Jan 21 2007
Radial Rumble
The first airplane model I have ever put together, glued, painted, etc. was a Boeing B-17G. The “Flying Fortress,” as it became known (labeled by the media after it is amazing array of onboard defensive armament), is one of the most famous airplanes ever built. Those of you not familiar with this aircraft are likely to remember it from the movie “Memphis Belle” or Steven Spielberg’s TV Series “Amazing Stories” - Episode 5: “The Mission“.
The B-17 prototype first flew on July 28, 1935. Few B-17s were in service on Dec. 7, 1941, (the day of the attack on Pearl Harbour) but production quickly accelerated.
The aircraft served in every World War II combat zone but is best known for daylight strategic bombing of German industrial targets. Production ended in May 1945 and totaled 12,726.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Span: 103 ft. 10 in.
Length: 74 ft. 4 in.
Height: 19 ft. 1 in.
Weight: 55,000 lbs. loaded
Armament: 13 .50-cal. machine guns with normal bomb load of 6,000 lbs.
Engines: Four Wright Cyclone R-1820s of 1,200 hp each
Cost: $276,000 (back in the late 30s/early 40s)
PERFORMANCE:
Maximum speed: 300 mph
Cruising speed: 170 mph
Range: 1,850 miles
Service ceiling: 35,000 ft.
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