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 42-107088

B-17 #42-107088

Delivered Tulsa 16/2/44; Kearney 24/2/44; Presque Is 4/3/44; Assigned 532BS/381BG [VE-V] Ridgewell 25/3/44; Missing in Action Bordeaux 19/6/44 with John Doyle, Co-pilot: Julian Prokopovitz, Navigator: Dick Richards, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Gordon Wise, Radio Operator: Chas Harker, Ball turret gunner: Logan Thompson, Waist gunner: Bob Helman (7 Killed in Action); Bombardier: Bernie Leavitt,Tail gunner: Bob Matthews (2 Prisoner of War); flak dfirect in right wing, crashed Toctoucau-at-Pessac, two miles SW of Bordeaux, Fr; Missing Air Crew Report 5994.

B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies 42-30095

B-17 #42-30095

Delivered Denver 9/4/43; Gore 10/4/43; Tinker 21/4/43; Morrison 29/4/43; Assigned 346BS/99BG Navarin 1/6/43; transferred 353BS/301BG St Donat 24/6/43 & traded for 42-30313; Oudna 6/8/43; Cerignola 7/12/43; Lucera 1/2/44; battle damaged flak Regensburg 25/2/44 with Bob Snyder, plus four crew ?; Howell, Cecil, Curry, Spada, Kiger, Hover, bailed but rest flew aircraft home; Salvaged 14/1/46.

B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies 42-31941 / Big Stoop

B-17 #42-31941 / Big Stoop

Delivered Cheyenne 7/1/44; Gr Island 15/1/44; Presque Is 28/2/44; Assigned 350BS/100BG [LN-W] Thorpe Abbotts 3/3/44; Missing in Action Berlin 24/5/44 with Lindley Williamson, Navigator: Barwick Barfield, Bombardier: Bill Carrillo, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Chas Sewell, Ball turret gunner: Jim Townsend, Waist gunner: Colbert Graham, Waist gunner: Walt Wisniewski,Tail gunner: Bob Anderson (8 Prisoner of War); Co-pilot: Jim Dennis, Radio Operator: Lloyd Kouns (2 Killed in Action); enemy aircraft, crashed and exploded at Buckwitzer, two miles SE of Wusterhausen, NW of Berlin, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 5167. (npo) BIG STOOP.

B-17 #42-5052 / Mizpah

B-17 #42-5052 / Mizpah

Delivered Cheyenne 9/9/42; New Castle 13/10/42; Assigned 366BS/305BG [KY-A] Chelveston 2/11/42; transferred 368BS/306BG [BO-E] Thurleigh 1/5/43; AFSC 19/4/43 – 9/6/43; 359BS/303BG [BN-E] Molesworth 25/9/43; transferred 427BS [GN-E]; Missing in Action 22/2/44 with 358 crew with Jim Moffatt, Co-pilot: Frank Pringle, Bombardier: Paul Mazey, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Rich Rowan,Tail gunner: Nick Fizzani (5 Prisoner of War); Navigator: Gayle Dearborn, Radio Operator: Enos Odell, Ball turret gunner: Vince Loeffel, Waist gunner: Wilbur Sanders, Waist gunner: Jack Slagle (5 Killed in Action); enemy aircraft, crashed Ganzweiler, due S of Munchen-Gladbach, Ger, Missing Air Crew Report 2646. MIZPAH.

B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies 42-30677

B-17 #42-30677

Delivered Dallas 10/7/43; Kearney 29/7/43; Gulfport 8/8/43; Topeka 12/8/43; Assigned 326BS/92BG [JW-K] Alconbury 30/8/43; Missing in Action Bremen 16/12/43 with Ed Walsh, Co-pilot: Herb Haycock, Navigator: Jerome Hanson, Bombardier: Dave Pinnelas, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Joe Cole,Tail gunner: Ralph Conley (6 Killed in Action), Radio Operator: Lee Folsom, Waist gunner: Bill Higbe (2 Prisoner of War), Ball turret gunner: Herman Morgan, Waist gunner: Loral Martin (2 evaded capture); enemy aircraft, crashed probably in Ijsselmer, Hol. Missing Air Crew Report 1586. (?1556)

B-17 #42-102578 / We Promised

B-17 #42-102578 / We Promised

Delivered Cheyenne 16/3/44; Hunter 8/4/44; Dow Fd 29/4/44; Assigned 398BG Nuthampstead 30/4/44; transferred 367BS/306BG [GY-D] Thurleigh 18/5/44; 532BS/381BG Ridgewell 5/45; 100+m, Returned to the USA Bradley 10/6/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 14/6/45; Recl Comp 7/6/46. WE PROMISED.

