60 Of the 291 attacking Fortresses, 60 were shot down over Germany, five crashed on approach to Britain, and 12 more were scrapped due to damage - a loss of 77 B-17s. On 8 August 1934, the USAAC tendered a proposal for a multiengine bomber to replace the Martin B-10. German Me 262s Gun Down B-17s | Military.com About 130 B-17s were converted to the air-sea rescue role, at first designated B-17H and later SB-17G. They also desired, but did not require, a range of 2,000mi (3,200km) and a speed of 250mph (400km/h). Japanese activity forced them to divert from Hickam Field to Bellows Field. However, the USAAF continued using the B-17 as a day bomber, despite misgivings by the RAF that attempts at daylight bombing would be ineffective. In January 1938, group commander Colonel Robert Olds flew a Y1B-17 from the U.S. east coast to the west coast, setting a transcontinental record of 13 hours 27 minutes. There were 12,731 B-17s built between 1936 and 1945. the Germans broke off to refuel having shot down 15 B-17s. The Americans, on the other hand, were proponents of daylight, precision bombing using their state-of-the-art and top-secret Norden bomb-sight. In 1957 the surviving B-17s had been stripped of all weapons and painted black. Mayday! When bombers crashed in Switzerland - SWI swissinfo.ch Almost all of the other bombers suffered some level of damage. Donald, David. 21 never had a major effect on the combat box formations of Fortresses. "Boeing's Battle Wagon: The B-17 Flying Fortress An Outline History". In early 1942, the 7th Bombardment Group began arriving in Java with a mixed force of B-17s and LB-30/B-24s. Footage of a B-17 bombing raid that was attacked by German flak and Bf-109's in which bombers are hit and shot down. The B-17 saw early action in the Pacific War, where it conducted raids against Japanese shipping and airfields. What was the life expectancy of a B-17 crewman flying over - Quora The Fortress came under fire from Japanese fighter aircraft, though the crew was unharmed with the exception of one member who suffered an abrasion on his hand. Though initially surviving the impact, Hill died within a few hours, and Tower on 19 November. [92] On 17 August 1942, 12 B-17Es of the 97th, with the lead aircraft piloted by Major Paul Tibbets and carrying Brigadier General Ira Eaker as an observer, were close escorted by four squadrons of RAF Spitfire IXs (and a further five squadrons of Spitfire Vs to cover the withdrawal) on the first USAAF heavy bomber raid over Europe, against the large railroad marshalling yards at Rouen-Sotteville in France, while a further six aircraft flew a diversionary raid along the French coast. [12] Losses to flak continued to take a high toll of heavy bombers through 1944, but the war in Europe was being won by the Allies. All of these modifications made the YB-40 well over 10,000lb (4,500kg) heavier than a fully loaded B-17F. See answer . Lieutenant General James Doolittle, commander of the 8th, had ordered the second Schweinfurt mission to be cancelled as the weather deteriorated, but the lead units had already entered hostile air space and continued with the mission. [note 1] Boeing also claimed in some of the early press releases that Model 299 was the first combat aircraft that could continue its mission if one of its four engines failed. Still, the Air Corps ordered 13 more B-17s for further evaluation, then introduced it into service in 1938. With a renewed focus and power, the Allies finally achieved the air supremacy needed over Normandyfor the D-Day landings in June 1944. Most of the escorts turned back or missed the rendezvous, and as a result, 60 B-17s were destroyed. Later on footage shows German paratroopers and American P-51 mustangs. Some SB-17s had their defensive guns removed, while others retained their guns to allow use close to combat areas. How many Cobras were shot down in Vietnam? - 2023 Originally, the B-17 was also chosen because of its heavy defensive armament, but this was later removed. [19][20], On 30 October 1935, a test flight determining the rate of climb and service ceiling was planned. A 1943 survey by the USAAF found that over half the bombers shot down by the Germans had left the protection of the main formation. [156] The three bombers, which still contained their top secret Norden bombsights, were ferried to Japan where they underwent extensive technical evaluation by the Giken, the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force's Air Technical Research Institute (Koku Gijutsu Kenkyujo) at Tachikawa's air field. The most famous B-17, the Memphis Belle, toured the U. S. with her crew to reinforce national morale (and to sell war bonds). [18] His opinions were shared by the air corps procurement officers, and even before the competition had finished, they suggested buying 65 B-17s. Later versions carried four or even six MG 151/20 cannon and twin 13mm machine guns. the B-17 Flying Fortress were equipped with lots of machine guns for self-defense against single-seat fighter aircraft. Though many were shot down, many more severely damaged aircraft were able to return their crews safely to base. Fewer than 10 are airworthy . [70] Initially designated SB-17G, a number of B-17Gs were also converted for search-and-rescue duties, later to be redesignated B-17H. Additional armament included an additional dorsal turret in the radio room, a remotely operated and fired Bendix-built "chin turret" directly below the bombardier's accommodation, and twin .50in (12.7mm) guns in each