The B-17 became a symbol of American air war efforts during World War II, attaining legendary status due to its reliability and combat prowess.

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The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber in WW2. With database about the fate of each single aircraft.

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Recently modified B-17s in the database

B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies 42-30198 / Guzzlers

B-17 #42-30198 / Guzzlers

Delivered Cheyenne 26/4/43; Smoky Hill 5/5/43; Cheyenne 14/5/43; Tinker 21/5/43; Kearney 27/5/43; Dow Fd 2/6/43; Assigned 339BS/96BG [QJ-L] Andrews Fd 5/6/43; Snetterton 12/6/43; transferred 563BS/388BG Knettishall /43; Missing in Action Hanover 26/7/43 with Aubrey Bobbitt, Co-pilot: Pete McCahill, Navigator: Larry Wiegman, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Bob Claybourn,Tail gunner: Bill Hart (5 Prisoner of War); Bombardier: Gordon Amos, Radio Operator: Jim Duncan, Ball turret gunner: Paul Warren, Waist gunner: Larry Hopwood, Waist gunner: Jim Langley (5 Killed in Action); enemy aircraft, crashed Holtland, NE of Leer, S of Hesel, Ger; Missing Air Crew Report 5386. GUZZLERS.

B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies 44-83447

B-17 #44-83447

Delivered Hunter 6/3/45; Grenier 17/3/45; Assigned 427BS/303BG Molesworth 10/4/45; Missing in Action Pilsen 25/4/45 with Warren Mauger (evaded capture); Bill Burgess, George Knox, Matt Gordon, Earl Dugan (4 Prisoner of War); Henry Moss, Glen Walling, Francis Kelley (3 Killed in Action); flak, crashed Pilsen; Missing Air Crew Report 14223.

B-17 #42-29985 / Barrel House Bessie aka Kathleen

B-17 #42-29985 / Barrel House Bessie aka Kathleen

Delivered Denver 22/3/43; Cheyenne 31/3/43; Smoky Hill 5/4/43; Dow Fd 15/4/43; Pilot: Rich Jerger forced landing Meeks Fd, Iceland 17/4/43; Assigned: 545BS/384BG [JD-Y] Grafton Underwood 28/6/43; Transferred: 367BS/306BG [GY-X] Thurleigh 22/8/43; MIA Bremen 8/10/43 w/Tom Ledgerwood, Co-Pilot: John Acker, Navigator: Myron Sorden, Bombardier: Gene Levy, Engineer / Top Turret Gunner: Harvey Cook, Radio Operator: Bob Van Dragt, Ball Turret Gunner: John Spell, Waist Gunner: Pat Walsh, obs-Capt Paul George (9POW); Waist Gunner: Andy Fila(died of wounds 6 Nov}, Tail Gunner: Art Robinson{trapped in tail when ship hit by Me 110 rockets} (2KIA); lost engine due to flak, crashed Handrup, 10 miles NE of Lingen, Germany. MACR 868. KATHLEEN aka BARREL HOUSE BESSIE.

B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies 42-38151

B-17 #42-38151

Delivered Cheyenne 29/12/43; Kearney 12/1/44; Assigned 336BS/95BG [ET-L] Horham 6/2/44; 5m, MIA Augsburg 16/3/44 with Dave Norred, Co-pilot: Harry Olsen, Navigator: Ellsworth Van Fleet, Bombardier: Frank Balestrine, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Francis Okula, Radio Operator: Gene Devan, Ball turret gunner: Fred Definis, Waist gunner: Theo Tyrell, Waist gunner: Delmar Treptow, Tail gunner: Lou Balog (10 Prisoner of War), first mission of crew; hit by enemy fighters on target turn, crashed Ohmenbeim,, 12 km south-west of Nördlingen, Germany. Missing Air Crew Report 3230.

B-17 #42-38123 / To Hell or Glory

B-17 #42-38123 / To Hell or Glory

Delivered Cheyenne 19/12/43; Gr Island 1/1/44; ass 334BS/95BG [BG-E] Horham 8/2/44; 38m, MIA Pas de Calais 23/6/44 Pilot: Dan Mangan, Engineer / Top Turret Gunner: Albt Huff (2KIA); Navigator: Herb Cahn, Bombardier: Corry Bloudt, Waist Gunner: Henry Schultz (3POW); Co-Pilot: Harvey Cox, Radio Operator: Dick Ennis, Ball Turret Gunner: Ray Smith, Waist Gunner: Jim Phillips, Tail Gunner: Ewell Riddle (5EVD); mechanical faults, crashed Outer-Lebeke, 11 km of Aalst, Belgium. MACR 5915. TO HELL OR GLORY.