B-17 #42-3382

B-17 #42-3382

Delivered Denver 1/6/43; Presque Is 7/8/43; Assigned 360BS/303BG Molesworth 12/8/43; transferred 369BS/306BG [WW-S] Thurleigh 22/2/44; on training flight9/5/44 with Ralph Clark, Co-pilot: Capt John Kelly, Navigator: Ralph Zimmerman, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Cpl C.E. Flach, Radio Operator: L.L. Cannon, pass-Capt Wendell Hull, Lts R. Jones, L.J. Folkes, Don Giles and Lt Col Jarvis (UK Home Guard; fire broke out in #2, unable to reach bas crash landed Wilden, Bedfordshire, hit a tree and skidded a long way, but no injuries; (10 Returned to Duty); Tran (Oboe Mk I radar) 813BS/482BG [PC-I] Alconbury 10/5/44; Salvaged 9AAF Stansted /44.

B-17 #43-38913

B-17 #43-38913

Delivered Lincoln 9/10/44; Grenier 17/10/44; Assigned 367BS/306BG [GY-P] Thurleigh 21/10/44; transferred 532BS/381BS Ridgewell 5/45; Returned to the USA Bradley 9/6/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 14/6/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman 6/12/45.

B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies 42-30153 / Worry Wart

B-17 #42-30153 / Worry Wart

Delivered Cheyenne 17/4/43; Smoky Hill 24/4/43; Dow Fd 6/5/43; Assigned 339BS/96BG Andrews Fd 9/5/43 WORRY WART; Snetterton 12/6/43; transferred 532BS/381BG Ridgewell 16/7/43; Missing in Action {1m} Hamburg (Heide) 25/7/43 with Capt Joe Alexander, Co-pilot: Bill Crowley, Navigator: Jack Wemmer, Bombardier: Harry Hellman, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Jim Nance, Radio Operator: George Orin, Ball turret gunner: Pete Garvan, Waist gunner: Jim Heist, Waist gunner: Walt Ferens,Tail gunner: George Johnsen (10 Prisoner of War); flak damage too serious to attempt UK return, crashed Sudmoor, near Aurich, E of Emden Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 131.

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Recent Comments

Jörg Tischler on 09 March 2026 in 43-39236 / Blinkin’ Betsy

Today I, Western-German, now living in Oranienburg, came across a black and white film showing the Blinking Betsy bombing the SS main camp in Oranienburg as part of the bomber...

Alvin Brand Jr on 08 March 2026 in 41-24562 / Sky Wolf

My uncle was Lt. McDonald (Donnie) Riddick. He was captured and entered at Stalag Luft No.1 on the Baltic Sea. I was able to record about 2 hours of video...

Barry Wiseman on 08 March 2026 in 44-6195

Did this plane have a name or mascot painted on it. Andrew was my uncle.

NATHAN FIX on 08 March 2026 in 42-37809 / Carolina Queen

Still looking for more Photos of Norman J. Fix and plane B-17 42-37809 / Carolina Queen I will be at the Netherlands American Cemetery For Memorial Day May 2026 to...

b17flyingfortress.de on 08 March 2026 in 42-5052 / Mizpah

Thanks :)

b17flyingfortress.de on 08 March 2026 in 44-83684

Hello Matt, that is the right aircraft he flew, B-17 42-3269 / PICCADILLY WILLY: https://b17flyingfortress.de/en/b17/42-3269-piccadilly-willy/

Brian Field on 06 March 2026 in 42-39907 / Nasty Nellie

Hello I am researching for a book about my father's WW2 experience. He was a B-24 pilot in the 456th bomb group. His plane was shot down on June 26,...

Eric on 06 March 2026 in 43-38575

My great Uncle, George Kumm, was the navigator on this aircraft.

Claudia Livingston Berkley on 05 March 2026 in 42-30176 / Assassin

My father, Claude Schuyler Livingston, was the bombardier on the 4230176 Assassin. He returned safely home after the liberation of his POW camp, and married my mother 4 months later....

Matt Burdette on 05 March 2026 in 44-83684

I am Archie E Burdette's son. He was a pilot and records indicate that he flew the Picadilly Willy on mission # 35 on October 8th, 1943, out of Kimbolton...