Boeing B-17: The Fifteen Ton Flying Fortress

The Boeing B-17 was the first American heavy bomber to see action in World War II, initially supplied to the RAF. The design originated in 1934 when the US Air Corps sought a heavy bomber to reinforce air forces in Hawaii, Panama, and Alaska. For its time, the aircraft incorporated many advanced features, and Boeing continued developing it as experience with long-distance flying at high altitude accumulated. When the United States entered WWII, production increased rapidly, and the B-17 became the backbone of the USAAF across all theaters of war. This book describes the aircraft's construction and includes many previously unpublished photographs from the design studio and production lines. It illustrates and explains the various roles the aircraft adopted as the war progressed, including heavy bomber, reconnaissance, antisubmarine, and air-sea rescue operations.