B-17G | B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies

The B-17G was the latst production model of the “Flying Fortress” and was manufactured in the greates numbers.

However, the new model B-17 also experienced its own operating difficulties. When fired at maximum elevation, the chin turret guns had a tendency to crack the plexiglass nose; a problem was solved by fitting blast barrels to each gun. The oil cooler regulator often failed to operate and could result in complete engine seizure. The ability to feather the propeller blades, in event of engine failture, was lost in the B-17G because the standpipe that held back sufficient oil to work the feathering tank was sacrificed in the quest for a lighter aircraft. This was a major design error and meant that, by the winter of 1943, the lack of feathering was a major reason for bomber loss. Urgent request were made by Groups for special modifications kits but it was only in September 1944 that B-17G’s arrived with these modifications built-in.

Fatal Error

Another serious problem on the B-17G was the lack of an engine fire extinguisher system. Designers had believed that it was ineffective so had left it out of the new model. In reality, the system had worked well and it was requested by Bomber Groups that it be re-introduced as soon as possible.

The B-17G was still tail heavy with the same centre of gravity problems as earlier models. However, by May 1944, when long-range fighter esort was effective defensive protection, gunners were not as busy as before and it was decided that one waist gunner be dispensed with. The radio romm gun, the least used in action, was got also rid of and the quanity of ammunition carried reduced. All these measures brought the centre of gravity nearer th a more acceptable position. In the las month of the war, when there was little enemy fighter activity, some Combat Wings flew without waist guns, ball turrets or chin turrets. Operational reports revealed an estimated 25mph increase in airspeed with the improved streamlining. In this period of the war flak batteries were a greater hazard than fighters and unneccesary gunner armor plate was removed to be replaced with laminated steel and canvas plates called “flak curtains”.

In total, the 8th Air Force received 6,500 B-17G’s. In March 1945, it could send 2,370 of them into combat operations. At the end of the war a total 1,301 B-17G’s had been shot down or reported missing in action.

Random B-17G from database

44-6731

Delivered Lincoln 28/10/44; Grenier 2/11/44; Assigned 773BS/463BG Celone 16/11/44; Salvaged 9AF Germany 11/12/45.

42-102513 / Swing Shift Baby

Delivered Cheyenne 10/3/44; Gr Island 29/3/44; Grenier 6/4/44; Assigned: 731BS/452BG Deopham Green 10/4/44; battle damage Ludwigshafen 25/9/44 Crew bailed out due to flak damage to three engines, landed on auto-pilot near Mondorf-led-Bains, and was photographed in a field by advancing GIs about a week later; Salvaged 22/12/44. SWING SHIFT BABY.

42-97862

Delivered Tulsa 21/3/44; 88BG Hunter 18/5/44; Dow Fd 29/5/44; slated 401BG from US to Valley, Wales en route UK 1/6/44 with Lester Brook, Co-pilot: Jerry Murphy, Navigator: Joe Nobilione, Bombardier: Leighton McKenzie, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Wilbur Brewer, Radio Operator: Larry Dundon, Ball turret gunner: Bob Graves, Waist gunner: Ed McGill, Waist gunner: Howard Hibbler,Tail gunner: Larry McGrane (10 Killed in Service); crashed Cave Hill, on Northern outskirts of Belfast; Salvaged Nutts Corner, Belfast, N. I. 6/8/44.

42-102386

Delivered Cheyenne 27/2/44; 225 BU Rapid City 1/5/44; 2114 BU Lockbourn 19/7/44; 2137 BU Hendricks 14/10/44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Walnut Ridge 8/1/46.

43-37984 / Flutterbye

Delivered Cheyenne 13/6/44; Kearney 27/6/44; Grenier 6/7/44; Assigned 390BG Framlingham 8/7/44; transferred 839BS/487BG [R5-H] Lavenham 9/7/44; force landed Melsbroek, Bel 19/12/44; Salvaged 3/1/45.

43-37900

Delivered Cheyenne 2/6/44; Kearney 12/6/44; Grenier 9/7/44; Assigned 508BS/351BG [YB-M] Polebrook 26/7/44; battle damaged {80m} Bremen 30/3/45 with ?; force landed continent; Salvaged 20/5/45.

42-102666 / Wizard of Oz

Delivered Cheyenne 24/3/44; Kearney 12/4/44; Grenier 28/4/44; Assigned 563BS/388BG [E] Knettishall 30/4/44; destroyed by enemy aircraft at Poltava with Lt Oswald 21/6/44; Salvaged 2/7/44. WIZARD OF OZ.

42-31735 / Lucky Lee

Delivered Cheyenne 11/12/43; Kearney 30/12/43; RAF Nutts Corner 15/1/44; Assigned 351BS/100BG [EP-B] Thorpe Abbotts 17/1/44; Missing in Action Berlin 6/3/44 with George Brannan, Bombardier: Lou Denisco, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Walt Austin, Radio Operator: Bill Teaff (wia & died) 12/7/44, Ball turret gunner: Robin Fulton (Wounded in Action), Waist gunner: Chas Elliott, Waist gunner: Howard Larimore,Tail gunner: Bob Greenleaf (8 Prisoner of War); Co-pilot: Tom Leslie, Navigator: Clyde Dale (2 Killed in Action); enemy aircraft KO’d two engines, ship exploded and crashed Haustette, near Bakurn, five miles W of Vechta, Ger; Missing Air Crew Report 3020. LUCKY LEE.

44-8769

Delivered Lincoln 17/12/44; Dow Fd 20/1/45; Assigned 8AF 24/1/45; re-ass 30/4/47; 10HB Oberpfaffenhofen 16/1/48; Recl Comp 7/1/49.

44-83482

Delivered Hunter 14/3/45; Grenier 23/3/45; Assigned 8AF 1/4/45; Returned to the USA Bradley 9/7/45; Sth Plains 15/7/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman 19/11/45.

B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies B-17G

Improvements