B-17 Flying Fortress | War History

The B-17 Flying Fortress Saw Use As An Airliner?! 12 Facts About the Iconic American Heavy Bomber

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress in flight

When asked what they think the most iconic Allied bomber of the Second World War was, the majority of historians and aircraft enthusiasts will likely…

Forget CGI! A B-17 Was Actually Crashed During the Filming of ‘Twelve O’Clock High’

Gary Merrill, Gregory Peck and Dean Jagger as Col. Keith Davenport, Gen. Frank Savage and Maj. Harvey Stovall in 'Twelve O'Clock High'

We live in a world where CGI is commonplace in movies. It’s actually become a selling point to say that flight sequences, such as those…

The Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress ‘Memphis Belle’ Flew 25 Combat Missions Over Europe

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress 'Memphis Belle' parked on the tarmac

The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress holds the distinction of being the third-most produced bomber of all time, with 12,731 built from 1936-45. The aircraft first…

Six Dead In Dallas Air Show Crash Involving Two WWII-Era Aircraft

Douglas B-17G Flying Fortress in flight + Bell P-63 Kingcobra parked on the runway

Tragedy struck the Wings Over Dallas air show on November 12, 2022 when two World War II-era aircraft crashed mid-air. As of publishing, six are…

Relic Hunters Surprised By What They Discovered In WWII-Era ‘Swamp Ghost’ Bomber

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress in flight

While flying over Papua New Guinea in 1972, airmen from the Royal Australian Air Force spotted something strange in the swamplands below. The large object…

The US Army Air Forces Accidentally Dropped Bombs on Boise City, Oklahoma

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress in flight

Accidents happen. Some, however, are far worse than others, such as mistakingly attacking one’s own country during a practice aerial bombing mission. As ridiculous as…

Star Trek Creator Gene Roddenberry Faced Death Twice While In the US Army Air Forces

Todd Neikirk
Gene Roddenberry sitting in a chair

Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek: The Original Series (1966-69) remains enormously popular and influential; critics still point to the creator’s forward-thinking views on race and human…

Was Ball Turret Gunner the Worst Position to Hold During World War II?

Gunner sitting in the entrance to a ball turret

There were plenty of positions during World War II that put a serviceman’s life at risk. Arguably one of the worst was being the ball…

Remains Found In B-17 Wreckage Identified As Missing WWII Pilot

Military portrait of Ernest N. Vienneau + B-17 Flying Fortress in the air

The remains of United States Army Air Force 2nd Lieutenant Ernest N. Vienneau have officially been identified. The news follows a joint-recovery mission by the…

Good “Old 666”, the Cursed Bomber that No One Wanted to Fly took on 17 Japanese Fighters Alone and Lived to Tell About It

When you see the number “666” on the tail number of a plane, it is entirely understandable if you opt to stay on the ground. …

91-year-old WWII U.S. Veteran Honored by the French

James Facos was the ball turret gunner in a B-17 Flying Fortress. He flew 30 missions, including bombing runs to prepare for the D-Day invasions…

The Trip Of A Lifetime: Bomber Camp 2016 – Last Tickets!

Bomber Camp 2016 presents Battle of the Bombers! Be a part of history as a flight crew member in the B-17 Flying Fortress or the…