Is the B-17 easy to fly?

Is the B-17 easy to fly?

The B-17 was stable and easy to fly, and many heavily damaged aircraft returned to England. German experiments revealed that 450g of high explosive were needed to ensure destruction of a B-17, and they commissioned development of a 55mm gun to carry such a load, but it was never put in service.

What is the difference between a B-17 and a B24?

The B17 could be operated at speeds as slow as 135 mph, whereas the B24 became dangerous below 160 mph. Both aircraft could take a beating and still fly. Still, the design of the B24 did place limits on its ability to safely perform emergency landings.

How many airworthy B-17s are left?

Many surviving examples are painted to represent actual planes that flew in combat. Today, 46 planes survive in complete form, 10 of which are airworthy, and 39 of which reside in the United States.

How strong is the B-17?

The B-17’s armament consisted of five . 30 caliber (7.62 mm) machine guns, with a payload up to 4,800 lb (2,200 kg) of bombs on two racks in the bomb bay behind the cockpit. The aircraft was powered by four Pratt & Whitney R-1690 Hornet radial engines, each producing 750 hp (600 kW) at 7,000 ft (2,100 m).

How much does it cost to fly a B-17?

Fly On A Vintage B-17 Flying Fortress The cost to fly on the B-17 Flying Fortress is: $495.00 per person for seats in the center section of the aircraft. $700.00 per person for the Navigator’s Seat. $850.00 per person for the Bombardier’s Seat.

What replaced the B-17?

Consolidated’s B-24 was designed to replace the B-17 and was in many ways a much better airplane, with vastly improved performance due to an aerodynamically shaped wing that afforded higher speeds and greater payloads using engines with the same rated horsepower.

What type of aircraft is a B-17?

The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engine heavy bomber aircraft developed in the 1930s. The B-17 was primarily employed by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) in the daylight precision strategic bombing campaign of World War II against German industrial and military targets.

Why is the B-17 called the Flying Fortress?

The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress 4-engine heavy bomber is one of the most famous, and successful, planes ever built. The B-17 received the name “Flying Fortress” from a Seattle news reporter who commented on its defensive firepower, and said “It’s a Flying Fortress”.

What is the best book about the B-17 bomber?

B-17 in Action. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1984. ISBN 0-89747-152-0. Jablonski, Edward. Flying Fortress. New York: Doubleday, 1965. ISBN 0-385-03855-0. Johnsen, Frederick A. Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. Stillwater, Minnesota: Voyageur Press, 2001. ISBN 1-58007-052-3.

Did you see a B17 Flying over the Rhine?

We also reported seeing a B17 flying at a safe distance from the formation. This mystery fortress shadowed the formation inbound from the Rhine river and we were informed others had seen it back across Belgium on the way out. A fortress manned by the enemy created an unsettling feeling in all of us. ^ Gordon 2008, p. 479.