of the waist positions. Many had dozens of aerial victories; some had over 100. Thomas, Geoffrey J., and Ketley, Barry, "KG 200 The Luftwaffe's Most Secret Unit", Hikoku Publications Ltd., Crowborough, East Sussex, UK, 2003, Correll, John T. " Rendezvous With the 'Rex'. The first Schweinfurt-Regensburg Raid occurred during >World War II (1939-1945). Many historians have written about the famous Buffalo Soldiers of the all-Black 92nd Infantry Division, who fought with distinction during World War II. [84], As use by Bomber Command had been curtailed, the RAF transferred its remaining FortressI aircraft to Coastal Command for use as a long-range maritime patrol aircraft. How many B-17 were shot down over Germany? How many B-17s were shot down? - Wise-Answer As the Americans flew further into Europe and Germany, the missions became deadlier. For many, the B-17 is the iconic bomber of the war, and the Flying Fortress"remains a symbol of American might. Operational History. [105] German fighters needed to respond, and the North American P-51 Mustang and Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighters (equipped with improved drop tanks to extend their range) accompanying the American heavies all the way to and from the targets engaged them. For other uses, see, "Flying Fortress" redirects here. In a USAAC competition, Boeing's prototype Model 299/XB-17 outperformed two other entries but crashed, losing the initial 200-bomber contract to the Douglas B-18 Bolo. How many German fighters did the B17 and B24 shoot down during - Quora [citation needed] After the defeat in Java, the 19th withdrew to Australia, where it continued in combat until it was sent home by General George C. Kenney when he arrived in Australia in mid-1942. Subjects > Humanities > History. In fact, he wasn't a pilot at all . [citation needed], The B-17 was noted for its ability to absorb battle damage, still reach its target and bring its crew home safely. [57] The B-17's turbocharged Wright R-1820 Cyclone 9 engines were upgraded to increasingly more powerful versions of the same powerplants throughout its production, and similarly, the number of machine gun emplacement locations was increased.[61]. In October 1943 the Swiss interned Boeing B-17F-25-VE, tail number 25841, and its U.S. flight crew after the Flying Fortress developed engine trouble after a raid over Germany and was forced to land. [144], After examining wrecked B-17s and B-24s, Luftwaffe officers discovered that on average it took about 20 hits with 20 mm shells fired from the rear to bring them down. 945 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA 70130 The loss was not total but Boeing's hopes for a substantial bomber contract were dashed. Their first operation, against Wilhelmshaven on 8 July 1941 was unsuccessful. In 1964, the latter film was made into a television show of the same name and ran for three years on ABC TV. B-17 Is Shot Down (1943) - YouTube Wixley, Ken. [76] The British heavy bombers, the Avro Lancaster and Handley Page Halifax, dropped 608,612 long tons (681,645 short tons) and 224,207 long tons (251,112 short tons)[77] respectively. How many helicopters were shot down in Vietnam? Frisbee, John L. "Valor: Colin Kelly (He was a Hero in Legend and in Fact). Wiki User. An overwhelming majority of them were women and children. Crashed Model 299. [149] 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. How many B-17s were shot down during World War 2? - Answers The B-17s attracted a number of Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters, which were in turn attacked by the P-38 Lightning escorts. As the production line developed, Boeing engineers continued to improve upon the basic design. A sobering statistic: Out of 1,419 Loaches built, 842 were destroyed in Vietnam, most shot down and many others succumbing to crashes resulting from low-level flying. Losses were relatively low - below the 5% threshold that was the. B-17 | Crew, Range, & Bomb Load | Britannica [128], At their peak, 168 B-17 bombers were in the Pacific theater in September 1942, but already in mid-1942 Gen. Arnold had decided that the B-17 was unsuitable for the kind of operations required in the Pacific and made plans to replace all of the B-17s in the theater with B-24s (and later, B-29s) as soon as they became available. Life and Death Aboard a B-17, 1944. [103], To rectify the Fw 190's shortcomings, the number of cannons fitted was doubled to four, with a corresponding increase in the amount of ammunition carried, creating the Sturmbock bomber destroyer version. B-17 Flying Fortresses The B-17 Flying Fortress became a symbol of the power of the United States and its air force. The B-17 finally had a fighter which could escort them in and out of Germany, and began to overwhelm German defenses and industry. Lieutenant General Jimmy Doolittle wrote about his preference for equipping the Eighth with B-17s, citing the logistical advantage in keeping field forces down to a minimum number of aircraft types with their individual servicing and spares. 