Enemy Captures

This is the site where I found the following information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_B-17_Flying_Fortress

Luftwaffe captured B-17s

During World War II, after crash-landing or being forced down, approximately 40 B-17s were captured and refurbished, with about a dozen put back into the air. Given German markings on their wings and fuselages and Nazi swastika tail fin-flashes, the captured B-17s were used to determine the B-17's vulnerabilities and to train German interceptor pilots in attack tactics. Others, with the cover designations Dornier Do 200 and Do 288, were used as long-range transports by the Kampfgeschwader 200 special duties unit, carrying out agent drops and supplying secret airstrips in the Middle East and North Africa. They were chosen specifically for these missions as being more suitable for this role than other available German aircraft; they never attempted to deceive the Allies and always wore full Luftwaffe markings. One B-17 of KG200, bearing the Luftwaffe markings A3+FB, was interned by Spain when it landed at Valencia airfield, 27 June 1944, remaining there for the rest of the war.  Some B-17s kept their Allied markings and were used by the Luftwaffe in attempts to infiltrate B-17 bombing formations and report on their positions and altitudes. The practice was initially successful, but Army Air Force combat aircrews quickly developed and established standard procedures to first warn off, and then fire upon any "stranger" trying to join a group's formation.

History Behind the B-17G

In 1939, Boeing wanted a very highly defensive, stratigic bombing plane, so new engineers went to work. They came out with the AYB-17A/ version 299. The military bought six planes for testing. There were different results and different blind spots for each plane, so they never let it see combat. The designers and engineers went back and worked out the discrepancies and even improved the engine. Their results developed into the B-17A. The Army and the Air Force bought some.  Also, the B-17A was prone to overheating which caused the engines to explode.  One out of every two planes would explode.  After that, creators went back to work and their results became the B-17B   Then Boeing asked the engineers to make a bottom turret and came out with the B-17C.  The model improved by the time the B-17D was manufactured.  Designers wanted the turrets to have full range of motion and that's when the major improvements came with the B-17E.  The B-17F was a small improvement on the E version with a radioman station and a front gunner.  The front gunner assisted the top turret gunner which could not shoot low.  The B-17G also included a small improvement which was the inclusion of a chin gun.  This gun was below the front cab.  The rare B-17H was used by the Coast Guard.  Three inflatable rafts were part of the equipment of the B-17H for rescues at sea.

B-17G is my favorite because it was the most mass produce version and completed the most missions during World War II.

New Picture

I have a new blueprint cutaway picture just below the posts in the footer of my blog.  I hope you will like it.  This picture is really accurate to a real B-17G.  The details are really cool!  I got this picture from a wallpaper website.

New Link to View

I have two new links for you to view.  On the Northstar Gallery, you'll see "fine art photography exploring the beauty of classic World War II aircraft."  On 303rd Bomber Group, there are neat pictures of bomber formations.

Both sites have lots of information about B-17Gs, but I linked to specific portions of their site.  Please feel free to visit the rest of their sites.

Tactics and Formations

During the offensive of Germany and Japan, there were always enemy fighters swarming the skies, diving down and destroying American planes.  The B-17G had eight different gun turrets.  When planes would attack the bottom of the B-17s earlier versions, the gun could only turn at about a 23 degree angle.  It was ineffective at destroying fighters that attacked from this position.  After many bombers were shot down, a model E was created.  The ball turret on this version and other made afterward could rotate fully to address attacks from any direction.  When the Messerschmitt ME came along, they had thicker armor.  A colonel came up with the idea of a three-plane formation of B-17s to create more firepower.  They were more effective in destroying the Messerschmitts this way.  B-17s were very successful from this point on.

Welcome to my page

I am happy for you to be here.  I love sharing my knowledge of B-17Gs with people and I hope that you find this page interesting.  I have created 30 pages on Glogster through an account I had at school but they were temporary.  I hope to re-create something really interesting on this blog.  Enjoy!  Josh