B-17 #43-38333 / Heavy Date

B-17 #43-38333 / Heavy Date

Delivered Cheyenne 22/7/44; Kearney 31/7/44; Grenier 9/8/44; Assigned 336BS/95BG [ET-H] Horham 12/8/44; with C.E. Willis force landed A-82 Rouvres, Fr 20/2/45; 73m, crash landed base with ?, non op 6/5/45; ditched North Sea with Roger Sundin 26/5/45. HEAVY DATE.

B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies 42-31602

B-17 #42-31602

Delivered Denver 28/11/43; Cheyenne 20/12/43; Gr Island 24/12/43; Romulus 20/1/44; Grenier 29/1/44; Presque Is 5/2/44; Assigned: 364BS/305BG Chelveston 22/2/44; MIA Munster 23/3/44 Pilot: Edward Forrest, Navigator: Bill Weeks, Bombardier: Bob Donovan, Radio Operator: Don Kosich, Ball Turret Gunner: Joe Rushing, Waist Gunner: Bill Kurtz, Waist Gunner: Bill Stoner, Tail Gunner: Earl Royer (8POW); Co-Pilot: Dick Lamie, Engineer / Top Turret Gunner: Bob Sandusky (2EVD); flak, crashed along Zelham-Halle road, Hol; MACR 3431.

B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies 41-24344

B-17 #41-24344

Assigned 326BS/92BG Bovingdon 20-Aug-42; 414BS/97BG Polebrook 28-Aug-42; Missing in Action on mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. This was 97th’s first mission 21-Oct-42, shot down and crashed Plouescat, near Morlaix, France. 8KIA, 2POW. Missing Air Crew Report 15352.

B-17 #42-107202 / Belle of the Brawl

B-17 #42-107202 / Belle of the Brawl

Delivered Tulsa 20/3/44; Kearney 31/3/44; Dow Fd 7/4/44; Assigned: 563BS/388BG Knettishall 8/4/44; MIA Ruhland 24/8/44 Pilot: Edwards; flak, crashed Brux, Czech; 5KIA 4POW; MACR 8287. BELLE OF THE BRAWL.

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Recent Comments

Stephan on 16 April 2026 in 43-37869 / Blonde Bomber

PS shot down by 2nd, 4th ,5th battery of heavy flak unit 132,

Stephan on 16 April 2026 in 43-37869 / Blonde Bomber

Crashed Pretzsch (Weissenfels), KU report 3359.

Stephan on 16 April 2026 in 42-3215 / Linda Mary

KU report 1126. Crashed Letzlingen forest, forest section (Jagen) 449A.

Linda Ashe on 15 April 2026 in 43-37777 / Four Of A Kind

the man in between the King and Queen Mother is my dad William Gardner Ashe. I have that photo and several others. Thanks.

Daniel Presley on 13 April 2026 in 41-24614 / Snafu aka We The People

Oops! The video from which your stills came filmed more than one B-17, and shows the wrong number for the crew that is featured, and for the nose art that...

Daniel Presley on 13 April 2026 in 41-24614 / Snafu aka We The People

The most prominent name for this plane isn't even mentioned here. The video of the plane with the number 124614, from which you have posted stills, also clearly shows the...

Roger Carnie on 13 April 2026 in 42-31561 / Just Elmer’s Tune

Contents of my message undeliverable message. Hi Peter, I'd be very interested in speaking with you about this incredible opportunity to memorialize the brave crew of Just Elmers tune. Feel...

John Peterson on 13 April 2026 in 43-37869 / Blonde Bomber

My Uncle was Jack Peterson. He was the waist gunner on the Blonde Bomber B-17g, that your father was on. Jack's two son's and one daughter are still alive, as...

Kevin on 13 April 2026 in 42-32009 / Buffalo Gal aka Black Cat 13

Can you please share the photos you have of the crew? My great uncle also on this plane

Don Horton on 12 April 2026 in 42-3430 / Carolina Boomerang

I'm your cousin Don, (Dwight's son). e-mail me your conatact information. I have a few photos and I remember much of what my father told me.