21) rocket mortar by the Luftwaffe in mid-August 1943 promised the introduction of a major "stand-off" style of offensive weapon one strut-mounted tubular launcher was fixed under each wing panel on the Luftwaffe's single-engine fighters, and two under each wing panel of a few twin-engine Bf 110 daylight Zerstrer aircraft. It was code-named "Tachikawa 105" after the mystery aircraft's wingspan was measured (104-ft.) but never identified. B-17s flown by the Eighth saw some of the fiercest combat of the war. The two "E"s were used to develop B-17 air combat counter-tactics and also used as enemy aircraft in pilot and crew training films. "[22][23], The crashed Model 299 could not finish the evaluation, disqualifying it from the competition. ", "Army Bomber Flies 2,300 Miles In 9 Hours, or 252 Miles an Hour; New All-Metal Monoplane Sets a World Record on Non-Stop Flight From Seattle to Dayton, Ohio. Who manufactured the Norden bombsight? - TimesMojo A retirement ceremony was held several days later at Holloman AFB, after which 44-83684 was retired. The competition for the air corps contract was to be decided by a "fly-off" between Boeing's design, the Douglas DB-1, and the Martin Model 146 at Wilbur Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio. [110] The escort fighters reduced the loss rate to below 7%, with a total of 247 B-17s lost in 3,500 sorties while taking part in the Big Week raids. Log in. The first B-17 raid in Europe took place on August 17, 1942, when 12 planes attacked the railroad marshaling yards in Rouen, France. On 1 June, Seigrist and Price returned and picked up Smith and LeSchack using a Fulton Skyhook system installed on the B-17. Of the 291 attacking Fortresses, 60 were shot down over Germany, five crashed on approach to Britain, . [citation needed], Two additional groups arrived in Britain at the same time, bringing with them the first B-17Fs, which served as the primary AAF heavy bomber fighting the Germans until September 1943. [122][124] Actual Japanese fighter losses for the day were seven destroyed and three damaged. The aircraft went through several alterations in each of its design stages and variants. Next worst were the P-39 at 245, the P-40 at 188, and the P-38 at 139. Between 1 March and 4 August 1937, 12 of the 13 Y1B-17s were delivered to the 2nd Bombardment Group at Langley Field in Virginia for operational development and flight tests. [178] During the war, the largest offensive bombing force, the Eighth Air Force, had an open preference for the B-17. Gift of Peggy Wallace, 2010.308.022, B-17 Flying Fortresses in formation over Europe, 1944-45. Frisbee, John L. "Valor: 'Valor at its Highest'". Noted Japanese ace Sabur Sakai is credited with this kill, and in the process, came to respect the ability of the Fortress to absorb punishment.[119]. [101] While the attack was successful at disrupting the entire works, severely curtailing work there for the remainder of the war, it was at an extreme cost. The B-17 evolved through numerous design advances[4][5] but from its inception, the USAAC (later, the USAAF) promoted the aircraft as a strategic weapon. Date: American aircraft struck targets in Schweinfurt and Regensburg on August 17, 1943. . How effective was WWII bombers self defense anti-air armament? how many b17s were shot down during ww2 - bagtical.com A number of B-17Gs, redesignated B-17Hs and later SB-17Gs, were used in the Pacific during the final year of the war to carry and drop lifeboats to stranded bomber crews who had been shot down or crashed at sea. ", "Second-Generation Norden Bombsight Vault", "Aviation Photography: B-17 Flying Fortress. Ten of the 12 Fortresses survived the attack. [50] The B-17C changed from three bulged, oval-shaped gun blisters to two flush, oval-shaped gun window openings, and on the lower fuselage, a single "bathtub" gun gondola housing,[51] which resembled the similarly configured and located Bodenlafette/"Bola" ventral defensive emplacement on the German Heinkel He 111P-series medium bomber. Many B-17s survive today in museums, and there are some that still fly. American bomber numbers continued to build in Europe and attacks (and losses) began to build up. Though the crash of the prototype 299 in 1935 had almost wiped out Boeing, now it was seen as a boon. ", "Giant Bomber Flies Four Miles Per Minute. [12], The first flight of the Model 299 was on 28 July 1935 with Boeing chief test-pilot Leslie Tower at the controls. [133] Defensive armament increased from four 0.50in (12.7mm) machine guns and one 0.30in (7.62mm) nose machine gun in the B-17C, to thirteen 0.50in (12.7mm) machine guns in the B-17G. And by 27 April 1945, 2 days after the last heavy bombing mission in Europe, the rate of aircraft loss was so low that replacement aircraft were no longer arriving and the number of bombers per bomb group was reduced. (U.S. Air Force photo) The Boeing B-17 was one of the primary heavy bombers built by the United States during World War II. The first two ex-USAAF B-17s, a B-17F (later modified to B-17G standard) and a B-17G were obtained by the Navy for various development programs. [25] Army Chief of Staff Malin Craig cancelled the order for 65 YB-17s, and ordered 133 of the twin-engined Douglas B-18 Bolo, instead.[19][20]. For this reason, he wanted B-17 bombers and P-51 fighters for the Eighth. ", "WWII gunner 'Babe' Broyhill dies: Set record for downing Nazi jets", "100th Bomb Group Foundation Personnel LT COL Robert ROSENTHAL", "The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress (1944). Major General Frank Maxwell Andrews of the GHQ Air Force believed that the capabilities of large four-engined aircraft exceeded those of shorter-ranged, twin-engined aircraft, and that the B-17 was better suited to new, emerging USAAC doctrine. In 1946 (or 1947, according to Holm) the regiment was assigned to the Kazan factory (moving from Baranovichi) to aid in the Soviet effort to reproduce the more advanced Boeing B-29 as the Tupolev Tu-4.