B-17

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B-17

• Flying Fortress

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• 4 engine heavy bomber
• Used primarily in European Theatre against
  Germany.

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• Eighth Air Force based in England and Italy.
• Dropped more bombs than any other US aircraft
  during WWII

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• Carried up to 4,800 lbs of bombs
• Norden Bombsight/high altitude bombing
• 5- 50 caliber machine guns
• 10 man crew

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• Began operations in 1941 with the RAF.
• 1/3 of all B-17s built lost in combat.
• 12, 731 built

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Schweinfurt Missions

• August 1943
• Goal Bomb the factories at Schweinfurt
  industrial complex.
• 230 aircraft attack
• 36 shot down (24 shot down in another raid the
  same day. Total 60)

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• 2nd attempt October 14, 1943
• 291 planes attacked.
• 59 shot down, 1 ditched in the Channel, 5 crashed
  in England 12 scrapped due to damage 77 lost
• 8th Air Force lost 176 bombers in Oct. 1943.

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Weakness

• Luftwaffe figured out that 20 hits from a 20mm
  gun in the tail section would bring a B-17 down.
• To accomplish this, they would fire over 1000
  rounds at the bomber.
• Or attack from the front

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Pacific Theatre

• 5 B17 groups in the Pacific Theatre
• Used sparingly because they had so few.

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Legacy

• Crews loved them
• Legends grew (Memphis Belle)
• Today a handful tour the country keeping history
  alive.