“ Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress”Ĭrippling the Nazi War Machine : USAAF Strategic Bombing in EuropeĮarly Operations (1942 to mid-1943) - Eighth Air Force in England The Memphis Belle: American Icon and 25 th Mission 50-cal machine guns and 8,000 lbs of bombsĮngines: Four 1,200 hp Wright R-1820-97 turbosupercharged radials The Memphis Belle, which had been on loan from the Air Force to the city of Memphis, was relocated to the Museum in 2005, and after years of meticulous restoration, it was placed on public display in May 2018.Īrmament: Up to thirteen. The aircraft on display, the famed B-17F Memphis Belle, became the first heavy bomber to return to the US after flying 25 missions over Europe. By the end of production in May 1945, more than 12,700 B-17s had been built. The later B-17G had a nose turret for better frontal defense, and it was also the most numerous, representing about two thirds of all B-17s made. The B-17F was the fastest model and the primary heavy bomber early in the strategic bombing campaign. Production quickly increased, and three companies-Boeing, Lockheed-Vega, and Douglas-mass-produced Flying Fortresses by the thousands. Advanced turbosupercharged engines allowed it to fly up to about 30,000 feet with a combat load, while powered turrets and flexible guns covered all areas around the aircraft.Īlthough the B-17 prototype flew in 1935, only a relatively small number of B-17s were in service when the US entered the war in 1941.
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The B-17’s design emphasized high altitude flight, speed, and heavy defensive armament in order to survive enemy defenses. Along with the B-24 Liberator, the B-17 formed the backbone of the USAAF strategic bombing force, and it helped win the war by crippling Germany’s war industry. The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress flew in every combat zone during World War II, but its most significant service was over Europe.