B-17 As A Work of Art (1 Viewer)

[PolarBear]

From the Library of Congress WWII Color Photo Collection

"This girl in a glass house is putting finishing touches on the bombardier nose section of a B-17F navy bomber, Long Beach, Calif. She's one of many capable women workers in the Douglas Aircraft Company plant. Better known as the "Flying Fortress," the B-17F is a later model of the B-17 which distinguished itself in action in the South Pacific, over Germany and elsewhere. It is a long range, high altitude heavy bomber, with a crew of seven to nine men, and with armament sufficient to defend itself on daylight missions." Library of Congress Text
MEDIUM: 1 transparency : color.
CREATED/PUBLISHED: 1942 Oct.
CREATOR: Palmer, Alfred T., photographer.

 

[Ken & Ericka Osen/H&A Studio]

Great Image Randy!
...Some of my favorite movies while growing up were 'Twelve O'clock High' and 'The Best Years of our Lives' featuring B-17s. Many of the fellows in my neighborhood where I grew up flew or serviced these works of aircraft art by Boeing.
The fellow behind me was a ground crew mechanic during the war, the neighbor behind him had been a co-pilot that survived two crash landings, My uncle had been aircrew and the fellow across the street had been a navigator. I always wondered if the industry in the Detroit area had attracted some of these Army Air Corp vets.

The Yankee Airforce, which has it's home base near me operates a restored bare metal B17G named Yankee Lady. It is a beauty to behold when airborne winging it's way from place to place.
A few years ago I made the investment to take a short flight in this aircraft and it is some of the best Yankee Greenbacks I have ever spent.
Once airborne we were allowed to move about the aircraft. I was lucky enough to spend some time in the bombardier's position gazing out of the Plexiglas nose and peering over the Nordon bomb site as it made a slow turn over the industrial complex at the River Rouge in Detroit. What a thrill on one hand, but I am also thankful I never had to face the dangers that the aircrews did in WWII.
Ken

 

[Nathan]

Great Image Randy!
...Some of my favorite movies while growing up were 'Twelve O'clock High' and 'The Best Years of our Lives' featuring B-17s. Many of the fellows in my neighborhood where I grew up flew or serviced these works of aircraft art by Boeing.
The fellow behind me was a ground crew mechanic during the war, the neighbor behind him had been a co-pilot that survived two crash landings, My uncle had been aircrew and the fellow across the street had been a navigator. I always wondered if the industry in the Detroit area had attracted some of these Army Air Corp vets.

The Yankee Airforce, which has it's home base near me operates a restored bare metal B17G named Yankee Lady. It is a beauty to behold when airborne winging it's way from place to place.
A few years ago I made the investment to take a short flight in this aircraft and it is some of the best Yankee Greenbacks I have ever spent.
Once airborne we were allowed to move about the aircraft. I was lucky enough to spend some time in the bombardier's position gazing out of the Plexiglas nose and peering over the Nordon bomb site as it made a slow turn over the industrial complex at the River Rouge in Detroit. What a thrill on one hand, but I am also thankful I never had to face the dangers that the aircrews did in WWII.
Ken

So jealous!!! I grew up watching the memphis bell. If I am ever rich enough one day I should like to buy myself a b17 hahaha.

 

[MCKENNA77]

Thats a great photo dude thanks for posting. I count myself very lucky to be able to catch a ride in a B-17 a while back in Monterey California. Its a real trip to hear the engines fire up and take off in that sucker. I think they actually do flights around the country. You can reference:

www.collingsfoundation.org

A guy I knew actually served on a B-17 during WWII. They dont really go all that fast. One time he shared a story about how on a clear day you could see all the way to the ground and he could see the German air defense mobilizing and mounting up the AAA guns. He said once you started taking flak it was a crap shoot on who got hit and who made it out alive. Pretty flipping intense to say the least. Makes my life look like a gravy train on biscuit wheels.

Take Care

 

[Gideon]

A-m-a-z-i-n-g!

 

[Alexdakar]

Lucky guy.

 

[4th Hussar]

There is a restored B17 touring the Northwest right now. It is about $450 a ride and it has got to be worth at least twice that much. I guess almost 30,000 were built and only 14 are still airworthy.