The B-17 is more than just an airplane. It is a monument to a time in history where freedom itself hung in the balance. So much so that an entire generation of young men left their homes to fight both in and over foreign lands.
Also known as the “Flying Fortress,” these airplanes flew in every theater from start to finish, but will always be remembered for the job they did in the hostile skies over Europe as the workhorse of the “Mighty Eighth” Air Force.
There are few airplanes as emblematic as the Flying Fortress. Its majestic form, prickling with 13 guns, symbolizes the American industry and a fast, successful response to world events. While the Fortress is an impressive and glorious aircraft to behold, more importantly, it reminds us of its 10-man crews who fought (and often died) more than 4 miles above the earth…