilot was Joe Carter, and the plane was called Carter’s Little Pills, in a pun on the remedy of that name.