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During the mid- 1930's the United States Air Corps was in need of a bomber plane which could take a massive bomb load to help reinforce several other air forces throughout the country in case there is an attack. Boeing was rivalling against Martin and Douglas airplane manufacturers and it was determined that in order for the Air Corps to decide on a manufacturer there would must be a "fly-off" among the Martin, Douglas, and the Boeing models.

Boeing's model, the B-17 hit a cruising speed of over 250 mph and was able to carry nearly five thousand pounds of bombs. What additionally helped established the Boeing plane aside from was that it was feasible for the B-17 to still operate in case one of its engines happened to be lost for whatever reason. After the "fly-off" the Boeing was the clear cut winner. The Air Corps was happy with the long range functions of the B-17, granted on account of the designers at Boeing who had outfitted their craft with four engines whereas the Martin and Douglas versions trusted twin engines.

The B-17, though costly to create versus its Martin and Douglas competitors, soon became a favourite tool of the Air Corps thanks to its ability to fly long flights, capacity to carry hefty loads, and how it can defend its own self from attack owing to plenty machine guns placed aboard. It was these expensive characteristics that gained the B-17 its well known nickname: The B-17 Flying Fortress.

As the United States turned its focus to World War II in 1941, the B-17 Flying Fortress switched its attention as well. The very first deployments of the plane were unsuccessful and it was not until 1942 that the Air Corps' newest weapon turly made a bearing in the war.
Involved in mostly daytime operations, the B-17 Flying Fortress was utilized mainly as a weapon up against German U-Boats, warehouses, airfields, and plane factories. It absolutely was an extremely tough aircraft to take down that the German Luftwaffe determined that's would take around twenty hits to shoot just one out from the sky. The Germans were very impressed with the B-17 Flying Fortress that they uncovered and restored various B-17s that had crashed for their own personal use all through World War II.

The B-17 bomber was a successful plane that along with the Germans, the Soviet Union, Japan, and Great Britain also have obtained or rebuilt the aircraft for their own use. Although its combat time was limited to the second World War. The B-17 bomber will be remembered as among the greatest wartime inventions ever. The aircraft enabled the United States to handle long missions that were previously impossible because of fuel and weight capability. A number of B-17s could wipe out entire air fields as well as enemy warehouses in one attack and maintain damage sufficiently to carry their pilots to protection. The B-17 Flying Fortress surely deserves recognition as being the plane that won the war.


B-17 Flying Fortress, B-17