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hen in morial auled it e Base. the US is Belle nd the eiling – flight . d said: S heavy bomber crewmen were killed in combat with over 8,000 of the heavy bombers being destroyed. The strategic bombing campaign that these young airmen conducted played a critical part in ending the war.
“They broke the back of the German air force, which allowed D-day to happen”.
The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress flew in every combat zone in 1939-45 but its most significant service was over Europe.
By crippling Hitler’s war industry it helped defeat fascism. The aircraft was designed to destroy and survive – built for high altitude flight, speed and with heavy defences.
With ten crew, including machine gunners, it had a top speed of 325mph and a maximum working altitude of 37,500ft.
Its range was 2,800 miles, which meant a practical combat radius of 600 miles.
Only a small number of B-17s were in service when the US entered the war in 1941.
Production quickly increased, and three companies – Boeing, Lockheed-vega, and Douglas – mass-produced Flying Fortresses in their thousands.
The B-17F was the fastest model and the primary heavy bomber early in the strategic bombing campaign.
The later B-17G had a nose turret for better frontal defence. At least two thirds of all models made were B-17GS.
By the end of production in May 1945, more than 12,700 B-17s had been built.
The aircraft on display today, the celebrated B-17F Memphis Belle, became the first heavy bomber to return to the US after flying 25 missions over Europe.
Lt Gen Jacqueline Van Ovost, Air Force director of staff, spoke at the unveiling at the museum last month. She said of the crew who died: “We are a better world because they answered the call.”