For more than 3 grueling year’s courageous air crews of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress attacked strategic targets. The B-17 was one of the most popular bombers with the American public. The reason was the sheer beauty of Boeing’s Flying Fortress. It was still seen as an elegant aircraft even with the chin turrets and guns.
A lot of the success of the B-17 had to do with its 4 turbo super-charged engines. If the Flying Fortress did not have them it would have meant it would have had to fly at lower altitudes. There it would have been more be more vulnerable to enemy fighter and anti-aircraft attacks.
The very distinguished service of the U.S. 8th Air Force equipped mainly with the Boeing B-17. The 8th Air Force performed precision bombing far and wide over Germany from 1942 to 1945. Whittling away at the Luftwaffe, the B-17 saw some of the biggest and bloodiest air battles of World War II.
The Boeing B-17 developed for the United States Army Air Corps was a 4 engine bomber. Boeing competing against Martin and Douglas in the 1930s for a contract to build 200 bombers, their entry more than outperformed both the competitors. At first Boeing lost the contract because the prototype crashed. But the brass was so impressed with the design that the U.S. Army Air Corps ordered 13 of the B-17s. So successful the B-17 Flying Fortress went on to be the first mass-produced large aircraft in full-scale production.
The United States Army Air Forces employed the B-17 primarily in daylight precision strategic bombing campaign against the German Industrial and military targets. The 8th Army Air Corps based in England and the 15th Air Force was based in Italy served to complement the RAF Bomber command’s nighttime operation called “Operation Pointblank”. This was one of the first big steps in securing air superiority over the battlefields of Western Europe.
The B-17 served some in the War in the Pacific in raids against the Japanese airfields and shipping.
Many great stories exist today about the extensive battle damage the strategic weapon took and was still able to make it back home. These stories took on great mythic proportions and many photos were taken and circulated raising its iconic status. Out of the 1.5 million tons of bombs dropped on Germany 640,000 were from the B-17.
A Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress model will enhance any collection with its sheer beauty. We have provided some of the top selections for you pleasure.
B-17 Flying Fortress Listings
 |
 Pro Built Hasegawa 1 72 B 17 Flying Fortress +Details $209.98 End Date: Sunday Jun-16-2013 12:22:57 PDT Buy It Now for only: $209.98 Buy It Now |
 B 17F Flying Fortress Memphis Belle WWII USAF Heavy Bomber Aircarft $179.95 End Date: Friday May-24-2013 18:45:36 PDT Buy It Now for only: $179.95 Buy It Now |
 B 17G Flying Fortress Silver Wood Model Fully Assembled Museum Quality $125.99 End Date: Saturday May-25-2013 10:20:03 PDT Buy It Now for only: $125.99 Buy It Now |
 B 17G Flying Fortress Olive Wood Model Fully Assembled Museum Quality $125.99 End Date: Saturday May-25-2013 10:26:37 PDT Buy It Now for only: $125.99 Buy It Now |
 B 17F FLYING FORTRESS MEMPHIS BELLE WOODEN DISPLAY MODEL $154.95 End Date: Saturday May-25-2013 13:06:19 PDT Buy It Now for only: $154.95 Buy It Now |
 B 17G Flying Fortress Airplane Model from Brookstone $147.99 End Date: Wednesday Jun-12-2013 9:12:11 PDT Buy It Now for only: $147.99 Buy It Now |
 B 17G Flying Fortress 1 54 Princess Pat Aircraft Model ESAF008 New By Daron $140.55 End Date: Monday May-20-2013 23:19:11 PDT Buy It Now for only: $140.55 Buy It Now |
 B 17F Flying Fortress Mb 1 63 Scale 16 7 8 x 23 1 2 Model ESAF007 New By Daron $140.55 End Date: Monday Jun-10-2013 23:58:42 PDT Buy It Now for only: $140.55 Buy It Now |
 PRO MODELER B 17G Flying Fortress A BIT O LACE Factory Sealed 85 5928 NEW $124.99 End Date: Saturday Jun-1-2013 14:18:41 PDT Buy It Now for only: $124.99 Buy It Now |
 Boeing B 17 Flying Fortress Carolina Moon Heavy Bomber Plane $139.95 End Date: Saturday Jun-1-2013 21:05:33 PDT Buy It Now for only: $139.95 Buy It Now |
 Boeing B 17F Flying Fortress Scale Model Airplane $139.95 End Date: Saturday Jun-8-2013 19:10:40 PDT Buy It Now for only: $139.95 Buy It Now |
 B 17G Flying Fortress Heavy Strategic Bomber Scale Model Airplane $139.95 End Date: Saturday Jun-8-2013 19:20:33 PDT Buy It Now for only: $139.95 Buy It Now |
 GUILLOWS B 17G FLYING FORTRESS BALSA WOOD AND TISSUE FLYING MODEL KIT NIB 2002 $119.97 End Date: Wednesday Jun-12-2013 15:02:49 PDT Buy It Now for only: $119.97 Buy It Now |
 Monogram B 17 G Flying Fortress Rare 1975 Mint Sealed 1 48 scale $125.99 End Date: Monday May-27-2013 18:28:11 PDT Buy It Now for only: $125.99 Buy It Now |
 Eduard Super Detail Set for 1 72 B 17G Flying Fortress for Revell kit BIG7267 $118.11 End Date: Monday May-20-2013 6:46:42 PDT Buy It Now for only: $118.11 Buy It Now |
 Boeing B 17 Flying Fortress Liberty Belle 17 inch wingspan replicas wood model $75.00 End Date: Sunday Jun-2-2013 18:32:35 PDT Buy It Now for only: $75.00 Buy It Now |
 GUI2002 B 17G Flying Fortress Balsa Model Airplane Guil $107.99 End Date: Monday May-27-2013 8:12:49 PDT Buy It Now for only: $107.99 Buy It Now |
 MONOGRAM VISIBLE B 17G FLYING FORTRESS 1 48 MINT SEALED BOX $99.17 End Date: Monday May-20-2013 20:03:31 PDT Buy It Now for only: $99.17 Buy It Now |
 Guillows 2002 B 17G Flying Fortress Balsa wood Airplane model Kit new in box $99.99 End Date: Wednesday May-22-2013 17:23:57 PDT Buy It Now for only: $99.99 Buy It Now |
 1 48 REVELL B 17G FLYING FORTRESS 85 5600 NEW IN BOX FACTORY SEALED $110.00 End Date: Sunday Jun-16-2013 17:40:31 PDT Buy It Now for only: $110.00 Buy It Now |
