The B-17 Flying Fortress|B-17 Crews of WW2
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The B-17 Flying Fortress
The formidable B-17 Flying Fortress of WWII was a tough aircraft that helped win the war over Europe. Many of them sustaned incredible damage and still managed to bring its crew back home. You will find here some info on the B-17, the crews, the weapons and training. Also included are some videos of the B-17 in flight and an interview with a Navigator.
The B-17 Flying Fortress
The B-17 FLYING FORTRESS became Americas primary heavy bomber during WW2. It proved rugged and able to withstand much damage. The B-17 went through several variations during its life to make it as defense capable as possible. I added links to different website's to cover as many aspects of the FLYING FORTRESS as I can find. You can read about the history of the B-17 Here
B-17 Crew Training
The FLIGHT CREW's training was based on what their position or duty was to be on the aircraft. The Pilot and Co-Plilot were certified to fly, Navigator, Radio Operator and Bombadier learned their trade and the Gunners went through gunnery school. Check out this link for more info.Crew Duties and Training
Check out my site about a B-17 Pilot. I have scaned his flight records and the pages from his class books. It's some information you don't always have a chance to see.
B-17 during air combat in WW2
Here is a video of a B-17 doing a fly by at an airshow
B-17 Crews Flight Gear
Check out these people in authentic 1944 FLIGHT GEAR. The gear used for the photographs are from someones collection and the pictures look pretty good.B-17 Flight Gear
Links to B-17 stuff
- Machine Guns on the B-17
- A good web site about the Browning Machine guns as used on the B-17
- The Norden Bombsight
- Another good website covering the amazing Norden Bombsight
- More on the Norden Bombsight
- Info from Wikipedia on the bombsight
- Bombs
- Covers the Bombs dropped from Bombers in WW2
- Combat America (Part I)
- Follows the Flying Fortress crews of the 351st Bombardment Group from the end of their training at a Colorado training field to actual combat over Germany. This segment introduces the crew of the bomber. This is Part 1, you can click on the arrows on the Nav bar under picture to move to next part. Narrarated by Clark Gable.
- More neat B-17 stuff
- See performance charts, cockpit photos, systems diagrams and more from an actual B-17F/G
Pilot's Flight Operating Instructions Manual.
Interesting news reel footage of "The Mighty Eighth"
Check out this interesing three part video on Youtube covering the 8th. It shows the Flying Fortress and support fighters and other mission related stuff I don't normally see. Worth checking out. If you double click on the youtube video below you can find parts two and three in the right hand side bar.
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B-17 Nose Art
- Gene Townsend B-17 nose art
- Website of Gene Townsend of the 32nd Bomb Squadron
- B-17 Aircraft markings
- Aircraft markings as applies to the 303rd Bomb Group
- B-17 Aircraft markings
- Somemore info on aircraft marking
- 398th Bomb Group markings
- Identification marking on the 398th Bomb group B-17
- 303rd Bomb Group B-17 illustrations
- Website with b-17 illustration by Mark Styling
Jimmy Stewart: Bomber Pilot
From Publishers Weekly
Smith (Only the Days Were Long) served with Stewart (1908-1997) in the Eighth Air Force during 1943-1944. They were stationed in East Anglia, England, but Smith opens this memoir of their service with Stewart's New York homecoming in 1945. By then, Stewart had led 20 missions over enemy territory and had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, along with other decorations. Smith, whose later career included stints working with Air Force brass and in the reserves, takes readers through Stewart's entire WWII service, including his fight with the studios to let him enlist, his training and his deployment. The bulk of the book concerns action in Germany, and will be of great interest to flight squad buffs. The final chapters make brief stops at Stewart's post-war marriage, his eventual promotion to Brigadier General and the establishment of the Jimmy Stewart Museum in Indiana and the Mighty Eighth Heritage Museum. Smith's clear admiration for Stewart comes through on every page, but with an understatement that even George Bailey could have lived with. 64 b&w photos.
Smith (Only the Days Were Long) served with Stewart (1908-1997) in the Eighth Air Force during 1943-1944. They were stationed in East Anglia, England, but Smith opens this memoir of their service with Stewart's New York homecoming in 1945. By then, Stewart had led 20 missions over enemy territory and had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, along with other decorations. Smith, whose later career included stints working with Air Force brass and in the reserves, takes readers through Stewart's entire WWII service, including his fight with the studios to let him enlist, his training and his deployment. The bulk of the book concerns action in Germany, and will be of great interest to flight squad buffs. The final chapters make brief stops at Stewart's post-war marriage, his eventual promotion to Brigadier General and the establishment of the Jimmy Stewart Museum in Indiana and the Mighty Eighth Heritage Museum. Smith's clear admiration for Stewart comes through on every page, but with an understatement that even George Bailey could have lived with. 64 b&w photos.
Jimmy Stewart: Bomber Pilot
Amazon Price: $3.73 (as of 02/13/2012)
Flying Fortress books
Links
The Famous Supermarine Spitfire
Here is a brief history of one of Great Britains b more...0 points
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d-artist
Jan 24, 2012 @ 9:41 am | delete
- You know that I still remember the sound of those plans flying over us. When we go to an airshow and I hear the sound of these planes, I actually get flashbacks feeling like a little girl again in Germany, my mom running to get me into the cellar.
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Cody1947
Aug 30, 2011 @ 5:51 am | delete
- Here are two other great sites on B-17's:
http://sites.google.com/site/swampfiresite/home
and
https://sites.google.com/site/379thbgnoseart/
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COUNTRYLUTHIER
Aug 30, 2011 @ 12:03 am | delete
- Rosie the riveter did good work! Great lens. Thanks for sharing.
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SlipAwayDesigns
Jun 29, 2011 @ 10:23 am | delete
- Great lens! I LOVE Bomber nose art, it is a bit of an obsession of mine. Those guys that flew in World War 2 had brass balls!, I just moved back from Schweinfurt, Germany where the allies lost many lives trying to take out the ball bearing factories on "Black Thursday" Thanks again!
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Cody1947
Aug 30, 2011 @ 5:48 am | delete
- Here is a great site for nose Art on the 379th BG:
https://sites.google.com/site/379thbgnoseart/
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Amazon Spotlight
Untold Valor: Forgotten Stories of American Bomber Crews over Europe in World War II
Amazon Price: $13.27 (as of 02/13/2012)
